THE GOD WHO IS

The author of Hebrews, using Abel and Enoch as examples, reasoned that it is by faith that one pleases God . He then declared, "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently see Him" (Heb. 11:6). To please God one must believe, not that He "was", but that He "is". That's the present indicative of the verb "be", and it indicates a present and continuing reality. Note some of the attributes ascribed to Him which declare His "isness", if we may coin a word.

When Moses queried God as to how he could identify Him to the Israelites, God declared, "I AM WHO I AM"; tell them "I AM has sent me to you." (Ex. 3:14) One writer said of the phrase, it suggests "the idea of uninterrupted continuance and boundless duration." Another said that the idea is that of "real, perfect, unconditioned, independent existence." In the next verse, "LORD God" is equated with the "I AM"; and in Gen. 21:33, He who is the LORD is called "the Everlasting God."

In his final speech to the Israelites, Moses sought to comfort and assure them by declaring that "The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms…" (Duet. 33:27). In the New Testament, many hundreds of years later, Paul also called God "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God" (I Tim. 1:17). Joshua, having succeeded Moses as leader of Israel, reminds them that "the living God is among you" (Josh. 3:10); even as Paul referred to "the living God" Who is the creator (Acts 14:15), and a bit later declared Him to presently be "Lord of heaven and earth" (Acts 17:24), "the living and true God" (I Thes. 1:9).

One of the "omni" terms which is frequently applied to God is "omnipresence", that is that He is everywhere and always present. The Psalmist wrote, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell [sheol], behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me…." (Psa. 139:7-12). The very concept of "omnipresence" demands that one recognize that "God is."

The God who is has revealed Himself and His will to man. He "has spoken" (Heb. 1:1-2), and He calls upon His creation for response. He desires that we "might seek Him and find Him", He "commands all men everywhere to repent" in view of a coming judgment (Acts 17:27-31); and He desires the worship of His creatures (Jn. 4:23-24). Kind reader, do you believe that He is? Have you responded to Him in obedience?