Bible Studies

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Examining God’s Characteristics:
Is There a Missing Link? Pt. 2
By: Mark A. Becker

A brief examination of what the Scriptures have to say about
God’s own ‘emotional characteristics’ and how they relate to us.

[This essay is intended for the unsaved and the newly reborn in Christ.]

"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…" -
Genesis 1:26a (NIV)

Anger / Wrath

Definition: Anger - a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. Wrath - extreme anger.

God’s Anger/Wrath in Scripture: The Scriptures make very clear that a Holy God has Holy Anger; what most often is referred to as ‘righteous indignation.’ God’s wrath is always predicated by His righteous judgement.

God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day. Psalm 7:11 (NIV)

"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them…" - Exodus 32:9-10a (NIV)

Man’s Anger/Wrath in Scripture: Man’s anger and wrath are directly linked to his sinful and rebellious nature, culminating into unbridled hatred. Unless that anger and wrath are a direct result of Salvation and the knowledge of the Word of God; it will always result in devastation.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. - Ephesians 2:1-3-(NIV)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. Romans 1:18-19 (NIV)

Life Example: In my walk with the Lord I experience this ‘righteous indignation’ regularly. Hearing the empty words of so many ‘false prophets’ lurking within the four walls of the Church creates within me a Spiritual fervor that is not easily quenched. And when I hear others mock the name of the Lord and deny His majesty, my inner consciousness goes into overdrive and the disdain in my heart, I recognize, emanates from God’s Spirit that resides in me.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. - Psalm 139:21-22 (NIV)

Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. - Psalm 5:10 (NIV)

Jealousy / Envy

Definition: Jealousy - 1 envious of someone else’s achievements or advantages. 2 resentful of someone regarded as a sexual rival. 3 fiercely protective of one’s rights or possessions: they kept a jealous eye over their interests. 4 (of God) demanding faithfulness and exclusive worship. Envy - 1 discontented or resentful longing aroused by another’s possessions, qualities, or luck. 2 (the envy of) a person or thing that inspires such a feeling.

God’s Jealousy in Scripture: God’s jealousy is not as man’s is. His, like anger, is righteous. God’s jealously is directly linked to the Salvation and restoration of His people.

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." - Exodus 34:14 (NIV)

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. - 2 Corinthians 11:2

Man’s Jealousy / Envy in Scripture: Like anger and wrath, jealousy and envy has no place in a man’s heart; with the exception of being in harmony with God’s will.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. - Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)

Life Example: I am very jealous of my Lord. It bothers me greatly when I see or hear of an individual, created in God’s image, proclaim their disdain for God. I pity the man and as if a conduit to the heart of Jesus; seem to feel His pain as well.

"Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!" - Jeremiah 4:18 (NIV)

Compassion

Definition: Compassion - sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

God’s Compassion in Scripture: Like love, compassion is exclusively God’s.

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. - Psalm 116:5 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

Man’s Compassion in Scripture: It is due to the spirit that God gave humanity, that we as human beings are even aware of compassion (empathy and ‘true love’ for that matter). It is that ‘knock on the heart’ that is only administered by the Hand of God that catches man’s attention.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

The spirit that God gave man was never fully realized, in its purest form, until the Father gave His Holy Spirit to live in harmony with man’s.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth." - John 14:16-17a (NIV)

"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. - John 14:23 (NIV)

Biblical Example: When Jesus was hanging on the cross - nails piercing His wrists and feet and a crown of thorns on His head - dying for the sins of mankind at the hands of His tormentors:

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." - Luke 23:34 (NIV)

Compassion in its purest form.

Humility

Definition: Humility - a humble view of one’s own importance. Humble - 1 having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. 2 of low rank. 3 of modest pretensions or dimensions.

God’s Humility in Scripture: Does God have humility? You need go no further than Jesus.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. We was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. - Isaiah 53:7-9 (NIV)

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he go up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. - John 13:3-5 (NIV)

Man’s Humility in Scripture: Most of the time, unfortunately, humility ultimately comes to men in the form of trials and tribulations. It is sad that most, if not all, men and women have to fall into the ‘pit’ to fully appreciate our need for humility. It is a painful but valuable lesson most children of God must learn the hard way. For me personally, it is how I found the Lord.

Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. - Job 40:11-13 (NIV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. - James 3:13 (NIV)

Life Example: In my article ‘Salvation Story: One Soul’s Testimony,’ (http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=88293) I lay out for the reader my personal encounter with the Savior of the world. Humility, in its fullest, didn’t immediately follow my ‘pit’ experience. But it sure did lay the groundwork.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. - Daniel 4:37 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Humor

Definition: Humor - 1 the quality of being amusing or comic. 2 a state of mind.

[Note: Some might consider ‘humor’ not to be an ‘emotional’ characteristic. I pose the question: When you see, hear or think of something humorous, what happens to you physiologically and psychologically?]

God in Scripture: Which gets us to the "crux of the matter" - the "gist of the piece." --- Where is God’s sense of humor in His Word?

While it is true that throughout Scripture God ‘laughs’ at fools and the plans of men, I struggle to find God promoting any attempt at personally displaying a "sense of humor."

Wouldn’t it be logical to assume that the Lord, as mankind’s Creator, not only has a sense of humor, but would also be the standard by which all merriment was graded in its intended, purest forms?

Being a stand-up want-to-be, I always seem to have an eye out looking for God’s humor in Scripture. It is very hard to find.

Some {OK, me} might point you to the humanly insane stories of Balaam’s Talking Donkey (Numbers 22:21-30) - {simply hilarious} - , or God’s desire to capture Jonah’s attention with the aid of regurgitating fish (Jonah 1:17). {Come on that’s funny stuff! A fleeing Prophet getting swallowed by a large fish in an effort to draw him closer to the will of God!! -- You can’t write this stuff. – Oh, that’s right – they did – through Him!!}.

Other than these two examples, and a few other situational comedies found in Scripture, humor is found few and far between - if at all really.

Why?

For me, humor is a life-line. An umbilical cord to the soul. A God given antidote, refreshing my spirit with the very nutrients my inner self craves.

In all honesty though, I have to be on my guard against unholy humor. Like you, I find myself with little to laugh at these days and often find myself compromised by the cultures demonic lures.

On The Other Hand…

Ever seen the commercial with the adorable, well nourished infant laughing hysterically as the narrator makes the claim that ‘laughter’ extends the human life 10-15 years? Well, I’ve never been one to gage relevancy of an issue from polls or statistics, but this one I can relate to.

When I meditate upon the characteristics of God and how these characteristics were passed down to His creation that bears His image, I find myself a little surprised at humor’s absence… Or am I really?

When I read in Scripture all God has done for His nation Israel and how He sacrificed Himself for His beloved Church, I begin to understand why God’s sense of humor seems to be wanting. This life and its implications are not the least bit humorous. After all, who can seriously laugh when mankind is at the mercy and judgement of our own sin nature that plays in concert with the degenerative groans of a fallen universe. Taking note of the historical human landscape, should reaffirm to mankind, our need for Him.

And when we finally make a decision to know Him, we find out that God does indeed have a sense of humor. We can’t see it, or hear it; but we most certainly can feel it. It can be felt in those times we spend with a loved one, or a brother or a sister in Christ. We feel it - after sharing with each other how Jesus has changed our lives. We see it in each other’s eyes. That peace, love, joy, compassion, and sense of security that can only be found in the One who bought us with His blood. A spontaneous, gushing, inner chuckle - centered on the pure thought of Heaven that has been reserved for us. Its not much. Its not overwhelming. Its just enough this side of Heaven.

The one verse that caught my eye while researching the ‘humor’ aspect of this essay was Luke 6:21b (NIV):

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."

Rhetorical question: Do you, or have you wept? Not a weeping the heathen also experience and partake in; but a deep, internal, spiritual weeping of all that is contrary to the things of God?…

Without getting into a study of the ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ let us absorb the comforting elements of the phrase - ‘for you will laugh.’

If you’re like me and find yourself in great anticipation of what eternity might look like - I suggest this un-Biblical, but no less viable vision (remember, all thing are possible with God!):

The Creator of the universe has been working on His stand-up routine for eternity - and when we finally get to see it - on the Lord’s "opening night" - He’s going to "blow the roof off the house!"

I’ve got my spiritual ‘Bic’ ready and I’m rehearsing the most sought after affirmation any musician or entertainer could ever wish for, but only Jesus deserves:

"Encore! Encore!! To the One who receives all glory, all praise, and all honor. To the King of kings and the Lord of lords --- "

I believe it is going to be (in earthly terms), "Maaarvelous! Simply, maaarvelous!!"


JJB

Definitions provided by: http://www.askoxford.com/dictionaries/

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