When you read through the Bible why does the description of God change so often?

Question

You would think if Good was unchanging like they claim the description would remain the same.

Answer 1

The Bible is a collection of stories compiled by many different people. Each person's account of how things happened or how they experienced the presence of God is different, requiring different explanations.

Kinda funny how I have 2 disapprovals. This isn't an opinion, it is fact whether you like it or not. The people who don't approve of this fact have probably never actually studied the Bible from an objective point of view, rather a biased point of view or a sheltered one.

Answer 2

Five blind children were taken to the zoo and allowed to touch an elaphant. When asked what it was like they all described the skin as being rough and wrinkly with little hairs on it, but their, there descriptons ceased to be the same. One described something shaped like a snake, another a Solid pillar, another a large fan, another a solid wall of flesh, and the last described a thin cord that ended in a bristly bit. None of these people were lying but there descriptions were very different because they had come into contact with different aspects of the elephant. One child had touched the trunk , one the ear, one the leg, one the body and the last the tail. It is like this for us and God.


Allot of this question has to do with what you believe the Bible is. Personally I believe the Bible is a compilation of writings, all written at differant times for differant reasons, brought together to portray a single unified description of what God is, and what our relationship to him is.

God May be unchanging but we... the people who read and wrote the Bible are always changing. The author of Genesis (whether it be moses, or 3 diffferent authors, dependant on your views) had a very different life and experience than the Author of Revelations (Usually credited to John.) How can you expect these 2 people who never met and lived in so very different worlds to think of GOd in the same way.

This is allot like the way the earth has always been the same but our understanding of it and its place in the universe has changed dramatically over time. Now we know it's not flat, goes around the sun, has deserts, seas, and polar caps. How much more complex is something as indescribable as God.

Answer 3

The descriptions try to capture how God is interacting with the world at any particular instance. Is He sitting as a judge, or as a compassionate father? Is He a warrior, or a peacemaker? These descriptions are provided so that we, mankind, can get a glimpse into the mind and workings of God in words that we can understand. Ultimately, it is far beyond our comprehension to understand God, but for us to begin to curry a relationship with Him, we must have some basis.

Answer 4

God is many things to us. He reveals Himself in many ways. Some of the descriptions of Him are revelations of His nature.

I think people underestimate God's abilities. They keep trying to anthropomorphize Him into a human man. I think that's where they go wrong. They have human-like expectations on Him, and talk about Him like He is a man. Jesus was a man, and God at the same time. But as Jesus said about God, there is more there than Jesus, and God is able to do the impossible. God is not only a man.

Answer 5

God has different attributes. In scriptures in different places his different attributes are mentioned. So far it is not contradictory,there is no problem. I am Muslim and I know what is in Quraan but for the Bible my Christian brothers and sisters will explain it better.

"He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory. And He is the Exalted in Might, The Wise. (Quran 59:24)

"The most beautiful names belong to God: so call on Him by them;..." (7:180)


"...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]

Answer 6

God is unchanging, but we are not. These descriptions are how we perceive Him at various times in history.

Answer 7

I think I understand what you're asking. Let me see if I got this straight.

If you were talking about me, for instance, you would ask why to one person I'm a "husband", and to another, I'm a "dad", and yet to another person, I'm a "brother", and to yet another, I'm an "uncle".

Is THAT what you're asking?

Otherwise, you need to clarify yourself and point out evidence for what you're claiming.

I think the problem is that you just don't understand. God is Holy, Righteous, and Loving. He makes this VERY clear. Everything He does He does within the framework of His nature and character, and if you don't have THAT down, then EVERYthing will look confusing to someone who approaches the Scriptures with a pre-defined set of biases.

Answer 8

Well I'm not sure which verses of scripture you're talking about but if you read things in context and it's not God who changes, but maybe you're talking about the OLD TESTAMENT to the NEW TESTAMENT. In this case again, if you read things in context (which basically just means read and try to understand the bigger picture) you would see that God's promise had been fulfilled in the new testament which would mean his people could now be saved by grace not works. But please, if you still are very convinced he changes then list me some verses and I'll do my best to show you he doesn't.

Answer 9

God's many ways to show Himself to humans is a lesson to us.

When He is in battle with demon He is called The Lion of the tribe of Judah.

I like this name!

A lion none other can resist. So is God. Nobody equals Him. He is stronger then the strongest.

So better humans line with the strongest among the strongers.

Answer 10

God does not change. We are like God in that we hug and kiss one person that is sweet to us and we have to control ourselves to keep us from slapping others that are hateful to us. So is God. God responds to the actions of people. God does not change, just His communication with people according to their actions changes.