GOD:HIS EXISTENCE,
NATURE
and creation
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Desire to believe in the existence
of God
“I want to believe in something or
someone higher and better than
I.”
Temple at Capernaum
Reasons for wanting to believe in
and have the approval of God
•Reason 1: Belief in God gives
me a purpose and a reason to
live.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the
matter:
Fear God and keep his
commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
• Reason 2: Belief in God gives hope
that I am eternal and death is not
the end of me:
Job 14:14 14 If a man dies, will he
live again?
1 Corinthians 15:19-22 19 If only
for this life we have hope in Christ,
we are to be pitied more than all
men. 20 But Christ has indeed
been raised from the dead, the
firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep. 21 For since death came
through a man, the resurrection
of the dead comes also through a
man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so
in Christ all will be made alive.
•Reason 3: Belief in God
gives me a basis for
morality
•Reason 4: Belief in God
allows me to recognize the
spiritual
Raphael: God Appears to Isaac
Vatican, High Renaissance
What God is not:
Statues of gods from Thailand
Rembrandt, Juno(Hera) 1664, Los Angeles
Elgin marbles from
the Parthenon
Greek gods Zeus and Hera
now at British Museum
Work of Phidias
THE NATURE OF GOD.
From “The Trinity”
Trinity blessed, deity coequal,
Unity sacred, God one eke in essence,
Yield to thy servant, pitifully calling
Merciful hearing.
****
Glory to God, the Father, and his only
Son, the protector of us earthly sinners,
The sacred spirit, labourers refreshing,
Still be renowned. Amen.
– Richard Stanyhurst (1547-1618)
1. God is one being
Deuteronomy 6:4
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God,
the LORD is one.
God has three personalities,
each of which is called “God”:
Matthew 28:19
19 Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 8:6
6 yet for us there is but
one God, the Father,
from whom all things
came and for whom we
live; and there is but one
Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things
came and through
whom we live.
John 1:1
1 In the beginning
was the Word, and
the Word was with
God, and the Word
was God.
2. God is spirit, not flesh
and he is eternal
• John 4:24
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers
must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Model of Jerusalem
God has
infinite characteristics:
•He is good, powerful and just
Psalm 89:14
14 Righteousness and justice
are the foundation of your
throne;
love and faithfulness go before
you.
HIS CREATION: Genesis 1,2
Day 1: LIGHT and darkness,
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel
Day 3: Land and Water
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel
Day 4: Stars and Planets
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel
The Starry Night, Van Gogh,
MoMA, Post Impressionist
Other days
• Day 2: Water and Sky
• Day 5: Creatures of the Sky and Water
• Day 6: Creatures of the Land
• Peaceable Kingdom
• Hicks, 1834 National
• Gallery, Washington
The Olive Trees, Van Gogh
MoMA, Post-Impressionist
Isaiah 40:12-17
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has understood the mind of
the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
Isaiah 40:21-31
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 ‘‘To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
‘‘My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary
Milton Paradise Lost, Book 7
387: And God said, let the Waters generate
388: Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:
389: And let Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings
390: Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n.
391: And God created the great Whales, and each
392: Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously
393: The waters generated by thir kindes,
394: And every Bird of wing after his kinde;
395: And saw that it was good, and bless'd them, saying,
396: Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas
397: And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;
398: And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth.
399: Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek & Bay
400: With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales
401: Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales
402: Glide under the green Wave, in Sculles that oft
403: Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate
404: Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, & through Groves
405: Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance
406: Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold,
407: Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend
408: Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food
409: In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seale,
410: And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk
411: Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate
412: Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan
413: Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep
414: Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,
415: And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles
416: Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.
Edward Taylor (ca. 1642-1729)
The Preface
1 Infinity, when all things it beheld
2In Nothing, and of Nothing all did build,
3Upon what Base was fixt the Lath wherein
4He turn’d this Globe, and riggalld it so trim?
5Who blew the Bellows of His Furnace Vast?
6Or held the Mould wherein the world was Cast?
7Who laid its Corner Stone? Or whose Command?
8Where stand the Pillars upon which it stands?
9Who Lac’de and Fillitted the earth so fine,
10With Rivers like green Ribbons Smaragdine?
11Who made the Sea's its Selvedge, and it locks
12Like a Quilt Ball within a Silver Box?
13Who Spread its Canopy? Or Curtains Spun?
14Who in this Bowling Alley bowld the Sun?
15Who made it always when it rises set:
16To go at once both down, and up to get?
17Who th' Curtain rods made for this Tapistry?
18Who hung the twinckling Lanthorns in the Sky?
19Who? who did this? or who is he? Why, know
20It's Onely Might Almighty this did doe.