Who God is (chapters 1-5)
WHO GOD IS
“Who is God except the LORD (YHWH = He Who Is)” – Psalm 18:31 (NLT)
The Qur’an’s Teaching About God Compared With The Bible
INTRODUCTION
NOTES:
1. Qur’an And Bible Quotations: All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s (sometimes
abbreviated as “Y.A.”) translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations are from the English
Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted.
2. Highlighted Words And Phrases: Words or phrases highlighted in bold and/or italics are my
own. I have done this for emphasis and/or to point out the pertinent parts of the verses and
paragraphs.
3. “Sura:” There are 114 “Suras” (like chapters) in the Qur’an and they each have Arabic names.
Instead of including those names, I have given the number of the Sura as they are arranged in the
Qur’an followed by the number of the verse(s). For example, “(Sura 2:76)” instead of “(Baqara:76)”
MY OBJECTIVES: My three basic objectives in this comparative study of the teaching
about God in the Qur’an and the Bible are the following:
1. To Know God More Intimately Myself: My primary objective is not to try to convince someone
else about who God is, but to know God myself. This comparative study has brought me new insight
into the Bible’s revelation of God. For example, the difference between His “works” and His “ways.”
“they sang the song of Moses … the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the
Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!’” (Revelation 15:3 – NASB)
From this I see that God’s character (His ways) is the source of how and what He does (His works).
God’s working in creation and in human history is quite visible, but His ways, while less obvious, are
more important. From His works we can realize and praise His awesome power; but only by His ways
can we truly know Him, enabling us to trust in Him and walk in fellowship with Him:
[Moses prayed] “please show me now your ways, that I may know you … show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:13,18)
[Micah prophesied] “… that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths …” (Micah 4:2)
The purpose of this study is not just to discover what God has done and is able to do, but most of all
to examine every attribute or characteristic of God’s Person revealed in Scripture and in Christ, and to
compare it with what the Qur’an says. It is not insignificant that God Himself declares His “name” in
Hebrew as YHWH (“He Is” or “I Am”). It’s His being – His character – that is Who He is!
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“Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the
rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I
am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I
delight, declares the LORD.’” (Jeremiah 9:23,24)
“so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord; fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in
the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10)
So my desire is to grow in my personal relationship with my heavenly Father through knowing Jesus,
Who is the greatest revelation of God to mankind:
“No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, [or “the one and only Son”]
is near to the Father’s heart.
He has revealed God to us.” (John 1:18 – NLT)
At the same time, I realize all too well the limitations of my capacity to know God:
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how
inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33)
2. To Enhance My Understanding Of The Teachings Of The Qur’an On The Subject Of Who
God Is: I do not claim to be a scholar of Islam, but I hope to increase my understanding through this
study. The Bible and the Qur’an agree on a number of aspects of God’s attributes, but sadly, there
are significant areas of disagreement. I intend to look at both.
In this study I have limited my study of Islam mostly to the Qur’an with only a few quotes from the
Hadith. I realize that the Islamic religion is not based solely on the teaching of the Qur’an, but largely
on the Hadith (several collections of oral traditions about Muhammad’s teachings and actions) and to
a lesser degree on superstitious and unorthodox ideas and practices of what is called, “Folk Islam.”
My reason for focusing mostly on the Qur’an is that the majority of Islam’s teaching about God
come from the Qur’an while the traditions in the Hadith are primarily focused on the Islamic
practices of Muslims. Even though the average Muslim has not read or studied the Qur’an for
himself, his concepts and beliefs about God are shaped by what is taught in the mosque and in his
community by those who do study the Qur’an.
As a Christian, I am convinced that only the Bible is God’s Word, but nevertheless I have made every
effort to be as objective as possible in my research of the Qur’an and to base my conclusions
primarily on actual verses of the Qur’an.
3. To Help Other Believers In Christ Understand The Limitations Of Islam’s Teaching About
God: Hopefully this study will also help Christians realize how to approach Muslims with the positive
and redemptive teachings about God’s being and character which are uniquely found in the Bible:
THIS STUDY IS FOR CHRISTIANS, NOT FOR MUSLIMS! Initially I thought this material might be
useful in sharing with Muslims who want to know more about the Bible, but more and more I realize
the best way to share God’s Good News with Muslim friends is to open the Bible itself and discuss its
truths with them. So please do not think of this study as material for debate with Muslims.
Here are some of the values for Christians from this study:
a. To help believers in Christ, who may be struggling with questions in the face of Islam’s
seemingly profound proclamation of the greatness of God: This study should help such a
person better understand what the Qur’an actually says about God and realize the absolute
superiority of the Bible’s revelation of our awesome and omnipotent God.
b. To aid us in better understanding Muslims and the cry of their hearts: Dr. J. Dudley
Woodberry writes in Fuller Magazine 2016, Issue #5, Integration:
“As Christians, we are enjoined to love God and love people. Part of the love of both is sharing the gospel, drawing
more people to God through Jesus Christ. Muslims are people – they are people God loves. It’s not that God will
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love them when they become Christians; God loves them now. We are called to do the same. How can we love
them if we don’t know about them?”
c. To discover what points of the Bible’s teaching about God we need to emphasize in
sharing the good news with Muslim friends: This may be the greatest value of this study for
strong believers in Christ who wish to share the Good News with Muslims.
EFFECTS OF OUR BELIEFS ABOUT GOD: What a person believes about
God affects everything else he/she believes, because it is the primary building block of his/her
personal worldview, from which character and behavior develop. For this reason the study of God
(“theology” proper) is potentially a life changing effort for anyone who will seriously undertake it.
JESUS, THE REVELATION OF GOD: The Bible teaches that Jesus is God
revealed in human flesh:
“… Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily …” (Colossians 2:8-10)
“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:19)
And so I have attempted to include in each chapter a section about Jesus being the revelation of that
particular attribute of God.
INCLUSION OF VERSES FROM THE QUR’AN AND BIBLE: I know
that most people put quotations into footnotes, but I have chosen to include verses from both the
Qur’an and the Bible into the text itself. If these verses were put in footnotes, most readers would not
bother to read them. Please read them. They validate what I have written and are the basis of
this study. [Please remember that bold and italics in these verses are mine]
“ALLAH” OR “GOD”: Many Christian leaders have sincerely begun saying that “Allah” is
a different god from the God of the Bible. At the same time, current Islamic teachers have begun
insisting that Muslims use the Arabic name “Allah” for God even in English, implying either that they
don’t believe in “God” or that “God” is an idol. Nevertheless I have chosen to avoid both of these
extremes and to use “God” throughout this study in reference to both the God of the Bible and the
God of the Qur’an because it is the English word for deity and I am writing in English.
I have used Yusuf Ali’s English translation of the Qur’an for this study, and I am disappointed that
although he used the English word, “God” when he originally translated the Qur’an into English in
1934, current Islamic scholars have changed his translation after his death by replacing the English
word “God” with the transliterated Arabic “Allah.” When I first began this study I copied from a printed
copy of Yusuf Ali’s translation published in 1983, which uses “God.” Later I began copying from a
revision of his translation found on more recent websites, which uses “Allah.” I am sorry for any
confusion.
Our Lord Jesus has given us an example to follow in His choice of a name for God when He was
speaking to the Samaritan woman:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you
worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the
Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
spirit and truth.’” (John 4:21-24)
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Notice that Jesus plainly told her that her people, the Samaritans, “worship what you do not know” – that
they did not know God even though they worshipped Him. He didn’t say, “You worship a false
God” nor did He use some different Samaritan word for God. Instead He taught her different truth
about God, not a different name. Namely that He is “the Father,” that “God is spirit, and those who worship
him must worship in spirit and truth,” and He referred to God with the same word the Jews used. We know
that the Samaritans had a mixed-up religion with some Assyrian religious ideas intertwined with Old
Testament truth. This is strikingly similar to Islam today, which is a composite of the monotheistic
teaching of the Hanifs and Muhammad’s own confused ideas together with truncated truth from both
the Old and New Testaments.
PLURAL PRONOUNS FOR GOD: According to the Qur’an, when God is speaking,
he often refers to Himself as “We” and “Us.” This is called the “royal plural” often used by kings, and no
Muslim believes it indicates the Trinity.
ISLAM’S 99 “MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES” OF GOD: I have included
these names in this study because Muslims repeat them as a means of worship, using a rosary-like
string of beads. Although they seem to be attributes of God, they are more like a multi-faceted
description of His power and greatness, which Islam stresses as God’s basic attribute! Most of
these names are deduced from adjectives and verbs in the Hadith and/or the Qur’an.
*[See Appendix 1 for a complete list of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” of God
THEOLOGIANS’ LISTS OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES: I was amazed when I
first realized the lists of God’s attributes compiled by a few Islamic scholars did not contain many of
the attributes Christian theologians list (even though they believe in most of them). The first two lists I
got from Hughes Dictionary of Islam (pp 144-147 under the topic of “God”). The third is from a Shi’ite
website and the fourth from the Islamic High Council of Australia (http://www.darulfatwa.org.au/en/the-attributes-ofallah-2/). I have compared them with my own list. Notice what is missing in some Muslims’ lists:
a) Al-Ghazzali in his book, al-Maqsaduk ‘I-asad lists eight attributes of God (1st column):
b) Muhammad al-Barqawi gives a similar list of seven attributes (2nd column):
c) Shaykh Saduq (Shia) has a list of ten attributes (3rd column):
d) Dalul Fatwa (Islamic High Council of Australia) has 13 attributes (4th column):
Al-Ghazzali Muh’d al-Barqawi Shaykh Saduq Darul Fatwa My Study
- - One, Oneness, Oneness – Chapter 1
Essence, - - Uniqueness, Incomparableness Uniqueness, Essence – Chapter 1
Power Power Omnipotent, Power, Omnipotence – Ch 2
- - Needs Nothing Omnipotence – Ch 2
What God is Not - - - -
Knowledge Knowledge Omniscient, Wise Knowledge, Omniscience Omniscience – Chapter 2
Hearing Hearing Hearer Hearing Omnipresence – Chapter 2
& Seeing Seeing See'er Seeing Omnipresence – Chapter 2
Will Will - Will, Sovereignty Sovereignty – Chapter 3
- Having power - Transcendence – Chapter 4
Word Speech - Speech, Word, Communication Communication – Chapter 9
Works - - - Work – Chapter 10
- Life Living, Existence, Life, Life & Image – Chapter 13,
- - Eternal, Self-existent Eternity, No Beginning Eternality – Chapter 15
- - - Everlastingness, No Ending Eternality – Chapter 15
Attributes Missing From These Islamic Theologians’ Lists But Included In This Study:
Immanence – Chapter 4,
Inscrutability – Chapter 5,
Name & Glory– Chapter 6,
Mercy & Grace – Chapter 7,
Forgiveness & Salvation – Chapter 8,
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Righteousness, Justice, Wrath – Chapter 11,
Fatherhood – Chapter 12,
Love – Chapter 14,
Faithfulness & Immutibility – Chapter 15,
Truth – Chapter 16,
Holiness – Chapter 17,
Peace and Joy – Chapter 18
REASON FOR LISTING ATTRIBUTES IN THIS ORDER: Christian
theologians divide God’s attributes into two types; His “Natural” attributes (His nature, such as His
Unity, Sovereignty, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Transcendence, Eternality, etc.) and
“Moral” attributes (such as His Grace, Righteousness, Justice, Mercy, Faithfulness, Peace, Joy, etc.).
It seems that Islamic theologians primarily focus on God’s “Natural” powers but give little thought to
His “Moral” attributes. They believe calling them “attributes” would be comparing God with human
beings, and God is beyond such comparison. This is “an educated guess” on my part.
In chapters 1-6 I have listed the attributes or characteristics of God that Islam stresses,
emphasizing His greatness:
Chapter 1 – THE ONENESS OF GOD – His Absolute Singleness (The Only God)
Chapter 2 – THE POWER OF GOD – His Omnipotence
Chapter 3 – THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD – His Limitless Authority
Chapter 4 – THE TRANSCENDENCE (& IMMANENCE) OF GOD – His Absolute Uniqueness
Chapter 5 – THE INSCRUTABILITY OF GOD – His Complete Incomprehensibility
Chapter 6 – THE NAME & GLORY OF GOD – His Exaltation Above All Else
In Chapters 7-11 I have listed the attributes of God which Islam presents more as actions of
God governed by His will than as attributes of His being:
Chapter 7 – THE MERCY (& GRACE) OF GOD – His Will To Forgive Or Condemn Whom He Chooses
Chapter 8 – THE FORGIVENESS & SALVATION OF GOD – Whom God Chooses To Reward With Paradise
Chapter 9 – THE COMMUNICATION OF GOD – What God Chooses to Say to Mankind
Chapter 10 – THE WORK OF GOD – What God Chooses to Do in the World
Chapter 11 – THE RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE AND WRATH OF GOD – How God Chooses To Respond To Us
In Chapters 12-18 I have listed the Biblical attributes of God’s personal character, which Islam
teaches (t), simply mentions (m), or in some cases completely denies (d):
Chapter 12 – THE FATHERHOOD (d) OF GOD
Chapter 13 – THE LIFE (& IMAGE) (t) OF GOD
Chapter 14 – THE LOVE (m) OF GOD
Chapter 15 – THE FAITHFULNESS (m) ETERNALITY (t) & IMMUTABILITY (t) OF GOD
Chapter 16 – THE TRUTH (t) OF GOD
Chapter 17 – THE HOLINESS (m) OF GOD
Chapter 18 – THE PEACE AND JOY (d) OF GOD
[God’s IMMANENCE (d) and GRACE (m) are included in Chapters 4 & 7 but belong in this group.]
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Books that I have found useful in this study (website links are quoted
within the study itself):
ALLAH, THE GOD OF ISLAM, by Georges Houssney; Reach Out to the Muslim World, Vol. 6, No.
3&4, 1983, published by Horizons International
DICTIONARY OF ISLAM, by Thomas Patrick Hughes; Munshiram Manoharial Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi; 1995 edition
GOD IS … dialogues on the nature of God, by Kenneth E. Bailey; FFM, Toronto; 2005
JIHAD IN ISLAM, by S. Abul A’la Maududi, 5th Edition 1991; Islamic Publications Limited, Lahore,
Pakistan
The MOSLEM DOCTRINE OF GOD, by S. M. Zwemer; American Tract Society; 1905
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NO GOD BUT ONE; ALLAH OR JESUS, by Nabeel Qureshi; Zondervan, 2016
WHY ISN’T GOD MORE OBVIOUS? Finding the God Who Hides and Seeks, by Paul K. Moser;
RZIM; 2000
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APPENDIX 1
ISLAM’S 99 “MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES” OF
GOD”
A. BACKGROUND: In accordance with the teaching of the Qur’an and the Hadith (several
collections of Muhammad’s sayings according to tradition), Muslim scholars have formulated a list of
99 “names” of God. Although they seem to be more attributes than names, Muslims justify calling
them “names” because of what the Qur’an and Hadith say about them. Muslims memorize and recite
these “names” repeatedly (some many times each day) in order to worship God or “remember” Him.
They do this in obedience to the common interpretation of the following verses, using a rosary of 99
or 33 beads (repeated 3 times):
“Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining …” (Sura 3:191 – Muhammad Pickthal translation)
“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them …” (Sura 7:180 – Yusuf Ali translation; see also
17:110)
“Allah! There is no god but He! To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.” (Sura 20:8 – Y.A.; also 59:24)
“O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance.” (Sura 33:41 – Muhammad Pickthal)
AbuHurayra reported that, “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘Allah has ninety-nine names, one-hundred
less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise.’ 'Allah is Witr (one) and loves the odd numbers.’”
(such as 99) – [Bukhari’s Hadith collection: Book 93 #489 & Book 75 #419]
Except for “Allah” and “Al-Rab,” which are sometimes added at the beginning or end of the 99 names
(but are not included in the 99), these “names” do not appear as names per se. Instead many of them
seem to be derived by Muslim scholars from adjectives, verbs or nouns, which describe God’s
actions. These actions mainly describe what God does, not so much Who He is. Some Muslims call
them “attributes,” but others question that, saying attributes describe or compare and God is
indescribable and incomparable.
Here is an example of “names” taken from a verse in the Qur’an:
“He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most beautiful names:
whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the
Wise.” (Sura 59:24)
From this verse we see His name is Allah, but we also see six “names” derived from adjectives and
verbs in this verse. Verbs describe things He does (He creates, evolves and bestows), and adjectives
describe things done to Him (He is exalted) and capabilities He has (He is mighty and wise).
Some Islamic scholars have divided God's "99 beautiful names" into several categories; especially
two - His “beautiful attributes” (The Merciful, The Kind, etc.) and His “glorious” or “terrible
attributes” (The Avenger, The Powerful, etc.).
One website (http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/Allah-names.htm) has listed them in the following six
categories. Notice that the “beautiful” and “terrible” categories (the last two categories) contain two
thirds (65 out of 99) of the ”names:”
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1. First category has seven names, which describe the absolute being and unity of Allah;
2. Five names present Him as the Creator of all;
3. Four names present His special moral attributes;
4. Eighteen names refer to His general attributes;
5. Twenty four names, known as isma-e-jamaliya (beautiful names) show Him as merciful and gracious;
6. Forty one names, known as isma-e-jalaliya (glorious and awe-inspiring names) show Him as the all powerful
and absolute Sovereign God. –
Allah is al-Qadir (the Powerful), al-Jabbar (the Strong), al-Hassib (the Reckoner), al-Kabir (the Great), al-Adil (the
Just), al-Rabb (the Lord) and al-Qabiz (the Controller). All these names of Allah are of the category of isma-ejalaliya (glorious names) also translated as terrible names. (22, pp. 35-39)”
Muslim scholars have created different listings of 99. The published lists are not consistent because
some names appear in some lists but not in others. Although the first 54 and all but 10 of the next 55
are the same in all lists, there is not an official agreed-upon list which includes only 99 names,.
Altogether there seem to be a total of at least 109 different “names” or attributes found in the different
lists.
The following is a compiled listing of the 99 “names” in the most popular order (including the others
found only in some lists and inserted in this list preceded by an *). This list is then followed (at the
bottom of page 4) by the same “names” listed under each chapter of my comparative study of God’s
Attributes:
[see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99_Names_of_Allah (3/16/2018)
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/99names.htm
http://www.whyislam.org/god/names-and-attributes-of-allah/
http://www.aljazeerah.info/Islamic%20Editorials/2010/October/Allah,%20As%20He%20Described%20Himself%20in%20the%20Holy%
20Quran%20By%20Hassan%20Ali%20El-Najjar.htm ]
B. LIST OF ISLAM’S 99 “MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES” OF GOD:
0. Allah = “The (one) God” - God’s name, listed more than 3,000 times
0. Al-Rab (Rubb) = “The Lord” “Master” – mentioned many times
1. Ar-Rahman (Rahmaan) = “The Beneficent,” “Gracious” – Chapters 6 & 7
2. Ar-Rahim (Raheem) = “The Merciful” “Mercy Giver” – Chapter 7
3. Al-Malik (Maalik) = “The King,” “Sovereign Lord,” “Master,” “Possessor,” “Owner,” “Absolute Ruler” –
Chapter 3 (see also 84 Malik al-Mulk = “King of the worlds”)
4. Al-Quddus (Qudoos) = “The Holy,” “Pure,” “Sacred” – Chapter 17
5. As-Salam (Salaam) = “The Peace,” “Source of Peace,” “Peace Maker” – Chapter 18
6. Al-Mu’min = “The Faithful,” “Trustworthy,” “Inspirer of Faith” – Chapter 15
7. Al-Muhaymin (Muhaimin) = “The Dominant,” “Protector,” “Vigilant,” “Caretaker” – Chapter 3
8. Al-Aziz (Azeez) = “The Rare in Power,” “Almighty,” “Powerful,” “Victorious” – Chapter 2
9. Al-Jabbar (Jabaar) = “The Compeller,” “Oppressor,” “The Irresistible” – Chapter 2
10. Al-Mutakabbir = “The Greatest,” “Majestic,” “Haughty”– Chapter 3
11. Al-Khaliq (Khaaliq) = “The Creator” – Chapters 4 & 13
12. Al-Bari (Baaree) = “The Maker of order,” “Curer” – Chapters 4 & 13
13. Al-Musawwir = “The Fashioner,” “Shaper” – Chapter 4
14. Al-Ghaffar (Al-Ghafaar) = “The Forgiver” “Oft Forgiving” – Chapter 8
15. Al-Qahhar [or Qahaar] = “The Subduer,” “Dominant,” “Crusher” – Chapters 10 & 11
16. Al-Wahhab (Wahhaab) = “The Bestower,” “Grantor” – Chapter 10
17. Ar-Razzaq (Razzaaq) = “The Sustainer” “Provider” – Chapter 10
18. Al-Fattah (Fattaah) = “The Opener,” “Judge,” “Revealer” – Chapters 9,10 & 11
19. Al-Alim (Aleem) = “The All-Knowing,” “Omniscient” – Chapter 2
20. Al-Qabidh (Qaabidh) = “The Restrainer,” “Constrictor,” “Grasper” – Chapter 10
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21. Al-Basit (Baasit) = “The Expander,” “Spreader,” “Releaser,“ ”Reliever” – Chapter 10
22. Al-Khafid (Khaafidh) = “The Abaser,” “Humbler” – Chapter 10
23. Ar-Rafi (Raafee) = ”The Exalter,” “Ennobler” – Chapters 10 & 12
24. Al-Mu’izz = ”The Honorer,” ”Exalter,” ”Strengthener” – Chapters 10 & 12
25. Al-Mudhill (Muthill) = “The Dishonorer,” “Humiliator,” “Abaser,” “Misleader,” “Leader Astray” –
Chapters 10, 11 & 16
26. As-Sami (Samee) = “The All-Hearing” – Chapter 2
27. Al-Basir (Baseer) = “The All-Seeing” – Chapter 2
28. Al-Hakam = “The Wise One,” “Judge,” “Perfect in Judgment” – Chapters 2, 10 & 11
29. Al-Adl (Adil) = “The Just,” “Equitable” – Chapter 11
30. Al-Latif (Lateef) = “The Subtle,” “Mysterious” – Chapter 5
31. Al-Khabir (Khabeer) = “The All-Aware,” “All-Informed” – Chapter 2
32. Al-Halim (Haleem) = “The Forbearer,” “Indulgent,” “Clement”– Chapter 8
33. Al-Azim (Azeem) = “The Magnificent,” “Incomparably Great,” “Mighty” – Chapter 3
34. Al-Ghafur (Ghafoor) = “The Oft-Forgiving,” “Pardoner,” “Hider of Faults” – Chapter 8
35. Ash-Shakur (Shakoor) = “The Appreciative,” “Acknowledger and Rewarder of Thankfulness” –
Chapters 10 & 12
36. Al-Ali (Aly) = “The High,” “Exalted” – Chapters 4 & 6
37. Al-Kabir (Kabeer) = “The Great One,” “Greatest”– Chapter 2
38. Al-Hafiz = “The Preserver,” “Guardian” – Chapters 10 & 12
39. Al-Muqit (Muqeet) = The Sustainer,” “Nourisher” – Chapter 10
40. Al-Hasib (Haseeb) = “The Reckoner,” “Accounter” – Chapters 10 & 11
41. Al-Jalil (Jaleel) = “The Majestic,” “Exalted,” “Glorious” – Chapter 6
42. Al- Karim (Kareem) = “The Most Generous,” “Bountiful” – Chapter 12
43. Al-Raqib (Raqeeb) = “The Guardian,” “Watchful” – Chapter 10
44. Al-Mujib (Mujeeb) = “The Responder to prayer,” “Answerer” – Chapter 10
45. Al-Wasi’u (Waasee) = “The All Embracing,” “Vast” (in knowledge, forgiveness & knowledge),
“Omnipresent”– Chapter 2
46. Al-Hakim (Hakeem) = “The Wise,” “Most Just,” “Judicious” – Chapter 11
47. Al-Wadud (Wadood) = “The Affectionate,” “Kind,” “Loving” – Chapter 14
48. Al-Majid (Majeed) = “The Glorious One” (in power, compassion & kindness), “Illustrious,” “Majestic” –
Chapter 6
49. Al-Baith (Baaith) = “The Resurrector,” “Awakener,” “Raiser from the dead” – Chapter 10
50. As-Shahid (Shaheed) = “The Witness,” “All Seeing” – Chapter 2
51. Al-Haqq (Huqq) = “The Truth,” “Reality” – Chapters 15 & 16
52. Al-Wakil (Wakeel) = “The Defender,” “Trustee,” “Patron” – Chapter 10
53. Al-Qawiy (Qawwee) = “The Powerful,” “Strong,” “Inexhaustible” – Chapter 2
54. Al-Matin (Mateen) = “The Forceful One,” “Authoritative“ – Chapter 2
*54.5. Al-Mawla = “Guardian,” “Protector” – Chapter 10
55. Al-Waliy (Walee) = “The Protector,” “Defender” – Chapter 10
56. Al-Hameed = “Praised,” “Praise Worthy,” “Laudable” – Chapter 6
57. Al-Muhsi (Muhsee) = “The Accountant,” “Appraiser” – Chapter 10
58. Al-Mubdi (Mubdee) = “The Originator,” “Initiator” – Chapter 4
59. Al-Mu’id (Mu’eed) = “The Restorer,” ‘Resurrector” – Chapters 10 & 13
60. Al-Muhyi (Muhyee) = “The Giver of Life,” “Quickener” – Chapters 2 & 13
61. Al-Mumit (Mumeet) = “The Taker of Life,” “Slayer”– Chapter 2 & 13
62. Al-Hai (Hai’yyu) = “The Ever Living,” “Living One” – Chapter 13 & 15
63. Al-Qayum (Qayyoom) = “The Sustainer,” “Eternal,” “Self-Existing” – Chapter 15
64. Al-Wajid (Waajid) = “The Finder,” “All-Perceiving” – Chapter 10
65. Al-Maajid = “The Glorified One,” “Illustrious,” “Magnificent” – Chapter 6
*65.5. Al-Mugheeth = “The Refuge,” “Helper” – Chapter 10
66. Al-Wahid (Waahid) = “The One,” “United,” “Incomparable” – Chapter 1
67. Al-Ahad = “The Only,” “Uniquely One” – Chapter 1
68. As-Samad = “The Eternal,” “Ultimate” – Chapter 15
11
69. Al-Qadir (Qaadir) = “The Omnipotent,” “All-Powerful,” “Able” – Chapter 2
70. Al-Muqtadir = “The All-Powerful,” “Prevailing,” “Overcomer” – Chapter 2
71. Al-Muqaddim = “The Expeditor,” “Advancer,” “Forewarner” – Chapter 10
72. Al-Mu’akhir = “The Delayer,” “Deferrer” – Chapter 10
73. Al-Awwal = “The First” – Chapter 15
74. Al-Aakhir = “The Last” – Chapter 15
75. Az-Zahir (Zaahir) = “The Manifest One,” “Apparent” – Chapters 4 & 5
76. Al-Batin (Baatin) = “The Hidden One,” “Latent,” “Unobvious” – Chapter 5
77. Al-Wali (Waalee) = “The Patron,” “Protector,” “Governor” – Chapter 3
78. Al-Muta’ali or Mut’aal = “The Higher,” “Supreme,” “Most Exalted” – Chapter 4
79. Al-Barr = “The Source of Kindness,” “Doer of Good” – Chapter 12
80. Al-Tawwaab = “The Accepter of Repentance,” “Relenting” – Chapter 8
81. Al-Muntaqim = “The Avenger,” “Vindictive“ – Chapter 11
82. Al-Afuw = “the Pardoner,” “Forgiver,” “Eraser of sins” – Chapter 8
83. Ar-Ra’ouf (Ra’oof) = “The Kind,” “Indulgent,” “Compassionate” – Chapter 7
84. Malik al-Mulk = “King of the Worlds,” “Owner of all” – Chapter 3
85. Dhu’l-Jalal-Wal-Ikram = “Lord of Majesty & Generosity” – Chapter 6
86. Al-Muqsit = “The Just,” “Equitable,” “Requiter” – Chapters 10 & 11
87. Al-Jami (Jaami) = “The Collector,” “Gatherer” – Chapter 10
88. Al-Ghani (Ghanee) = “The Generous,” “Wealthy,” “All-Sufficing” – Chapter 12
89. Al-Mugni (Mughnee) = “The Sufficer,” “Bestower,” “Enricher” – Chapter 10
*89.5. Al-Mu’ti = “The Giver” – Chapter 10
90. Al-Mani (Maani) = “The Prohibiter,” “Preventer of Harm,” “Defender,” “Withholder” – Chapter 10
91. Ad-Darr (Adh-Dhur, Adh-Dhaarr) = “The Afflicter,” “Distresser,” “Creator of Harm” – Chapters 10, 11 &
13
92. An-Nafi (Naafi) = “The Benefactor,” “Profiter,” “Creator of Good” – Chapters 10 & 13
93. An-Nur (Noor) = “The Light” – Chapter 16
94. Al-Hadi (Haadee) = “The Guide” – Chapter 16
95. Al-Badi (Badee’) = “The Creative One,” “Originator” – Chapters 4 & 13
96. Al-Baqi (Baaqee) = “The Everlasting,” “Enduring,” “Immutable” – Chapter 15
*96.5. Al-Azali = “The Eternal in the Past” – Chapter 15
*96.6. Al-Abadi = “Eternal in the Future” – Chapter 13
97. Al-Warith (Waarith) = “The Heir,” “Inheritor of All” – Chapter 2
98. Ar-Rashid (Rasheed) = “The Guide,” “Provider,” “Infallible” – Chapter 11
99. As-Sabur (Saboor) = “The Most Patient,” “Enduring” – Chapters 8 & 11
*99.5. Al-Fatir = “The Originator” – Chapter 4
*99.6. Al-Khair = “The Good” – Chapter 12
*99.7. Al-Abqa = “The Everlasting” – Chapter 15
*99.8. Dhul Ma’aarij = “The One Above,” “The Highest” – Chapter 4
*99.9. Dhu Al-‘Arsh = “Possessor of the Throne” – Chapter 3
C. THE 99 NAMES RELATED TO EACH OF GOD’S
ATTRIBUTES IN THE 18 CHAPTERS OF MY STUDY:
(Highlighted references seem to be the more important ones)
Chapter 1 - Unity, Oneness of God
0. Allah = “The God” – (used more than 3,000 times)
66. Al-Wahid (Waahid) = “The One,” “United” – (22 times – e.g., 2:133,163; 4:17; 5:73; 6:19; 9:31;
12:39; 13:16; 14:48; 18:110; 38:65; 39:4; 40:16)
67. Al-Ahad = “The Only,” “Uniquely One” – (1 time – 112:1,2)
Chapter 2 - Greatness, Power of God
12
8. Al-Aziz (Azeez) = “The Rare in Power,” “Almighty,” “Powerful,” “Victorious” – (64 times – e.g., 2:129;
3:6; 4:158; 9:40; 42:2,3,18; 46:1; 48:7; 59:23)
9. Al-Jabbar (Jabaar) = “The Compeller,” “Oppressor,” Irresistible” – (1 time - 59:23)
19. Al-Alim (Aleem) = “The All Knowing,” “Omniscient” – (179 times, e.g. 2:29,32; 2:158; 3:92; 4:35;
5:109,116; 6:73; 9:78; 24:41; 33:40; 34:3,48; 35:38; 72:26)
26. As-Sami (Samee) = “The All-Hearing,” (46 times – e.g., 2:127,137,256; 8:17; 17:1; 40:20; 42:11;
49:1)
27. Al-Basir (Baseer) = “The All Seeing” (46 times – e.g., 4:58; 17:1; 40:20; 42:11,27)
28. Al-Hakam =“The Wise,” “Perfect in Judgment” – (39 times – e.g., 2:32,129,209,220; 7:87; 10:109;
12:80; 22:69)
31. Al-Khabir (Khabeer) = “The All-Aware,” “All-Informed” – (45 times – e.g., 6:18; 17:30; 49:13;
59:18)
37. Al-Kabir (Kabeer) = “The Great one,” “Greatest” – (5 times – 13:9; 22:62; 31:30; 34:23; 40:12)
45. Al-Wasi’u (Waasi) = “The All Embracing,” “Vast” (in knowledge, forgiveness & wisdom),
“Omnipresent” – (9 times – 2:115,247,261; 2; 268; 3:73; 4:130; 5:54; 53:32)
50. As-Shahid (Shaheed) = “The Witness,” “All Seeing” – (20 times – e.g., 3:98; 4:33; 4:166; 22:17;
41:53; 48:28)
53. Al-Qawiy (Qawwee) = “The Powerful,” “Strong,” “Inexhaustible” – (9 times – 8:52; 11:66; 22:40,74;
33:25; 40:22; 42:19; 57:25; 58:21)
54. Al-Matin (Mateen) = “The Forceful One,” “Firm,“ “Authoritative” – (1 time – 51:58)
60. Al-Muhyi (Muhyee) = “The Giver of Life,” “Quickener” – (5 times – 7:158; 25:23; 30:50; 41:39; 57:2)
61. Al-Mumit (Mumeet) = “The Taker of Life,” “Slayer” – (10+ times – 2:28,258,259; 3:156; 7:158;
15:23; 40:11; 53:44; 57:2; 80:21)
69. Al-Qadir (Qaadir) = “The Omnipotent,” “All-Powerful,” “Able” – (12 times – 6:37,65; 17:99; 23:18,95;
36:81; 46:33; 68:25; 70:40; 75:4,40; 86:8)
70. Al-Muqtadir = “The All-Powerful,” “Prevailing,” “Overcomer” – (5 times – 18:45; 43:42; 54:42,55;
77:23)
97. Al-Warith (Waarith) = “The Heir,” “Inheritor of All” – (5 times – 15:23; 21:89; 23:10; 28:58; 57:10)
Chapter 3 - Sovereignty of God
0. Al-Rab (Rubb) = The Lord” “Master” – (many times – e.g., 1:1,2; 2:131; 5:28; 7:54; 10:3; 12:100;
13:2; 21:22; 19:65; 23:86,116; 26:24; 27:26; 35:5; 38:66; 39:75; 40:7; 43:82; 44:7; 70:40; 78:37)
3. Al Malik = “The King,” “Sovereign Lord,” “Master,” “Possessor,” “Owner,” “Absolute Ruler” – (6 times
= 1:4; 20:114; 22:56; 23:116; 59:23; 62:1) Malik al-Mulk = “King of the Worlds,” “Owner of all” – (3
times = 3:26; 6:73; 17:111)
7. Al-Muhaymin (Muhaimin) = “The Dominant,” “Protector,” “Vigilent,” “Care Taker” – (1 time - 59:23)
10. Al-Mutakabbir = “The Greatest,” “Majestic,” “Haughty” (1 time – 59;23)
33. Al-Azim (Azeem) = “The Magnificent,” “Incomparably Great,” “Mighty” – (8 times – 2:255; 42:4;
9:129; 27:26; 56:74,96; 69:33,52)
77. Al-Wali (Waalee) = “The Patron,” “Protector,” “Governor” – (13:11; 22:7)
84. Malik al-Mulk = “King of the Worlds,” “Owner of all” – (1 time – 3:26)
99.9. Dhu Al-‘Arsh = “Possessor of the Throne” – (2 times – 40:15; 88:15)
Chapter 4 - Transcendence of God
11. Al-Khaliq (Khaaliq) = “The Creator” – (8 time – 6:102; 13:16; 23:14; 36:81; 37:125; 39:62; 40:62;
59:24)
12. Al-Bari (Baaree) = “The Maker of Order,” “Curer” – (4 times – Maker in 2:54; 59:24 & Curer in 3:49;
5:110)
13. Al-Musawwir = “The Fashioner,” “Shaper” – (1 time – 59:24)
36. Al-Ali (Aly) = “The High,” “Exalted” – (8 times – 2:255; 4:34; 22:62; 31:30; 34:23; 40:12; 42:4,51)
58. Al-Mubdi (Mubdee) = “The Originator,” “Initiator” – (surmised from verbs in 7:29; 10:4,34; 21:104;
27:64; 29:19,20; 30:11,27; 32:7; 85:13)
75. Az-Zahir (Zaahir) = “The Manifest One,” “Apparent” – (1 time – 57:3)
78. Al-Muta’ali or Mut’aal = “The Higher,” “Supreme,” “Most Exalted” – (1 time – 13:9)
13
95. Al-Badi (Badee’) = “The Creative One,” “Originator” – (2 times – 2:117; 6:101)
99.5. Al-Fatir: “The Originator” – (6 times – 6:14; 12:10; 14:10; 35:1; 39:46; 42:11)
99.6. Dhul-Ma’aarij = “The One Above,” “The Highest” – (1 time – 70:3)
Chapter 5 - Inscrutability of God
30. Al-Latif (Lateef) = “The Subtle,” “Mysterious” – (7 times, e.g., 6:103; 12:100; 22:63; 31:16; 33:34;
67:14)
75. Az-Zahir (Zaahir) = “The Manifest One,” “Apparent” – (1 time – 57:3)
76. Al-Batin (Baatin) = “The Hidden One,” “Latent,” “Unobvious” – (1 time – 57:3)
Chapter 6 - Name and Glory of God
0. Allah = “The God” – (more than 3,000 times)
0. Al-Rab (Rubb) = The Lord” – (many times)
1. Ar-Rahman (Rahmaan) = “The Beneficent,” “Gracious” – (169 times; intro to almost all suras)
36. Al-Ali = “The Exalted,” “High,” – (6 times – 2:255; 4:34; 31:30; 42:4,51; 34:23)
41. Al-Jalil (Jaleel) = “The Majestic,” “Exalted” – (3 times – 7:143; 55:27; 55:78)
48. Al-Majeed (Majid) = “The Glorious One,” “Majestic” (in power, compassion & kindness) – (1 time –
11:73)
56. Al-Hameed = “Praised,” “Praise Worthy,” “Laudable” – (17 times – 2:267; 4:131; 11:73; 14:1,8;
22:24,64; 31:12,26; 34:6; 35:15; 41:42; 42:28; 57:24; 60:5; 64:6; 85:8)
65. Al-Maajid (Majid) = “The Glorified One,” “Illustrious,” “Magnificent” (2 times – 11:73; 85:15;)
85. Dhu’l-Jalal-Wal-Ikram = “Lord of Majesty & Generosity” – (2 times – 55:27,78)
Chapter 7 - Mercy of God
1. Ar-Rahman =“The Beneficent,” “Gracious” – (169 times; intro to almost all suras)
2. Ar-Rahim = “The Most Merciful” “Mercy Giver” – (114 times; intro to almost all suras)
83. Ar-Ra’uf (Ra’oof, Ra’uuf) = “The Kind,” “Indulgent,” “Compassionate” – (11 times – 2:143,207;
3:30; 9:117,128; 16:7,47; 22:65; 24:20; 57:9; 59:10)
Chapter 8 - Forgiveness and Salvation of God
14. Al-Ghaffar (Al-Ghafaar) = “The Forgiver,” “Oft-Forgiving” – (5 times – 20:82; 38:66; 40:3; 39:5;
71:10)
32. Al-Halim (Haleem) = “The Forbearer,” ”Indulgent,” “Clement” – (10 times – e.g., 2:225,235; 17:44;
22:59; 35:41)
34. Al-Ghafur (Al-Ghafoor) = “The Oft-Forgiving,” “Pardoner,” “Hider of Faults” – (91 times – e.g.,
2:173; 8:69; 16:110; 41:32)
80. Al-Tawwaab = “The Accepter of Repentance,” “Relenting” – (11 times – 2:37,54,128,160; 4:16,64;
9:104,118; 24:10; 49:12; 110:3)
82. Al-Afuw = “the Pardoner,” “Forgiver,” “Eraser of Sins” – (5 times - 4:43,99,149; 22:60; 58:2)
99. As-Sabur (Saboor) = “The Most Patient,” “Enduring” – (3 ti;mes – 2:153; 3:200; 103:3)
Chapter 9 - Communication, Word of God
18. Al-Fattah (Fattaah) = “The Opener” (6:59: 7:89; 35:2), “Revealer” (34:26)
Chapter 10 - Work of God
15. Al-Qahhar (or Qahaar) = “The Subduer,” “Dominant,” “Crusher” (6 times – 12:39; 13:16; 14:48;
38:65; 39:4; 40:16)
16. Al-Wahhab (Wahhaab) = “The Bestower,” “Grantor” – (3 times - 3:8; 38:9; 38:35)
17. Ar-Razzaq (Razzaaq) = “The Provider,” “Sustainer” – (5 times – 22:58; 23:72; 34:39; 51:58; 62:11)
18. Al-Fattah (Fattaah) = “The Opener” (6:59: 7:89; 35:2), “Revealer” (34:26)
20. Al-Qabidh (Qaabidh) = “The Restrainer,” “Constrictor,” “Grasper” – (one time - 2:245)
21. Al-Basit (Baasit) = “The Extender,” “Spreader,” “Releaser,“ ”Reliever” (one time - 2:245)
22. Al-Khafid (Khaafidh) = “The Abaser,” “Humbler” (one time - 56:3)
14
23. Ar-Rafi (Raafee) = ”The Exalter,” “Ennobler” – (20 times – 2:62,93; 3:55; 4:158; 6:83,165;
4:154,158; 12:76; 13:2; 19:57; 24:36; 43:32; 52:5; 55:7; 58:11; 79:28; 80:14; 88:28; 94:4;)
24. Al-Mu’izz = ”The Honorer,” ”Exalter,” ”Strengthener” – (one time – 3:26) )
25. Al-Mudhill (Muthill) = “The Dishonorer,” “Humiliator,” “Abaser,” “Leader Astray” – (1 time – 3:26)
28. Al-Hakam = “The Wise,” “Judge,” “Arbitrator” (one time – 22:69)
35. Ash-Shakur (Shakoor) = “The Appreciative,” “Acknowledger and Rewarder of Thankfulness,”
“Thankful” – (4 times - 35:30,34; 42:23; 64:17);
38. Al-Hafiz (Hafeedh) = “The Preserver,” Guardian“– (4 times in singular – 11:57; 12: 64; 34:21;
42:6 and 2 times in plural – 15:9; 21:82)
39. Al-Muqit (Muqeet) = The Sustainer,” “Nourisher” – (1 time – 4:85)
40. Al-Hasib (Haseeb) = “The Reckoner,” “Accounter” – (4 times – 4:6,86; 6:62; 33:39)
43. Al-Raqib (Raqeeb) = “The Guardian,” “Watchful” – (2 times – 4:1; 5:117)
44. Al-Mujib (Mujeeb) = “The Responder to Prayer,” “Answerer” – (2 times – 11:61; 37:75)
49. Al-Baith (Baaith) = “The Resurrector,” “Awakener,” “Raiser from the Dead” – (3 times – 6:36; 22:7;
64:7)
52. Al-Wakil (Wakeel) = “The Defender,” “Trustee” – (13 times – e.g., 3:173; 4:81,132,171; 28:28; 73:9)
*54.5. Al-Mawla = “Guardian,” “Protector” – (1 time – 47:11)
55. Al-Waliy (Walee) = “Protector,” “Defender” – (many times – e.g., 2:107,120,257; 3:68,122; 4:45;
7:196; 12:101; 13:11; 22:78; 42:9,28; 45:19)
57. Al-Muhsi (Muhsee) = “The Accountant,” “Appraiser” – (7 times – 19:94; 58:6; 72:28; 78:29; 82:10-
12)
59. Al-Mu’id (Mu’eed) = “The Restorer,” “Resurrector” – (11 times – 7:29; 10:4,34; 17:51; 20:29;
21:104; 27:64; 29:19; 30:11,27; 85:13)
64. Al-Wajid (Waajid) = “The Finder,” “All-Perceiving” – (2 times – 38:44; 93:6)
*65.5. Al-Mugheeth = “The Refuge,” “Helper” – (not in the Qur’an)
71. Al-Muqaddim = “The Expeditor,” “Advancer,” “Forewarner” – (2 times – 16:61; 50:28)
72. Al-Mu’akhir = “the Delayer,” “Deferrer” – (6 times – 14:10,42; 16:61; 35:45; 63:11; 71:4)
87. Al-Jami (Jaami) = “The Collector,” “Gatherer” – (2 times – 3:9; 4:140)
86. Al-Muqsit = “The Just,” “Equitable,” “Requiter” – (4 times – 3:18; 5:42; 49:9; 60:8)
89. Al-Mugni (Mughnee) = “The Sufficer,” “Bestower,” “Enricher” – (4 times – 4:130; 9:28; 24:32,33)
*89.5. Al-Mu’ti = “The Giver” – (1 time – 108:1)
90. Al-Mani (Maani) = “The Prohibiter,” “Preventer of Harm,” “Defender,” “Withholder” – (2 times –
21:43; 59:2)
91. Ad-Darr (Adh-Dhur, Adh-Dhaarr) = “The Afflicter,” “Distresser,” “Creator of Harm” – (5 times –
6:17; 10:18; 22:10; 25:55; 48:11)
92. An-Nafi (Naafi) = “The Benefactor,” “Profiter,” “Creator of Good” – (10:18; 22:10; 25:55; 30:37;
48:11)
Chapter 11 - Righteousness, Justice, Wrath and Patience of God
98. Ar-Rashid (Rasheed) = “The Righteous Guide,” “Provider,” “Infallible” – (6 times – 2:186,256;
18:10,17; 19:24; 21:51; 72:10)
15. Al-Qahhar (Qahaar) = “The Subduer,” “Dominant,” “Crusher” – (6 times – 12:39; 13:16; 14:48;
38:65; 39:4; 40:16)
18. Al-Fattah (Fattaah) = “The Opener,” “Judge,” “Revealer” (6:59: 7:89; 35:2)
28. Al-Hakam = “The Wise One,” “Judge,” “Arbitrator” – (one time – 22:69)
29. Al-Adl (Adil) = “The Just,” “Equitable” – (not in the Qur’an)
40. Al-Hasib (Haseeb) = “The Reckoner,” “Accounter” “bringer of judgment” – (3 times – 4:6; 4:86;
33:39)
46. Al-Hakim (Hakeem) = “Exalted In Might,” “Most Wise,” “The Best To Decide” – (39 times – e.g.,
2:32,129,209,220,260; 7:87; 10:109; 12:80; 22:69; 31:27; 46:2; 57:1; 66:2; 95:8)
86. Al-Muqsit = “The Just,” “Equitable,” “Requiter” - (1 time - 3:18)
25. Al-Mudhill (Muthill) = “The Dishonorer,” “Humiliator,” “Abaser,” “Leader Astray” – (1 time – 3:26)
81. Al-Muntaqim = “The Avenger,” “Vindictive“– (3 times – 32:22; 43:41; 44:16)
15
91. Ad-Darr (Adh-Dhur, Adh-Dhaarr) = “The Afflicter,” “Distresser,” “Creator of Harm” – (5 times –
6:17; 10:18; 22:10; 25:55; 48:11)
99. As-Sabur (Saboor) = “The Most Patient,” “Enduring” – (Sura 2:153; 3:17,200; 103:3)
Chapter 12 - Fatherhood of God
38. Al-Hafiz (Hafeedh) = “The Preserver,” “Guardian,“ “Caretaker” – (6 times – 11:57; 12: 64; 15:9;
21:82; 34:21; 42:6)
42. Al- Karim (Kareem) = “The Most Generous,” “Bountiful” – (3 times – 23:116; 27:40; 82:6)
79. Al-Barr = “The Source of Kindness,” “Doer of Good” – (1 time – 52:28)
88. Al-Ghani (Ghunee) = “The Wealthy,” “Self-Sufficient,” “Generous“ – (19 times – e.g., 2:263,267,273;
6:133; 10:68; 39:7; 47:38; 57:24)
*99.6. Al-Khair = “The Good” – (1 time – 20:73)
23. Ar-Rafi (Raafee) = ”The Exalter,” “Ennobler” – (2 times – 6:83; 58:11)
24. Al-Mu’izz = ”The Honorer,” ”Exalter,” ”Strengthener” ( 1 time – 3:26)
35. Ash-Shakur (Shakoor) = “The Appreciative,” “Acknowledger and Rewarder of Thankfulness” – (4
times – 35:30,34; 42:23; 64:17)
Chapter 13 - Life and Image of God
11. Al-Khaliq (Khaaliq) = “The Creator” – (3 time – 23:14; 37:125; 59:24)
12. Al-Bari (Baaree) = “The Maker of Order,” “Curer” – (4 times – Maker in 2:54; 59:24 & Curer in 3:49;
5:110)
59. Al-Mu’id (Mu’eed) = “The Restorer,” ‘Resurrector” – (7:29; 10:4,34; 17:51; 20:29; 21:104; 27:64;
29:19; 30:11,27; 85:13)
60. Al-Muhyi (Muhyee) = “The Giver of Life,” “Quickener” – (5 times – 7:158; 25:23; 30:50; 41:39; 57:2)
61. Al-Mumit (Mumeet) = “The Taker of Life,” “Slayer” – (10+ times – 2:28,258,259; 3:156; 7:158;
15:23; 40:11; 53:44; 57:2; 80:21)
62. Al-Hai (Hayy) = “The Ever Living” “Living One” – (3 times – 20:111; 25:58; 40:65)
91. Ad-Darr (Ad-Dhaar) = “The Afflicter,” “Distresser,” “Creator of Harm” – (6:17; 10:18; 22:10; 25:55;
48:11)
92. An-Nafi (Naafi) = “The Benefactor,” “Profiter,” “Creator of Good” – (5 times – 10:18; 22:10; 25:55;
30:37; 48:11)
95. Al-Badi (Badee’) = “The Creative One,” “Originator” – (2 times – 2:117; 6:101)
*96.6. Al-Abadi = “Eternal in the Future” – (Sura ?)
Chapter 14 - Love of God
47. Al-Wadud (Wadood) = “The Affectionate,” “Loving” – (2 times – 11:90; 85:14)
Chapter 15 - Faithfulness and Eternality of God
6. Al-Mu’min = “The Faithful,” “Trustworthy,” “Inspirer of Faith” – (1 time = 59:23)
51. Al-Haqq (Huqq) = “The Truth,” “Reality” – (10 times – 6:62; 10:30,32; 18:44; 20:114; 22:6,62;
23:116; 24:25; 31:30)
62. Al-Hai (Hai’yyu) = “The Ever Living,” “Living One” – (5 times – 2:255; 3:2; 20:111; 25:58; 40:65 )
63. Al-Qayum (Qayyoom) = “The Sustainer,” “Eternal,” “Self-Existing” – (3 times – 2:255; 3:2; 20:111)
68. As-Samad = “The Eternal,” “Ultimate” – (1 time – 112:2)
73. Al-Awwal = “The First” – (1 time – 57:3)
74. Al-Aakhir = “The Last” – (1 time – 57:3)
96. Al-Baqi (Baaqee) = “The Everlasting,” “The Enduring,” “Immutable” – (1 time – 28:88; 55:27)
*96.5. Al-Azali = “The Eternal in the Past” – (Sura ?)
*99.7. Al-Abqa = “The Everlasting” – (1 time – 20:73)
Chapter 16 - Truthfulness of God
51. Al-Haqq (Huqq) = “The Truth,” “Reality” – (10 times – 6:62; 10:30,32; 18:44; 20:114; 22:6,62;
23:116; 24:25; 31:30)
25. Al-Mudhill (Muthill) = “The Misleader,” “Leader Astray” – (1 time - 3:18)
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93. An-Nur (Noor) = “The Light” – (2 times – 24:35; 39:69)
94. Al-Hadi (Haadee) = “The Guide” – (2 times – 22:54; 25:31)
Chapter 17 - Holiness of God
4. Al-Quddus (Qudoos) = “The Holy,” “Pure,” “Sacred” – (2 times = 59:23; 62:1)
Chapter 18 - Peace and Joy of God
5. As-Salam (Salaam) = “The Peace,” “Source of Peace,” “Peace Maker” – (1 time = 59:23)
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CHAPTER ONE
THE ONENESS OF GOD
A comparative study of the teaching about God in both
the Qur’an and the Bible
[All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations
are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
We will be looking at the following topics related to God’s Oneness:
A. God’s Oneness/Unity
B. God’s Uniqueness
C. My Reactions
Under each topic we will look first at what the Qur’an teaches and then what the Bible says.
A. GOD’S ONENESS OR UNITY
ISLAM:
The usual English translation of the Arabic word tawheed is “unity” or “oneness,” However, I
believe Islam’s teaching about God’s tawheed is more “singleness” or “oneness,” but
certainly not “unity.”
1. GOD’S SINGLENESS FOUND AMONG HIS “NAMES:” Islam has listed *99
“most beautiful names” of God, for use in worship as instructed in the Qur’an:
“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them …” (Sura 7:180)
In doing so, they recite these “names” as they thumb through a rosary of 33 beads 3 times.
These “names” are mainly attributes of God.
Out of the 99 the following three relate directly to God’s oneness:
Allah = The God [appears about 3000 times in the Qur’an] “Allah” is considered to be
God’s personal name. Many scholars say it is a contraction of the definite article “Al” with
“ilah,” the generic Arabic word for a deity. Thus “Al ilah,” became “Allah,” meaning “The
(one) God.” The Muslim profession of faith is, “There is no ilah except Allah,” or “There is
no god except The God.” This name expresses God’s singleness and is a rejection of the
many idols worshipped by the pagan Arabs before Islam.
Al-Wahid = The One, United [22 times in Qur’an; e.g. 13:16; 14:48; 38:65; 39:4]
Al-Ahad = The Only, Unique One [appears 1 time in the Qur’an – 112:1]
*[See Appendix 1 for a complete list of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” of God
2. GOD’S SINGLENESS IN HIS BEING OR ESSENCE: One Islamic theologian
defines tawheed like this:
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“Tawheed in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allaah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with
no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes.” (https://islamqa.info/en/49030)
There are several facets in this definition, which we will look at both here and in part B. So first
we see that His tawheed means He is the only God and He has no partners:
God’s tawheed is considered by most as Islam’s foundational doctrine:
“… no god is there but the one God, supreme and irresistible… a message supreme… ” (Sura 38:65,67)
“Tawhid constitutes the foremost article of the Muslim profession of faith … Muslims believe that the
entirety of the Islamic teaching rests on the principle of Tawhid.” - (wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawhid)
“Tawheed is the main foundation upon which the religion of Islam stands … the entire Qur’an is only a
call to Tawheed …” – (https://beginnerinislam.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/the-essence-of-tawheed-explainedpart-3-importance-of-tawheed/)
Tawheed refers not only to God’s being (i.e., Who He is), but also to the nature of Islam as a
religion. Tawheed not only means one God (Allah); it also means one final prophet
(Muhammad), one law (Shariah), one people (Ummah), one government under one Caliph,
etc. So there is no room for questioning or diversity of opinion. Tawheed is not unity
within diversity. It is dogmatic singleness.
3. GOD’S SINGLENESS SEEN IN ISLAM’S CONFESSION OR CREED: Islam’s
basic declaration is, "There is no god but The God (Allah); Muhammad is the apostle of God (Allah).”
Making this confession is one of the “five pillars” (duties) of Islam. It is spoken into the ear of a
newborn infant, is recited during the call to prayer 5 times daily, is hung or written on walls and
vehicles, is chanted by Sufi Muslims repeatedly with the hope of bringing themselves into a
mystic oneness with God, is repeated as the public confession of a non-Muslim converting to
Islam and is the last thing spoken in the ear of a dying Muslim (to help him repeat it correctly at
the demand of the two inquisition angels they believe will confront him in the grave).
This creedal confession has two parts. Our concern now is only with the first part ("There is no
god but The God …”) which states Islam’s monotheistic (Unitarian) belief in one single God.
4. GOD’S SINGLENESS SEEN IN THE QUR’AN’S TEACHING: The Qur’an’s
emphasis on God’s singleness includes:
a. God, The One And Only: Many verses stress God’s absolute oneness:
“He is God, the one and only.” (Sura 112:1 see also 6:22; 16:22; 37:4)
“And your God is one God. There is no god but He, most gracious, most merciful.” (Sura 2:163 – also
see 2:255; 3:2,6,18; 40:3; 59:22,23)
b. God Has No Partners. Significantly the Muslim “confession” is essentially a
negative statement, repudiating both paganism and Christianity. It puts a lot of emphasis on
what God is not. The Qur’an repeatedly denounces the Christian “Trinity” as being belief in
three gods, and the only unforgivable sin in Islam is "shirk" (“partnership”) – believing God
has partners, i.e., polytheism.
“… We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to us), ‘Where are the partners whom ye (invented
and) talked about?’ …No partner hath He…” (Sura 6:22,163; see also 23:91,92)
“Do they indeed ascribe to Him as partners things that can create nothing, but are themselves
created?” (Sura 7:191)
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“And I follow the ways of my fathers,- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any
partners whatever to Allah ...” (Sura 12:38)
“… Far is He above having the partners they ascribe to Him!” (Sura 16:3)
“They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah
…” (Sura 5:73)
c. The One Allah Is The Same God Worshipped By The Jews:
“Will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord …?” (Sura 2:139
“And dispute ye not with the People of the Book … but say, ‘We believe in the revelation which has
come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is one; and it is
to Him we bow (in Islam).’" (Sura 29:46)
d. Jesus Is Not God Or The Son Of God. The Qur’an says anyone who believes
that Jesus is God or the Son of God is blaspheming and cursed by God:
“They do blaspheme who say: ‘Allah is Christ the son of Mary.’ … Whoever joins other gods with
Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode …” (Sura 5:75)
“… the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth … Allah's curse be on
them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!” (Sura 9:30)
THE BIBLE: The oneness of God is not unique to Islam. In fact God repeatedly revealed
this truth to the patriarchs and prophets of Israel at least 1800 years before Muhammad:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
This key verse, which the Jews call, Shema Yisraeil (“Hear, O Israel”) was revealed to the prophet
Moses in the Torah (called the Taurat in the Qur’an). It is a simple creedal statement in which we
find two truths and one command. The two truths are:
“The Lord” (is) “our God,”
“the Lord is one” (united).
And the command is:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
might.”
1. E’HAD: First let us notice that the word translated, “one” in the original Hebrew is e’had. It
can also be translated, “united” and is similar to “tauheed” in Arabic. This word is used to
describe other things that are united. For example God used the same word in the following
verses:
“God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning,
one [e'had] day.” (Genesis 1:5, RSV) [uniting both morning and evening as “one day”]
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one
[e'had] flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). [uniting both man and wife as “one flesh”]
2. ONLY ONE GOD: The Bible certainly does not teach that there are three gods! In fact,
the Bible dogmatically declares at least *35 times that God is one! Here are four of them
written out plus the references for all the others:
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*[for a complete list of all 35 verses written out see Appendix 2]
a. In the Torah (Taurat in Qur’an): “know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God
in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39) [see also Deuteronomy
4:35; 6:4; 32:39]
b. In the Psalms (Zabur in Qur’an): “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.”
(Psalm. 83:18) [see also Psalm 86:10]
c. In other books of the prophets (Sahifat-ul-Anbiya in Arabic): “Thus says the LORD… ‘I am the
first and I am the last; besides me there is no god… you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides
me? There is no Rock; I know not any.’” (Isaiah 44:6,8) [see also ; 2 Samuel 7:22; I Kings 8:60; 2 Kings
19:19; Nehemiah 9:5; Isaiah 37:16,20; 43:10,11; 44:24; 45:5,6,18,21,22; 46:9; 48:12,13; Hosea 13:4]
d. In the New Testament/Gospel (Injil in Qur’an): “… ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and …‘there is
no God but one.’” (I Corinthians 8:4) [see also Mark 12:29; John 5:44;17:3; Romans 3:29,30; 1
Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; I Timothy 1:17; 2:5 James 2:19; Jude 25]
3. GOD’S ONENESS IS UNITY NOT SINGLENESS. The Bible teaches that God’s
unity is not singleness or Monism, but that God is united within Himself. He lives in community
and communicates within Himself.
See in the following verses how God expresses His unity with His own “right hand,” His “arm,”
His “righteousness” and His own “self” as if they were other beings:
“My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens.” (Isaiah 48:13)
“The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice ... then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.” (Isaiah 59:15,16)
“… and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD… ” (Genesis 22:16)
And note the unity of God with His own Spirit (“Spirit of God”) and His Word (“said,” “mouth”) in
His work of creation, and how He refers to Himself as “us” and “our”:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth ... And the Spirit of God was hovering [brooding or
incubating] over the face of the waters. And God said [God’s Word], “Let there be light,” and there was light…
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…” (Genesis 1:1,3,26)
“For the mouth of the LORD has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.” (Isaiah 34:16)
4. GOD’S TRIUNE BEING: While God Is One Being, He Is A Triune Being.
Christian scholars have created the term “Trinity” in order to describe what they believe the
Bible teaches about God’s triune being. Although the word, “Trinity” itself is not found in the
Bible, God’s tri-unity is found many times!
[For a further explanation of the Trinity, see Appendix 3]
a) Three “Persons” Of The Trinity Seen Together: The Bible contains many
references to God (the Father), His Spirit (Holy Spirit) and His Word (the Son), and I have
found at least *44 passages where all three “persons” of the trinity are named. Here are
five: *[For a complete list see Appendix 4]
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
Notice that all three have one “name” (not “names”) because they are one.
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“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” (1
Corinthians 12:4-6)
Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit for service to the Lord Jesus and are empowered
by God the Father. They are one so all three work in unity.
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, … according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the
sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and …” (1 Peter 1:1,2)
Peter was foreknown by “God the Father” and sanctified by God “the Spirit” for the purpose
of obedience to “Jesus Christ” Who is God the Son. All three are working together in the
lives of His people.
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)
The Triune God blesses believers with grace, love and fellowship.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth … And the Spirit of God was hovering over the
face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’...” (Genesis 1:1-3)
Even in the beginning, all three “persons” created everything together in unity. God the
Father “created,” The Holy Spirit was “hovering” or brooding over what was being created
and everything was brought into being through God’s Word (Jesus).
b) Three Nouns Describing God’s Triune Nature: In describing the three
“persons” of the triune God we can say He is the source of all things, the communication
with all things and the power for all things:
i) THE SOURCE (God, the Father): One reason He is called, “Father” is because He is
the invisible source of all things:
“… there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things … ” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
“… And all things are from God.” (1 Corinthians 11:12)
The Bible also says no human has ever or can ever see the Father, the source:
“No one has ever seen God …” (John 1:18)
[God] “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever
seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion.” (1 Timothy 6:16)
ii) THE WORD OR COMMUNICATION (God, the Son): God’s Word comes out from
God the Father, the source of all things. Through His Word God created the universe,
spoke to the prophets and reveals salvation to us:
“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made …” (Psalm 33:6)
“After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision …” (Genesis 15:1)
“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth ….” (Isaiah 55:11)
“… the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)
Notice that God’s Word is eternal, and only God is eternal:
“Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89)
“but the word of the Lord endures forever ...” (1 Peter 1:25 - NASB)
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God sent His Word into the world to become a man called “Jesus” Who took our place
and died for our sins (“Jesus” in Hebrew means “God is salvation”):
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in
the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing
made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen
his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father ….” (John 1:1-3,14)
So, Jesus is God communicated to us; God in human flesh:
”... the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am,
and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power …’” (Mark 14:61,62)
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9)
One reason He is called “the Son of God” is because He came out from His Father,
(What other man ever came out from God in heaven?):
“Jesus said to them, ‘… I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on
My own initiative, but He sent Me.’” (John 8:42 - NASB)
“For I have come down from heaven …” (John 6:38)
A second reason He is called “the Son of God” is that He is just like His Father (We
say, “Like father, like son”) and came to reveal His Father:
“Jesus said to him, “… Whoever has seen me has seen the Father …” (John 14:9)
“So Jesus said to them, ‘… the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the
Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise… For as the Father
raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father
judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as
they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent
him.’” (John 5:19,21-23)
The third reason He is called the Son of God is that He is loved by the Father:
[speaking to Jesus] “a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son …’” (Mark 1:11)
“… a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son … listen to him.’” (Matthew 17:5)
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am … because you
loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)
*[See Appendix 5 for a more complete list of verses showing Jesus is God]
iii) THE POWER (God, the Spirit): The Holy Spirit expresses the power of God. By His
Spirit, He: i) created the world, ii) caused the virgin Mary to miraculously become
pregnant and iii) now is empowering believers to be born of God, to witness for
Him and to live godly lives:
i) “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… And the Spirit of God was hovering
over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:1,2)
ii) “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her,
‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:34,35)
iii) “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
…” (John 3:6);
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my
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witnesses …” (Acts 1:8); “that … he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his
Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16)
So God’s Spirit is God Himself. God is Spirit. But God’s Spirit is not an angel or a
separate being, any more than my spirit is a second being from myself:
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
“who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one
comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received … the Spirit
who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians
2:11,12)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom ... this comes from
the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17,18)
Notice that all three “persons” of the “Trinity” are the “Spirit:”
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
“inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating …” (1 Peter 1:11)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you …” (Acts 1:8)
[For a further explanation of the Trinity, see Appendix 3]
5. AMAZING DIVERSITY WITHIN GOD’S ONENESS/UNITY: This is reflected
in God’s creation. We know little about the diversity within God other than God’s triune
being, but His creation of the universe with an immeasurable diversity of objects, dimensions
and facets is beyond amazing and certainly indicates how He Himself must be! Snowflakes are
an example. It is said that no two are identical. Also God made all mankind out of one man:
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth …” (Acts 17:26)
Science has now discovered humanity’s incredible genetic diversity. Out of Adam’s body have
been born many billions of human beings and not one of them has the same identical genetic
structure as another! And He created man as male and female:
“So God created man in his own image … male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
I recently heard an amazing report on the radio of experiments being conducted and funded by
the US government, on what is being called “Quantum Entanglement.” They had found a
way in which two separate atoms in two completely separate locations, as far as 80 miles from
each other, are being simultaneously and identically affected by a stimulus affecting one of
them. They are surmising that this probably happens all the time on earth. In other words, they
are saying that there is a law of physics which permits two separate things to be one while at
the same time being two. Where did all this come from? – It comes from God, who is Three In
One – unity in diversity:
“... It thus appears that one particle of an entangled pair "knows" what measurement has been performed on
the other, and with what outcome, even though there is no known means for such information to be
communicated between the particles, which at the time of measurement may be separated by arbitrarily large
distances.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement – 10/2017)
6. HOW GOD’S’ ONENESS/UNITY SHOULD AFFECT US:
a. It Should Lead Us To Love And Live For God Exclusively:
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“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
From this verse we understand that those who truly believe that there is a God and that
there is only one God cannot logically divide or share their love for Him with another, but
must give Him nothing less than their full devotion and love. His oneness must go beyond
being simply a mental concept; it must involve our entire being by invoking a love for Him
with heart, mind and body! Our hearts should be singing in worship something like:
Loving You! All my being; All the time; Only You!
Notice that in Deuteronomy 6:4,5 quoted above God didn’t say to “serve” the Lord your
God with all our heart, soul and mind. He is more than simply a master who demands a
slave’s full obedience and service. If we truly love our Heavenly Father, we will joyfully want
to obey Him instead of just serving Him out of fear.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
b. It Should Enable Us To Know God Personally Through Jesus. We can’t
know God through philosophy or wisdom, or by gaining knowledge about Him. We can
know God only through Jesus, Who is the revelation of God to us. Jesus Himself prayed to
the Father:
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
(John 17:3)
c. It Should Lead Us To Join The Triune God In His Work. There are three
things prophesied about Jesus by Old Testament prophets that He said had to be fulfilled in
the work the Father gave Him. The first two Jesus Himself completed when He died and
rose again for us. The third part (sharing the message of salvation with all people groups)
was given to us to do “in His name.” This means He won’t; but we will do it by the power of
the Holy Spirit:
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that
repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning
from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and … to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
B. GOD’S UNIQUENESS
ISLAM:
Now recall the definition of Tawheed we looked at earlier:
“Tawheed in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allaah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no
partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes.” (https://islamqa.info/en/49030)
Having looked at God’s oneness we now look at His uniqueness. He is unique both in His
person or essence and also in His attributes:
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1. THERE IS NO ONE LIKE OR SIMILAR TO GOD. Islam says that God is totally
unique and cannot be compared to anything or anyone. He is completely distinct from all
created beings. Nothing and no one is similar to God:
“… there is nothing whatever like unto Him …" (Sura 42:11)
“He is God, the One and Only … there is none like unto Him.” (Sura 112:1,4) [According to the Hadith,
Muhammad said Sura 112 (just 4 verses) is equal in value to a third of the whole Qur’an.]
Islam says we should not make any picture, image or form to represent God because God
cannot be like whatever we might compare Him to. So says a children’s song:
“Whatever your mind can conceive, that Allah is not, you may well believe.”
Islam also believes God does not do or act like anything we do. For example, He could not
have any of our emotions, such as anger, joy, grief, love, etc. Thus nothing we do (positive or
negative) could possibly affect Him (grieve Him or make Him happy):
“… If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah …” (Sura 3:144)
2. GOD IS NOT A FATHER WITH A SON NOR IS HE “BEGOTTEN.” The Qur’an
repeatedly denounces the Bible’s teaching that Jesus is the “Son of God” (deity) and also the
supposed Christian teaching that Mary is the “Mother of God.” To Muslims calling God,
"Father" implies He has a wife (Mary) and “begets” children:
“God begetteth not, nor is he begotten; and there is none like unto him.” (Sura 112:3,4 & 23:91)
“… Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son.” (Sura 4:171)
“… O Jesus, the son of Mary. Didst thou say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in
derogation of God’? He will say, ‘Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say).’” (Sura
5:119)
“They say, ‘God hath begotten a son!’ Glory be to Him! He is self-sufficient. …” (Sura 10:68)
“It is not befitting to (the majesty of) God that He should beget a son… “ (Sura 19:35 & 92)
The very first Muslim I met in Pakistan asked me if I believed Jesus was God’s Son, and when
I said, “Yes” he countered with, “Then who is God’s grandfather?” I thought he was being
“smart,” but later realized that is a very logical response to what they think the Bible teaches
(but doesn’t).
THE BIBLE:
1. NO ONE IS EQUAL TO OR FULLY LIKE GOD. The Bible clearly teaches that God
certainly is unique; that there is no other being equal to Him:
“’To whom, will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ Says the Holy One.” (Isaiah 40:25)
“To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be
compared?” (Isaiah 46:5; see also Deuteronomy 33:26)
“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9)
2. BUT MANKIND WAS CREATED TO MIRROR GOD’S CHARACTER. Of all the
things God created, He chose to create only mankind like Himself by creating us “in His own
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image.” God is the Original and we were created to be like (a reflection of) Him in certain
ways:
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea… the birds of the heavens… the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing
that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created
him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26,27)
This does not mean we are equal to or exactly like God. Muslims accuse us of believing that
God is like a human being with two arms and two legs, but the Bible does not say God was
created in our image. It says we were created in His image! That is a totally different
thing! God is not physical so His “image” is something else than physical features.
Here are at least seven ways we are created in God’s image – with the
qualities of His character:
a. God Gave Us The Ability To Speak Words Like He Does. God has “word”
(communication); and He created us to be able to communicate with speech like He does.
For example, God spoke the universe into existence with words:
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God …” (Hebrews 11:3)
God repeatedly sent His Word to us through the prophets:
“at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets” (Heb. 1:1)
And then He caused His eternal Word to take the form of a man, living among us:
“In the beginning was the Word … All things were made through him, and without him was not any
thing made that was made … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …” (John
1:1,3,4,14) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard … seen … and have touched
with our hands, concerning the word of life” (1 John 1:1)
Mankind is the only created being that has the ability to communicate with words. Some
creatures are able to communicate emotions with sounds, but only mankind can speak
words like our creator.
b. God Gave Us The Ability To Reason And Understand Like He Does.
Human beings are not just animals who operate by instinct. God gave us the ability to think,
reason, understand and decide, mirroring our Creator:
“Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?” (Job 38:36)
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18)
“And he [Jesus] called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand” (Matthew 15:10)
c. God Gave Us A Measure Of Sovereignty Like He Has. God also created us
His viceroy on earth to rule and have dominion like He has:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness … And God said to them, ‘Be
fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis
1:26-28)
“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? … you have
crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” (Hebrews 2:6-8)
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Authority or dominion is different from power. A tiger has great power which enables it to
overpower other animals. Authority or sovereignty, however, is imputed or given and is not
the same as power. A tiger has no authority to control other animals. He can only make
them flee out of fear because of his power. Mankind, on the other hand, does not have
physical power equal to a tiger, but we are the only created beings able to exercise
authority, which is given to us by God.
d. God Gave Us A Will To Make Decisions As He Does.
“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve … But as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
“… Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”(Romans 12:9)
e. God Intended Us To Be Moral In Character Like Him. Sadly, because of our
sin the moral image of God in us has been largely corrupted and distorted. Nevertheless,
He still wants us to be like Him in character; in holiness, righteousness, love, faithfulness,
mercy, etc.:
“For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy … You shall
therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44,45)
“… put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness ...
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 4:24; 5:1)
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons
of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends
rain on the just and on the unjust ...” (Matthew 5:44,45)
“But love your enemies, and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be
great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be
merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35,36)
f. God Gave Us The Ability To Be Creative Like He Is. While we do not have
the ability to create things out of nothing like God, we do have the ability to create new
things out of existing materials. For example:
“… Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron ...” (Genesis 4:22)
But this God-given ability was corrupted by sin so our sinful nature misuses it:
“And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had
brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a
tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed
over the face of the whole earth.’ And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the
children of man had built. And the LORD said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one
language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to
do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that
they may not understand one another's speech.’” (Genesis 11:3-7)
This includes the ability to multiply and procreate children just as God created us:
“…God blessed them [Adam & Eve]. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth … ‘”
“… God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.’”
(Genesis 1:28; 9:1)
[See chapter 12 – the Fatherhood of God]
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g. God Gave Us The Same Emotions He Has. All our emotions are a reflection of
God’s. The real reason we have emotions is because He has emotions. He has built into us
the ability to experience His emotions. Because of our sin our emotions are perverted and
not pure as God’s. Nevertheless, we love because God loves, even though God’s love is
100 times more genuine and unselfish than ours. The same is true of all other emotions.
As I study the Scriptures I see more and more that God is emotional. In fact, He is a very
emotional being! Here are verses mentioning some of God’s emotions:
i) God’s Negative Emotions in Response to our sin:
grief, weeping – “the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”
(Genesis 6:6) “My heart weeps for Moab. Its people flee ...” (Isaiah 15:5 - NLT)
affliction (distress) – “In all their affliction he was afflicted ….” (Isaiah 63:9 – “suffered” in NLT)
wrath, indignation – “On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:6); “God is a
righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.” (Psalm 7:11)
hatred – “For I the LORD … hate robbery and wrong.” (Isaiah 61:8); “’I hate divorce,’ says the Lord …,
‘and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence.’” (Malachi 2:16 NIV)
vengeance – “For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” (Hebrews 10:30); “in flaming
fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of
our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8)
jealousy – “… I the LORD your God am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:5); “… the LORD, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God …” (Exodus 34:14; also Deut. 4:24, Zech. 8:2 & 2 Cor. 11:2)
laughter in derision – “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.” (Psalm
37:13)
ii) God’s Positive Emotions in Response to our Faith and Trust in Him:
rejoicing – “and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah
62:5); “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with
gladness.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
singing for joy – “The LORD … will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
delight – “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” (Psalm 35:27); “Behold my
servant … my chosen, in whom my soul delights.” (Isaiah 42:1)
pleasure – “but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him…” (Psalm 147:11) “For the LORD takes
pleasure in his people….” (Psalm 149:4); “… discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Ephesians
5:10)
zeal – “Look down from heaven … Where are your zeal and your might?” (Isaiah 63:15)
compassion – “How can I give you up, O Ephraim? … my compassion grows warm and tender.”
(Hosea 11:8); “… your compassion are held back from me.” (Isaiah 63:15)
pity – “… in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of
old.” (Isaiah 63:9)
patience – “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger …” (Psalm 103:8)
love – “… love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God … because God is
love.” (1 John 4:7,8); “… those who hope in his steadfast love.” (Psalm 147:11); “For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only Son…”(John 3:16)
So we sing, laugh, cry, get angry, grieve and rejoice because God does! God has these
emotions, and we have them because we were created in His image. So what is His
purpose in creating us in His own image? As far as I can understand, God’s basic
purpose in creating us in His own image must be to make us capable of knowing Him
enough to have a personal and loving relationship with Him, thus enabling us to
jubilantly glorify and worship Him for eternity.
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“A deep and mutual love relationship is only possible because of sufficient similarity between the partners.
That is exemplified by the story when God brings to Adam all the animals but none is satisfactory as a
companion and Adam is only satisfied when he receives Eve: finally bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. It
is the likeness that makes her sufficient as a true companion and love partner. I think this is the
biblical illustration for what is the purpose of “being created in God’s image”, so that we can have a genuine
love relationship with our Creator.” - Jochen Katz
[See also Chapter Thirteen, part C – God’s Image]
3. BELIEVING IN ONE GOD IS NOT ENOUGH:
a. The Shema Yisraeil: One of the most famous verses in the Hebrew Old Testament
is called the “Shema Yisraeil” and it states:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
By stating two facts together in one sentence (“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”) God
implies they are inseparable. It is not enough to simply believe God is one. He must
also be our God, and in order for Him to be our God, we must have a personal love
relationship with Him. That’s why God added the one command at the end of the Shema,
saying, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
might.” Believing there is only one God is no big deal! God tells us even the devils believe in
one God, but they do not honor or obey Him as their God, and they certainly do not love
Him!
“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19)
As we grow in knowing Him, our relationship with God should involve a deep and genuine
love. That is why the one command in the Shema is:
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
might.”
b. But How Is It Possible For Us To Know And Love Him? Sadly, although we
should have a deep desire to know and love God and to be more like Him, we are
spiritually “dead” to God in our natural state. Our human nature has fallen far from what
God created us to be. It is depraved because of the spiritual death that resulted from our
sin. We have no natural desire or ability to know and love Him:
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1)
“… None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside …
no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
But God wants us to be spiritually alive so we can know Him intimately. Since we have no
natural desire or ability to know Him, He chose to pursue us and to reveal Himself to us
through His Son, Jesus, who became one of us and lived among us:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
By sending our Lord Jesus to conquer death for us, God has made it possible for us to be
spiritually alive in knowing Him and truly loving and trusting Him:
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“But God, being rich in mercy … even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together
with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4,5)
[Jesus said] “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal
life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)
C. MY REACTIONS
1. GOD’S SINGLENESS. The Qur’an clearly expects us to respond to the fact that there is
one, totally unique God by believing in Him and obeying His dictates without being able to know
Him personally. This indicates a slave/master relationship with God, which involves no personal
thinking, no companionship, no shared responsibility and no emotional feeling. This relationship is
also seen in some of the most common Arabic Muslim names and words: Abdullah = “slave of
Allah”; Islam = “submission” (to Allah); Muslim = “submitted” (one). The Qur’an describes believers
this way:
“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they
observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour
His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.” (Sura 9:71)
But why would an absolutely single God create everything in couples and multiples? – couples of
people, animals, birds and fish; people groups, species of animals and plants, and multiples of
stars, mountains, rivers and even atoms? Nothing is single. Doesn’t plurality in nature indicate
God’s preference for relationships and community?
2. IS GOD COMPLETELY INCOMPARABLE? Islam’s belief that God is incomparable is
inconsistent with the Qur’an itself, which compares God with others. Not only does it use the oft
repeated comparative words, most (“most merciful, most gracious”) and greater (“God is greater”
– Allah-u-Akbar), but it even states 32 times that He is “the best” sustainer, planner, provider,
protector, etc. (even including “the best of Creators” in Sura 37:125). If God is incomparable, then
how is He “greater,” “most” or “best”? Greater than whom? The most compared to whom? The
best among whom? One writer tries to explain this away [This quotation has since been altered on
Wikipedia]:
“Allahu Akbar literally means, "Allah is Greater" with the comparative mode. Yet, this does not mean … that there
is anything that is put in comparison with Him. This … means He is "Greater" than anything else, which,
consequently, means He is the Greatest.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takbir)
Furthermore, the Qur’an also uses anthropomorphic expressions which compare God to human
beings, such as sitting on a “throne” (Sura 2:255; 7:54), His “face” (Sura 55:27), His “hands” (Sura
38:75), His “eye” (Sura 20:39) etc. It also speaks of God’s actions by using expressions which are
comparative to human actions, such as “sent down” (Sura 2:22), “loves” (Sura 2:222), “comes”
(2:210), His “wrath” (Sura 2:61), etc. Although these expressions are clearly not used of God in a
physical sense, they do in fact indicate ways in which we are compared to Him.
The Bible, however, shows repeatedly how we are created in God’s image and have many
characteristics and attributes that are His.
3. UNBALANCED ATTRIBUTES. In Islam, the works of God (His unlimited power to do
whatever He wills to do, His total transcendence above and beyond all creation, His superior
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wisdom to see and hear all things whether hidden or open, His unlimited mercy to forgive or not
forgive as He wills, His absolute sovereignty to control all things as He wills) are greatly
emphasized.
But the ways of God (His love, grace, immanence, faithfulness, righteousness, justice, peace,
joy, etc.) are largely ignored. This may be due primarily to the Islamic teaching that God cannot be
compared or likened to anything we know or are.
Nabeel Qureshi in his best seller book, No God But One: Allah Or Jesus, wrote:
“Tawhid teaches that Allah is absolutely one; and the conclusion naturally arose among some thinkers that since
Allah is absolutely one, he cannot have attributes. Attributes would curb his absolute unity, being things he
has as opposed to things he is.” (page 50)
We need to know both God’s works and His ways in order to know Him and walk in His paths:
“… the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths ...” (Is. 2:3)
4. NO RELATIONSHIP. What is lacking in the Qur’an’s description of God is any emotional
feelings and any intimate relationship with His people; truths taught throughout the Bible:
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
“I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they
shall return to me with their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7)
“… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be
my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the
LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD ….” (Jeremiah
31:33,34)
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he
will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
“Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the
presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him …” (Lamentations 2:19)
[see also God’s Immanence in chapter 4]
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APPENDIX 2
COMPLETE LIST OF BIBLE VERSES MENTIONING THE
ONENESS OF GOD
[All Bible quotations are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
The Bible’s Emphasis On The Oneness Of God Is Overwhelming. 35 Times In The
Bible It Is Dogmatically Stated That There Is Only One God:
IN THE TORAH (Arabic, TAURAT):
1, “To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.” (Deuteronomy 4:35)
2. “know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there
is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
3. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
4. “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is
none that can deliver out of my hand.” (Deuteronomy 32:39)
IN THE PSALMS (Arabic, ZABUR):
5. “that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18)
6. “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” (Psalm 86:10)
IN THE BOOKS OF OTHER PROPHETS:
7. “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” (1 Sam. 2:2)
8. “Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all
that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Samuel 7:22)
9. “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.” (:60)
10. “So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O
LORD, are God alone.” (2 Kings 19:19)
11. “You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all
that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.”
(Nehemiah 9:6)
12. “O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the
earth; you have made heaven and earth.” (Isaiah 37:16)
13. “So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the
LORD.” (Isaiah 37:20)
14. “’You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe
me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the
LORD, and besides me there is no savior.’“ (Isaiah 43:10,11)
15. “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the
last; besides me there is no God.’” (Isaiah 44:6)
16. “Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God
besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44:8)
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17. “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who made all things, who
alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.” (Isaiah 44:24)
18. “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God …” (Isaiah 45:5)
19. “… that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD,
and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:6)
20. “For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he
did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other.’” (Isaiah 45:18)
21. “Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it
not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.”
(Isaiah 45:21)
22. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22)
23. “… for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9)
24. “Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the
foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.”
(Isaiah 48:12,13)
IN THE NEW TESTIMENT (Arabic, INJIL):
25. “Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”’” … And the scribe said
to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.” (Mark
12:29,32)
26. “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only
God?” (John 5:44)
27. “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
28. “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will
justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith... ” (Romans 3:29,30)
29. “Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no
God but one.’” (1 Corinthians 8:4)
30. “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth – as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” –
yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist…” (1 Corinthians 8:5,6)
31. “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:6)
32. “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy
1:17)
33. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5)
34. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19)
35. “to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time
and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 25)
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APPENDIX 3
FULLER EXPLANATION OF THE TRINITY
[This Material Includes Excerpts From Part Four Of,
“Answers To Questions Muslims Ask,” Which Is Found At,
http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/bailey/questions_god.html]
[Qur’an references are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation; Bible references from English Standard Version translation]
Answers to the Muslim Question,
“HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE IN THE ‘TRINITY’?
God is one, not three! You are guilty of idolatry!”
WHY DO MUSLIMS OBJECT TO THIS? See The Qur’an’s Teaching:
• “Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on
Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in God and His apostles. Say not, ‘trinity.’ Desist! It will
be better for you, for God is one God ...” (Sura 4:171)
[from Yusuf Ali’s notes 675 & 676: “… the Christian attitude is condemned, which … invents the doctrine of the trinity …
Christ’s attributes are mentioned: (1) that he was the son of a woman, Mary, and therefore a man; (2) but an apostle, a
man with a mission from God, and therefore entitled to honour; (3) a Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by
God’s Word ‘Be’ (kun) and he was; (3:59); (4) a spirit proceeding from God, but not God … The doctrines of Trinity,
equality with God, and sonship are repudiated as blasphemies …”]
• “Shirk”- the unforgivable sin, “God forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth
anything else, to whom He pleaseth. To set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed …
God forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him, but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins
than this.” (Sura 4:48,116)
• “They do blaspheme who say, ‘God is one of three in a trinity: for there is no god except One God… O Jesus,
the son of Mary. Didst thou say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of God’? He
will say, ‘Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say) ...’” (Sura 5:73,116)
• “And your God is one God: There is no god but He ...” (Sura 2:163 - see also Sura 16:22; 16:51; 37:4-5; 38:65)
ANSWER #1: Messiah Jesus Himself Said That There is Only One God:
•
“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’” (Mark 12:29)
ANSWER #2: Christianity Does Not Teach That There Are Three Gods! The Bible
Categorically States at Least 35 Times That There is Only One God:
• In the Torah (Taurat): “know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven
above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39) [See also Deuteronomy 4:35;
32:39]
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• In the Psalms (Zabur): “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” (Psalm 86:10)
[See also Psalm 83:18]
• In the books of the prophets (Sahifah-ul-Anbiya): “Thus says the LORD… ‘I am the first and I
am the last; besides me there is no god… you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There
is no Rock; I know not any.’” (Isaiah 44:6,8) [See also ; 2 Samuel 7:22; I Kings 8:60; and 2 Kings 19:19;
Nehemiah 9:5; Isaiah 37:16,20; 43:10,11; 44:24; 45:5,6,18,21,22; 46:9; 48:12,13; Hosea 13:4]
• In the New Testament (Injil): “… we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God
but one.’” (I Corinthians 8:4) [See also Mark 12:29; John 5:44; John 17:3; Romans 3:29,30; 1 Corinthians
8:6; Ephesians 4:6; I Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 2:5 James 2:19; Jude 25]
ANSWER #3: The Trinity Is Clearly Seen in God’s Act of Creation. Although the word,
“trinity” itself does not appear in the Bible, the triune (three in one) nature of God appears
repeatedly. As an example, look at what is written about God’s method of creation:
First of all, the Bible Says That God Created all Things Alone:
• “I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth
by myself.” (Isaiah 44:24).
And yet, in the Torah’s account of creation we see the triune nature of God’s creating work:
• “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and
darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the
waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light …” (Genesis 1:1-3)
The three “members” of the “Trinity” involved in creation seen in these verses are:
- God the Father (“God”),
- God the Spirit (“the Spirit of God”) and
- God the Son, who, according to John 1:1-14, is the Word of God (“God said”)
Secondly, God Uses Several Human Metaphors to Describe the Means He Used to
Create Everything. These metaphors are used not only to explain to us God’s meaning, but
they also indicate the “members” of the “Trinity” involved in creation. God created everything
alone by means of Four “Parts” of Himself:
1) by His Right Hand - His hand of Power: God also said,
• “My own hand laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand spread out the heavens.”
(Isaiah 48:13)
Does this mean that God's right hand is the creator and not God, or that God’s right
hand is a second God in addition to God Himself? Of course not! God alone created
everything but He did it by His own right hand, which is a human metaphor for His
Power. Thus we read that God,
• “… made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the
heavens by his understanding.” (Jeremiah 10:12)
When Mary was told by an angel that she would have a son, she asked how that could
be possible:
• “And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you.’” (Luke 1:35)
It is clear from this verse that God the Holy Spirit is also called God’s Power. We
also see from this verse that Jesus the Messiah (God’s eternal Word) was brought into
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this world by God’s Power. Remember that we have already seen that the Spirit of God
was present and involved in creation:
• “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void,
and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the
face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light …” (Genesis 1:1-3)
And we read that Messiah Jesus also is God’s power:
• “… Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
2) by His Wisdom:
• “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence ... The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world
began. When there were no oceans, I was given birth ... I was there when he set the heaven
in place ... Then I was the craftsman at his side ...” (Proverbs 8:1-31)
Did God ever exist without His wisdom? Of course not! Did God create his own
wisdom? No! Is God’s wisdom a second God in addition to God Himself? Absolutely
not! God says that his wisdom is "from eternity, from the beginning." God’s wisdom was
"brought forth,” (brought into use) and “appointed” (selected for use) at the time of
creation, and so God alone created everything but He did it by His own wisdom.
Then we read that Messiah Jesus is also God’s wisdom:
• “… Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
3) by His Word: God further said,
• “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made ... For he spoke, and it came to be; he
commanded, and it stood firm.” (Psalm 33:6,9)
• “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light …” (Genesis 1:3)
• “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with
God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that
has been made.” (John 1:1-3)
These verses clearly show that God alone created everything by His Word. The
Word of God is the communication or manifestation of God. God’s Word is God Himself;
not a second God. God created everything simply by commanding it to “Be!” Yes, God
alone created everything, but He did it by His Word.
Messiah Jesus is the eternal Word of God, who “became” a human being by the power
of God:
• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was
with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was
made that has been made… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us ...”
(John 1:1-3,14)
4) by The Breath of His Mouth; The Breath of Life: God also said,
• “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”
(Psalm 33:6)
• “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)
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These verses clearly show that God alone created everything, but He did it by
breathing into it the Breath of Life.
Many Verses Indicate that Jesus the Messiah is God’s Life:
• “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even
though he dies …’” (John 11:25)
• “Jesus answered, ‘I am … the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)
• “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life
was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life,
which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.” (1 John 1:1,2)
ANSWER #4: Two Illustrations From Nature:
Human beings: When we humans talk about ourselves we refer to ourselves as “I.” When a
man dies, his body goes into the grave, but his soul doesn’t. Which one is the real person -
his body or his soul? A man might say, "I said I would do it." or "I gave you my word." In the
first statement he identifies his word (“said”) as himself (“I”). In the second statement he
distinguishes his word (“my word”) from himself (“I”). He is one person, yet he exists in
several entities – word, body, spirit and soul, mind, etc. and he talks about his spirit, his
mind, his word, etc, as if they are all separate entities, although he is only one
being. Human beings are triune beings – body, soul/mind and spirit – three in one.
The sun: When I look toward the sun I might say, “I see the sun,” but I actually see only the
light of the sun which makes things visible on the earth. In the same way, when I feel the
warmth of the sunshine I might say, “I feel the sun,” but I actually feel only the heat of the
sun which gives life to the plants and animals of the earth. Science tells me that in reality
the sun is burning gases, which I can neither see nor feel. What I see is the light from the
burning gases and what I feel is the heat from the burning gases. The one sun has three
distinct entities – gas (source), light and heat – all existing simultaneously, and I refer to
each of them as “the sun.” We could say that the sun is a triune being – gas (source), light
and heat – three in one.
We could compare God “the Father" to the gas, which is the source of the light and
the source of the heat. God the Father is the source, whom we cannot see nor feel:
• “No one has ever seen God.” (John 1:18)
• “And the Father…His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen.” (John 5:37)
• “… who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see …” (1 Timothy 6:16)
We could compare God “the Son" to the light of the sun, which reveals the sun so
that we can see it:
• “No man has ever seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the
Father, he has declared him.” (John 1:18 - ASV)
• “He is the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15)
• “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” (Hebrews 1:3)
And we can compare God “the Holy Spirit" to the heat of the sun, which we feel and
which has power to give life to plants, animals and mankind:
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• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you …” (Acts 1:8)
• “And the angel answered her [Mary], ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you.’” (Luke 1:35)
All three are one God, but they each have their functions. For example, the only way we
can know about the sun’s source is through the sun’s light and heat, but without the source
there could be no light or heat. Likewise the only way we can know God is by His
revelation of Himself to us through His Word (Jesus) and the only way we can know
God’s power for living is through His Holy Spirit.
[Other illustrations from nature are:
- Space is a trinity with three dimensions (height, length, and depth). Without all three
dimensions, there is no space.
- Time is a trinity with three aspects (future, present, past). Without all three aspects, there
is no time.]
ANSWER #5: God’s Oneness (Tauhid) Is Not As Much Singleness As It Is Uniqueness
And “United-ness”:
In the well-known “Shema” found in the Torah we read,
• "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5)
When the Bible says that “God is One” it doesn’t mean simply that He is the only God, which
He certainly is. The Shema clearly shows that His oneness means, 1) He is totally distinct
or unique from all other entities – one of a kind; and 2) He is completely united in
Himself:
1) He is Totally Distinct and Unique. Notice that what the Lord is saying in this passage
is not a command to believe that God is one. His oneness is stated as a fact, not to be
disputed. Instead the command is to love God will all of our being! It is a logical
deduction that if there is only one God – the Almighty Creator of all that exists – we
must respond by loving Him with all of our being (heart, soul and strength)! To
say we believe there is one God, and yet share our love for Him with several other
entities (self interests, idols, personal beliefs, etc.), is not only idolatry, it is an open
act of rebellion, putting ourselves in the same state as Satan and his demons:
• “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”
(James 2:19)
2) He is Completely United in Himself. In the original text, the Hebrew word for “one” is
e’had, which is used to describe other things that are united. For example: God used
the same word in the following verses:
• “God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there
was morning, one (e'had) day.” (Genesis 1:5, RSV)
• “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will
become one (e'had) flesh.” (Genesis 2:24).
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APPENDIX 4
Bible Verses Revealing The Trinity
[All verses are from the English Standard Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated]
1. TERMS: Theologians talk about the “three persons of the Trinity.” Even though the word,
“Trinity” is not found in the Bible nor is the term, “persons” ever used in the Bible in reference to
God, theologians use these terms to try to explain this complex Biblical truth. The three “persons” of
the “Trinity” are:
(1) The “Father” – also called “God,” “Lord,” “Most High,” etc.
(2) The “Son” – also called, “Son of God,” “Word of God,” “Lord,” “Jesus Christ”
(3) The “Spirit” – also called, “Holy Spirit,” “Spirit of God,” “Spirit of Christ”
2. VERSES CONTAINING ALL THREE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY: There are a
number of passages mentioning all three “persons” of the “Trinity” together:
“In the beginning, God [the Father] created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and
darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering [to brood or incubate] over the face of the
waters. And God said [God’s Word], “Let there be light,” and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1-3)
“The Spirit of the Lord [the Father] speaks by me; his word [the Son] is on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2)
“… For the mouth [God’s Word] of the Lord has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.” (Isaiah 34:16)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
“And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High [the Father] will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:35)
“For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the
Son and has given all things into his hand.” (John 3:34,35)
[Jesus said] “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my [Jesus the Son] name, he will teach you all
things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
[Jesus said] “But when the Helper comes, whom I [Jesus the Son] will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26)
[Jesus said] “When the Spirit of truth [God’s Spirit] comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his
own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will
glorify me [the Son], for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I
said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15)
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I [Jesus the Son] am sending you.’
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:21,22)
“He [Jesus] said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my [Jesus the Son] witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” (Acts 1:7,8)
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“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and
having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he [Jesus the Son] has poured out this that you
yourselves are seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:32,33)
“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all
who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’” (Acts 2:38,39)
“God exalted him [Jesus the Son] at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of
sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God [the Father] has given to those who
obey him.” (Acts 5:31,32)
“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of
God.” (Acts 7:55)
“testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now,
behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,” (Acts
20:21,22)
“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled
in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3,4)
“If the Spirit of him [the Father] who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the
dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God [the Father] and approved by men.” (Romans 14:17,18)
“to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the
Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:16)
“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your
prayers to God on my behalf,” (Romans 15:30)
“None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [Jesus].
But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared
for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches
everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:8-10)
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord [Jesus]; and
there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God [the Father] who empowers them all in everyone.” (1
Corinthians 12:4-6)
“And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and
given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)
“And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living
God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:3)
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim
anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new
covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God [the Father] and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14)
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6)
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“In him [Jesus the Son] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22)
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that
according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner
being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith …” (Ephesians 3:14-17)
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord
[Jesus], one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians
4:4-6)
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord [Jesus] with your heart, giving thanks always
and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:18-20)
“remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not
only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3-5)
“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord [Jesus], because God chose you as
the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by
us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy
Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” (Titus 3:4-6)
“how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord [Jesus], and it was
attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by
gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:3,4)
“how much more will the blood of Christ [Jesus the Son], who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish
to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
“How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God,
and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For
we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:29-31)
“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ
and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:2)
“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1
Peter 4:14)
“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he
has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him. And by this we know that
he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” (1 John 3:23,24)
“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,”
(1 John 4:2)
“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and
testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:13,14)
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the
love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” (Jude 20,21)
“… Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come [the eternal God the Father], and from the
seven spirits [the seven-fold Holy Spirit] who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the
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firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his
blood” (Revelation 1:4,5)
3. VERSES SHOWING TWO “PERSONS” OF THE “TRINITY” TO BE
SYNONYMOUS:
a. The “Holy Spirit” Is Synonymous With “God” The Father:
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
b. The “Holy Spirit” Is Synonymous With The “Spirit of Jesus:”
“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the
word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of
Jesus did not allow them.” (Acts 16:6,7)
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not
have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of
sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:9-10)
4. VERSES SHOWING THE “TRINITY” ACTING SYNONYMOUSLY:
a. The Triune God Reveals Himself To Mankind. Jesus said that He and the Holy Spirit
both have “proceeded” from and have been “sent” by the Father:
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from
the Father.” (John 15:26)
“Jesus said to them, ‘… I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own
initiative, but He sent Me.’” (John 8:42 – NASB – see also John 16:28)
b. The Triune God Speaks To Mankind. All of the Father’s truth also belongs to Jesus the
Son, and the Spirit takes that truth and teaches it to believers. They do this together and not on
their own initiative:
(Jesus said) “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak
on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are
Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John 16:13-15)
c. The Triune God comes to live with believers. Jesus interchangeably said that He,
the Father and the Holy Spirit will each come to live with believers:
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you …” (John 14:18)
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our
abode with him.” (John 14:23)
“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8)
d. Jesus is united with the Father in various divine actions:
1) Sending the Holy Spirit to live in believers: He interchangeably says “The Father will
send Him,” “I will send Him,” “The Father will send Him in my name” or “whom I will send …
from the Father.”
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“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever ... But the
Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name ...” (John 14:16,26)
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father ...” (John 15:26)
“It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will
send Him to you.” (John 16:7)
2) Providing grace, peace, love and mercy:
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:7 - also 1
Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:2;
Philemon 3; Titus 1:4)
“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians
6:23)
“Grace, mercy (and) peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (1 Timothy 1:2 – also 2
Timothy 1;2; 2 John 3)
3) Commissioning apostles:
“Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the
Father)...” (Galatians 1:1)
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ
Jesus, (who) is our hope...“ (1 Timothy 1:1)
4) Being the Lord:
“James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (James 1:1)
5) With whom believers have fellowship:
“... our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
6) Providentially enabling his servants to serve him:
“Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.” (1
Thessalonians 3:11)
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APPENDIX 5
BIBLICAL INDICATIONS OF
THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
[Bible verses are from the English Standard Version unless otherwise indicated
[See also “Answers to Questions about the Deity of Jesus Christ”
http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/bailey/questions_jesus.html ]
Before we get started on the subject of the Bible’s indications of the deity of Jesus
Christ, we need to also understand the humanity of Jesus:
A. THE HUMANITY OF JESUS: Although Jesus is God, the eternal
“second person” of the Trinity, He did not come to earth to declare or magnify that fact. Instead, He
came to earth to become a man – an absolutely genuine, perfect man. In other words, to be
one of us so He could be our substitute in death in order to save us from eternal death. He was
God but He chose to set aside and not use His powers as God in order to die as a man. His deity was
hidden from most people because He did not look or act like God. His humanity is clearly seen in
the following:
1. JESUS ACCEPTED THE LIMITATIONS OF HUMANITY. Being fully a man He not
only looked like a man, but He willingly accepted the limitations of humanity. It is beyond amazing
that God subjected Himself to such limitations for us! Here are several:
a. He Got Sleepy And Tired, But God Never Does:
Jesus: “as they sailed he fell asleep ...” (Luke 8:23); “… so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey,
was sitting beside the well …” (John 4:6)
God: “… he who keeps you will not slumber … he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
(Psalm 121:3,4); “… The LORD … He does not faint or grow weary …” (Isaiah 40:28)
b. He Suffered Need (Thirst, Hunger, Relief from pain, etc.), But God Needs
Nothing:
Jesus: “… Jesus … said … ‘I thirst.’” (John 19:28); “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his
sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44); “God raised Him up
again, putting an end to the agony of death” (Acts 2:24 – NASB)
God: “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the flesh of
bulls or drink the blood of goats?” (Psalm 50:12,13); “nor is He served by human hands, as though
He needed anything …” (Acts 17:25 – NASB)
c. He Was Tempted, But God Cannot Be Tempted:
Jesus: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matt. 4:1)
God: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil,
and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
d. He Died, But God Is Eternal And Cannot Die:
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Jesus: “… Christ Jesus: “… Who … being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to
the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5,6,8)
God: “… the living God.” (Psalm 42:2); “… the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and
glory forever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:17 - NIV)
e. He Was Limited In Both Space And Time, But God Is Not:
Jesus: “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me’” (Hebrews 10:5); “But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4); And from there he arose
and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon …” (Mark 7:24)
God: “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret
places so that I cannot see him? ... Do I not fill heaven and earth? …” (Jeremiah 23:23,24); “… the One
who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity …” (Isaiah 57:15)
2. JESUS PRAYED TO GOD AS A MAN SAYING, “MY GOD.” Because He fully
became a man He prayed as a man to God the Father, addressing Him as “My God:”
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my
God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34); “… go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending
to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17)
3. JESUS VOLUNTARILY ENTERED INTO HUMAN DEATH IN OUR PLACE IN
ORDER TO REDEEM US. Because He chose to become a man living in a human body He
was able to be our substitute in human death. Only a perfect and sinless man could die as a
substitute for another human being:
“… Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his
own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8 - NIV)
“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory
and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for
everyone ... That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers … Since therefore the children share in
flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy
the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were
subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:9,11,14-15)
Yes, Jesus Became Man, But He Was, Is And Always Will Be God.
B. THE DEITY OF JESUS:
The teaching of Christians that Jesus the Messiah is God has always caused a good deal of
disagreement and dispute. This is partly due to the fact that, although the apostles of Jesus wrote and
preached a lot about the deity of Jesus, He Himself did not emphasize it [*]. After all, why would He
try to prove that He was God when He had come to earth to become a genuine and sinless human
being, qualified to be a sacrifice for the sins of human beings?
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Most Christians believe in the deity of Christ but find it very difficult to fully understand, much less to
explain it. In this appendix I am not trying to explain it, but merely to list what I believe are some of the
many indications of his deity found in the Holy Bible.
While these indications may not “prove” the deity of Jesus the Messiah (at least not to skeptics), they
certainly will leave an honest student with lots to consider. The full, bright light of God’s being is more
than we can possibly take in (as He told His prophet Moses), but these indications of Jesus’ deity are
something like glimmers of that light shining through tiny cracks in the human vessel of Jesus’
humanity.
* [see Appendix 11, “The Revelation Of Jesus’ Full Identity and Why He Seemed To Hide It”]
[Bible verses are from the English Standard Version unless otherwise indicated]
1. JESUS EXISTED BEFORE THE PROPHETS JOHN THE BAPTIST, DAVID
AND ABRAHAM, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BORN AFTER THEM. IN FACT HE
EXISTED BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED:
• “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth
for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah
5:2)
[The first part of this Old Testament verse was quoted in Matthew 2:4 by the religious leaders of Israel when
King Herod asked them where the prophets had indicated the Messiah was to be born.]
• “... he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming to him and said, ‘... This is He on behalf of whom I said, “After me
comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.”’” (John 1:29,30 – NASB)
[Jesus was born several months after John the Baptist (the prophet Yahyah in Arabic), but He existed before
him as God’s eternal Word. He is both before and after John; both God and man!]
• [Jesus said] “… I am the root and the descendant of David …” (Revelation 22:16)
[As a man, Jesus was a direct descendant of David (who lived about 1000 BC - see Luke 3:23-31); As God He
was the creator or “root” of King David. He was both before and after David. He is both man and God!]
• “Jesus said … before Abraham was born I AM.” (John 8:58 - NASB)
[Jesus existed before the creation of the world as the eternal Word of God. As man Jesus was born at least
forty generations after the prophet Abraham (who lived about 2000 BC)]
• [Jesus prayed] “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you
before the world existed … because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John
17:5,24)
[Jesus existed and was loved by the Father before the world began. He is both God and man!”]
2. JESUS GAVE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO BE SPIRITUALLY BORN OF GOD:
• “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12,13)
[Only God can give the right to believers to spiritually “become children of God.” In other words to be “born ... of
God”?]
3. JESUS HAD THE POWER TO CONQUER DEATH AND RAISE HIMSELF
FROM THE DEAD:
• “So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ … But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
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When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this …”
(John 2:18,19,21,22)
• [Jesus said] “… I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my
own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again ...” (John 10:17,18)
[Can even the greatest prophet raise himself from the dead? God has given power to prophets to raise dead
people, but no prophet has ever raised himself from the dead.]
• “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that
through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all
those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Heb. 2:14,15)
• “… our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light …“ (2 Timothy
1:10)
[Who else but God has the power to destroy death and Satan and rise from the dead?]
4. JESUS HAS AUTHORITY OVER THE JUDGMENT, AND POWER TO
RESURRECT THE SAVED AND CONDEMN THE LOST:
• “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all
law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing
of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41,42)
[Most of the time the Lord Jesus referred to himself as “The Son of Man.” Who else but God has authority to
send out angels and to throw people into hell?]
• But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our
lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to
himself.” (Philippians 3:20,21)
• [Jesus said] “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise
them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him
shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day … No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day … and I will raise him up at the last
day.” (John 6:39,40,44 – NIV)
• [Jesus said] “Many will say to me on that day [judgement day], ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew
you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22,23 – NIV)
• “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious
throne …’” (Matthew 19:28)
[Who else but God has authority to subject all things to Himself, to transform our bodies, to raise us from the
dead in the resurrection and to sit on the throne of heaven as judge?]
5. JESUS CAME FROM HEAVEN (OUT FROM GOD):
• [What John said about Jesus] “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth
and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.” (John 3:31)
• [What Jesus said about himself]: No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the
Son of Man.“ (John 3:13);… ”For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world … I am the bread of life … For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the
will of him who sent me … not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen
the Father … I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will
live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:33,35,38,46,51);
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“You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world”; ... “If God were
your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God” … “I came forth from
the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” (John
8:23,42 – NASB); “I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world
and going to the Father.” (John 16:28)
[Can a mere man, or even a great prophet say He has come from heaven, from above, or out from God the
Father? Adam and all of his descendants have come out from the dirt of this earth. Only the eternal Word of
God Who became the Son of Man can say He has come out from God and from heaven, instead of out of the
earth.]
6. JESUS IS THE SOURCE AND GIVER OF ETERNAL LIFE AND REST:
• “And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (Hebrews
5:9 – see also 2:10)
[It doesn’t say Jesus became the “means” or the “model” of eternal salvation for all who obey God. It says He
Himself is the “source” of eternal life to all who obey “him.”]
• “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a
drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water’ ... ‘Everyone who
drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will
never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling
up to eternal life.’” (John 4:10,13,14)
• “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what
he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise … For as the
Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will … Truly,
truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son
of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the
Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is
the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will
hear his voice and come out …” (John 5:19,21,25-29)
[Can anyone but God give eternal life? Jesus does not say that He will ask God to give this living water, but He
says He Himself will give it!]
• “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never
perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27,28);
• “… Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him
authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” (John 17:1,2)
[Jesus does not say that He will ask God to give them eternal life, but He says He Himself will give it!]
• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 – NIV)
[Jesus does not say “Go to God and He will give you rest for your souls.” He says, “Come to me …”!]
7. JESUS SPOKE WITH AND GAVE THE AUTHORITY OF GOD:
7a. JESUS TAUGHT WITH THE AUTHORITY OF GOD:
• [Jesus said] “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one
who does the will of My Father who is in heaven ... Everyone then who hears these words of mine
and does them ... Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them ... for He was
teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:21,24,26,29)
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[Jesus clearly uses the title, “Lord” of himself, and expects his followers to obey him. That title may be used for
a man. But when He talks about his instructions, he refers to them interchangeably as “the will of My Father” or
“these words of Mine.” So He is saying His words and the Father’s will are the same. He is saying if we obey
the Father we obey Him, and if we obey Him we obey the Father. Therefore, he is using the title, “Lord”
(meaning “God”) for Himself.]
In His teaching, Jesus 42 times used the expression, “Truly I say to you …” instead of, “The
Lord God says” as the other prophets did): Here is one of them:
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who
looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart …”
(Matthew 5:27,28)
[In verses 27-48, Jesus quotes the Word of God given to the prophet Moses regarding five different subjects in
the Mosaic law, and then further amplifies them, contradicting the common interpretation. Notice that He
doesn’t say, “but God has revealed to me that…” Instead, he says, “but I say to you...!” Who but God dares to
speak like this?]
Here are the references for the others:
• Matthew 5:18,26; 6:2,5,16; 8:10; 10:15,23,42; 11:11; 13:17; 16:28; 17:20; 18:3,13,18; 19:23,28; 21:21,31; 23:36;
24:2,47; 25:12,40,45; 26:34; Mark 3:28; 8:12; 9:41; 12:43; 13:30; 14:9,25,30; Luke 4:24; 11:51; 12:37; 13:35;
18:17; 23:43; John 13:21
7b. JESUS PERFORMED MIRACLES WTH THE AUTHORITY OF GOD, saying, “I say to
you, get up!” “be cleansed,” or “I command you,” instead of saying, “In God’s name,”
“By God’s permission” or “By God’s authority”:
• “… there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon … Jesus rebuked him, saying, ’Be silent and
come out of him!’ … And they were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with
authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:33-36)
• [Jesus said] “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1:41 – NASB)
• [Jesus said] “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” (Mark 2:11 – NASB)
• “…he [Jesus] rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out
of him and never enter him again.’” (Mark 9:25)
• “He [Jesus] said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” (Mark
3:5)
• “And He [Jesus] said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’” (Luke 7:14)
• “He [Jesus] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’” (Mark 4:39 – NASB)
• “For He [Jesus] was saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’” (Mark 5:8)
• [Jesus said] “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” (Mark 5:41 – NIV)
• “Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe I am able to do this?’” (Matthew 9:28)
7c. JESUS GAVE AUTHORITY THAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE:
• “And he (Jesus) called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out,
and to heal every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew 10:1)
8. JESUS IS “YAHWEH.” (the name that God told Moses was his own personal
name – Exodus 3:13-15):
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8a. OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES TO “YAHWEH” ARE QUOTED IN REFERENCE TO
JESUS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:
a. Prepare The Way For YAHWEH:
O.T.: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD [YAHWEH in Hebrew]; make straight in
the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3)
N.T.: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the
prophet, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one
crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,”’ John appeared,
baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins ... And
he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am
not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.’ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John
in the Jordan.” (Mark 1:1-4,7-9)
b. Calling On The Name Of YAHWEH:
O.T.: “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth,… And … everyone who calls on the name of
the LORD [YAHWEH in Hebrew] will be saved ...” (Joel 2:30-32)
N.T.: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from
the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one
confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to
shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing
his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
(Romans 10:9-13)
c. Bowing Before YAHWEH:
O.T.: “… Was it not I, the LORD [YAHWEH in Hebrew]? And there is no other God besides me, a righteous
God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I
am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow; every tongue will swear allegiance.’”
(Isaiah 45:21-23)
N.T.: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord ….” (Philippians 2:10-11)
d. The heavens are temporary but YAHWEH is eternal:
O.T.: “But you, O LORD [YAHWEH in Hebrew], are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all
generations… Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your
hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will
change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no
end.” (Psalm 102:12,25-27)
N.T.: “… But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is
the scepter of your kingdom. …You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and
the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out
like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are
the same, and your years will have no end.” (Hebrews 1: 7-12)
e. YAHWEH The Only Savior:
O.T.: “I, I am the LORD [YAHWEH in Hebrew], and besides me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)
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N.T.: “… a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11); “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way … No one
comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6); “And there is salvation in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12);
“… our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ …” (2 Peter 3:18)
8b. JESUS SPOKE OF HIMSELF AS “I AM,” WHICH IS GOD’S NAME (“YAHWEH” IN
HEBREW): “Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers
has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO
I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I AM has sent me to you.”’” (Exodus 3:13-14):
• “... unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
• “‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am.’” (John 8:58 – NIV)
[Only God can call Himself, “I am.” No wonder the crowd of Jews picked up stones and tried to stone him for
blasphemy. - see verse 59]
• “I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am
he.” (John 13:19) [Here and in 8:24 the Greek words ego eimi simply mean “I am”]
• “… Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am’ ...”
(Mark 14:61,62); “They all asked, ‘Are you then the Son of God?’ He replied, ‘You are right in saying I am.’” (Luke
22:70,71 – NIV)
8c. JESUS’ FAMOUS “I AM” STATEMENTS:
• “‘For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world ... Then Jesus
declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me
will never be thirsty... I am the bread of life. Your Forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.
But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living
bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…” (John 6:33,35,48-
51 – NIV)
• “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)
• “… Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and
robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be
saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:7-9)
• “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...I am the good shepherd,
and I know My own and my own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay
down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:11,14,15)
• “… I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me though he die, yet shall he live, and
everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25,26)
• “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
• “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener… I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man
remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“ (John 15:1,5 – NIV)
• “… I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17,18 – NIV)
[Only God is called “the First and the Last.” Only God is the eternally “Living One”!]
• “I, Jesus, … I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” (Rev. 22:16)
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[Jesus is both the “root” of David (the Creator of David) and his “descendant” (son of David).]
9. JESUS CLAIMED TO BE THE SENDER OF THE PROPHETS:
• [Jesus said] “Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify,
and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all
the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of
Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar ... O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city
that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your
children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:34-
37)
[How can a mere prophet claim to be the One who sends all the prophets and righteous teachers from the
beginning?]
10. JESUS CLAIMED HE IS ONE WITH GOD THE FATHER:
• [Jesus said] “that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.” (John 5:23)
• “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I am working.’ This was why the Jews were
seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling
God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:17,18)
• “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never
perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater
than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John
10:27-30)
•
“Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with
you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How
can you say, “Show us the Father”’?” (John 14:8,9)
11. THE WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST ABOUT JESUS:
• “John answered them all, saying, ‘I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap
of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His
winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the
chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’” (Luke 3:16,17)
[Who but God can baptize people with His own Holy Spirit? Who but God can judge with “unquenchable fire”? –
See also Jeremiah 15:7 and Matthew 25:41]
12. JESUS IS ONE TRIUNE GOD TOGETHER WITH THE FATHER AND THE
HOLY SPIRIT. (John 14,15,16):
12a. JESUS IS ONE WITH THE FATHER IN SENDING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BELIEVERS
(He interchangeably says “the Father … will give you another Helper”, “whom The Father will
send in my name,” “whom I will send to you from the Father” and “I will send him to you,” and
“the Spirit … who proceeds from the Father.”):
• “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, But the Helper, the
Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your
remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:16,26)
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• “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds
from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26)
• “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper
will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)
12b. JESUS IS ONE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN BEING SENT FROM THE FATHER (He
says that both He and the Holy Spirit have come from/ been sent by the Father):
• “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” (John 15:26)
• “My food is to do the will of him who sent me … If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I
proceeded forth and have come from God …” “... I came forth from the Father and have come into
the world.” (John 4:34; 8:42; 16:28 – NASB)
12c. JESUS, THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT ALL COME TO BELIEVERS (Jesus
interchangeably says “I,” “My Father” and “the Holy Spirit” will come to you.):
• “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you …” (John 14:18)
• “… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
make Our home with him.” (John 14:23)
• “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8)
12d. THE TRIUNE GOD SPEAKS ONE TRUTH FROM WITHIN HIMSELF:
• [Jesus said] “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not
speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what
is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that
the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John
16:13-15 – NASB)
13. JESUS HAS TITLES AND ATTRIBUTES ONLY GOD HAS:
a. “The Lord”: (The Hebrew word, ADONAI translated, “Lord” or “Master” is plural and is
found 322 times while the singular ADON occurs 211 times, making a total of 533 times.
This Hebrew word is used in the Old Testament almost always for God. However, The
Greek word, KURIOS also translated “Lord” occurs 696 times in the New Testament,
sometimes referring to God the Father, but usually referring to Jesus the Messiah. In
fact, the title, “Lord Jesus Christ” occurs 63 times and “Lord Jesus” 102 times):
About Jesus: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [Kurios], to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:10,11)
About God: “Blessed be the Lord [Kurios] God of Israel, for he has … redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68)
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord [Kurios] God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)
b. “Lord of glory”:
About Jesus: “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified
the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:8)
About God: “… The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!” (Psalm 24:10)
c. “Lord of the Sabbath”:
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About Jesus: “I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words
mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of
Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:6-8)
About God: “but during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of complete rest. It is the
Lord’s Sabbath ...” (Leviticus 25:4)
d. “Lord of lords and King of kings”:
About Jesus: “… the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings ...” (Revelation
17:14)
About God: “… he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who
alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light …” (I Timothy 6:15,16);
“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty and the awesome
God …” (Deuteronomy 10:17)
e. “Lord of all”:
About Jesus: “… through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of All).” (Acts 10:36)
f. “The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”:
About Jesus: “… Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one ...” (Revelation 1:17,18);
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
(Revelation 22:13)
About God: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first
and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6);
“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come,
the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8);
“He who is seated on the throne said … ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End ….’” (Revelation 21:5,6)
g. “Mighty God” & “Everlasting Father”:
About Jesus: “For to us a child is born … and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
h. “Author of Life”:
About Jesus: “You killed the author of life, whom God raised him from the dead ...” (Acts 3:15)
i. He before whom every knee will bow and every tongue acknowledge:
About Jesus: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:10,11)
About God: “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By
myself I have sworn … To me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Isaiah
45:22,23)
j. Emmanuel (God with us):
About Jesus: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us.)”
(Matthew 1:22-23)
k. “the Holy One”:
About Jesus: “and we have believed, and have come to know, that you [Jesus] are the Holy One of God.”
(John 6:69 – found 7 times in the N.T.)
Jesus, ... the Holy and Righteous One ...” (Acts 3:13,14)
About God: “For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel …” (Isaiah 30:15 – found 44 times in the
Bible)
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“But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” (1 John 2:20)
l. “the Righteous One”:
About Jesus: “… And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One,
whom you have now betrayed and murdered.” (Acts 7:52)
About God: “From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One….”
(Isaiah 24:16)
14. IN THE COMMON SALUTATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS
JESUS IS SPOKEN OF AS BEING THE SOURCE OF DIVINE GIFTS AND
POWERS (JOINTLY WITH GOD THE FATHER): They speak of Jesus as: [all
Bible references in #14 are from New American Standard Bible (NASB)]
a. the author of (with God the Father) grace, peace, love, mercy and faith [Can these things
come from a man?]:
• Rom. 1:7 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 1 Cor. 1:3 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 1 Cor. 16:23 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.”
• 2 Cor. 1:2 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Gal. 1:3 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Gal. 6:18 – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit …”
• Eph. 1:2 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Eph. 6:23 – “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.”
• Phil. 1:2 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Phil. 4:23 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
• 1 Thess. 1:1 – “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace
to you and peace.”
• 1 Thess. 5:28 – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
• 2 Thess. 1:1,2 – “To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 2 Thess. 1:12 - “… according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 2 Thess. 3:16,18 – “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.
The Lord be with you all ... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
• 1 Tim.1:2 – “Grace, mercy (and) peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• 2 Tim.1: 2 – “Grace, mercy (and) peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• Philemon 3 – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Philemon 25 – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
• 2 Pet. 1:2 – “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
• 2 Pet. 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
• 2 John 3 – “Grace, mercy (and) peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the
Son of the Father, in truth and love.”
• Rev. 22:21 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”
b. the sender and appointer (with God the Father) of His apostles [Who else but God can
appoint apostles?]:
• Gal. 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus
Christ and God the Father) ...”
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• 1 Tim. 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and
of Christ Jesus, (who) is our hope ...” [notice there is only one “commandment”]
c. our Savior (in the same sentence where God is called our Savior):
• Titus 1:3,4 – “… according to the commandment of God our Savior ... Grace and peace from God the
Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
d. the one who is given glory for ever and ever [Who else but God can receive glory for
ever and ever?]:
• Heb. 13:21 - “working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory
forever and ever. Amen.”
• 2 Pet. 3:18 – “… Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.”
e. our Lord, just as God the Father is our Lord:
• James 1:1 – “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 1 Pet. 1:1,2 – “who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work
of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ ...”
f. the one with whom we presently have fellowship, just like we have fellowship with the
Father and the Holy Spirit:
• 2 Cor. 13:14 – “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.”
• 1 John 1:3 – “... our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
g. the one by whose mercy we have eternal life. [Can anyone but God give us eternal life?]:
• Jude 21 – “Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
to eternal life.”
h. the one who providentially enables and directs his servants to serve him:
• 1 Thessalonians 3:11 – “Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear [direct] the way
for us to come to you.” [Notice there is only one director clearing the way]
15. JESUS RECEIVES AND ACCEPTS WORSHIP BY MEN, BY ANGELS, AND
BY ALL CREATION. No prophet or godly man would ever accept this:
• [the wise men from the east] “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea … behold, wise men from the east
came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it
rose and have come to worship him.’ … And going into the house, they saw the child … and they fell
down and worshiped him ...” (Matthew 2:1-2, 11)
• [the man born blind] “He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.” (John 9:38)
• [when Jesus enabled Peter to walk on the water] “He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the
water and came to Jesus … And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat
worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:29-33)
• [when the disciples of Jesus saw him risen from the dead] “And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they
came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him ... And when they saw him they worshiped him
….” (Matthew 28:9,17)
• “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my
side; and do not be disbelieving, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John
20:27,28)
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[Thomas not only called Jesus “Lord,” but also clearly called Him “God” as distinct from “Lord.” Jesus did not
refuse this description of Himself nor did he rebuke Thomas for saying this. He accepted Thomas’ adoration of
Him as God!]
• [His disciples at his ascension into heaven] “Then he led them out as far as Bethany … While he blessed them, he
parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy” (Luke 24:50-52)
• “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every
tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)
• “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb [Jesus] … And they sang …
saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you
ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them
a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’ Then … I heard around the throne
… the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying
with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and
might and honor and glory and blessing!’ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and
under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to
the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ And the four living creatures
said, ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Revelation 5:8-14)
16. AFTER HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION TO HEAVEN:
16a. JESUS SPOKE FROM HEAVEN WITH AUTHORITY, GIVING REVELATION:
• [to the Apostle Paul before his conversion] “… a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he
heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are
you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting … Saul rose from the ground, and
… they led him by the hand … into Damascus ... there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.
The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias, … rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the
house of Judas look for a man … named Saul … he is praying … that he might regain his sight.
… Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine …’. So Ananias … entered the house. And laying his
hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which
you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”
(Acts 9:3-5,8,10-12,15,17)
• [to the Apostle Paul] “… the gospel that was preached by me ... I did not receive it from any man, … I
received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11,12)
• [to the Apostle John] “I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me … When I saw him, I fell at his feet as
though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the
living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
(Revelation 1:12,17,18)
• [to the seven churches through the Apostle John] “to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the
first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty … Be faithful
unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.’” (Revelation 2:8-10)
16b. JESUS RECEIVED PRAYERS FROM GOD’S PEOPLE:
• [from Stephen as he was dying] “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.’” (Acts 7:59)
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17. JESUS IS THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD:
17a. GOD CREATED EVERYTHING (except Adam & Eve) OUT OF NOTHING SIMPLY BY
COMMANDING IT TO BE BY HIS WORD:
• “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light … And God said, “Let there be …’ And God
said, ‘Let there be …’ And it was so.” (Genesis 1:3,6,9)
• “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host ... he
spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” (Psalm 33:6,9)
17b. AND GOD CREATED EVERYTHING BY HIMSELF, ALONE:
• “… I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by
myself” (Isaiah 44:24)
17c. JESUS IS CALLED THE ETERNAL “WORD” OF GOD BY AND THROUGH WHOM
GOD CREATED EVERYTHING. That Word became a man, living among us:
• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … All things were
made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the
life was the light of men … The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him … And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …” (John 1:1-4,9,10,14)
[This is clearly referring to Jesus. It says, “the Word was God … And the Word became flesh …” which
means Jesus is God. Obviously, the Word of God is God’s own communication or expression of Himself;
not some other God! Only God could be the “true light which ... gives light to (enlightens) every man” and
only God could cause his light/ his own word to become a human being and live among us. The light and
Word of God can be none other than God Himself.]
• “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we
have … touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life – The life was made manifest, and we
have seen it … the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us … so that
you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son,
Jesus Christ.” (I John 1:1-3)
• “... who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word ...” (Luke 1:2)
[The only way anyone can see or serve the Word (Jesus) is if He is present in a human body.]
17d. THAT IS WHY GOD’S WORD SAYS ALL THINGS CREATED BY GOD WERE
CREATED THROUGH, BY AND FOR JESUS:
• “In the beginning was the Word … and the Word was God … All things were made through him, and
without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)
• “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him.” (John 1:10)
• “… Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
• “… his Son … through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:2)
• “He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God … For by him all things were created, in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible … all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all
things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
• “… God, for whom and through whom everything exists …” (Hebrews 2:10 - NIV)
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17e. JOHN 1:1-3 (17c above) IS ONE OF SEVEN PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
WHICH CLEARLY CALL THE LORD JESUS “GOD.” Here are the other six:
• “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which
translated means, ‘God with us.’” (Matt.1:23 - NASB)
[This prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled in Jesus. He is God with us – God in human flesh]
• “Then he [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands … Do not disbelieve, but believe.’
Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:27,28)
• [Notice that Jesus did not rebuke “doubting Thomas” for calling Him God.]
• [Jesus] "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his
own advantage." (Philippians 2:6 – This is from the 2011 NIV translation)
• “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9 - NASB)
• “But of the Son He says, ‘your throne, O God, is forever and ever …’” (Hebrews 1:8)
• “… by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1)
• “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus
2:13)
[Other verses that may or may not call Him God: Acts 20:28, Romans 9:5, 1 John 5:20]
18. HE CLAIMED AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS:
• “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes
were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming!
Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” (Mark 2:5-7)
• “’But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ – he then said to the
paralytic- ‘Rise, pick up your bed and go home.’” (Matthew 9:6)
19. HE IS GIVEN EQUAL HONOR WITH GOD THE FATHER. Notice that the same
things given to God the Father in worship (“glory,” “honor,” “power,” “might,” “blessing” and
“wisdom”) are also given to Jesus, God’s Lamb:
About God:
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and
by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
“saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to
our God forever and ever! Amen.’” (Revelation 7:12)
About Jesus:
“saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb [Jesus] who was slain, to receive power and wealth and
wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’” (Revelation 5:12)
About Both:
“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them,
saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13)
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CHAPTER TWO
THE POWER OF GOD
A comparative study of the teaching about God in both
the Qur’an and the Bible
[All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations
are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
We will be looking at the following topics related to God’s Greatness:
A. God’s Greatness (Omnipotence)
B. God Knows Everything (His Omniscience)
C. God Is Present Everywhere (His Omnipresence)
D. God’s Power In His Holy Spirit
E. My Reactions
Under each topic we will look first at what Islam teaches and then what the Bible says.
A. GOD’S GREATNESS (Omnipotence):
ISLAM:
Although the Unity/Oneness (Chapter 1) of God is usually considered Islam’s primary
doctrine, in my opinion God’s Greatness is truly more foundational in Islam’s overall view
of God. God’s Greatness is seen especially in His Omnipotent Power (Chapter 2), His
Sovereignty (Chapter 3), His Transcendence (Chapter 4), His Inscrutability (Chapter 5) and His
Glory (Chapter 6) but is also an underlying emphasis seen in almost all aspects of Islam’s
teaching.
1. GOD’S GREATNESS IS SEEN IN HIS “NAMES.” 17 of Islam’s 99 “most
beautiful names” of God relate to this subject: [See Appendix 1 for the complete list]
Al-Aziz = The Almighty, Victorious As-Shahid = The Witness, All Seeing
Al-Jabbar = The Compeller, Irresistible Al-Qawee = The Powerful, Inexhaustible
Al-Alim = The All Knowing, Omniscient Al-Matin = The Forceful One, Authoritative
As-Sami (Samee) = The All Hearing Al-Muhyi = The Giver of Life, Quickener
Al-Basir (Baseer) = The All Seeing Al-Mumit = The Taker of Life, Slayer
Al-Hakam =The Wise, Perfect in Judgment Al-Qadir = The Omnipotent, All Powerful
Al-Khabir (Khabeer) = The All Aware Al-Muqtadir = The All Powerful. Prevailing
Al-Kabir (Kabeer) = The Greatest Al-Warith = The Heir, Inheritor of All
Al-Wasi = The All Embracing, Omnipresent
2. ISLAM’S MOST BASIC CONCEPT OF GOD: I believe the most fundamental
contrast between the Qur’an’s and the Bible’s teaching about God is: “God is the Greatest!”
vs. “God, our Father.” It seems to me that these contrasting basic concepts permeate and
fundamentally influence all aspects of theology in Islam and Christianity. For example, a
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portion of the prayer, Dua Kumayl, which was often recited by Ali, the son-in-law of
Muhammad and the fourth Caliph, illustrates Islam’s primary emphasis on God’s greatness:
“by Thy majesty against which nothing can stand up
by Thy grandeur which prevails upon all things
by Thy authority which is exercised over all things
by Thy knowledge which pervades all things” (http://www.islamicity.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=IC0112-
380#sthash.ax0Vm7d6.xhkOUgfl.dpuf)
3. “ALLAH-U-AKBAR”:
Probably the most commonly repeated phrase in Islam is "Allah-U-Akbar"
("God is greater/greatest"). This expression of praise to God, called the “taqbeer” in
Arabic, may be the most frequently used religious expression in the entire world! It is repeated
between 110 and 335 times daily by devout Muslims during their five daily formal prayers (I
have gathered the following details with the help of the 1995 edition of Hughes’ Dictionary of
Islam, pp. 464-469):
4 times in the call to prayer before each of the 5 daily prayers: (4 x 5) = 20
Each of the 5 daily prayer times has a designated number of cycles (rak'at) of prayer
totaling 17 cycles (2 in early morning, 4 at noon, 4 midafternoon, 3 at sun down and 4 in the
evening). These are obligatory (fard) cycles of prayer. The “taqbeer” (“Allah-U-Aklbar”) is
repeated once at the start of each of the 5 prayer times, plus 5 times in each of the 17
cycles: (17 x 5 = 85 + 5) = 90
Total times “taqbeer” is said within the obligatory repetitions (20 + 90) = 110
There are 14 recommended but unrequired additional cycles of prayer that can be added
(2+4+4+0+4) following Muhammad’s example (sunna). (14 x 5) = 70
And there are 6 (0+2+0+2+2) optional (nafil) cycles with 5 each: (6 x 5) = 30
Plus, there are three other voluntary prayer times (during the early morning, mid-morning
and after midnight), in addition to the usual 5 times, when prayers can be said, involving 25
(8+8+9) additional cycles: (25 x 5) = 125
Total recommended, optional and voluntary repetitions (70 + 30 + 125) = 225
Total of all possible repetitions of “Allah-U-Akbar” (110 + 225) = 335
“Allah-U-Akbar” is also the war cry of Muslim soldiers as they attack their enemy in battle. And
it is written on the walls of buildings and on busses and trucks all over the Muslim world.
4. GOD CAN DO ANYTHING (HIS OMNIPOTENCE). According to Islam, God is so
great that He can do anything He wills to do. He doesn’t need any reason for what He does.
Miracles are performed without any specific purpose other than to show God's power. No one
can question what He does or object to His will:
“O Allah! Lord of Power (And Rule) … Verily, over all things Thou hast power.” (Sura 3:26)
“… Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth: for He is All-Knowing. AllPowerful.” (Sura 35:44)
"The Lord of the heavens and the earth … exalted in might, able to enforce His Will …" (Sura 38:66)
“Lord of the throne of glory, doer (without let) of all that He intends.” (Sura 85:16)
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The Qur’an says: “for God hath power over all things” (39 times), “to God belongeth the dominion …”
(25 times), “exalted in power” (39 times), “exalted in might” (42 times), “for to God belongeth all …”
(12 times), etc.. Here are some of the ways God’s power is seen:
a. God’s Power Is Seen In His Essence/Being. His omnipotent power is evident
in His complete sovereignty (chapter three), His transcendence over all things (chapter
four), His un-knowableness (chapter five), etc.
b. God’s Power Is Seen In What He Can Do According To His Will:
1) In His Creation:
"… Allah createth what He willeth … He but saith to it, ‘Be,' and it is!” (Sura 3:47)
2) In His Decisions and Judgments (Forgiveness/Mercy): He can decide to forgive
us, punish us or lead us astray:
“To God belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and
punisheth whom He pleaseth; but God is oft-forgiving, most merciful.” (Sura 3:129)
“… If He please, He granteth you mercy, or if He please, punishment ...” (Sura 17:54)
"… if it be that Allah willeth to leave you astray: He is your Lord! …" (Sura 11:34)
3) In His “Signs.” The word “signs” is used to mean an indication or proof of God’s
power. God’s “signs” are mentioned over 400 times in the Qur’an. The term “signs”
seems to refer most often to the natural provisions and forces He designed in creation,
but also to miracles God performed through His prophets:
“Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day;
in the sailing of the ships through the ocean …; in the rain which Allah Sends down from
the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all
kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds … are
Signs for a people that are wise.” (Sura 2:164)
“Among His signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon …” (Sura 41:37)
“…of no profit to them were their (faculties of) hearing, sight, and heart and intellect, when they
went on rejecting the Signs of Allah …” (Sura 46:26)
“… We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) ...“ (Sura 2:87)
4) In His sending His Word to the prophets:
“… For each period is a Book (revealed). Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him
is the Mother of the Book.” (Sura 13:38,39)
c. God’s Power Is Seen In His Actions Related To Jesus:
1) Jesus’ Birth/Creation: According to the Qur’an Jesus was “created” by God simply
saying “Be!” and yet he was “conceived” by the virgin Mary seemingly without the
normal nine months of pregnancy. All by God’s great power:
“She said: ‘… How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?' He said: ‘Even so, God
createth what He willeth. When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, "Be," and it is!'"
(Sura 3:47)
"The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him:
‘Be' and he was." (Sura 3:59)
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"She said, ‘How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me’ … Thy Lord saith, ‘That is
easy for me …’ So she conceived him and she retired with him to a remote place. And the
pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree… At length she brought the (babe)
to her people, carrying him …’” (Sura 19:20-23, 27)
2) Jesus’ Death: Islam implies that since God is omnipotent, His enemies could never
have humiliated one of God’s greatest prophets by crucifying Him. Instead God
changed Jesus’ appearance with someone else (Judas?), so they crucified the wrong
man while God took Jesus to heaven without dying:
"They said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God' but they killed him
not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them ... For of a surety they killed
him not. Nay, God raised him up unto Himself." (Sura 4:157,158)
(Sadly, the resurrection of Jesus from death and hell, which is the greatest display of
God’s power, is completely missing in Islam.)
5. GOD’S SUPERIORITY OVER ALL: He Is “Exalted,” “Supreme,” “Above,” and “Best”
In Everything:
a. “Exalted”: 90 times the Qur’an says God is “exalted in power” or “exalted
in might.” Also there are other expressions of exaltation:
“… the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!” (Sura 14:1)
“He is high above all that they say!- exalted and great (beyond measure)! (Sura 17:43)
b. “Supreme”: There are 12 references to God being “Supreme”:
“Allah! … for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).” (Sura 2:255)
"… He is the Creator Supreme …” (Sura 36:81)
“… truly my Lord is Free of all Needs, Supreme in Honour!" (Sura 27:40)
c. “Above”: 19 times the Qur’an says God is “above” all.
[See chapter 4 – God’s Transcendence]
d. “Best”: The statement that God “knows best” appears 36 times. In addition there are
17 ways in which God is stated to be the “best”:
Best planner: “And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and God too planned, and the best of
planners is God.” (Sura 3:54)
Best protector & helper: “… God is your Protector - the best to protect and the best to help.” (Sura
8:40)
Best disposer of affairs: “… He is the best disposer of affairs.’" (Sura 3:173)
Best sustainer: “… and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best sustainer (of our needs)." (Sura
5:114) “… He is the best of those who give sustenance.” (Sura 23:72)
Best judge: “… God: He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.” (Sura 6:57)
Best to decide: “… for He is the best to decide.” (Sura 7:8)
Best to forgive: “…for Thou art the best of those who forgive.” (Sura 7:155)
Best to take care: “… But God is the best to take care (of him)" (Sura 12:64)
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Best giver of reward & success: “… He is the best to reward, and the best to give success.” (Sura
18:44)
Best mercy giver: “… Thou art the best of those who show mercy!" (Sura 23:109)
Best commander: “… until …God commands me; and He is the best to command.” (Sura 12:80)
Best inheritor: “… leave me not without offspring, though thou art the best of inheritors.” (Sura 21:89)
Best creator: “… God, the best to create!” (Sura 23:14) .“… the best of Creators” (Sura 37:125)
Best enabler: “… Thou art the best to enable (us) to disembark.” (Sura 23:29)
Best hearer of prayer: “… We are the best to hear prayer.” (Sura 37:75)
Best knower: “That is as far as knowledge will reach them. Verily thy Lord knoweth best those who
stray from His Path, and He knoweth best those who receive guidance.” (Sura 53:30)
Best determiner: “…for *We are the best to determine (things).” (Sura 77:23)
6. GOD IS IRRESISTIBLE. God is so great and powerful that man’s will and power are
nonexistent; so great that He is “irresistible.” This word is used 9 times both as an adjective
and as a descriptive name for God. Here are a few of them:
“He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers; and He is the Wise, acquainted with all
things.” (Sura 6:18)
“… Say: ‘Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and irresistible.’” (Sura 13:16; see also
12:39; 14:48; 38:65; 40:16)
“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and
Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the irresistible, the
Supreme ...” (Sura 59:23; see also 6:61; 39:4)
7. GOD NEEDS NOTHING. He is totally self-sufficient and lacks nothing:
“The Lord is self-sufficient …” (Sura 6:133; see also 10:68)
“God! There is no god but He – the living, the self-subsisting …” (Sura 2:255; also 3:2; 20:111)
“… truly my Lord is free of all needs …” (Sura 27:40, also 2:263; 14:8; 29:7; 31:26; 35:15 & 47:38)
“… and Allah is free of all wants …” (Sura 4:131 – also 60:6)
Islam teaches God has no need of our worship or of our obedience. In fact, our submission to
His will cannot benefit Him nor can our rebellion against Him harm Him in any way. They only
hurt ourselves:
“… If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah …” (Sura 3:144)
“Those who reject Allah … will not injure Allah in the least …” (Sura 47:32)
“… (But they rebelled); to *us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls.” (Sura 2:57; 7:160) [*Allah
often refers to Himself as “We” and “Us.” This is called the “royal plural” often used by kings, and no Muslim believes this
indicates the Trinity.]
Muslim scholars emphasize this. For example, Muhammad al-Burkawi, once wrote:
“He received neither profit nor loss from whatever happens. If all the infidels became believers and all the
wicked pious, He would gain nothing. And if all believers became infidels it would not cause Him loss.” (Taken
from The Moslem Doctrine Of God by S.M. Zwemer, p.56, copyright 1905)
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This teaching is not unique to Islam. In fact, it has been around for a long time! We hear the
same human reasoning from the “friends” of the ancient prophet Job:
“Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: ‘Can a man be of benefit to God? … What pleasure would it give the
Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?’” (Job 22:1-3)
Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram said: “If you sin, how does that affect him? If your
sins are many, what does that do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what
does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your
righteousness only the sons of men.” (Job 35:6-8)
Therefore, Islam logically insists that God could never need anyone to die for us or any
sacrifice to be offered to forgive our sins. God needs nothing! He is all powerful, and able to do
what He wants. If He wills to forgive us without any atonement, He just forgives us! We have
no right to question what He does, nor does He need any reason for what He does! Our duty is
simply to be in submission (“Islam”) to the will of God, even to fight and kill the unbelievers who
resist God:
“Fight those who believe not in God …, (even if they are) of the people of the Book [Christians & Jews], until
they pay the jizya [poll tax] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued ...” (Sura 9:29)
“… when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of God … Go ye forth … and strive and struggle [jihad] with
your goods and your persons, in the cause of God ...” (Sura 9:38,39,41)
Strangely, even though God needs nothing, Muslims seem to believe (illogically) that God
needs Muslims to protect the honor of His prophet and book by attacking and even killing
those who defame Muhammad or Islam. Even the Qur’an denies this:
“… Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation …” (Sura 17:111)
Nevertheless, the Qur’an seems to tell Muslims to exalt God’s honor by fighting and killing
unbelievers; and it also refers to jihad as “the cause of God.”
THE BIBLE:
1. GOD’S GREAT POWER: The Bible, like the Qur’an, repeatedly exalts God’s
greatness. 30 times the words “great,” “greater” and “greatness” are used of God. His
greatness is incomparable, immeasurable, and unsearchable:
“… you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you …” (2 Samuel 7:22)
“… my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty.” (Psalm 104:8)
“Great is the LORD … and his greatness is unsearchable … On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and
on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I
will declare your greatness.” (Psalm 145:3,5,6)
a. Two Dimensions Of God’s Greatness. God’s greatness includes both His
almighty power (omnipotence) and the greatness of His character:
1) The Greatness Of His Almighty Power. We can know only a “whisper” of His
omnipotence compared to the awesome “thunder” of the whole of it:
“Behold these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the
thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26:14)
“… Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.” (Revelation 19:6)
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“All the nations are as nothing before him … less than nothing and emptiness … by the greatness
of his might, and because he is strong in power …” (Isaiah 40:17,26)
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 – also Jeremiah 32:17)
The Hebrew word, Shaddai (“Almighty”) is used of God 48 times in the Old Testament,
often combined with El (“God”) to form, “God Almighty.” He is also called “mighty,”
The Mighty One” and “mighty God” 60 times:
“… I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac … as God Almighty [El-Shaddai] …” (Exodus 6:2,3)
“The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth ...” (Psalm 50:1)
“… O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts” (Jeremiah 32:18)
2) The Greatness Of His Moral Character: The greatness of God’s goodness,
righteousness, grace, mercy, love, etc are also beyond understanding:
“Great is the LORD … and his greatness is unsearchable ... They shall pour forth the fame of your
abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and
merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his
mercy is over all that he has made.” (Psalm 145:3,7-9)
It is important to realize that God’s omnipotent power is in perfect harmony with His
moral character. Technically God could do whatever He wants to do, but His moral
character forbids him from wanting to do anything that would violate or contravene
His own character; Who He is. In fact God’s Word says He cannot lie, be tempted, or
be unfaithful. Not because He is unable to, but because He would violate His very being
and cease to be God:
“... it is impossible for God to lie...” (Heb. 6:18);
“… for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
“If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13)
God will do all He purposes to do, but not necessarily all He desires to do:
“… My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose … I have purposed, and I will do it.”
(Isaiah 46:10,11)
“The Lord … is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants
everyone to repent.” (2 Peter 3:9 – NLT)
b. How Great Is God? Here are a few of the many things that could be listed,:
1) God Is So Great He Created Things Out Of Nothing (Islam agrees):
“In the beginning … God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light ...” (Genesis 1:3)
“Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by
your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
But the physical universe is only temporary, while the things of God’s character and
being – His attributes and works; His “ways” – are eternal:
“The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment…but my
salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” (Isaiah 51:6 NIV)
In fact, God’s greatness is infinitely greater than Islam’s “Allah-u-Akbar,” which focuses
primarily on God’s great power over all of His physical creation!
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2) God Is So Great He Sustains The Universe By His Power (Islam agrees):
“You are the Lord … You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth
and all that is on it, the sseas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them…” (Nehemiah
9:6)
“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)
3) God Is So Great He Caused His Own Eternal Word To Become A Human Being
And A Descendent Of Adam. (Islam does not agree) Most people can’t or won’t
believe this because it seems so impossible! He sent His eternal Word out from Himself
into the womb of a virgin without any man touching her. That human/divine baby is both
the Son of Man and the Son of God, Who came from God and also descended from
Adam, Abraham and David:
“’… you will conceive in your womb and bear a son … And the Lord God will give to him the
throne of his father David …’ And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’
And the angel answered her, ‘… the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore
the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:31-35)
“Jesus said, ‘For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent
me … I am the living bread that came down from heaven …’” (John 6:38,51)
4) God Is So Great He Destroyed Death Forever By Raising Jesus Out Of Death
And Hell In Order To Provide Eternal Life For Us. (Islam does not agree). He
deliberately allowed the Lord Jesus to voluntarily be crucified so that he could enter
death in our place and destroy it from the inside by His own indestructible life and
come back from the grave as the Lord of life:
“God raised him [Jesus] up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be
held by it.” (Acts 2:24)
[Jesus said] “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up
again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it
down, and I have authority to take it up again ...” (John 10:17,18)
“… the immeasurable greatness of his power … according to the working of his great might that
he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in
the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion … And he put
all things under his feet …” (Ephesians 1:19-22)
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things,
that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews
2:14,15);
“… by the power of an indestructible life.” (Hebrews 7:16)
[see Appendix 6 for the many Bible predictions of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead]
5) God Is So Great That Through The Death And Resurrection Of Jesus He
Transforms Believers Into His Own Image, As He Originally Intended. He
Empowers Us By His Holy Spirit In Us To Live Holy Lives For His Glory:
“… so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
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“being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience
with joy” (Colossians 1:11)
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3)
6) Perhaps Greatest Of All, The Infinite, Omnipotent And Unknowable Creator Of
The Universe Is So Great That He Has Made It Possible For Us Mere Specks Of
Created Dust To Have An Intimate, Personal Fellowship With Him For Eternity!
How could we possibly know Him personally?
“says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity … I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit ….” (Isaiah 57:15)
“… our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God ….” (John 17:3)
In fact, He not only lives with us, He has put His own Spirit in us:
“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no
one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not
the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things
freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11,12)
c. How Should We Respond To His Greatness?
“… May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘God is great!’” (Psalm 70:4)
Psalm 76:11 refers to God as He “who is to be feared” (in NLT, “the Awesome One”)
2. IS GOD IRRESISTIBLE? We often reason that God’s will must be irresistible because
He is God, and who can resist God or His will?
“You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’” (Rom. 9:19)
Nevertheless, God in His sovereignty has deliberately created us in His own image, with a will
of our own because He wants us to want to love and serve Him, rather than be forced to. And
so He allows us to resist Him and His Holy Spirit:
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers
did, so do you.” (Acts 7:51)
We know, however, that the omnipotent God will ultimately fully accomplish His perfect will
even though He has allowed us to exert our own wills. In fact, He even uses our resistance to
accomplish His own purposes:
“… according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Ephesians
1:11)
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:5 – KJV)
3. GOD NEEDS NOTHING?
a. God Certainly Does Not Need Anything:
“and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to
everything, and he satisfies every need.” (Acts 17:25 - NLT)
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b. God Is No One’s Debtor:
[God said] “Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? …” (Job 41:11)
“Or who has given a gift to him [the Lord] that he might be repaid?” (Romans 11:35)
c. But In His Sovereignty, God Has Chosen To “Need” Certain Things
And People In Order To Fulfill His Promises And Prophecies. Otherwise he
would be a liar and unfaithful to his word:
“For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to
confirm the promises given to the patriarchs.” (Romans 15:8)
For Example:
"… Jesus sent his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and … you will find a donkey
tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell
him that the Lord needs them ... This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet
[Zechariah 9:9]: Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a
donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’" (Matthew 21:1-5 - NIV)
When God put these words in the mouth of the prophet Zechariah 500 years before Jesus
was born, He bound Himself to fulfill them. Thus, He needed a donkey and its colt to fulfill
His promise!
Another example is the following prophecy of Jeremiah:
“This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon
seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that
nation … for their iniquity, declares the Lord …” (Jeremiah 25:11,12)
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation …
‘Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to
Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God
who is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1-3)
And Jesus Himself spoke of God’s need to fulfill Old Testament prophecies:
“Then he said to them, ‘… everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the
Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to
them, ‘Thus it is written, that [1] the Christ should suffer and [2] on the third day rise from the
dead, and that [3] repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all
nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’” (Luke 24:44-48)
Because God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah saying that after 70 years the
people of Israel would return to their land, He needed King Cyrus to send them back at that
time. Likewise, the Lord Jesus said there were three prophecies God has made through the
prophets, which “must be fulfilled.” In fulfillment of the first two promises God needed Jesus
to be put to death and raised from the dead, and He Himself has done those two things.
The third one He has chosen to be done “in his [Jesus’] name.” Certainly God could have
done this Himself, but because He said it would be done in Jesus name, He needs us to do
it! He needs us because He has chosen to need us! Therefore…
d. God Has Chosen To “Need” Us And Depend On Us As His Junior
Partners in His work of providing salvation for the peoples of the world! It must be
understood, however, that being God’s junior partners is certainly not the same as being
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another God. It means that Almighty God has chosen to allow us to have a part in what He
is doing, which is not only beyond amazing, but is also an astonishing and miraculous
privilege! Our God not only wants to bless us, He has chosen to have us join Him in His
work of providing salvation to the peoples of the world:
i) God Originally Made Adam His Junior Partner Or Viceroy To Rule The World For
Him And To Name All The Animals:
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue
it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over
every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)
“Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the
heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man
called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the
birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field.” (Genesis 2:19,20)
ii) Later God Made His Prophets And Messengers His Junior Partners To Speak
For Him And To Share In His Counsel:
“I am the LORD… who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his
messengers…” (Isaiah 44:24,26)
“For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”
(Amos 3:2)
iii) And Now Today God Is Making All His Believers His Junior Partners:
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And
behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the
message by accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20)
“For we are God's fellow workers.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you… ” (2 Cor. 6:1)
iv) But God Does Not Need Us To Defend His Honor By Fighting [Jihad] Against
Unbelievers. He Defends Us; Not We Him:
“Then the men of the town said to to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken
down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.’ But Joash said to all who stood against
him, ‘Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put
to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been
broken down.’” (Judges 6:30,31)
v) And God Does Not Need Us To Defend Ourselves Or The Gospel, But To
Depend On Him To Accomplish His Purposes As Jesus Did Before His Crucifixion
At The Hands Of Evil People:
“He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no
answer. So Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to
release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority
over me at all unless it had been given you from above...’” (John 19:9-11)
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“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by
the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more
than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must
be so?’” (Matthew 26:52-54)
“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently
enduring evil,” (2 Timothy 2:24)
e. Although God Does Not Need Our Worship And Praise, He Desires It
And Is Blessed By It. That is why He chose in His sovereignty to create and later to
regenerate believers with an inbuilt desire to glorify, praise and bless Him:
“… the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise…” (Isaiah 43:21)
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him
who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope
in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)
“on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have
believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:10)
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits … Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his
word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm
103:1,2, 20,21,22)
4. GOD’S POWER IS SEEN IN HIS “SIGNS.” The word “signs” is used to mean
indicators or proofs of God’s power. The terms, “sign,” “signs” and “signs and wonders”
are used of God 55 times in the Old Testament and 33 times in the New Testament (88
times compared to over 400 times in the Qur’an). The Bible uses the term “signs” almost
entirely in reference to supernatural miracles while the Qur’an mostly speaks of things
God created in nature as His “signs.”
In the Old Testament the term, “signs” is used 38 times in reference to supernatural miracles
or fulfilled prophecies:
“…the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness …” (Numbers
14:22)
And only 17 times are the physical things God created in nature called “signs:”
“… my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13)
“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let
them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years’” (Genesis 1:14)
In the New Testament most (26) are supernatural miracles done by Jesus and His followers
and only a few (3) are natural signs in nature:
“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory ...” (John 2:11)
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and
wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22)
“by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God …” (Romans 15:19)
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B. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING (HIS
OMNISCIENCE):
ISLAM:
God’s omniscience is repeatedly stated and emphasized in the Qur’an to the point that it
becomes almost meaningless. Statements that God knows, sees and hears everything are
expressed, often in the same identical words, a total of 325 times, always emphasizing
God’s almighty power:
1. GOD KNOWS ALL. Expressions such as, “knows all things,” “full of knowledge,” “full of
wisdom,” “All-Wise,” “I know what ye know not,” “All-Knowing,” and many others are found 253
times throughout the Qur’an:
“I know what ye know not… Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know
what ye reveal and what ye conceal?” (Sura 2:30,33)
“From God, verily nothing is hidden on earth or in the heavens. … Say, ‘Whether ye hide what is in your
hearts or reveal it, God knows it all ….’” (Sura 3:5,29)
“… Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise …” (Sura 4:11)
“… Such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient.” (Sura 6:96)
2. GOD SEES ALL (23 times) AND HEARS ALL (49 times). A total of 72 times
God’s omniscience is seen in the use of oft repeated phrases like “All Hearing” and “sees well
all that ye do”:
“… For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing.” (Sura 2:127)
“… And do not forget Liberality between yourselves. For Allah sees well all that ye do.” (Sura 2:237)
“… for God is He that heareth and seeth (all things).” (Sura 4:134)
“And God will judge with (justice and) Truth: but those whom (men) invoke besides Him, will not (be in a
position) to judge at all. Verily it is God (alone) Who hears and sees (all things).” (Sura 40:20)
3. ONLY GOD KNOWS WHO WILL BE IN PARADISE. Islam teaches that God is so
great no one but He can know who is going to be sent to Paradise. If we say we know we have
eternal life and the forgiveness of sins and will be with the Lord in eternity we are arrogantly
claiming knowledge only God has:
“That the People of the Book [Christians & Jews] may know that they have no power whatever over the
grace of God, that (His) grace is (entirely) in His hand, to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. For God
is the Lord of grace abounding.” (Sura 57:29)
Because Muslims don't know for sure that even Muhammad is in Paradise, they pray for his
peace and blessing in a prayer (known in Arabic as durood-e-ibrahimi) in each of the 17
obligatory cycles of their five-times-daily formal prayers, plus they say or write, "peace be upon
him" every time they mention his name!
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4. WE RECEIVE TRUE GUIDANCE ONLY THROUGH GOD’S BOOKS AND
PROPHETS. Since Muhammad is the final prophet, he especially is the vehicle through
whom God gives us such guidance:
“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah” (Sura 2:2)
“Those who conceal the clear (Signs) We have sent down, and the guidance, after We have made it clear for the
people in the Book,-on them shall be Allah's curse …” (Sura 2:159)
“… was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right
and wrong) ...” (Sura 2:185)
“It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light … If any do fail to judge by (the light of)
what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.” (Sura 5:44)
“And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the
Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and
an admonition to those who fear Allah.” (Sura 5:46)
“Those were the (prophets) who received Allah's guidance …” (Sura 6:90)
THE BIBLE:
1. GOD’S KNOWLEDGE IS PERFECT AND UNMEASUREABLE:
“Do you know … the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?” (Job 37:16)
“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5)
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and
how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33)
2. THE BIBLE, LIKE THE QUR’AN, STATES THAT GOD SEES, HEARS AND
KNOWS EVERYTHING. Bible verses are very similar to the Qur’an on this subject. The
Qur’an, however, emphasizes God’s almighty power over those who oppose Him and try to hide
their evil, while the Bible emphasizes God’s love in His knowledge:
“And the angel of the LORD said to her [Hagar], ‘Behold, you … shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael,
[meaning, God hears] because the LORD has listened to your affliction.’ … So she [Hagar] called the name of the
LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after
me …’” (Genesis 16:11.13)
“You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.” (Psalm 90:8)
“O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern
my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my
ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether … Such knowledge
is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee
from your presence? … If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me … even the darkness is not dark to
you … For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works … My frame was not hidden from you, when I
was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed
substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as
yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! … awake, and I am still with
you … Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any
grievous way in me …” (Psalm 139:13-24)
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“… the LORD says … ‘I know every thought that comes into your minds.’” (Ezekiel 11:5 - NLT)
“no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must
give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)
3. GOD HAS PERFECT WISDOM. God has both complete knowledge and perfect wisdom,
which is more than knowledge. It’s his ability to use all knowledge perfectly. God’s wisdom
includes perfect insight, discernment and decisiveness:
“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding ... With him are strength and sound
wisdom” (Job 12:13,16)
“O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all …” (Psalm 104:24)
“… God … to whom belong wisdom and might.” (Daniel 2:20)
“to the only wise God [or, “God, alone wise”] be glory forevermore ...” (Romans 16:27)
4. GOD REVEALS MYSTERIES TO US WE COULD NEVER KNOW. These secret
things are revealed by God’s Holy Spirit Through His Word:
a. Assurance Of Salvation Through Faith In Jesus Christ: In contrast to Islam,
the most important mystery is that we can know we have eternal life with Him if we receive His
gift of salvation from sin and eternal death by believing in Jesus His Son. That is because God
has promised that to everyone who receives Christ as Savior. Therefore if we believe what
God has promised us, we know for sure that we have eternal life. If we refuse to believe God’s
promise we are calling Him a liar:
“… for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son
of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because
he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony,
that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does
not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:9-13)
“Jesus said to them … I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent
me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me,
but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son
and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day … No one can
come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
(John 6:35,38-40,44)
[Jesus said]: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they
will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)
“Now Jesus did many other signs … but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30,31)
“… the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now
been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit ... that the Gentiles are fellow heirs,
members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel ... to
bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all
things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known ….”
(Ephesians 2:4,5,6,9,10)
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b. God’s Own Secret Thoughts Revealed By God’s Spirit In Us:
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our
children forever ...” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
“these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths
of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So
also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not
the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely
given us by God …” (1 Corinthians 2:10-13)
5. GOD GIVES US HIS WISDOM THROUGH JESUS WHEN WE RECEIVE HIM.
While Islam tells us God gives guidance and wisdom through the messages (books) He has given
to His prophets, the Bible tells us we receive God’s wisdom and guidance through our Lord Jesus
the Messiah. He is not only “God’s Wisdom” personified in human form, but He has become
“wisdom from God” for us. If we accept only God’s written Word, but do not receive the living
Word Who is revealed in it, we are fools:
“… be encouraged … to reach all the riches of … the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2,3)
“… Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know
God through wisdom … we preach Christ … the wisdom of God … you are in Christ Jesus, who became
to us wisdom from God …” (1 Corinthians 1:20,21,23,24,30)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness
about me,” (John 5:39)
C. GOD IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE (HIS
OMNIPRESENCE):
ISLAM:
The Qur’an says God’s “presence” is everywhere. He is “near,” “with” and “in the midst” of all
people. However, this does not mean we have a relationship with Him, but only that He
knows, sees and hears everything, as seen in the context of these verses:
“To God belong the East and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of God. For God is allPervading, all-Knowing” (Sura 2:115)
“It was We Who created man, and know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for *We are nearer to
him than (his) jugular vein.” (Sura 50:16)
“… He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven
and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And God sees well all that ye do.”
(Sura 57:4)
“Seest thou not that God doth know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret
consultation between three, but He makes the fourth among them … but He is in their midst,
wheresoever they be …” (Sura 58:7)
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Some Muslim scholars in articles on the internet make a great effort to deny that God is personally
everywhere. They insist that God in His essence is only in the heavens. One person quotes AlQaadhi Abu Bakr Al-Baaqillaani Ash-Shaafi‘I, who said:
“If Allah the Almighty was indeed everywhere, He would be in the stomach and mouth of humans, inside places
where the body’s waste is expelled and other spots that must not even be graced with a mention… Muslim
scholars unanimously agree that this is totally wrong.”
Others say: [from: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090728161929AABJ4W7]
“Sunnis believe that He is NOT everywhere... but His knowledge and power is.”
“Malik bin Anas said: ‘Allah is above the heavens, but His knowledge encompasses everything. Nothing
escapes His knowledge.”
And: [from: http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100106005326AAKaEf7 ]:
“Islam does not believe that God is all around us (because we believe that if God is right next to us we would
notice). We believe that he's in heaven but that he knows everything that’s going on at anytime,”
“But when it is said that Allah is everywhere, it means that there's no place or time or thing that can ever escape it.
However, this doesn't require him to be in the creation, for this would equate to him living in it and being
part of it.”
“If a person claims that Allah the Almighty is with us in His essence, he becomes an apostate.”
If God’s omnipresence means that only His knowledge and power are present everywhere but He
Himself (“His essence”) is on His throne in heaven, then there is certainly no possibility of
human beings having a personal relationship and fellowship with Him. Also I would think that
these quotes would create a question in the minds of Muslims as to what God’s “essence” is. The
Bible tells us that “God is Spirit” (John 4:24). However, a Muslim once told me “Spirits are created
beings, so God is not spirit, He is God!”
THE BIBLE:
Biblical teaching concerning God’s omnipresence is different from that of Islam. Among the
religions of the world, there are three main views concerning God’s omnipresence:
- God is not a personal being. God is a force present in everything, including all material objects,
all animals and all people (Star Wars = “May the force be with you”). We are all part of God. This
is pantheism and is the belief of Hinduism and “new age” religions.
- God is a personal being who created all things and exists above the heavens. He is totally
unique and separate from all created things. He is so great that He Himself has no need to be
directly involved anywhere in His creation. He sees, hears and knows all things and in that sense
“His presence” is everywhere. This is the basic view of Islam.
- God is Spirit and a personal being. Although He is distinct from and greater than His creation
He has chosen to directly involve Himself in it. He not only sees and knows everything, but He
lives in the lives of His people in a special, spiritual presence whereby He has intimate and loving
communication with them. This is the Biblical view.
1. GOD’S PRESENCE EVERYWHERE (HIS OMNIPRESENCE): He is present
throughout all of creation, and yet all of creation cannot contain Him:
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“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so
that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah
23:23,24)
[God’s prophet David wrote:] “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend
to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7,8)
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how
much less this house that I have built! (1 Kings 8:27)
2. GOD’S PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE: In addition to God being present everywhere,
there is a special presence and personal relationship of God with His own people – His believers:
[God’s prophet David wrote:] “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.” (Psalm 139:9,10)
“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)
“Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and
holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit ...’” (Isaiah 57:15)
“where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20)
“… he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)
D. GOD’S POWER IN HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
ISLAM:
In the Qur’an there are 18 mentions of the word, “spirit” in connection with God. I have
divided them into the following three groups:
1. The Angel Gabriel (8 references): Most Muslim scholars (including Yusuf Ali)
believe that the terms and phrases, “the Holy Spirit,” “the spirit of inspiration,” “the spirit
of Faith and Truth” and “a spirit from Himself” all refer to the angel Gabriel. This is based
largely on the following verse:
“… Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went
before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,” (Sura 2:97)
It seems obvious to me that the Bible’s influence is evident in the expressions, “something of
His spirit” and “of Our spirit,” which seem to indicate something more than an angel – perhaps
something Muhammad heard from Christians but did not fully understand. Muslims believe the
angel Gabriel (the “Holy Spirit”) has been sent to strengthen and inspire the prophets
(including Jesus and Muhammad) with messages from God in order to provide God’s strength
and guidance to believers. Here are 5 of those references:
“Then will Allah say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! … Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that
thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity ...” (Sura 5:110)
“Say, the Holy spirit has brought the revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who
believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims.” (Sura 16:102)
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“… concerning the spirit (of inspiration). Say: ‘The spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord …" (Sura
17:85)
“With it came down the spirit of Faith and Truth” (Sura 26:193)
“… For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He
will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow ….” (Sura 58:22)
2. A Spirit From God (6 references): The phrases, “something of My spirit,”
“something of His spirit” or “My spirit” are found 3 times in reference to God’s creation of
Adam and 3 times in reference to the birth of Jesus from Mary.
The meaning of these phrases is not so clear, but according to Yusuf Ali this “spirit” is “the
faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give men superiority over
other creatures” (footnote #1968 in reference to Sura 15:29), and certainly not God Himself nor some
other being. Here are some of those verses:
[God said to the angels at creation] “When I have fashioned him [Adam] (in due proportion) and breathed into him of
My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him.” (Sura 15:29)
“But He fashioned him [Adam] in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He
gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding) …” (Sura 32:9)
[at the time of Jesus’ birth] “Mary the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her
body) of Our spirit ...” (Sura 66:12)
“… Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He
bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not
"Trinity": desist: it will be better for you ...” (Sura 4:171)
3. “The Spirit” (4 references): The meaning of these references is even more uncertain.
Yusuf Ali, however, treats them the same as those in 2. Above, saying they refer to the Spirit
breathed into mankind at creation:
“The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years” (Sura
70:4) [YA footnote 5677: “Man is gifted with the Spirit of God: 15:29. In the spiritual kingdom we are all raised to the light of the
countenance of God and His glory transforms us.”]
“The Day that the spirit and the angels will stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted
by (Allah) Most Gracious, and He will say what is right.” (Sura 78:38)
“Therein come down the angels and the spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:” (Sura 97:4)
“And I do call to witness the self-reproaching spirit: (Eschew Evil).” (Sura 75:2)
One thing is clear, Islam believes that the “Holy Spirit” is the angel Gabriel and not God. Islam
also believes that mankind was endowed with “a spirit from God” at creation, which is a part of our
soul and gives us knowledge and will superior to all other created beings. So there is no power of
God given to us in the Holy Spirit as seen in the Bible. It seems obvious to me that the Bible’s
influence is evident in these expressions, which may well reflect things Muhammad heard from
Christians but did not fully understand.
THE BIBLE:
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Because “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), God’s Holy Spirit is God Himself. Because He is called, “the
Spirit of God,” “the Spirit of Christ,” “the Spirit,” and “God’s Spirit.” God the Spirit is both one with
but also distinct from God the Father and God the Son.
Because God is omnipresent, He is everywhere at all times, so the specific mention of His
Holy Spirit speaks of the presence of God in power. The Holy Spirit not only empowered
creation and His many miracles since then, but He is present in and among His people to
empower godly living.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED CREATION:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth ... And the Spirit of God was hovering [or “brooding”
as a hen on her eggs] over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:1,2)
“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his
understanding stretched out the heavens.” (Jeremiah 10:12)
2. GOD THE SPIRIT DELIVERED ISRAEL FROM SLAVERY IN EGYPT:
“And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with
his own presence, by his great power,” (Deuteronomy 4:37)
3. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD EMPOWERED O.T. PROPHETS, JUDGES AND
KINGS:
“But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.”
(Judges 6:34 - KJV)
“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord
came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13 -
KJV)
“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to
Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8)
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED MARY TO CONCEIVE
SUPERNATURALLY:
“...the angel Gabriel was sent from God … to a virgin … and the virgin’s name was Mary … And the angels
said to her … ‘you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus’ ... And
Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child
to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:26,27,30,31,34,35) [Notice that the angel Gabriel
speaks of the Holy Spirit as other than himself]
5. GOD’S SPIRIT EMPOWERED JESUS TO HEAL AND TEACH:
“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the
surrounding country.” (Luke 4:14)
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and
healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)
6. THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED JESUS TO CONQUER DEATH AND
RISE FROM THE GRAVE:
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“and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection
from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 1:4)
“For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God ...” (2 Corinthians 13:4)
7. THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD EMPOWERS EVERY BELIEVER:
a. God Saves Believers By The Renewing Power Of His Spirit:
“he saved us … by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)
b. The Holy Spirit Indwells And Empowers All Believers:
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone
who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9)
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay [our human bodies], to show that the surpassing power belongs
to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
c. God’s Spirit Empowers The Witness And Ministry Of Believers:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses
…” (Acts 1:8);
[Apostle Paul said] “… by the power of the Spirit of God—so that … I have fulfilled the ministry of the
gospel of Christ;” (Romans 15:19)
d. God’s Spirit Empowers Believers to Endure Suffering:
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control … but share in suffering
for the gospel by the power of God,” (2 Timothy 1:7,8)
“… so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
e. God The Spirit Empowers Believers For Daily Living:
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
“For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” (1 Cor. 4:20 - NLT)
“… to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” (Ephesians 3:16)
f. Believers Worship God By The Power Of The Holy Spirit:
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
g. God’s Spirit Assures Us Of The Resurrection And Eternal Life:
“... he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his
Spirit who dwells in you’” (Romans 8:11)
“... that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
8. GOD’S SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, THE POWER OF GOD. God is
one and He is Spirit, so the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of
Christ. The Spirit of Christ in us is God’s power present in us:
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of
truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he
dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while
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and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you
will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14:16-20)
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who
does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is
dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus
from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:9-11)
“… You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our
Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 5:4 - NLT)
E. MY REACTIONS:
1. A DISTORTED EMPHASIS ON GOD’S GREATNESS: Islam focuses on the
Greatness of God to such an extent that all His other attributes are diminished and made subject
to it. God’s grace, immanence, salvation, justice, holiness, faithfulness, joy, peace, etc. are all
underappreciated and misunderstood because they have been made subservient to His great
power. I don’t mean Islam has overemphasized God’s greatness. That would be impossible! I
mean Islam has largely de-emphasized God’s other attributes in order to focus PRIMARILY on His
greatness. Dr. Samuel Zwemer sees this as deism:
“… the popular thought of Him … is deistic. God stands aloof from creation; only His power is felt; men are like the
pieces on a chessboard and He is the only player.” (p 69,70 – The Moslem Doctrine Of God)
Some have pointed out that Islam seems to have absorbed the Old Testament’s heavy emphasis
on the awesome power of God:
“For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did
to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may
know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” (Joshua 4:23,24)
“O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is
there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?” (Deuteronomy 3:24)
… but it has left out the Old Testament’s equal emphasis on God’s demand for and provision of
blood atonement to cover our sins.
2. THE REVELATION OF GOD’S “WAYS” IS MISSING. One reason for Islam’s
distorted emphasis on God’s greatness is its failure to focus on God’s character and being.
Instead of revealing God’s “ways” (who He is), the Qur’an primarily stresses His “works”
(what He can do). The only way we can know God personally is by knowing and following
His ways:
“And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and
marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the
nations!’” (Revelation 15:3 – NASB)
[Moses prayed] “please show me now your ways, that I may know you … show me your glory.” (Exodus
33:13,18)
[David prayed] “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
“… the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths ...” (Isaiah 2:3)
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“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them …” (Hosea 14:9)
This means Muslims cannot know Him, but can only know about His power. In contrast the Bible
is a revelation of God’s being – Who He is – His attributes of righteousness, justice, faithfulness,
etc. God’s declaration of His name to Moses is significant:
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’”
(Exodus 3:14)
We might say the Qur’an’s name for God is “I CAN DO WHATEVER I WILL TO DO” instead of “I
AM WHO I AM.”
3. IS GOD’S KNOWLEDGE LIMITED? With such an emphasis on God knowing
everything, it seems strange that He had to “abrogate” many earlier decrees in the Qur’an and
replace them with later ones. Translators differ a bit, so here are Mohsin Khan’s and Yusuf Ali’s
translations of Sura 2:106. (See also Sura 16:101):
“Whatever a Verse (revelation) do *We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, *We bring a better one or similar
to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?” (Sura 2:106 – Mohsin Khan) [*Allah often refers to Himself as
“We,” “Our” and “Us.” This is called the “royal plural” often used by kings, and no Muslim believes this indicates the Trinity.]
“None of *Our revelations do *We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but *We substitute something better or
similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?” (Sura 2:106 – Yusuf Ali)]
Either way, many earlier commands have been replaced or nullified by later ones. Muslim
scholars themselves list at least 224 such replaced statements in the Qur’an!
For example, God’s commands regarding jihad (“struggle”) develop through four stages with the
instructions of each stage abrogating the instructions of the previous one:
a) While still in Mecca, Muslims were told not to retaliate, but to patiently endure the
opposition of unbelievers. (e.g., see Sura 73:10,11; 52:45,47,48; 109:1,2,6)
b) After moving to Medina the Muslims received permission to defend themselves by
fighting and killing unbelievers. (e.g., see Sura 22:39-41; 22:58).
c) A few months later, the command was given making war in self-defense a religious
requirement. (e.g., see Sura 8:12,13,15-18; 8:57-61; 8:70,71)
d) After conquering Mecca Muslims were commanded to aggressively attack all unbelievers
(whether or not they attack first), which is in force today. (e.g., see many verses in Suras 9
and 5)
[for a more complete description of Jihad in Islam see http://www.answering-islam.org/Bailey/jihad.html ]
4. GOD’S OMNIPRESENCE LIMITED TO MECCA: It seems strange that a religion that
greatly emphasizes God being omnipresent (everywhere) and able to hear and know everything
should limit its people to pray only in the direction of the Kaba in Mecca. Islam has regressed back
to the limited understanding of Old Testament Israel who focused their prayers in the direction of
the temple in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus later gave a fuller teaching when he said,
“… the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father … But the
hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for
the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship
in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21,23,24)
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For that reason the followers of Jesus do not face Jerusalem, Rome, Mecca or any other physical
location when they pray, but they face the Spirit of Jesus in their midst, as He said:
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
5. WORSHIP OUT OF FEAR WITHOUT JOY: Phrases such as, “I know what ye reveal
and what ye conceal,” “From God, verily nothing is hidden on earth or in the heavens,”
“He, the Knower of all things, hidden and open,” “God sees well all that they do,” “He
knoweth all that ye hide,” etc. are found over 100 times in the Qur’an. Such warnings have to
result in people worshipping God only out of fear. Therefore, the phrase “He is in their midst,
wheresoever they be” (Sura 58:7) doesn’t bring comfort, but fear! Whereas the Bible’s promise
“where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
(Matt. 18:20 – KJV) brings comfort and security, resulting in people worshipping and revering God
with joy and thankful praise.
6. CONTRAST WITH THE BIBLE’S “BATTLE CRY”: Muslims go out to fight shouting
about God’s power and greatness in their war cry, “Allah-o-Akbar” (God is the greatest), but
God’s people in the Bible went out to fight against their enemies singing about God’s fatherly
love:
“And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise
him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast
love endures forever.’” (2 Chronicles 20:21-22)
And we today likewise face opposition and attacks from Satan and his followers with praise,
thanksgiving and joy:
“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18)
7. DEFENDING GOD’S HONOR: As mentioned above, why do Muslims seem to believe
that God Almighty needs them to attack those who insult the Qur’an or Muhammad? Is He unable
to defend Himself or His prophet? As Gideon’s father, Joash said after Gideon had destroyed Baal
their idol,
“Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? … If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar
has been broken down.” (Judges 6:31)
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APPENDIX 6
BIBLE PROPHECIES & TYPES (pictures) OF
JESUS’ RESURRECTION
(Bible verses from ESV translation unless otherwise indicated)
We will be looking at:
A. 19 Old Testament Prophecies And Types Of Jesus’ Resurrection
B. Six Of Jesus’ Clearest Predictions Of His Own Resurrection
A. 19 OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES AND TYPES OF JESUS’
RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD: Have you ever wondered what Old
Testament prophecies of His resurrection Jesus shared with his two disciples on the
road to Emmaus (Luke 24:25-27) and with all his disciples just before his ascension
(Luke 24:44-47)? The Apostle Peter also refers to them in Acts 17:2,3 and 1 Peter
1:10,11, as does the Apostle John in John 20:9. Here are a few of them that I have
found:
1. – JOB’S REDEEMER: The ancient Prophet Job, who probably lived about 2,050 BC (about
the time of the prophet Abraham), spoke this prophecy about his eternal Redeemer, who “lives” and
“at the last will stand upon the earth.” Then he boldly proclaimed that he also would be raised from
the dead and in his flesh see Him:
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the
earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see
God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another ...”
(Job 19:25-27)
2. – THE PROMISED BLESSING OF ABRAHAM: Early in the life of the Prophet Abraham,
the Lord God promised him that,
“… I will make you a great nation … and in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2,3)
Shortly after the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah the Apostle Peter explained how God’s
promised blessing in Abraham (i.e., specifically in his “offspring;” one of his descendants) was
being fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus, the son of Abraham:
“And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You
are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your
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offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant [Jesus], sent him to you first,
to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Acts 3:24-26)
This was further confirmed by the Apostle Paul as he preached a few years later:
“But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the
fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus …’” (Acts 13:30-33)
Again the Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians, confirms to us
that His promised blessing for “all the families of the earth” in Abraham’s descendant, is fulfilled in
Jesus:
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is
hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles ….” (Galatians 3:13-
14)
3. – ABRAHAM’S RESURRECTED SON: The Prophet Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac
on Mount Moriah (about the same time – 2,050 BC) gives us a prophetic picture or type of the
resurrection of Jesus. When Abraham arrived at the base of the mountain, he told his servants,
“… ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship
and come again to you.’” (Genesis 22:5)
In saying that, the Prophet Abraham displayed his belief that after he sacrificed his son God was
going to raise him from the dead and that they both would come back alive from the mountain. Then
as they were climbing up the mountain Isaac asked his father,
“… Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7)
Abraham's answer (in verse 8) was,
“God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
Without himself understanding, the Prophet Abraham spoke the words God put in his mouth,
prophesying what God would do about 2,080 years later on the same mountain. At the last minute
Almighty God provided Abraham a ram to sacrifice in the place of his son, and in the book of
Hebrews we find a description of Abraham’s faith on that occasion:
"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of
offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God
was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” (Hebrews 11:17-
19).
So we see that this is a type and a prophecy of Jesus' death and resurrection. The Apostle John the
Baptist gave further reference to this when he pointed to Jesus the Messiah and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Jesus is that lamb that God Himself has provided for us, of which Abraham’s offering was a prophetic
type or picture. When this Scripture says, “the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world,” it
implies the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, because taking away sins involves more than
simply forgiving them by not punishing. Jesus paid the full payment for our sins both on the cross and
in hell, but He did more than that. He conquered the power of death in His victorious resurrection on
the third day. Thus in His resurrection He totally took away (removed, wiped out, cancelled, blotted
out, erased, washed away) our sin forever!
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4. – AARON’S ROD THAT BUDDED:
“Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one
for each chief, according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. And the staff
of Aaron was among their staffs. And Moses deposited the staffs before the
LORD in the tent of the testimony. On the next day Moses went into the tent of
the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had
sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe
almonds.” (Numbers 17:6-8)
In about 1450 BC, this prophetic picture or type of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus was recorded by
the Prophet Moses in the Torah (Numbers chapters 16 & 17). Because some of the leaders of the
Israelites had questioned God’s choice of both Moses and Aaron, Almighty God gave this miraculous
sign to the leaders of Israel in order to prove that He had indeed chosen Aaron, the brother of the
prophet Moses, to be the high priest of His people Israel.
God had told them to cut off twelve branches from almond trees, to make twelve staffs from those
dead branches and to write the name of the chief of each of the twelve tribes on them. Then He
caused the one of those dead almond branches that had Aaron’s name on it to come back to life, to
bud, to grow blossoms and to produce full grown almonds all in one night! This was life out of death!
That staff that budded was kept in the Ark of the Covenant along with the Ten Commandments and
some of the manna. God not only gave resurrected life to that cut off almond branch, but He caused
it to continue to live as long as Israel had the Ark of the covenant; making it a picture of resurrected
eternal life out of death:
“having … the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and
Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” (Hebrews 9:4)
Thus it was a picture of resurrected, eternal life. In the same way that Almighty God gave continual
life to that almond branch, which had been cut off from its source of life, God later raised up our Lord
Jesus out of death to live forever. And this is a picture of the eternal life out of death that God gives to
each of us who believe in His Son Jesus.
5. – THE BRONZE SNAKE IN THE WILDERNESS: Here is another powerful type or picture
of Jesus’ resurrection in the days of the Prophet Moses:
“And the people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and
no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ Then the LORD sent fiery serpents
among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
And the people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken
against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the
serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to
Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten,
when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a
pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and
live.” (Numbers 21:5-9)
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The Lord Jesus many years later explained that the bronze serpent was a picture or type of His own
death and resurrection which He was about to experience for all humanity. He would take upon
Himself all our sin, becoming sin itself (the serpent, the cause of death) …
“For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin …” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
… and then be lifted up on a pole (the cross) for us. Thus He also would be the provider of eternal,
resurrected life for all who would look to him by faith:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him
may have eternal life.” (John 3:14,15)
The deadly serpents brought death to the Israelites, but faith in the bronze serpent on the pole
symbolizing sin and death brought life for those who looked at it with believing faith: But
because the Jewish people knew from the Scriptures of the Old Testament that God had promised
the Messiah would “remain” (live) forever as their king, they did not understand how He could die
(“be lifted up”) and still live forever:
“So the crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the
Son of Man must be lifted up? …” (John12:34)
There are many prophecies saying the Messiah will live and rule forever. For example:
“Of the increase of his [Messiah’s] government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over
his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore
…” (Isaiah 37:25)
They didn’t realize that only by entering into death and conquering it by rising again could He
save us from death while also living and reigning forever on David’s throne.
6. – THE LIVING ONE – A PRIEST FOREVER:
“The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4)
Who was Melchizedek? In Genesis we are told that he was the king of Salem (meaning “peace”) and
priest of the Most High God, who appeared to Abraham about 2,050 BC, and who is clearly a type or
prophecy of Jesus the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and our high priest (Hebrews 2:17):
“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him
and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who
has delivered your enemies into your hand!’ And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:18-20 - NLT)
The writer of the book of Hebrews explains how Melchizedek, who was “a priest forever” because he
had “neither beginning of days nor end of life,” was a type of Jesus the Messiah, whose
“indestructible life” was revealed in his resurrection:
“… where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of
Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the
slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by
translation of his name king of righteousness, [the meaning of Melchizekek], and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king
of peace [the meaning of Salem]. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor
end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever … “This becomes even more evident
when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal
requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, ‘You are a
priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ … “The former priests were many in number, because they were
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prevented by death from continuing in office, but he [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues
forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always
lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 6:20 - 7:3; 7:15-17; 7:23-25)
It is no wonder He could say,
“I am… the life” (John 14:6);
“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25);
“… Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19) and
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish ….” (John 10:28)
7. & 8. – GOD’S PROMISED BLESSING THROUGH DAVID’S SON:
“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise
up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will
establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish
the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
In this prophecy, God specifically promised King David that his “offspring” would reign forever. Yes,
King Solomon reigned for 40 years and built the temple in Jerusalem, but he died and the temple was
later destroyed. Later the Holy Spirit, speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, encouraged His people
by reminding them of His everlasting promise of blessing through King David’s Son, the Messiah:
“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will
make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.”
(Isaiah 55:3)
We know this promise of the Messiah, the son of David, reigning forever speaks specifically of Jesus’
resurrection because the Apostle Paul in about 50 AD quotes this prophecy of Isaiah in reference to
Jesus’ resurrection:
“And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, ‘I will
give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ (Acts 13:34)
Messiah Jesus is often referred to as the “son of David” (10 times in Matthew alone). How could
Jesus, the son of David, reign forever if he did not rise from the dead?
9. – GOD’S BEGOTTEN SON: Many generations later in about 1000 BC the Lord God spoke
through the Prophet David, saying,
“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed [Messiah], saying, ‘Let us burst their
bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’
“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he
will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me,
I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’ I will tell of the decree: The LORD said
to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make
the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You
shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel.’” (Psalm 2:2-9)
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In about 35 AD the Apostle Paul quoted this prophecy in reference to the victorious resurrection
of the Lord Jesus over death and Satan:
“But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the
fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my
Son, today I have begotten you.’” (Acts 13:30-33)
It seems that God once again verified Jesus to be His Son by raising Him from death, and later the
Apostle Paul again affirmed this truth in his letter to the Romans:
“which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended
from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness
by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:2-4)
10. – GOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID: The Holy Spirit again spoke through His servant, the
Prophet David, saying,
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also
dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one
see corruption. You make known to me the path of life …" (Psalm 16:9-11)
The Holy Spirit later speaking through the Apostle Peter in about 30 AD explains how this prophecy
could not be about King David, but is a prophecy about Jesus’ resurrection from death:
“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says
concerning him, ‘… my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One
see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is
with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set
one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ [Messiah], that he was
not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.”
(Acts 2:24-32)
A short time later the Apostle Paul also quoted this same prophecy in reference to Jesus’
resurrection:
“And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way … ‘You
will not let your Holy One see corruption.’” (Acts 13:34-35)
11. – SET FREE FROM THE GRAVE: God’s promise through the Sons of Korah:
“This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people
approve of their boasts. Selah. Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the
morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. But
God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol [the spiritual place of death for the soul],
for he will receive me.” (Psalm 49:13-15)
Although this verse does not say how God would deliver the Messiah from the power of death, we
know from the verses listed below that this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus’ Spirit went and
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destroyed Satan’s power in Sheol in “the lower parts of the earth” and He rose in His body victorious
over the grave:
“it says, ‘When He [Jesus] ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives …’ (Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’
what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended
is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)” (Ephesians 4:8-10
- NASB)
“… that through death he [Jesus] might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver
all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14,15)
12. – THE CORNERSTONE: Sometime after 1000 BC, one of the writers of the Psalms,
inspiration by the Spirit of God, wrote in a song for the worship of Almighty God that,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Psalm
118:22)
The Holy Spirit, speaking through the mouth of the Apostle Peter, some 1035 years later, tells us
that the stone rejected by the builders refers to Jesus the Messiah whom the elders of the nation of
Israel rejected by demanding his crucifixion, and instead God made him the cornerstone of His
building by raising Him from the dead:
“let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone
that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” (Acts 4:10-11)
13. – THE SIGN OF JONAH: The Prophet Jonah was swallowed by a fish for three days in
about 780 BC. The experience of Jonah is a prophetic sign of Jesus’ resurrection. First, we see the
clear prophecy of death and resurrection in Jonah’s words, where we read,
“I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought
up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.” (Jonah 2:6)
Secondly, we know that his experience was a type of Jesus’ resurrection because more than 800
years later the Lord Jesus Himself said,
“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40)
14. – THE STING OF DEATH: In about 750 BC the Holy Spirit prophesied the resurrection of
Jesus the Messiah through the Prophet Hosea saying,
“Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol [the grave]? Shall I redeem them
from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?
Compassion is hidden from my eyes.” (Hosea 13:14)
This is verified through the Apostle Paul some 800 years later when he wrote,
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man
came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all
be made alive … When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come
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to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death,
where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22,54-57)
15. & 16. – THE EVER REIGNING SON: About 700 BC the Lord God also spoke about the
promised Messiah through the Prophet Isaiah, saying,
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be
upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government
and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his
kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do
this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)
How could the reign of the Messiah have “no end” and be “forevermore”? Wouldn’t He be a man
who would live and die like all men? A little later the Lord spoke about this again through His servant
Isaiah, explaining that the Messiah must die as an offering for our sins and then be resurrected from
the dead to live forever:
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his
soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong
his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” (Isaiah 53: 10).
700 years later God’s angel told Mary, the mother of Jesus, that the son she would bear would
actually be the Son of God and the Messiah King promised to the prophet Isaiah, and that His reign
would be forever:
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and
will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33)
Again, the question is, How could he live forever? When Mary’s son, the Lord Jesus the Messiah
grew up and began his public ministry He made a claim that seemed beyond comprehension. He not
only claimed that He would rise from the dead, but that He Himself is the resurrection personified
– the source of eternal life, able to raise believers out of death and give them life forever!:
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives
and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25,26)
Yes, He not only came back from the dead Himself, but He lives forever to give eternal life to all who
believe in Him.
17. – THE SWALLOWING OF DEATH FOREVER: the Holy Spirit again gave the Prophet
Isaiah another prophecy of the resurrection of the Messiah saying,
“And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all
peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death
forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the
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reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has
spoken.” (Isaiah 25:7,8).
Many years later in about 30 AD the Lord God destroyed death on that mountain (Mount Moriah;
Jerusalem) by sending Jesus the Messiah, the Lord of life, to enter into death for our sins. He
overcame death by swallowing it and then rising from the grave. He thus has removed the
shroud of death that enfolds all peoples. This is confirmed by the Holy Spirit speaking through the
Apostle Paul in about 55 AD saying in reference to these prophecies,
“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying
that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ … through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (l Corinthians 15:54,57)
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
18. – THE EXALTED MESSIAH: Again, through the Prophet Isaiah, the Holy Spirit said,
“Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall
be exalted.” (Isaiah 52:13)
This exaltation of the Messiah involved three things: His resurrection from the dead, His ascension
into heaven alive and His being seated at God’s right hand – the highest position of authority and
exaltation. God, speaking through His apostles, mentions this several times in the New Testament:
“… about the resurrection of the Christ ... This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore
exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out
this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:31-33)
“… his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is
named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over
all things to the church.” (Ephesians 1:19-22)
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:8-12)
19. – THE THIRD DAY: In about 725 BC the Prophet Hosea wrote,
“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he
has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” (Hosea 6:1,2)
This sounds very much like the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 53 referred to earlier:
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall
see his offspring; he shall prolong his days.” (Isaiah 53:10)
Could this mention of the third day be a reference to what Jesus later said about His own
resurrection?:
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"From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the
hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to
life." (Matthew 16:21)
Also the reference to “us” and “we” reminds us that when Jesus died for us, we died with Him and
when He rose victorious over death and sin, we rose with Him:
“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from
the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” (Romans 6:8,9 )
*******************************************************************
B. SIX OF JESUS' CLEAREST PREDICTIONS OF HIS OWN
RESURRECTION IN THE ORDER IN WHICH HE GAVE THEM:
1. – "Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three
days.' The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you
are going to raise it in three days?' But the temple he had spoken of was his
body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had
said." (John 2:19-22)
2. – "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go
to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and
teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to
life." (Matthew 16:21)
3. – " ... he said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands
of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’’” (Matthew
17:22,23)
4. – " ... Jesus said, ... 'The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life -
only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own
accord I have authority to lay it down and authority … to take it up again.’” (John
10:7,l7,l8)
5. – " ... Jesus ... said to them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of
Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will
condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and
flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!’” (Matthew 20: 17-
19)
6. – "Then Jesus told them, 'This very night you will all fall away on account of
me, for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be
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scattered" But after I have risen I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’” (Matthew
26:31,32)
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CHAPTER THREE
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
A comparative study of the teaching about God in both
the Qur’an and the Bible
[All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations
are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
Definition of Sovereignty = Sovereignty is absolute authority over people and property. In
order to understand the difference between God’s sovereignty (authority) and omnipotence (power)
think of a king and his army. The king has sovereignty (authority, ownership) over his realm, but he
himself does not have enough power (physical strength) to control the people in it. That is why he has
an army to force the people to obey his orders. God, of course, has both complete power
(omnipotence) and supreme sovereignty (authority). In Chapter two we studied God’s power. Now we
will look at His sovereignty.
We will be looking at the following topics related to God’s Sovereignty:
A. God’s Names And Titles Related To His Sovereignty
B. Aspects Of God’s Sovereignty
C. Sovereignty And Fatalism
D. Fatalistic Use Of God’s Name
E. Jesus, The Sovereign Lord
F. My Reactions
Under each topic we will look first at what Islam teaches and then what the Bible says.
A. GOD’S NAMES AND TITLES RELATED TO
HIS SOVEREIGNTY:
ISLAM:
God’s Sovereignty is combined together with His power (Chapter 2), transcendence (first
part of Chapter 4) and un-knowableness (Chapter 5) to form what I believe is Islam’s major
emphasis about God – His awesome and absolute GREATNESS.
According to Islam, God’s sovereignty includes His total ownership and governance over all of
creation. Therefore, He not only owns and rules, but also controls all things. God’s will is
supreme. Nothing happens apart from His will and nothing can prevent the fulfillment of His will.
All law and existence is built on the same foundation – God’s will.
1. SEVEN OF ISLAM’S 99 “MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES” OF GOD SPEAK OF
HIS SOVEREIGNTY:
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Al Malik = The King, Absolute Ruler Al-Azim = The Magnificent, Great
Al-Muhaymin = Dominant, Care Taker Al-Wali = The Patron, Governor
Al-Mutakabbir = Greatest, Majestic Dhu Al-‘Arsh = Possessor of the Throne
Malik al-Mulk = “King of the Worlds,”
*[See Appendix 1 for a complete list of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” of God
2. GOD’S MAJESTIC TITLE: The title most commonly used in the Qur’an in reference to
God’s Sovereignty is Al-Rabb (Rubb) meaning “The Lord,” or “Master,” which occurs 975
times in the Quran, including “Lord of the worlds” 27 times and “Lord and cherisher of the
worlds” 7 times. The heavy emphasis on this title in Islam is seen in the fact that the
expressions Subhana Rabbiya Al-Azeem (“praised be my mighty Lord”) and Subhana
Rabbiya Al-A’la (“praised be my Lord, the most great”) are repeated 51 and 102 times
respectively in the 5 required Salat (worship prayer) each day. That’s 153 times a day!
Also God is called “king” three times in the Qur’an:
“High above all is Allah, the king …” (Sura 20:114)
“Therefore exalted be Allah, the king … the Lord of the Throne of Honour!” (Sura 23:116)
“The king (or Ruler) of Mankind,” (Sura 114:2)
THE BIBLE:
THE HEBREW AND GREEK NAMES FOR THE SOVEREIGN GOD: In the Old
Testament the Hebrew word, Adonai, meaning Sovereign Lord and Master, is used more than
400 times for God. The Hebrew words, Elyon, meaning Most High and Melek, meaning King are
used 31 and 38 times of God. In the New Testament the Greek word, Kurios (Lord or Master) is
used of God hundreds of times (see E.).
[See chapter six for a fuller description of God’s Names]
B. ASPECTS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY:
ISLAM:
1. GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY DECLARED IN THE QUR’AN: His sovereignty is clearly
seen in many verses of the Qur’an, such as:
“To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil.”
(Sura 20:6; see also 3:109, 3:129, 4:126, 30:26 and 53:31)
“Knowest thou not that to God belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth? …” (Sura 2:107; see
also 5:43, 9:116, 25:2, 42:49 and 43:85)
“God is He, than Whom there is no other god; the sovereign … the irresistible, the Supreme …” (Sura 59:23;
see also 38:65 and 12:39)
“… Allah: to Him belongs dominion ….” (Sura 64:1)
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2. GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL: According to Islam the very foundation of God’s
sovereignty is His absolute sovereign will. Dr. Warren Larson wrote to me about this:
“I suppose what Muslims would say is you cannot define God by attributes; the only thing you can say about
him is that he is power, one and will, and again that will is the bottom line. If you say more, rest assured
he is not that!” – Dr. Warren Larson
Here are a few of the multitude of verses emphasizing God’s sovereign will:
“… whom Allah willeth, He leaveth to wander: whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight.”
(Sura 6:39)
“For to anything which *We have willed, *We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.” (Sura 16:40)
“To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom He wills and He
punishes whom He wills …” (Sura 48:14)
God’s sovereign will applies not only to what He has chosen to do, but also to what He could
have done if He had so willed, whether that choice seems good or bad. This type of
statement is found a number of times. Here are a few:
“… if Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, … but Allah
does what He likes.” (Sura 2:253)
“… And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely have made mankind one Ummah [community, people
group] but they will not cease to disagree.“ (Sura 11:118,119)
“… had Allah (so) willed, He could have guided all mankind (to the right)? ...” (Sura 13:31)
“… And if We had willed, surely We would have given every person his guidance, but the Word from Me
took effect (about evil-doers), that I will fill Hell with jinn and mankind together.“ (Sura 32:13)
3. GOD IS SEATED ON HIS THRONE AND NO ONE CAN DO ANYTHING
APART FROM HIS SOVEREIGN WILL. The following “Throne Verse” (Sura 2:255) is
one of the most popular and famous verses of the Qur’an. It is framed and hung on the wall of
many Muslim homes. They believe it will protect them from evil because it declares that they
trust in God, Who is on His throne guarding and controlling all things in the heavens and on
earth:
“Allah. There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His
are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He
permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall
they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His throne doth extend over the
heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most
High, the Supreme (in glory).” (Sura 2:255)
Mention of God’s throne is found in 12 other verses in the Qur’an. For example:
“Allah … is firmly established on the throne (of authority); He has subjected the sun and the moon (to his
Law)! Each one runs (its course) … He doth regulate all affairs ...” (Sura 13:2)
4. TWO VERY COMMON ARABIC EXPRESSIONS DECLARING ISLAM’S
BELIEF IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY:
a. "Insha-Allah" ("If God has willed it" or "God willing”):
This expression is used repeatedly by Muslims when speaking of future plans (“I will meet
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you tomorrow, Insha-Allah”). It is a confession or witness that even though we intend to do
something, everything is dependent upon what God has predestined (“Qadar”) and so we
have no guarantee that we will be able to carry out our intention. It is a confession of
depending on the sovereign will of God, and it is based on the following instruction in the
Qur’an:
“Nor say of anything, ‘I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow’- Without adding, ‘If God wills!’”
(Sura 18:23,24)
Sadly, many Muslims misuse “Insha Allah” to excuse themselves when they have no firm
intention of doing what they say they will do. Too often what they really mean is, “I have
little intension of meeting you, but I will if God causes me to.”
b. "Masha-Allah" ("What God has willed "):
This phrase reflects a belief in God’s providence with the sense of "It was done by God's
permission." It is used in conjunction with any statement of praise or celebration regarding
a person's accomplishments or received benefits (e.g., "He is a very beautiful baby, MashaAllah!" or "Masha-Allah, you received the highest grade in the examination!") An article on
one website says,
“This is an expression that Muslims say whenever they are excited and surprised. When they wish to
express their happiness .... The meaning of ‘Ma sha' Allah’ is: ‘Whatever Allah wants.’ or ‘Whatever Allah
wants to give, He gives.’ This means that whenever Allah gives something good to someone, blesses him,
honors him, and opens the door of success in business, a Muslim says this statement of ‘Ma Sha' Allah.’ It
has become a tradition that whenever a person constructs a building, a house, or an office, he puts a
plaque on the wall or the entrance with this statement. It is a sign of thanks and appreciation from the
person to Almighty Allah for whatever he was blessed with.”
(from “Ma Sha' Allah” http://www.latinodawah.org/library/english/commonterms.html)
Although the expression, “Masha Allah” is intended to acknowledge God’s goodness in our
lives, it seems that most Muslims have a superstitious fear of any compliment or praise
given without adding this phrase. It is believed that such compliments may be spoken out of
jealousy ("the evil eye") in order to bring a curse on them by bringing this good thing to the
attention of bad jinn (a kind of evil spirit), who might then bring harm. Many Muslims
therefore believe that adding "Masha-Allah" to the compliment cancels out the possibility of
any curse, so it has become an incantation or mantra used to ward off evil.
THE BIBLE:
1. GOD IS ABSOLUTELY SOVEREIGN OVER ALL OF CREATION,
INCLUDING THE NATIONS AND THEIR RULERS:
“… for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are
exalted as head above all … and you rule over all …” (1 Chronicles 29:11,12)
“… Blessed be the name of God … He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives
wisdom to the wise and knowledge ...’” (Daniel 2:20,21)
“… he who is the … only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,” (1 Timothy 6:15)
2. NOTHING HAPPENS APART FROM HIS COMMAND OR PERMISSION. So
no circumstance, person, or force can prevent Him from doing what He purposes:
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“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3 – also 135:6)
“… the Most High … who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion … he does
according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none
can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34,35)
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who
works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11)
3. BUT GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IS GOVERNED BY HIS CHARACTER. Even
though God has absolute sovereignty and can do anything He wants, He will not (cannot!) do
something that would violate Who He is. If He did He would self-destruct and no longer
be God. So He will never do anything that would violate Himself, i.e., any of the
attributes of His own character:
“if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
"... it is impossible for God to lie..." (Heb. 6:18)
“… the Lord … he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34)
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before
you.” (Psalm 89:14)
4. GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL HAS THREE DIMENSIONS: The Qur’an teaches that
everything happens according to God’s will – period!, but from what the Bible teaches we can
see that God’s will has three dimensions. His determined will, His desired will and His
permissive will:
a. God’s Determined Will: What God does regardless of whatever may be involved or
whatever anyone else does or chooses. For example, the heavens and the earth were
created by God’s determined will:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
And Jesus was crucified by God’s determined will regardless of whatever Pilate, the
Jewish leaders or the followers of Jesus wanted or intended:
“… there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus … both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along
with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had
predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:27,28)
And it is absolutely certain that according to God’s determined will everyone who believes
in Jesus will be saved eternally:
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should
have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)
b. God’s Desired Will: The Ten commandments are an expression of His desired
will, but He permits us to disobey them. It is also God’s desired will that all people be
saved from being in hell (even though all will not be saved because many refuse to repent
and accept God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus):
“The Lord … is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 – KJV)
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“… As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked
turn from his way and live …” (Ezekiel 33:11)
c. God’s Permissive Will: He permits people to reject His gift of salvation and do evil
things because He wants us to voluntarily seek to do His will:
“So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.” (Ps. 81:12)
“… his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11,12)
God also sometimes allows Satan to do evil to good people. In the case of the prophet Job,
God in His permissive will allowed Satan to destroy all that Job had in order to test Job’s
faithfulness to God. God had told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand.“ (Job 1:12) so
Satan destroyed Job. Later God said, “He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against
him to destroy him without reason.” (Job 2:3), meaning God did not initiate the destruction nor
did destruction come from God, but by allowing Satan to destroy Job He Himself is
ultimately responsible for Job’s destruction. Therefore, God, who is absolutely sovereign,
used Satan’s evil work to accomplish His own good purposes.
Another example is God permitting Joseph’s jealous brothers to sell him into slavery in
Egypt. Later Joseph himself explains to his brothers how God Himself “sent” him there
because in His permissive will. He “meant it for good”:
“I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with
yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life … As for you,
you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be
kept alive ….” (Genesis 45:4-5; 50:20)
In both cases God is not the author of evil, but He permits evil (and in that sense is
responsible for it) in order to accomplish His eternally good purposes. We know God does
not desire or initiate evil, but He uses evil for good.
“For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his loving
kindnesses. For he doth not afflict willingly ... (Lamentations 3:32,33 - ASV)
It is hard for us to understand why God allows good people to suffer, but we do understand
that God Himself causes everything (even evil) to ultimately work out for our good and for
His good purposes:
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 - NASB)
“Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.” (Psalm 76:10)
[God said to Pharaoh] “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name
may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16 – ESB)
The Bible tells us we should always give thanks and praise to God in and for all situations
and circumstances – both for the “good” and also for the “evil” things:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God … for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18)
“… giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father …” (Ephesians 5:20)
5. IN SPITE OF GIVING MANKIND FREEDOM TO DISOBEY, GOD FULLY
ACCOMPLISHES ALL HIS PURPOSES. No disobedience can thwart His will:
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“… he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and
none can stay his hand …” (Daniel 4:35)
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 – NIV)
C. SOVEREIGNTY AND FATALISM:
ISLAM:
There Are Several Fatalistic Aspects Of Islam’s Belief About God’s Sovereignty And
Irresistible Will:
1. THE QUR’AN’S OVERWHELMING EMPHASIS ON THE IRRESISTIBLE
SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD: It is very evident that God’s will is absolutely supreme and
that nothing can be done without or against it. God’s “will” is mentioned 146 times in the
Qur’an, and it is also referred to in other terms. Altogether God’s irresistible will is
mentioned a total of at least 186 times. No doubt the reason for this is to exalt God’s
greatness. Here are several facets:
a. God Has Predestined Everything That Happens And No One Can
Change It. The Qur’an says:
“Nor can a soul die except by God's leave, the term being fixed as by writing.” (Sura 3:145)
"Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us …” (Sura 9:51)
“No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it
into existence. That is truly easy for God.” (Sura 57:22)
God’s predestination is one of the seven (some say six) articles of faith every Muslim must
believe in. They are belief in the following: 1) One God (Allah), 2) His angels, 3) the books
He has sent, 4) His prophets, 5) the day of judgment, 6) God’s predestination of everything,
and 7) the resurrection and judgment after death.
In popular usage, the expressions “Insha Allah” and “Masha Allah” reflect a very fatalistic
viewpoint, almost removing all responsibility from people to do what they can or should do.
Repeatedly throughout the Qur’an phrases such as, “by God’s permission,” “by God’s
leave,” or “by God’s will” are used. For example:
“By God's will they routed them; and David slew Goliath …” (Sura 2:251)
“No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of God.” (Sura 64:11)
“… come down the angels and the Spirit by God's permission, on every errand.” (Sura 97:4)
When bad things happen, Muslims commonly say, "It was written!" and, “Even if we knew
in advance this was going to happen we couldn't have prevented it”.
b. God Is Absolutely Able To Enforce His Will:
"The Lord of the heavens and the earth … Exalted in Might, able to enforce His will, forgiving again and
again." (Sura 38:66)
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“Gracious is Allah … and He has power and can carry out His will.” (Sura 42:19)
“… For Allah is One full of strength, able to enforce His will.” (Sura 58:21)
c. God Guides To The Straight Path Or Leads Astray Whomever He Wills
By Making Their Hearts To Comply With His Will!
“And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and
whomsoever it is His Will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were
engaged in sheer ascent ...” (Sura 6:125 – Pickthal)
“… Allah verily sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will …” (Sura 35:8 - Pickthal)
“… Such is Allah's guidance, wherewith He guideth whom He will. And him whom Allah sendeth
astray, for him there is no guide.” (Sura 39:23 – Pickthal)
d. God Forgives Or Punishes Whom He Wills Whether Those People
Choose To Repent Or Not! Many verses indicate this:
“… He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to God belongeth the
dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between …” (Sura 5:20)
“… but He admits whom He will to His Mercy …” (Sura 42:8)
“… Grace is (entirely) in His Hand, to bestow it on whomsoever He wills ... (Sura 57:29)
e. In Fact God Created Some People For His Mercy And Others He
Created Specifically To Fill Hell. Notice that the Qur’an doesn’t say that God
created hell for unbelieving people; it says he created people for hell:
[See Chapter thirteen for God’s Purpose In Creating Mankind]
“If thy Lord had so willed, He could have made mankind one people: but they will not cease to dispute. Except
those on whom thy Lord hath bestowed His Mercy: and for this did He create them: and the
Word of thy Lord shall be fulfilled: ‘I will fill hell with jinns and men all together.’” (Sura 11:118,119)
“Many are the jinns and men we have made for hell: …” (Sura 7:179)
“But those who swerve,- they are (but) fuel for hell-fire” (Sura 72:15)
f. Even Our Own Wills Are Set By God’s Will – Either To Follow Him Or
To Stray From Him. He Is Supreme And Irresistible!
“No soul can believe except by the will of God …” (Sura 10:100)
“… Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and irresistible." (Sura 13:16)
“This is an admonition: Whosoever will, let him take a (straight) path to his Lord. But ye will not,
except as God wills; for God is full of knowledge and wisdom ….” (Sura 76:29-31)
“… a message to (all) the worlds (with profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight, but ye shall
not will except as God wills – the Cherisher of the Worlds.” (Sura 81:27-29)
2. THE HADITH FURTHER TEACHES FATALISTIC PREDESTINATION. The
following are quotes found in volume #8 under Book #77 in Sahih Al-Bukhari’s nine volume
listing of the reported sayings of Muhammad:
594 “… Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, ‘O Lord … (will it be) a male or a
female? A wretched (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What
will his age be?’ So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother’s womb.”
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595 “… ‘Everyone will do the deeds for which he has been created to do or he will do those deeds which
will be made easy for him to do.’ (i.e. everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his
destined place for which he has been created).” [Hell or Paradise]
602 “… There is none of you but has his place assigned either in the fire or in paradise.”
609 “… Allah has written for the son of Adam his inevitable share of adultery whether he is aware of it or
not: The adultery of the eye … adultery of the tongue … innerself wishes and longs for (adultery) and the
private parts turn that into reality or refrain from submitting to the temptation.”
Now notice the result of this type of extreme fatalistic belief:
611 “… Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam, ‘O Adam! You are our father who
disappointed us and turned us out of paradise.’ Then Adam said to him, ‘O Moses! … Do you blame me for
action which Allah had written in my fate forty years before my creation?’ So Adam confuted Moses,”
the Prophet [Muhammad] added, repeating the statement three times.”
3. DEFENSIVE ARTICLES ABOUT GOD’S WILL AND FATALISTIC
PREDESTINATION: It is apparent that although most Muslims living in the Muslim world
have little difficulty with what we might call “fatalism,” Muslims in the West are especially
sensitive to non-Muslims’ criticism of it. Therefore they try to interpret what the Qur’an says by
saying God does not really force us against our wills and human beings are responsible for
their actions and cannot blame God for what they do.
In an article on the Al-Islam website (http://www.al-islam.org/godattributes/fate.htm) the author
defensively and dogmatically states,
“Not a single verse can be found in which God’s will has supplanted man’s will… “
And he backs that up by quoting several Qur’anic verses that seem to allow a more liberal
interpretation, including:
“Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefore with all due striving, and have
Faith,- they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah)” (Sura 17:19)
“Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.” (Sura 74:38)
“We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).” (Sura 76:3)
Here are a few excerpts from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination_in_Islam, a Wikipedia
article on “Qadar” (God’s power in predestination) in which the author struggles to explain how
man’s free will is not overcome by God’s sovereign will. He says that God’s predestination is
based on His foreknowledge of what humans will do, which is a valid explanation of the Bible’s
teaching on God’s predestination, but hardly explains the repetitive and extreme fatalism
taught in verses of the Qur’an :
“Some Muslims believe that the divine destiny is when God wrote down in the Preserved Tablet (‘Al-Lahwal-Mahfooz) all that has happened and will happen, which will come to pass as written. According to this
belief, a person’s action is not caused by what is written in the Preserved Tablet but, rather, the action
is written in the Preserved Tablet because God already knows all occurrences without the restrictions
of time… Again Allah does not need to force anyone to do good or evil by interfering in his will … human
knowledge of the future is limited, and … all that may or may not come to pass is under the control and
knowledge of God.”
“The Qur’an makes it clear that the man goes to Hell because he chose to do bad deeds, he goes to Heaven
by doing good deeds and even if Allah had chosen to guide them to the truth they themselves would
choose to reject the faith.”
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“However it is made clear that no person has the power to benefit or harm himself or others, and that
guidance is only given by Allah, no one else has the power to give guidance.”
In chapter 4 of the article “Concept of God in the Qur’an” by Dr. Muhammad Sharif
Chaudhry, (http://www.muslimtents.com/shaufi/b20/b20_4.htm) we read that this conflict is
very old and has always had proponents on both sides (which we must admit is also true of
Christianity):
“… If God guides a man or leads him astray then why a man should be held responsible for his actions?
These are the questions which in the ultimate analysis lead to one major issue and that is pre-destination
versus freedom of action or God’s will versus man’s choice. Is man free to act and achieve his
objectives or his fate has already been decreed? This is the issue which is being debated since time
immemorial but has not been satisfactorily resolved till now …”
THE BIBLE:
1. GOD’S “PREDESTINATION” AND MAN’S FREE WILL ARE BOTH
TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE:
a. God’s Predestination: God’s sovereign selection of people for His own
purposes is mentioned a total of 264 times in the Bible. That can be broken down into His
choosing, calling, appointing, electing and setting apart people 103, 87, 48, 18 and 8
times respectively:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed
you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself …” (Psalm 4:3)
“Paul … called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,” (Romans 1:1)
“God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that
are” (1 Cor. 1:28)
“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in
Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (2 Timothy 2:10)
All of those 264 times clearly occurred in the mind of God before the people involved were
even born. In other words, from our human perspective, all God’s appointing, calling,
choosing and electing are foreknown and predestined by God. (His predestination is
specifically mentioned 7 times, His foreknowledge 3 times and the phrases “before/from
the foundation of the world” or “before time began” are mentioned 7 times.). Here are
four conclusions:
1) Our Whole Lives Have Been Pre-Recorded By God. Before the exact cells of the
earth (dirt) from which my body was to be formed and the number of days I would live
were being determined, God my Maker wrote them all in His book:
“… My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the
depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every
one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
(Psalm 139:15,16)
2) We Are Chosen Or Not Chosen By God Before Creation:
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“And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that
God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who
calls—she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but
Esau I hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For
he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion [Greek: “not of
him who wills or runs”], but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this
very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you … So then he has mercy
on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, ‘Why does
he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’” (Romans 9:10-19)
“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world ...” (Ephesians 1:4)
3) God Will Accomplish His Pre-Destined Will In Our Lives:
“declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My
counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Is. 46:10)
“he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his
will.” (Ephesians 1:5)
“… having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to
the counsel of his will,” (Ephesians 1:11)
4) We Should Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty. Because God is sovereign over
everything affecting us, and we can do only what the Lord allows us to do, we should
acknowledge that by saying, “God willing, I will … “:
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year
there and trade and make a profit’— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring... Instead you
ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that …’” (James 4:13-16)
b. Mankind’s Free Will And Responsibility: While the Bible clearly teaches God’s
sovereign predestination, it also teaches mankind’s freedom of choice and responsibility to
do God’s will:
1) Our Freedom To Choose: Invitations like, “Whoever …” or “If anyone …” or “He
who...” are found 200+ times in the Bible, showing God is inviting us and has given us
a free will to choose. The word, “whosoever” (i. e.,”whoever”) appears 162 times in the
KJV (King James Version) of the Bible:
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:33 - KJV)
“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall
give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14 - KJV)
2) Our Responsibility To Obey: There are hundreds of laws and commands in
Scripture. How can God command us to obey His laws if He gives us no freedom to do
so? For Example:
“… walk in love … And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the
Spirit … giving thanks always … submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
(Ephesians 5:2,18,20,21)
Every one of these commands makes us responsible to obey, and that clearly shows
God has given us free will to choose either to obey or to disobey.
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3) Our Responsibility To Believe: Many verses in God’s word include instructions to
us such as, “believe …” or “whoever believes …” and “whoever does not believe …”
Such instructions also show we have both a choice and a responsibility to believe.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life … Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe is condemned already …” (John 3:16-18)
“… his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11,12)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but
the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)
But it does not say, “if you are predestined …” or “whoever is chosen …” (which of
course we cannot possibly know until after the fact). God is inviting us to choose to
believe or to disbelieve, and that clearly shows we have been given free will to choose.
All of mankind is responsible to believe or face the consequences. We can’t blame God
for our unbelief even though He knew before creation what we would choose.
c. Can Both Be True? Logically it would seem that If God is absolutely sovereign,
mankind cannot have any freedom to do what he wants, and if man has complete free will
God could not be sovereign. It would seem that either God is simply making puppets of us
by telling us to do things while He pulls the strings that make us do them, or God is just an
imaginary king we have invented to amuse us while we do what we want. Jesus said,
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have
eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day … No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And
they will all be taught by God’ ... Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life …”
(John 6:40-47)
In saying “no one could come to” him unless he is drawn by the Father Jesus shows God’s
sovereignty. But in saying, “everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should
have eternal life” and “whoever believes has eternal life” He also shows our responsibility.
They are both there together.
d. Many Scholars Agree That Both Are Taught In God’s Word:
1) Dr. Ravi Zacharias speaks about this balance in Scripture:
“Anyone who denies sovereignty is unbiblical; anyone who denies responsibility is unbiblical.
The Bible writers hold both of these truths in balance.” (http://rzim.org/just-a-thoughtbroadcasts/sovereignty-and-responsibility/)
2) Charles H. Spurgeon, the Baptist preacher of the 19th century, agrees:
“The system of truth is not one straight line, but two. No man will ever get a right view of the gospel
until he knows how to look at the two lines at once. I am taught in one book to believe that what I
sow I shall reap: I am taught in another place, that “it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy.” I see in one place, God presiding over all in providence; and yet I see,
and I cannot help seeing, that man acts as he pleases, and that God has left his actions to his own will,
in a great measure ... That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few
can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. It is just the
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fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught
in one place that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find in another place that man
is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is my folly that leads me to imagine that two
truths can ever contradict each other. These two truths, I do not believe, can ever be welded into
one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity: they are two lines that are so
nearly parallel, that the mind that shall pursue them farthest, will never discover that they
converge; but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of
God, whence all truth doth spring.” – (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock/2005/12/spurgeonon-predestination-and-free-will/)
2. WHY WE HAVE TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THIS: I believe we find God’s
predestination difficult to understand because we are creatures of time. To understand the
significance of this we need to see first of all that in contrast to God, Who is eternal, time did
not always exist but is a part of God’s creation:
“… we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time
began.” (1 Corinthians 2:7 – NIV)
“to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before
all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:25)
Try to imagine existing outside of time, where there is no past and no future; in fact, no
change. We can’t even think or speak without words like “when” “before” and “might.” In fact,
every verb tense in our language is submerged in time.
Secondly, it will help us if we think of all of God’s creation as a sphere or globe which God
is holding in His hands. Because time was created by God it is a part of that sphere, and
since God is the Creator, He is separate from and outside of that sphere. Thus He is able
to see all of that sphere at once, including all of time. He sees all of the eons of man’s
history in a single glance! In other words, He sees all our decisions, motives and actions
as well as all of His own plans and purposes for us simultaneously.
Since God exists outside of time, He is not affected by time. He exists in what C.S. Lewis
called “the eternal now” with no “yesterday” or “tomorrow.” Nothing is actually “pre”-
destined or “fore”-known. It is all there in front of Him, eternally present. So AS FAR AS
GOD IS CONCERNED it all exists simultaneously by His will! That’s why God says for Him
there is no difference between a thousand years and one day:
“… with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)
It is obvious, however, that God speaks to us in our time-oriented language with words like
“when,” “before,” “predestined,” etc. to enable us to understand enough to trust Him. BUT,
because we are inside that sphere and subject to time, we have no way of knowing what
God knows and destines for us in eternity. So, AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED, we
have free will to choose to believe or not. Of course after we are saved, we can look back,
rejoice and be amazed by the truth revealed to us that God predestined and chose us from
before the foundation of the world.
3. THE BASIS OF GOD’S PREDESTINING: How did God choose the people whom
He predestined to eternal life? What is the basis of that decision? Did God throw dice or
randomly choose? Did He choose some and reject others without any basis or reason?
Obviously not! Everything God does He does for a reason. So why does God predestine us?
The Bible says:
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“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son … And those
whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he
justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29,30)
This verse seems to say that God’s basis for His predestination is His foreknowledge –
“those whom he foreknew he also predestined …” Because we are subject to time, we
automatically read this verse as, “whom he foreknew He then predestined … and whom he predestined he
then called” etc. But it doesn’t say “then;” it says “also.” So there is no time sequence in this
verse. One thing did not happen before the other. God is outside of time (see above) and
so He knew, destined, called, justified and glorified all simultaneously. But there is a
sequence here. It is not a time sequence; it is a cause and effect sequence. How does God
in His sovereignty decide which people He destines, calls, justifies and glorifies? By His
knowledge of each individual. It says, “Whom He foreknew he also predestined … called
… justified … glorified.”
4. SO WHAT IS THE MEANING OF GOD’S FOREKNOWLEDGE? What does it
mean, that God “foreknew” us?
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect [chosen] exiles of the Dispersion … according to
the foreknowledge of God the Father …” (1 Peter 1:1,2)
The Bible uses the word “know” in a unique way in this regard. It is often used to mean an
intimate relationship with people; more than just knowing facts about them:
a. Knowing Other People: Our knowledge of people varies from a very limited
observable knowledge of some facts about a person to the thorough and intimate
knowledge of our mate in the marriage relationship:
“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the
help of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:1)
b. Knowing God: The Bible uses this term in the same way (not regarding a physical
relationship but) regarding the spiritual relationship that God wants us to have with
Him. In fact, “knowing God” intimately is what eternal life is all about:
“this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God …” (John 17:3)
[the prophet says] “Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to
us as surely as the arrival of dawn ... [God says] ‘I want you to know me more than I want burnt
offerings.’” (Hosea 6:3,6 – NLT)
“so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Colossians 1:10)
c. God Knowing Us: I believe I am correct in saying God’s knowing us is not simply
knowing facts about us; it is knowing us intimately and fully. He knows the deepest
motives and desires of our hearts; things even we do not know about ourselves.
Because of His complete foreknowledge of us He has predestined, called, justified
and glorified us::
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you …”
(Jeremiah 1:5)
“But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you …” (Jeremiah 12:3)
[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,” (John 10:14)
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“‘… some of you who do not believe.’ (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not
believe, and who it was who would betray him.).” (John 6:64)
5. WHAT IN PARTICULAR DOES GOD “FOREKNOW” (know beforehand)
ABOUT US? What specifically does God know that causes Him to destine, call, justify and
glorify only certain ones of us?
It can’t be our good works, because God has clearly declared that all our works are basically
evil and an abomination to His holiness. It also can’t be our choice to believe in and follow
Him, because we don’t earn or deserve salvation by our choosing it, and also because our will
is held captive to our fallen sinful nature, making it impossible for us to choose to do even the
good we want to do:
“… I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18)
It seems to be what I would call “a mystery element,” the nuances of which are known only to
God, but the general meaning seems clear. God repeatedly refers to this mystery element as
our “heart,” not meaning our physical heart or simply the seat of our affections, but something
much deeper. He knows what is in the very core of my being; what down deep I really
want to do and be – the real “me.” Thus God sees those who want to love Him and live
for Him with all our hearts and those who don’t. This is what God foreknows – what only
God can know:
“the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is
blameless toward him ...” (2 Chronicles 16:9; – The NASB says “whose heart is completely His” and
The NLT says, “whose hearts are fully committed to him”)
“Blessed are those … who seek him with their whole heart.” (Psalm 119:2)
Some will object and say there is nothing in us that God might consider worthy of His choosing
to predestine us because the Apostle Paul writes:
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right,
but not the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:18)
Notice, however, that the Apostle Paul says he has a “desire to do what is right” even though
there is “nothing good” in him. So, while his heart’s desire is not “good” or meritorious in God’s
sight, nevertheless it is what God looks for and uses for His glory:
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.” (Proverbs 21:2)
“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” (Proverbs 27:19 - NLT)
“… I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart …” (Acts 13:22)
Notice also that God uses the phrase “all your heart” to indicate something deeper than the
general seat of our affections – something beyond anything we can recognize about our own
hearts – namely that specific mystery element He alone can know:
“… you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all
your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29)
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and … soul and … might.” (Deut. 6:5)
And finally notice how God links our heart (“love”) with His destining (“called”) us:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called
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according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
So what God has done is to predestine, call, justify and glorify those whom He knows
from eternity will truly desire in their heart of hearts to love and trust Him, and in my
judgment that knowledge is the underlying basis (the mystery element) that determines
His predestination.
Of course, only God knows who those people are. Even we cannot know whether or not
our own heart is “completely His” – whether or not it truly desires to love and know God –
because it deceives us:
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can know it?”
So [using our human time related words] before He created the world, God knew our hearts perfectly,
and accordingly He predestined us, called (chose) us and even wrote down our names in the
book of life of the Lamb (Jesus):
“… everyone whose name has … been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the
Lamb who was slain.” (Revelation 13:8)
This is truly a mystery. God has not taken away our free will, but He knows our heart –
what we will want to choose or reject, and on that basis He “predestined” us. Of course we
can’t know that until after we believe and are saved. Then we can look back, rejoice and be
amazed by the truth revealed to us in God’s Word that He knew us and chose us from before
the foundation of the world:
“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world …” (Ephesians 1:4)
Three illustrations come to mind. First the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Out of the 18
references (in Exodus and 1 Samuel) to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, 4 of them clearly
say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart while 6 others say that God hardened Pharaoh’s
heart. From God’s timeless perspective, those two things happened simultaneously. God,
knowing Pharaoh’s hard heart destined him to harden his heart so He could use him for His
purposes. That does not mean, as we incorrectly think, that Pharaoh had no choice but was
forced to harden his heart.
Secondly, Herod, Pilate and the Jewish leaders chose to crucify Jesus, but God foreknew what
they would choose and used that to fulfill His eternal purposes:
“… there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus … both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with
the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to
take place.” (Acts 4:27,28)
Thirdly, God, knowing both their hearts, destroyed King Belshazzar (Daniel chapter 6) but
restored King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel chapter 5).
6. BUT OUR HEARTS ARE EVIL. But we have an even greater problem! Our hearts
are not only deceitful, but they are intrinsically evil and incapable of loving or obeying
God. We have no power to make our hearts do so, even if we want to. Thus the mystery –
the same heart that wants to serve God is so evil it can’t!
The Apostle Paul writes about his struggle between wanting to do God’s will and his own
inability to do it. His “want to” was not strong enough to overcome his evil heart:
“… For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate … So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that
dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to
do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do
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not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:15,17-19)
But there is GOOD NEWS! God’s Word tells us that:
“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully
committed to him …” (2 Chronicles 16:9 – NLT; The ESV says “to give strong support to”)
“the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul ...” (Deuteronomy 30:6)
“I will heal their waywardness [apostasy] and love them freely …” (Hosea 14:4 – NIV)
Our sovereign God wants to “strengthen” us! He partners with us by enabling us to do
what we truly want to do – to repent, believe, and obey His will. What an amazing
blessing! Although we are in ourselves impotent to carry out our heart’s deepest desire,
we are empowered by God’s omnipotence to do His sovereign will in repenting,
believing, and glorifying our Lord throughout our lives!
So we see God does not predestine us because we choose to believe (our own merit), but
because He knows our heart; that we really want to believe and obey Him and that we
will do so if He enables us to. Therefore He empowers us by His grace!
“Therefore, my beloved … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in
you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12,13)
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked
harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians
15:10)
For example, here are some pretty impossible commands, which God says He will “surely”
enable believers to obey; but only through His Holy Spirit living in us:
“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them
all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to
everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus for you ... Abstain from every form of evil ... He who calls you is faithful; he will
surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-18,24)
In another example the Apostle Paul was given the responsibility to preach Christ to the
nations. But God also gave him the grace needed to enable him to carry it out.
“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the
working of his power. To me … this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:7,8)
This grace is possible only through the death and resurrection of Jesus our Savior:
“concerning his Son … declared to be the Son of God in power … by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus
Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace …” (Romans 1:3-5)
“But God … even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace
you have been saved—“ (Ephesians 2:4,5)
D. FATALISTIC USE OF GOD’S NAME:
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ISLAM:
SIMPLY REPEATING GOD’S ARABIC NAME HAS CERTAIN POWERS. On the
website, http://islamicink.wordpress.com/basic-islamic-phrases-terms/ I found 24 common
Arabic expressions containing God’s name (Allah), which Muslims are encouraged to
repeat constantly. They include these 10 (translated): “May Allah preserve your life,” “In the name of
Allah, most Gracious most Merciful,” “May Allah reward you with blessings,” “May Allah protect you,” “Glory be to
Allah,” “If Allah wills,” “I beg Allah for forgiveness,” “As Allah has willed,” “Thanks be to Allah,” “To Allah we belong
and to Him is our return.” These Arabic phrases, while expressing very good thoughts, are
meaningless for many Muslims because 80% of the Muslims in the world don’t understand
Arabic. Even for those who do, these phrases are generally repeated habitually without
thinking about their meaning. Muslims are socially expected to repeat them (similar to
Americans saying “God bless you” when someone sneezes). Thus they become parrot-like
mantras.
Also most Muslims think that the meaning is not as important as simply repeating the Arabic
name Allah because they believe …:
a. The Use of God's Name Has Purifying And Protective Powers. The
Qur’an instructs Muslims to pronounce God’s name over an animal when slaughtering it to
make it holy and pure (“Halal” – similar to kosher) for food:
“So eat of (meats) on which God's name hath been pronounced, if ye have faith ….Eat not of (meats)
on which God's name hath not been pronounced …” (Sura 6:118, 121)
Many Muslims believe there is protective power in the name of Allah and it should be
repeated to protect themselves from evil. Religious expressions containing Allah’s name
are written everywhere and spoken upon every occasion.
Another website (http://www.namesofallah.com/prev_site/eng/html/n052.htm) says,
“The name of Allah … should be recited 66 times each with Durood [a prayer for peace for Muhammad and
Abraham and their families] in the beginning and the end. This is very beneficial … particularly for
protection from unforeseen calamities and accidents. This Holy Name is recited to be safe from
enemies, burning and drowning. If recited a great deal the person will be saved from all sorts of
sins. If this Holy Name is written with saffron and kept on person, the person will be saved from all
sorts of accidents ... This name suffices all purposes, and Almighty God will stand security for all
his/her affairs and litigation.”
b. Repeating God’s Name Brings Spiritual Blessing. Sufi Muslims even have
special dikr (“remembrance”) worship services where they chant God’s name and His
attributes hundreds of times while sitting or moving in a circle. By doing this they hope to
feel some mystical sense of being closer to God and gaining His blessing. They also
believe they may have blessed dreams at night:
“But keep in remembrance the name of thy Lord ….” (Sura 73:8)
“… call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper” (Sura 8:45)
THE BIBLE:
NOT USING GOD’S NAME IN VAIN: In contrast to Muslims’ frequent and repetitive use
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of God’s name the Bible warns us to use God’s name carefully and only with reverence and
meaning. Nevertheless many nominal Christians frequently use God’s name in vain by
swearing, as a curse word or as an expletive (“I swear by God”, “Oh God!”, etc.). Even devoted
Christians sometimes repeat culturally acceptable expressions or prayers in which they use
God’s name in vain without thought or meaning, e.g., saying, “God bless you” when someone
sneezes or saying, “Oh my God!” when amazed. Many habitually and thoughtlessly rattle off
memorized prayers such as, “Our Father, who art in heaven …”, etc. To many this seems
harmless, but God thinks otherwise about the use of His name “in vain” (thoughtlessly):
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes
his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be
heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)
“But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven … or by the earth … or by Jerusalem ... And do
not take an oath by your head … Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this
comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:34-37)
The Jews, however, went too far in their attempt to avoid using God’s name in vain. They
stopped using it all together by substituting Adonai (Lord) in place of YHWH (He Who Is) when
reading out loud or quoting scripture. As a result, we no longer know the Hebrew pronunciation
of YHWH. Is it “Jehovah,” “Yahweh,” or something else?
E. JESUS, THE SOVEREIGN LORD:
ISLAM:
The teaching of the Qur’an about Jesus is essentially that He is no more than a human
prophet of God. There is no way He could be called “Sovereign” or “Lord”:
“O People of the Book [Christians]! Commit no excesses … Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the
son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary … Say
not ‘Trinity’: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He)
above having a son …” (Sura 4:171)
“And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, “worship me and my mother
as gods in derogation of Allah”?’ He will say: ‘Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to
say) ...’” (Sura 5:116)
“… Jesus, the son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming
the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose
name shall be Ahmad.’ [Muhammad] …” (Sura 61:6)
THE BIBLE:
Jesus is often called “Lord” in the Bible, and Christians commonly refer to Him as “The Lord Jesus
Christ.” Muslims, however, consider that blasphemous because the Qur’an uses the word “Lord”
(Rubb in Arabic) only for God and they believe Jesus is only a man.
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1. JESUS IS THE SOVEREIGN “LORD.” In English both God and people are called
“Lord”. In England the accepted way of addressing a judge in the court is “My Lord” and it is a
title bestowed on men by the Queen. Some assume this is how it is used for Jesus in the Bible.
In the Old Testament God is called Adonai, meaning “Lord,” well over 400 times. It is
primarily used of the Lord God (the Father). Sometimes, however, it is clearly speaking of
God’s Messiah:
“The LORD [JHWH] says to my Lord [Adonai]: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”
(Psalm 110:1)
In the New Testament, the Greek word, Kurios, is almost always translated “Lord” in English,
but is also translated “Master” or “Sir.” It occurs 747 times. Of these 117 are used of ordinary
men, 175 are clearly used in reference to the Lord God (the Father) and 315 are clearly
used in reference to the Lord Jesus. It is not really clear whether the remaining 140 uses
of the Greek word, Kurios are referring to God the Father, to the Lord Jesus or to both.
This seeming difficulty is because Jesus is both God (see above) and man. He is the
Sovereign Lord Who became a man and is therefore “Lord” both as God and as man, as the
following verses illustrate.
a. God (The Father) Is The “Lord”:
1) God the Father is called “Lord” (at least 175 times). For example:
“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the
Lord [Adonai] God [Elohim] made the earth and the heavens.” (Genesis 2:4)
“O LORD [Yahway], our Lord [Adonai], how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1)
[Psalm 8 begins with the declaration that He is both Yahway and Adonai. That declaration is repeated
at the end in verse 9. Notice that He is addressed by both names and these two names are called,
“your name” (singular)]
[Moses said] “The Lord [Kurios] your God [Theos] will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you,
from your brothers ...” (Acts 3:22)
2) God is called the one Lord:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Mark 12:29)
3) God is called the “Lord of lords”:
“… he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has
immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him
be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15,16)
4) God is called “Lord” in distinction from Jesus the Christ:
“… he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's [Father] Christ [Jesus].” (Luke 2:26)
“that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ
appointed for you, Jesus,” (Acts 3:20)
“… The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall
reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11;15) [notice “he” refers to both of them]
5) Jesus Himself calls God the Father “Lord”:
“… Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth …” (Matthew 11:25)
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“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”’”
(Mark 12:29)
b. But Jesus Also Is Called “Lord”:
1) Jesus is clearly called “Lord” (at least 315 times):
“… preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),” (Acts 10:36)
“men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 15:26)
“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord …” (2 Corinthians 4:5)
2) Jesus is called both “Lord” and “God” in the same sentence:
“Thomas [speaking to Jesus] answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
3) Jesus is even called the “only Lord”:
“… and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4)
4) Jesus, the “Lamb” is called the “Lord of lords”:
“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King
of kings ...” (Revelation 17:14)
5) Jesus is called “Lord” in distinction from God the Father:
“for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord,
Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
“and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians
2:11)
“to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory …” (Jude 25)
6) Jesus speaks from heaven and accepts being called “Lord”:
“And I [Apostle Paul] answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom
you are persecuting’ … And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go
into Damascus ...’” … “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after
another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.’” (Acts 22:8,10,19)
7) God The Father Calls Jesus “Lord” and Creator of heaven and earth:
“But of the Son he [God] says …‘You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the
heavens are the work of your hands’” (Hebrews 1:8,10)
8) God The Father Calls Jesus “Lord” in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies
using the Hebrew word, “Adonai” (“Sovereign Lord” or “Master”). This reference is
mentioned twice in the N.T.:
“He [Jesus] said to them, ‘How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him [Messiah] Lord, saying, “The
LORD [YHWH] said to my Lord [Adonai], ‘Sit at my right hand …’ [quoting Psalm 110:1]? If then David
calls him Lord [Adonai], how is he his son?’” (Matt 22:43-45)
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says [in Psalm 110:1], “‘The LORD [Yahwah]
said to my Lord [Adonai] –, “Sit at my right hand,” (Acts 2:34)
c. God The Father And Jesus Are Together The “Lord.” It becomes obvious
that the Lord Jesus is the revelation of God in human flesh. He is called “God with us”
(“Emmanuel” – see Matthew 1:22,23).
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“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head
of all rule and authority.” (Colossians 2:9,10)
d. In Fact Jesus Is “God Over All.” Jesus is God and therefore totally sovereign
over all things:
“To them [the Jews] belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is
God over all, blessed forever.” (Romans 9:5)
2. BUT JESUS “EMPTIED HIMSELF” OF HIS SOVEREIGNTY. In the beginning
God created everything through His eternal Word (“God said, ‘Let there be …’”). After mankind
rebelled and sinned against God He sent His Word into the world as a man (Jesus) to be a
substitute for mankind in death. In order to become fully one of us, Messiah Jesus “emptied
Himself” of His divine “form” (i.e., He put aside His own sovereignty and omnipotence) and
accepted the lowly “form” of a human being. As a man He totally subjected Himself to the will
of God the Father even to the point of entering into the shameful and cursed death of
crucifixion for us:
“… Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God [His sovereignty] a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness
of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is
everyone who is hanged on a tree’“ (Galatians 3:13)
Not as God, using His own omnipotent powers, but as a godly man totally submitted to God
the Father, He was given authority over demonic powers and sicknesses as seen in the
following verses:
“And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed ... When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing
to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come
and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only
say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers
under me. And I say to one, “Go,” and he goes, and to another, “Come,” and he comes, and to my
servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marveled ...’” (Matthew 8:2,3,5-9)
2. BUT JESUS “EMPTIED HIMSELF” OF HIS SOVEREIGNTY. In the beginning
God created everything through His eternal Word (“God said, ‘Let there be …’”). After mankind
rebelled and sinned against God He sent His Word into the world as a man (Jesus) to be a
substitute for mankind in death. In order to become fully one of us, Messiah Jesus “emptied
Himself” of His divine “form” (i.e., He put aside His own sovereignty and omnipotence) and
accepted the lowly “form” of a human being. As a man He totally subjected Himself to the will
of God the Father even to the point of entering into the shameful and cursed death of
crucifixion for us:
“… Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God [His sovereignty] a
thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness
of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
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“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is
everyone who is hanged on a tree’“ (Galatians 3:13)
Not as God, using His own omnipotent powers, but as a godly man totally submitted to God
the Father, He was given authority over demonic powers and sicknesses as seen in the
following verses:
“And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed ... When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing
to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come
and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only
say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers
under me. And I say to one, “Go,” and he goes, and to another, “Come,” and he comes, and to my
servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marveled ...’” (Matthew 8:2,3,5-9)
3. GOD THE FATHER HAS CROWNED JESUS THE MAN AS SOVEREIGN
LORD IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF HIS HUMILITY AND SACRIFICE, BY
WHICH HE GAINED VICTORY OVER DEATH AND SATAN:
a) The Man Jesus Exalted As Sovereign Lord Above All Others:
“… he [God] raised him [Jesus] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all rule and authority … and above every name that is named, not only in this age but
also in the one to come.” (Eph. 1:20-21)
“… God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord ...” (Phil. 2:9-11)
b) The Man Jesus Crowned With Glory And Honor Because Of His Death:
“… we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory
and honor because of the suffering of death …” (Hebrews 2:8,9)
“… Christ Jesus, who … humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on
a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him ...” (Philippians 2:5,8,9)
“… He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in
him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” (Colossians 1:18,19)
c) All Things Subjected Under The Feet Of The Man Jesus:
“… he [God] raised him [Jesus] from the dead … And he put all things under his feet and gave him as
head over all things ...” (Ephesians 1:20,22)
“… Now in putting everything in subjection to him [Jesus], he [God] left nothing outside his [Jesus]
control ...” (Hebrews 2:8)
d) The Man Jesus Caused To Ascend Far Above The Heavens In Order To “Fill All
Things.” (Note that He did not simply ascend to visit the “seven heavens” and lead the
prophets there in prayer as Islam believes Muhammad did in his “night journey”), but He is
exalted above the heavens, as well as above all the prophets, angels, powers and
everything else in creation):
“… He … is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.”
(Ephesians 4:9,10)
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“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from
sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26)
4. EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT YET SEE JESUS EXALTED AS KING AND
SOVEREIGN LORD ON EARTH, HE ALREADY IS IN FACT KING OF KINGS,
AND IN GOD’S TIME THAT WILL BECOME EVIDENT:
“… At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was
made lower than the angels, namely Jesus …” (Hebrews 2:8,9)
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one [Jesus] sitting on it is called Faithful and True
... His eyes are like a flame of fire … He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he
is called is The Word of God. … From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the
nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of
God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
(Revelation 19:11-16)
“… I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus … They came to life and
reigned with Christ for a thousand years … they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign
with him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4,6)
5. AND BECAUSE JESUS HAS ETERNALLY BECOME “THE SON OF MAN,”
HE WILL ULTIMATELY PUT HIMSELF IN SUBJECTION TO GOD THE
FATHER:
“… Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every
rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his
feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘God has put all things in subjection under his
feet.’ But when it says, ‘all things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that he is excepted who put all
things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also
be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” (1
Corinthians 15:23-28)
“… so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10,11)
6. NEVERTHELESS, AS OUR LORD AND KING HIS KINGDOM ON THE NEW
EARTH WILL LAST ETERNALLY AND HIS GLORY AND DOMINION WILL
LAST FOREVER:
[the angel’s words about the birth of Jesus] “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the
Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob
forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:32,33)
“For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:11)
“… To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom … to
him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5,6)
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F. MY REACTIONS What are the differences between Islam’s and the Bible’s
teaching about Predestination?
1. EMPHASIS: Because a similar debate exists in Christianity between “Calvinists” (followers of
the teaching of John Calvin) and “Arminians” (followers of James Arminius) regarding God’s
election and predestination, I am hesitant to judge Islam too harshly on this subject. However, it
seems to me that the Qur’an, in an honorable attempt to exalt God’s sovereignty and greatness,
has essentially over-emphasized predestination to the negation of mankind’s ability to choose.
Thereby Muslims become fatalistic and believe they are nothing more than slaves of God’s
sovereign will, rather than beloved “children” of God, to whom He gives authority, responsibility
and partnership in His work. The Bible has a balanced emphasis on both God’s sovereignty and
man’s responsibility to choose.
2. OUR WILL: Islam teaches that people choose to do God’s will only because God sovereignly
wills them (forces them) to will to do so:
“… a message to (all) the worlds (with profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight, but ye shall not will
except as God wills ...” (Sura 81:27-29)
But the Bible teaches that God works in those of us whose “heart” wants to obey Him to enable
us (not force us) to will to do His will and to “work out” and “confirm” God’s calling by choosing to
believe and acting accordingly:
“… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work
for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12,13)
“… be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election …” (2 Peter 1:10)
3. GOD’S CHARACTER: The Qur’an does not indicate that God’s character could affect His
sovereign will in any way, but the Bible clearly shows that God will not and cannot carry out His
will in a way that would violate His character of justice, righteousness, truthfulness, faithfulness,
love, etc.
4. HELL FOR MAN OR MAN FOR HELL? Also, the Bible does not say that God created
some people just to fill hell as the Qur’an does:
“And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for hell. They have hearts wherewith they
understand not, and … They are like cattle, nay even more astray ...” (Sura 7:179)
“If We had so willed, We could … have brought every soul into true guidance, but the word from Me will come
true, ‘I will fill hell with jinns and men all together.’” (Sura 32:13)
Rather it says hell was created for Satan and his angels, and people will go there only because
they follow Satan and reject God’s provision of salvation:
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and
his angels.” (Matthew 25:41)
These are people whom God in His sovereign foreknowledge and predestination has adjusted
from His original general intent in creation and has “prepared” them to be destroyed in hell instead
of being “prepared” for glory:
“Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for
dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with
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much patience vessels of wrath prepared [Greek katertizo = to adjust] for destruction, in order to make known
the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared [Greek proetoimazo = to fit up in advance]
beforehand for glory.” (Romans 9:21-23)
5. GOD’S WILL OR GOD’S LOVE? Islam tells us that God chooses people for Paradise or
Hell and even causes them to doubt simply because it is His will to do so:
“But God will choose for His special Mercy whom He will ...” (Sura 2:105)
“No soul can believe except by the will of God, and He will place doubts (or obscurity) on those who will not
understand.” (Sura 10:100)
“… For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills …” (Sura 35:8)
“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes
whom He wills: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Sura 48:14)
The Bible, however, says God, because of His love, invites all people to receive His gift of
salvation whether or not they will, and He chooses those who receive His love, no matter how
great a sinner they may be:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.“ (John 3:16)
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us ... while we were enemies
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ...” (Romans 5:8,10)
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
(1 John 4:10 - NIV)
6. GOD IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY PARTNERS WITH MAN. Islam totally rejects any
thought of partnership with God because that would seem to mean there is more than one God.
The Bible, however, teaches that God, by His own sovereign will, chose to create mankind in His
own image and to give him authority as His junior partner. He did this initially at creation, thus
revealing the nature of His fatherhood:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of
the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ … And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth
and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over
every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26,28)
Although Adam abdicated his sovereignty (thereby making Satan the “god of this world”), God
continues to restore believers to this partnership with Himself:
“For we are God's fellow workers ...” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us ... Working together with him,
then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (2 Corinthians 5:20,6:1)
Jerry Bridges does an excellent job of explaining this partnership in his Navigators “Holiness Day
by Day” internet devotional for Tuesday, January 29, 2019, entitled “Desperately Dependent” and
based on the verse, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25). Here are some
excerpts:
Progressive sanctification is not a partnership with [God] the Spirit in the sense that we each—the believer
and the Holy Spirit [of God]—do our respective tasks. Rather, we work as he enables us to work. His
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work lies behind all our work and makes our work possible ... we’re dependent on him to do our work;
we cannot do anything apart from him. In the process of sanctification there are certain things only the
Spirit can do, and certain things he has given us to do ... So we must depend on the Spirit to do within
us what only he can do. And we must equally depend on him to enable us to do what he has given us
to do. Whether his work or our work, we’re dependent on him. We aren’t just dependent on him; we’re
desperately dependent ...”
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CHAPTER FOUR
THE TRANSCENDENCE & IMMANENCE OF
GOD
A comparative study of the teaching about God in both
the Qur’an and the Bible
[All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations
are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
We will be looking at the following topics related to this subject:
A. God’s Transcendence
B. God’s Immanence
C. My Reactions & Conclusions
Under each topic we will look first at what Islam teaches and then what the Bible says.
A. GOD’S TRANSCENDENCE: (The Creator, Who is distinct
from, above or greater than, and outside of His creation):
ISLAM:
God’s omnipotence (Chapter 2), sovereignty (Chapter 3), transcendence (Chapter 4), and
inscrutability (Chapter 5) together form what I believe to be Islam’s major belief about God – His
greatness. This heavy emphasis is evident in the fact that 34 of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names”
of God relate directly to these four attributes and the rest indirectly.
9 of those names relate specifically to His transcendence:
Al-Khaliq = The Creator Al-Muta’ali or Mut’aal = Higher, Supreme
Al-Bari = The Maker, Curer Al-Badi = The Creative One, Originator
Al-Musawwir = The Fashioner, Shaper Al-Fatir: The Originator
Al-Ali = The High, Exalted Dhul Ma’aarij = The One Above, Highest
Al-Mubdi = Originator, Initiator
[See Appendix 1 for a complete list of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” of God]
1. GOD THE CREATOR OF ALL: Islam teaches that God created and established the
universe with all its laws, sent his complete set of instructions to mankind through the
prophets, and now is sustaining, governing and watching over things from behind the scenes.
Here are a few of the many verses describing God’s self-sufficiency and governance over His
creation:
“It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the
heavens ….” (Sura 2:29)
“Thy Lord is self-sufficient ...” (Sura 6:133)
“Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly
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established on the throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking
the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws
under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and
Sustainer of the worlds!” (Sura 7:54)
“Say: ‘Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘(It is) Allah.’ … Say: ‘Allah is
the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible.’” (Sura 13:16)
[For a more detailed description of God’s creation see chapter 13 – The Life & Image of God]
2. GOD IS “ABOVE” ALL: 19 times the Qur’an says God is “above” all:
Above all (2 times): “… For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).“ (Sura 4:34); “High above all is Allah,
the King, the Truth! …” (Sura 20:114)
Above all comprehension: “… He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.” (Sura
6:103)
Above all the partners (gods) ascribed to Him (8 times): “… but Allah is exalted high above the partners
they ascribe to Him.” (Sura 7:190); “… Glory to Him! and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to
Him)!" (Sura 10:18 and also 16:1,3; 28:68; 30:40; 39:67; 59:23)
Above what (gods) people attribute to/associate with Him (4 times): “… Praise and glory be to Him! (for He
is) above what they attribute to Him!” (Sura 6:100; 21:22); “… High is Allah above what they associate
with Him!” (Sura 27:63; 52:43)
Above all that people say are gods: “Glory to Him! He is high above all that they say [are gods]!- Exalted
and Great (beyond measure)!” (Sura 17:43)
Above having a son (2 times): “… for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a
son …” (Sura 4:171 – also 39:4)
Above ranks (once): “Raised high above ranks (or degrees), (He is) the Lord of the Throne (of Authority)
…” (Sura 40:15)
3. GOD IS MOST HIGH: God is called “most high” 15 times in the Qur’an. Here are a few
examples:
“Allah! … His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding
and preserving them for He is the most high, the Supreme (in glory).” (Sura 2:255)
“… For Allah is most high, great (above you all).” (Sura 4:34)
“To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is most high, most Great.” (Sura 42:4)
“Saying, ‘I am your Lord, most high.’" (Sura 79:24)
THE BIBLE:
1. THE FATHER’S TRANSCENDENCE: Unlike Hinduism, and similar to Islam, the
Bible teaches that God is an eternally living being who is “above” and distinct from all His
created things. He always existed and He created all things out of nothing:
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Ps. 57:5,11; 108:5)
“Let them praise the name of the LORD … his majesty is above earth and heaven.” (Psalm 148:13)
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“It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out
the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.” (Isaiah 40:22)
“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the
high and holy place…’” (Isaiah 57:15)
The sun or stars are not God, mountains or animals are not God, nor is any other created
entity God. Creation is temporal, but God is eternal, immortal and unchangeable. God is
uniquely different and distinct from creation:
“you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you
will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass
away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)
“… who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can
see. To him be honor and eternal dominion.” (1 Timothy 6:16)
And God is also called the “Most High” 54 times. Here is one of them:
“… you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18)
2. THE SON’S TRANSCENDENCE: The following is written about Jesus:
“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from
sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Hebrews 7:26)
The Bible teaches that God is Transcendent (far greater than and distinct from
creation), and yet He is also Immanent (involved with His creation).
B. GOD’S IMMANENCE: (God operating within and being
personally interactive with His creation; especially with mankind):
[See also section C. of Chapter 12 – God’s Fatherhood]
ISLAM:
We will look at the following:
- God’s Names Related To His Immanence
- Islam’s Understanding Of Our Relationship With God
- The Qur’an’s Description Of God’s Relationship With Mankind In Paradise
1. GOD’S NAMES RELATED TO HIS IMMANENCE: Only 1 of Islam’s 99 “most
beautiful names” for God seems related to this subject:
Az-Zahir (Zaahir) = “The Manifest One,” “Apparent”
2. ISLAM’S UNDERSTANDING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: As far as I
can understand, Islam holds to a kind of deism which teaches that God is far too exalted to
reveal Himself to us, and even if He chose to, we are much too weak to understand or know
Him, so He communicates with us indirectly:
[See also chapter 9 – God’s Communication]
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a. God’s Communication Through Many Veils: God’s will is revealed to mankind
in His Word, which is taken from the “Mother of the book” and given to the angel Gabriel,
who dictates it to God’s messengers (prophets), who reveal it to mankind. Thus mankind
hears from God indirectly through three veils or layers of mediation: [See chapter 9 for
further information about the “Mother of the Book”]
God dictated “step by step” from
i) the “Mother of the Book” (His total message for mankind - Sura 43:4) …
ii) to the angel Gabriel, who dictated it piece by piece …
iii) to the prophets, who then dictated it …
to mankind.
Even Muhammad received the Qur’an indirectly through the angel Gabriel:
“…Gabriel – for he brings down the (revelation) to thy [Muhammad’s] heart …” (Sura 2:97)
According to Islam, it would be extremely arrogant for us created beings to think we could
ever have any kind of personal or direct relationship with Almighty God. Islam teaches that
God does not reveal Himself to us, He reveals only His will:
“It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil,
or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills: for He is
Most High, Most Wise.” (Sura 42:51)
But, some Muslims say that Sura 50:16 (the following verse) proves God’s closeness to us
by saying He is nearer to us than our jugular vein:
"It was We who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him, for We are
nearer to him than (his) jugular vein." (Sura 50:16)
Other verses also mention “the presence of God”:
“… whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of God. For God is… all-knowing.” (Sura 2:115)
“… Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth
to His creatures as) before or after or behind them ...” (Sura 2:255)
But clearly these verses say that God sees and knows everything about us, not that we
could possibly know Him or have a close relationship with Him. Again, the emphasis is on
His greatness!
Islam does teach that God is both “the evident” and “the immanent” (Az-Zahir) in His creation
and is “with you wherever ye may be.” However, it uses those words only to mean that He sees
both outside (evident) and inside (immanent) of all things, and thus “has full knowledge of all
things.” And again, the emphasis is on His greatness:
“He is … the evident and the immanent, and He has full knowledge of all things … He knows what
enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what
mounts up to it. And He is with you wherever ye may be. And God sees well all that ye do … He
has full knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts.” (Sura 57:3-6)]
There is a difference between the presence of God and communion with God!
b. God’s Communication Has Been “Sent Down”: 96 times the Qur’an
mentions that God “sent down” His Word and His blessings, meaning God relates to
mankind only indirectly:
“…they deny (the revelation) which Allah has sent down …” (Sura 2:90)
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“We have sent down to thee Manifest Signs …” (Sura 2:99)
“It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book [Qur’an], confirming what went before it;
and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind,
and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).” (Sura 3:3)
“… then Allah sent down His peace upon him …” (Sura 9:40)
“… We sent down to you Manna and quails” (Sura 20:80)
But it never says that God Himself “came down,” or “appeared to” people like we find in the
Bible. Clearly this is indirect communication not involving God Himself, but only His
will through His Word being conveyed by angels.
Nabeel Qureshi in his bestselling book, No God But One: Allah Or Jesus?, writes,
“Allah does not enter into this world in Islam, whereas Yahweh has repeatedly done so. Allah remains
behind a veil and sends messengers, whereas Yahweh is intimate and walks among us.” (page 21)
c. God’s Communication To Mankind In The Qur’an: The Qur’an is not a
revelation of God Himself, but only a revelation of facts about God and His will for us.
Yes, Muslim scholars teach that we can know God through the attributes revealed in
His names. However, those names reveal only facts about God, not God Himself. Those
facts are only in our minds, but knowing God involves an intimate relationship beyond facts.
There are 186 verses in the Qur’an indicating God chooses to do things only because He
pleases to do them and because it is His will to do so (God’s will is specifically mentioned
in 146 of these verses).
d. Man’s Communication With God In Prayer: Muslims say they “pray” both
before and after eating. Before, they say, “Bismillah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim” (“In the name
of Allah, the gracious and merciful”) and after they eat they say, Al-Hamdu lil-lāh” (“all
praise be to God”). In both cases they are not speaking directly to God, giving thanks for
their food, but are indirectly declaring praise about God.
Muslims here in the west sometimes claim that Islam is superior to Christianity because
they can pray directly to God (while we have to come to God through Jesus, and in the
case of Catholics, through saints). However, Islam tells us there is a veil between us
and God (see Sura 42:51 above). According to one tradition (Hadith), Muhammad said
there are 70,000 veils between God and us but only four between God and His angels:
"Between God (mighty and sublime) and creation are 70,000 veils. The nearest of creatures to God …
are Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael, and between them and Him are four veils ..." (Ibn al-Jawzi, Mawdu'at.
Narrator Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'id. Translated by Cyrus Ali Zargar. 1/166.)
While Muslims sometimes voice personal requests of God in extemporaneous, personal
prayer (Duaa) and constantly talk about God in their everyday speech, (See a list of many
common expressions at http://livingthemuslimlife.wordpress.com/key-expressions-and-terms), only the
unorthodox Sufis (see the following) expect to have any intimate communication with God or
to know God personally.
e. “Remembrance” Of God: One group of Muslims known as “Sufis” hold regular
“Dikr” (remembrance) worship services, in which they chant God’s name, “Allah” or phrases
containing God’s name while rotating or whirling around in a circle. They do this hundreds
of times hoping they will be mystically drawn into an intimacy or nearness to God. They do
this in obedience to the 19+ verses in the Qur’an directing them in the “remembrance of
God:”
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“… Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness
in words, in the mornings and evenings ...” (Sura 7:205)
“… call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper:” (Sura 8:45)
"Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without
doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Sura 13:28)
“… and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt ...” (Sura 29:45)
f. Jesus Not The Revelation Of God To Us: Islam adamantly denies that Jesus is
the Word or revelation of God to us – God in human flesh. Instead it teaches that Jesus told
people to worship only God as He Himself did, that He was God’s servant (slave) and a
prophet. In addition, the Qur’an says He was no more than a human being created by God,
called the “Son of Mary”:
“They do blaspheme who say: ‘Allah is Christ the son of Mary.’ But said Christ: ‘O Children of Israel!
worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him
the garden, and the Fire will be his abode ...” (Sura 5:72)
“He [Jesus] said: ‘I am indeed a servant [slave] of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a
prophet.’” (Sura 19:30)
“And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent)
to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come
after me, whose name shall be Ahmad [Muhammad] …’" (Sura 61:6)
"And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my
mother as gods in derogation of Allah?’ He will say: ‘Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had
no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is
in my heart, Though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden. Never
said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, “worship Allah, my Lord and
your Lord” …” (Sura 5:116,117)
“The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him:
‘Be.’ And he was.” (Sura 3:59)
g. God Is Unknowable. The logical conclusion of all of this is that God is unknowable
by us created human beings: [Also see chapter 5 – God’s Inscrutability]
“No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is above all comprehension [Latif], yet is
acquainted with all things.” (Sura 6:103)
One contemporary Islamic scholar expressed the mainstream Islamic thinking:
“He [God] does not reveal Himself to anyone in any way. God reveals only His will. Remember one of
the prophets asked God to reveal Himself and God told him, ‘No, it is not possible for Me to reveal
Myself to anyone.’ ...This is God's will and that is all we have, and we have it in perfection in the
Qur'an. But Islam does not equate the Qur'an with the nature or essence of God. It is the Word of
God, the Commandment of God, the Will of God. But God does not reveal Himself to anyone.
Christians talk about the revelation of God Himself - by God of God - but that is the great difference
between Christianity and Islam. God is transcendent, and once you talk about self-revelation you
have … immanence, and then the transcendence of God is compromised. You may not have
complete transcendence and self-revelation at the same time.” – (Isma`il al-Faruqi, Christian Mission
and Islamic Da`wah: Proceedings of the Chambèsy Dialogue Consultation held 1976 in Chambèsy,
Switzerland; Leicester: The Islamic Foundation, 1982, pp. 47-48)
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According to Islam, God knows us completely, but we can never know Him in any
personal or intimate way! In fact, thinking we could have “fellowship” with God amounts
to “shirk” (partnership), the unforgivable sin of attributing to God a partner (Sura 6:21-30) by
making ourselves partners (equal) with God.
Since Muslims do not know the joy of a personal relationship with God, there is no singing
in their five times daily worship (salat), either individually or in the mosque, and there is no
mention of singing even in Paradise. As someone has said, “Islam is a religion without a
song.” (There is a lot of singing about religion by professional musicians but it is limited to
non-religious settings such as movies, weddings, television, radio, etc.)
3. THE QUR’AN’S DESCRIPTION OF GOD’S RELATIONSHIP WITH
MANKIND IN PARADISE: One would think that believing Muslims would enjoy personal
fellowship with God at least in Paradise, but the Qur’an’s description of Paradise is dominated
by believers being rewarded with earthly material blessings rather than personal
fellowship with God.
a. Number Of Passages In The Qur’an: In my research I have located 389
different verses in 82 (out of 114) Suras in the Qur’an which contain some description or
mention of Paradise.
b. Paradise Is Earned. According to these verses, Paradise is described 81 times as
being a “reward,” “recompense,” “repayment,” etc. for those who have earned it by
doing “good deeds” which they will boast about:
“For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens with rivers flowing underneath … a
recompense for those who work (and strive)!” (Sura 3:133-136)
“gardens of Eternity which they will enter: beneath which flow (pleasant) rivers: they will have therein all
that they wish: thus doth Allah reward the righteous.” (Sura 16:32)
[on the Day of Judgment] ”… Then he that will be given his Record in his right hand [believers] will say: ‘Ah
here! Read ye my Record!’” (Sura 69:18,19)
c. God’s “Presence” In Paradise: Although God’s presence in Paradise is
specifically referred to 15 times (Here are a few:) …
“… Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord”. (Sura 3:169)
“… Verily in God’s presence is a reward, the greatest (of all).” (Sura 9:22)
“… a reward from the presence of God and from His presence is the best of rewards.” (Sura 3:195)
“… gardens, with rivers flowing beneath. Therein are they to dwell (forever) – a gift from the presence of
God; and that which is in the presence of God is the best (bliss) for the righteous.” (Sura 3:198)
… nevertheless, God’s “presence” seems to be referring to rewards being given “in God’s
presence” (meaning in the sight or knowledge of), or rewards coming “from the presence of
God.” It says, “the greatest” and “the best of rewards” is that which is given “in
God’s presence.” It doesn’t say God’s Fellowship is the greatest of rewards. So while
the Qur’an says God will be present in Paradise, it doesn’t say He will be sharing
Himself with the righteous in any kind of intimate, personal relationship or fellowship
– a subtle but important difference!
Also there is mention of believers being “those nearest to God,” being “in nearness to their
Lord,” being “in nearness to thee,” having “the good pleasure of God,” of “God well pleased
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with them and they with Him,” receiving their reward “with God,” being “in God’s sight,” and
having all that they wish for “before their Lord.”
Although these references might be interpreted otherwise, they do not seem to mean
believers enjoying intimate fellowship with God, but perhaps can be summed up in a
statement in Sura 9:72: “the greatest bless is the good pleasure of God. That is the
supreme felicity.”
d. Worldly, Physical Pleasures In Paradise: It’s important to notice the sheer
number of references to earthly pleasures. Here are eleven of the most commonly
mentioned rewards in Paradise:
- Luxuriant gardens (116 times),
- rivers flowing beneath (53 times),
- lasting eternally (44 times),
- the fulfillment of all desires (29 times),
- beautiful mansions or homes (27 times),
- total bliss (24 times),
- at ease reclining on lofty jewel encrusted thrones of dignity (22 times),
- all kinds of fruits in abundance (19 times),
- many companions (19 times),
- joined to chaste virgins whom no man or jinn before them has touched, who restrain
their glances and have beautiful, big and lustrous eyes (13 times),
- rivers of non-intoxicating wine (9 times).
To see this heavy emphasis on physical rewards and the absence of any clear statement of
an intimate fellowship with God, see a recent article about Paradise from an Islamic web
site, (http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IR1209-5254).
e. Women In Paradise: Although the Qur’an’s description of Paradise seems to be a
place designed for men, it does mention the presence of righteous women in 17 verses.
Here are a couple of them:
“God hath promised to believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and
beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss…” (Sura 9:72)
“… And those who believe and whose families follow them in faith, to them shall we join their families…
“ (Sura 52:21)
One wonders, however, how these righteous women will “be joined” to the “chaste virgins,
whom no man or jinn before them has touched, who restrain their glances and have
beautiful, big and lustrous eyes”!
f. Ranked By Merit: There are several verses that seem to indicate differences of
honor and merit among believers in Paradise:
“And those Foremost (in Faith) will be Foremost (in the Hereafter). These will be those Nearest to
Allah: In Gardens of Bliss:” (Sura 56:10-12)
“… Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished
above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,- ranks specially bestowed by Him ...” (Sura
4:95,96)
“They will recline (with ease) on Thrones (of dignity) arranged in ranks ...” (Sura 52:20)
g. Personal Thrones Of Honor And Dignity: The major focus of Paradise seems
to be on the righteous receiving personal bliss and dignity as they recline on their own
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personal thrones. (in contrast to the Bible’s picture of saints worshipping God on His
throne):
“… they (shall enjoy) honour and dignity … facing each other on thrones …” (Sura 37:40,41)
”They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk
and heavy brocade. They will recline therein on raised thrones ...” (Sura 18:31)
“Truly the righteous will be in bliss. On thrones (of dignity) will they command a sight (of all things) ... in
their faces the beaming brightness of bliss.” (Sura 83:22,23)
Yusuf Ali in his translation of the Qur’an states plainly that he interprets much of the Qur’an’s
teaching about Paradise allegorically and not literally (see his note #5617 and appendix 12).
Undoubtedly other Muslim scholars believe likewise.
[For more complete details of the Qur’an’s teaching about Paradise, see Appendix 7]
THE BIBLE:
The Bible’s Emphasis On God’s Immanence Is All Pervasive:
1. GOD’S PURPOSE IN HIS IMMANENCE: First of all, we human beings in our sinful,
natural state could never imagine almighty God living with or in us:
[The magicians of Babylon said to the king] “The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king
except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” (Daniel 2:11)
[Solomon prayed] “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven
cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!” (2 Chronicles 6:18)
But why should God want to be interactive with mankind? He certainly does not need us, so
why did He choose to create us and why in His “own image”? The only answer I can see is He
created us in His own image so we would have the ability to know Him (not just know
about Him) and to live in an intimate relationship with Him.
However, Adam sinned and brought “death” upon himself and all his descendants, cutting us
off from any relationship with God. Nevertheless, God’s purpose for us to have fellowship with
Him was still evident after mankind became estranged from Him:
“For thus says the One who … inhabits eternity ...: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him
who is of a contrite and lowly spirit …’” (Isaiah 57:15)
“... let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me ...” (Jeremiah 9:24)
Therefore, God, in His love, sent Christ to conquer sin and death for us so any sinner
who repents and receives Christ can now be in full fellowship with Him:
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us
so that … we might live with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9,10)
“… as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and
they shall be my people.’” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
Finally, God’s objective will be realized in the new heaven and earth at the end of time:
“… Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,
and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)
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2. SEVEN FACETS OF GOD’S IMMANENCE: Like a priceless, beautiful gem this
truth has many facets, all of which reveal the truth of His immanence:
a. The Eternal God Reveals Himself To Mankind, even to those who are not
looking for Him:
“So I will … make myself known in the eyes of many nations ...” (Ezekiel 38:23)
“God spoke to Moses … ‘I am the LORD [YHWH - He (Who) is]. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob, as God Almighty [Hebrew El Shaddai], but by my name the LORD [YHWH] I did not make
myself known to them.’” (Exodus 6:2,3)
“I, the LORD, [YHWH - He (Who) is] the first, and with the last; I am he ... fear not, for I am with you; be not
dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:4,10)
“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who
did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am’ to a nation that was not called by my name.”
(Isaiah 65:1)
b. God’s “Presence” With His People: God designed His people to relate to Him in
an intimate relationship. In fact, God’s presence with His people is what is uniquely
different about the God of the Bible:
“Moses said to the LORD … ‘If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For
how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going
with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the
earth?’ And the LORD said to Moses, ‘This very thing that you have spoken I will do ...’” (Exodus
33:12,15-17; see also 2 Samuel 7:22-24)
The Lord’s “presence” is mentioned 61 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible in
reference to God’s immanence. Here are two more examples:
“… brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power” (Deuteronomy 4:37)
“Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before
the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him …” (Lamentations 2:19)
God’s “presence” is not Him sitting on His throne in heaven and seeing and hearing
everything going on in our lives (as in Islam), but God repeatedly says He will “dwell with,”
be in the “midst” of, “live among,” and be “right beside” His people:
“He shall dwell with you, in your midst ...” (Deuteronomy 23:16)
“… you live among your people … “ (Numbers 14:14 - NLT)
“My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God ...” (Ezekiel 37:27)
“The LORD is my shepherd … I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:1,4)
“I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart
is glad, and I rejoice.” (Psalm 16:8-9 - NLT)
c. God Wants His People Of All Ages To “Know Him” In An Intimate Way.
This is not just knowing about Him. It is “walking with” Him in such an intimate way that
we become like Him in our behavior:
“Enoch walked with God … 300 years and had other sons and daughters … Enoch walked with God,
and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:22-24)
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“… the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord …” (Isaiah 11:9)
“… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they
shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother,
saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,
declares the LORD …” (Jeremiah 31:33,34 – also Hebrews 8:10,11)
d. God Does This Because He Wants Us To Be His Own People. God’s
immanence is expressed in His desire for a close relationship with His people. We see this
in the possessive pronouns God uses for us, such as “my,” “your,” “mine,” “his own”
etc, and He further emphasizes it with words such as “inheritance,” “treasured,” “chosen”
and “possession”:
“… I brought you to myself. Now therefore … you shall be my treasured possession among all
peoples, for all the earth is mine.” (Exodus 19:4,5) [See also Deut.7:6, 14:2, 26:18 & Mal. 3:17]
“But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his
own inheritance, as you are this day.” (Deuteronomy 4:20)
“But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself …” (Psalm 4:3)
“… they consult together against your treasured ones.” (Psalm 83:3)
“a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.
‘They shall be mine,’ says the LORD of hosts …” (Malachi 3:17)
“… So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.” (Romans 14:8)
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession …
you were not a people, but now you are God's people …” (1 Peter 2:9,10)
What an awesome truth that God created us and redeemed us for Himself!
e. And God Wants To Be Our God: God not only desires us to be His but also that
He would be ours. He is truly a covenant making God:
“I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God
...” (Exodus 6:7) [See also Lev.26:12; Psalm 50:7; 100:3; Jer.7:23; 11:4; 30:22 & Ezek.36:28]
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
143 times in the Bible God’s people have spoken of God as “my God” (77 of which are
spoken directly to God in prayer), “my Lord” is used 13 times (of which 7 are spoken
directly to Him), and God speaks of us as “my people“ over 200 times!
By comparison the Qur’an never uses “my God,” but it does use “my Lord” (master) about
150 times (about one third are spoken directly to Him by prophets). In the Qur’an God
never speaks of “my people,” but only of “my slaves/servants” (20 times), “my
messengers/prophets” (4 times) and “my worshippers” (1 time).
f. And He Wants Us To Be Called By His Name:
“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from
their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven ...” (2 chronicles 7:14)
“… Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name;” (Jer. 14:9)
g. This is Such An Intimate Relationship That God Compares It To:
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i) Husband and His Wife:
“For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name ….” (Isaiah 54:5)
“And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ …’” (Hosea 2:16)
ii) Father and His Child:
“… in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries
his son ….” (Deuteronomy 1:31)
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son … Yet it was I who taught
Ephraim to walk … I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love … and I bent
down to them and fed them.” (Hosea 11:1,3,4)
iii) Shepherd and His sheep:
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in
his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
iv) Senior and Junior Partners: God shared His authority and work with Adam and
Eve and He does the same with us as His junior partners:
“… And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have
dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living
thing that moves on the earth.’” (Genesis 1:28)
“For we are God's fellow workers …” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
v) King and His Co-Regent:
“if we endure, we will also reign with him ...” (2 Timothy 2:12)
“and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:10)
vi) Owner and His Home:
“you are … members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined
together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a
dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)
“you … like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house …” (1 Peter 2:5)
“but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house ...” (Hebrews 3:6)
“Do you not know that you [plural] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? … For God's
temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16,17)
“What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God
said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them …’” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
A Sample (King David) Of The Intimacy God Wants With Us:
“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for
you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and
gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I
will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the
richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.
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“I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for
joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” (Psalm
63:1-8 - NLT)
This intimacy does not mean that God’s people do not respect or are not awed by God’s
greatness and omnipotence. To the contrary, God’s glory causes us to shout with joy and
to praise and rejoice in awe. It is out of joy (not terror) and inexpressible awe that we
worship and praise our great Savior God:
“Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. What joy for those you choose to bring
near, those who live in your holy courts … [We] stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun
rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy ... Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing
about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.” (Psalm 65:3,4,8 and 66:1,2 – NLT)
3. SEVEN STAGES OF GOD’S IMMANENCE: These are stages in the
chronological development of God’s intimate relationship with his people. We will
see:
God and us
God away from us
God visiting us
God among us
God, one of us
God in us and we in Him
God forever with us
a. God And Us – God’s Intimate Fellowship With Man Initially: God’s original
purpose in the creation of humanity was to have eternal intimate fellowship with us, so we
could “know” Him. For that reason God regularly came (apparently in some physical form)
to “walk” and talk with Adam and Eve. Soon after they sinned by disobeying Him, He came
again to question and rebuke them and they heard the audible sound of his physical
footsteps:
“they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and
his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God …” (Genesis 3:8)
b. God Away From Us – Mankind’s sin destroyed that fellowship:
Mankind’s sin made it impossible for them to “know” God as before, so our first ancestors
were sent away from the presence of God. Then mankind, instead of regularly walking and
talking with God, began “calling on the name of the Lord,” hoping He would hear them:
“Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod… To Seth also a
son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of
the LORD.” (Genesis 4:16,26)
c. God Visiting Us – God’s Fellowship With Individual Believers: Even after
humanity rebelled against God He continued to visit certain individual believers. Although
the Bible also mentions numerous times that angels were sent by God to different people
with a message, He Himself visited people directly in three ways:
1) He “Appeared” To People: He “came to,” “appeared to” or “walked with” people
in order to speak to them directly. God is Spirit and invisible so He must have taken on
some physical form in order to “appear” to them. We don’t know what form or forms He
may have chosen, but we know that one time he appeared to Abraham and Sarah as
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one of three men (The other two were angels). Another time He appeared to Moses as
a fire burning in a bush. He appeared to Jacob in a dream. He also appeared to Isaac,
Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon and Jeremiah. This truly staggers the
imagination! This is a clear contrast to the Qur’an’s frequent mention of God indirectly
“sending down” His will (in His revelations) through an angel:
i) God walked with Enoch:
“Enoch walked with God … all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and
he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:22-24)
ii) God appeared to Abraham:
“And the LORD appeared to him (Abraham) ... He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three
men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet
them and bowed himself to the earth and said, ‘O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do
not pass by your servant.’ ... The LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next
year …’” (Genesis 18:1-3,10)
iii) God spoke to Isaac (Abraham’s son) promising to be with him:
“And the Lord appeared to him and said …I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to
your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham
your father.” (Genesis 26:2,3)
iv) When Jacob (Isaac’s son) was a young man and was about to go to Paddan
Aram God appeared to him in a dream:
“’I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will
not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ ... Than Jacob awoke from his
sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it … How awesome is this
place! This is none other than the house of God …’” (Genesis 28:15-17)
v) God appeared and spoke to Moses “face to face”:
“God also said to Moses, … Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The
LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has
appeared to me…’” (Exodus 3:15,16)
“Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God … Now Mount Sinai was wrapped
in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the
smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet
grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The LORD came
down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of
the mountain, and Moses went up.” (Exodus 19:17-20)
“Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exodus
33:11)
vi) God appeared to Solomon:
“Then the Lord appeared to Solomon … and said to him: ‘I have heard your prayer and have
chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.’” (2 Chronicles 7:12)
2) God’s Word Came To The Prophets. In fact, the Bible says 101 times that “the
word of the Lord came to …” (Abraham, Samuel, Solomon, Elijah, Isaiah, David,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, and several others are specifically mentioned)! God’s Word
cannot itself “come” to people; it has to be sent. Only a living being can “come
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to” someone. Clearly this is the pre-incarnate Son of God, the eternal Word of God,
through Whom God created everything in the beginning:
“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision ...” (Genesis 15:1)
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying …” (Ezekiel 22:1)
We don’t know whether that Word was audible or a voice in their hearts, but at least a
few times it was an audible voice from heaven:
“and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son …’” (Matthew 3:17)
3) “The Angel Of The Lord” Came To Many People. The title “Angel of the Lord” is
mentioned more than 50 times. He is more than a created angel because He is referred
to as God and He speaks as God. Again, it seems this is the pre-incarnate Son of God
appearing in the form of an angel:
“The angel of the LORD found her [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness … The angel of the
Lord also said to her, ‘I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for
multitude.’” (Genesis 16:7,10)
“And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He
looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed … God called to him out of
the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” (Exodus 3:2-4)
d. God Among Us – God Lived In The Middle Of His People: God chose the
nation of Israel to be His special people. He wanted to have a relationship with them as
“their God,” so He chose to be “with” them, “in their midst” in order to live “among” them
and have them live “with” Him:
“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.” (Exodus 25:8)
“… Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you …” (Joshua 3:10)
“I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD
their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD
their God.” (Exodus 29:45-46 – see also Ezekiel 37:27,28)
“And he said [to Moses], ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ And he [Moses] said to him,
‘If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here ... Is it not in your going with us,
so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?’”
(Exodus 33:14-16)
“I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and
will be your God, and you shall be my people.” (Leviticus 26:11-12 – see also Exodus 25:8; 29:45; and
Deuteronomy 23:14)
“Shout, and sing for joy … for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 12:6)
e. God, One Of Us – God Becoming A Human Being: Then God entered more
fully into human affairs by causing His eternal Word to become a man with a human body
made of flesh and blood, born of the virgin Mary and named “Jesus” the Messiah. Thus He
went from only putting His spiritual presence among us to becoming one of us!
Some will ask how it is possible for the eternal, almighty God to become
a human being. One answer is that it is just as possible as it was for God to send His
Word to mankind, which He did repeatedly through the prophets over the ages. Think about
it! In order for God to communicate with mankind through prophets, He had to translate His
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eternal and limitless thoughts into man’s language with all of its limited concepts, its
depraved associations, its changing meanings and its dependency on time terminology.
How did God do that? By His omnipotent and limitless power! Who dares to even think
He couldn’t do that? Likewise God by that same omnipotent and limitless power sent His
eternal Word, through Whom He created all things, to become a human being, living
among us as one of us. Wow!
Jesus, the eternal “Word of God,” and “image of the invisible God” is “God with us:”
“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”
(Revelation 19:13)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in
heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all
things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things
hold together … For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:15-19)
“’Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means,
God with us).” (Matthew 1:23)
As a man living among us, He told us where He came from: He said several times that He
“came down from heaven:”
“For I have come down from heaven … to do … the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38)
God did this in Jesus so He could be our perfect substitute in removing our sin from us,
reconciling us to Himself and restoring us to His eternal, intimate fellowship:
“… God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself... ” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
“… when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that
you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God …” (Gal. 4:8,9)
"… our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ." (I John 1:3)
"this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have
sent." (John 17:3)
This is quite different from the Qur’an’s description of God communicating with mankind.
God “coming down” is very different from God “sending down.”
f. God In Us and We in Him – God Intimately Related To Us Today: Not
only did God became one of us, but God also has chosen to live in us and have us live in
Him! When we truly trust in Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit (Who is the Spirit of Christ) comes
into our lives and unites us with Himself in a constant and intimate fellowship. He in us and
we in Him, even though we are still on this earth:
“… the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to
him… If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he … will also give life to
your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you… For all who are led by the Spirit of God
are sons of God ... you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba!
Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans
8:9-11, 14-16)
“… you are God's temple and … God's Spirit dwells in you … your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit within you, whom you have from God …” (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19)
“Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he
abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” (1 John 3:24)
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g. God Forever With Us – In The Presence Of God Eternally: Those who
receive God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ will spend eternity enjoying a far more
intimate fellowship with God than is possible in this life:
“… Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes ... ‘I will be his God and he will be my son.’” (Revelation 21:3,4,7)
This is the culmination of God’s work in our lives – restoring us to His original purpose of
being forever in His image and in perfect fellowship with Him. Eternal life means eternal
love and fellowship with God:
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus ...” (Romans 8:38-39)
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
”… and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
“… we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John
3:2).
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” (Psalm
73:25)
4. SEVEN BLESSINGS OF GOD’S IMMANENCE: We have many amazing, life
transforming benefits from God living with and in us. Here are seven of them:
a. God Gives Us Himself. Notice phrases like “I am your –,” “he is my –,” etc. He
doesn’t just give us His blessings (as in Islam), but He Himself is our blessing:
“And the LORD said … ‘I am your portion and your inheritance ...’” (Numbers 18:20)
“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will
praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2)
“my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my
stronghold, my refuge and my savior …” (2 Samuel 22:3 - NIV)
“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my
rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm
18:1,2)
“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:14)
“he is my steadfast love ...” (Psalm 144:2)
“… the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23:6)
b. God Takes Pleasure In Us. How amazing is this?
“Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the LORD
takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:3,4)
“The LORD your God is in your midst, … he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud
singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
[the LORD says] “you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you …” (Isaiah 43:4)
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He does this so God’s people also experience great joy in such an intimate fellowship with
their maker and Savior:
“… in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm
16:11)
“… I am continually with you; you hold my right hand … Whom have I in heaven but you? And there
is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the
strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:23-26)
c. Our God Is Transforming Us Into His Own Image So We Can Know
Him Intimately. God originally created us in His own image, but because of sin that
image has been deeply marred. God is in the process of restoring that image through His
Spirit in us:
“And we all … are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this
comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
No one can completely know another person like his or her own spirit does, but because
we have God’s Spirit in us we can have a relationship with Him more intimate than any
human relationship:
“… who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one
comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit
of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us
by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11-12)
“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
(John 17:3)
d. We Can Have God’s Power In Our Lives. God’s Spirit fills us with indescribable
joy and peace. He enables us to overcome temptation and to live for the glory of God.
When we trust in Christ we are not simply given a promise of salvation in the next life. We
are also blessed in this life by God living in us and empowering us to become more like
Jesus here and now:
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength ... they who wait for
the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run
and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29,31)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem … and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:12)
“… walk by the [power of the] Spirit ... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control …’” (Galatians 5:16,22,23)
“… the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe ….” (Ephesians 1:19)
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power
at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
e. God Partners With Us. As we become more like Jesus, His purposes become our
desires – to pray for and “remind” Him about them:
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
“who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers.” (Isaiah 44:26)
“You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; And give Him no rest until He establishes And
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makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” (Isaiah 62:6,7)
f. God Feeds Us From The Sacrifices We Offer To Him. The Old Testament
priests in the tabernacle (later in the Temple) had the privilege of sharing with God by
eating part of the animal sacrifices being offered to Him:
“… the portion of Aaron and of his sons from the Lord's food offerings …” (Leviticus 7:35)
“The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance [of land] with Israel. They shall
eat the Lord's food offerings as their inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 18:1)
Likewise, we New Testament believers have received a spiritual priesthood:
“you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priest-hood, to
offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
And as priests, we have the right to “eat” (receive) spiritual blessing from the spiritual
sacrifices we offer to God on the spiritual altar in His presence:
“We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.” (Hebrews 13:10 –
NLT; also Hebrews 9:23)
There are various kinds of spiritual sacrifices we New Testament priests can offer to God,
in which we are blessed as we sacrifice to Him. They include:
i) The sacrifice of a broken spirit and a contrite heart:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart ...” (Psalm 51:17)
ii) The sacrifice of love:
“And to love him (God) with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength,
and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33)
iii) The sacrifice of praise:
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips
that acknowledge his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
iv) The sacrifice of our body:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers … to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
v) The sacrifice of our money:
“… I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a
sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18)
“… share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16)
vi) The sacrifice of our thanksgiving:
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving …” (Psalm 50:14)
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me …” (Psalm 50:23)
g. God Joins Us In Both Our Suffering And Joy. Just think how the prophet
Noah must have felt when God told him He was going to send a great flood to destroy all
mankind except those in the ark (ship) Noah was to build for his immediate family. What
about his brothers and sisters, his aunts and uncles and cousins, and his father and
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grandfather, who were still living at that time? Although nothing is written about his feelings,
we certainly can imagine the grief he must have felt as he pleaded with them to repent and
join him in the ark. But God’s grief was far greater! We don’t read about God’s wrath in
response to all mankind’s sin and rebellion against Him. Instead we read about His grief;
the grief He shared with Noah at that time:
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth … And the LORD regretted that he had
made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart …” (Genesis 6:5,6)
Likewise, when many years later the people of Israel turned away from God and began
worshipping idols, the Lord was deeply broken hearted and disciplined them by allowing
their enemies to ravage and destroy them. When Israel in their misery repented and turned
to the Lord again, He felt their misery and shared in their grief, allowing them to be
saved from all their oppression:
“then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I
have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that
go whoring after their idols ….” (Ezekiel 6:9)
“And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved
for the misery of Israel.” (Judges 10:16 – KJV)
Imagine how God must have been grieved for His people as He disciplined them by
allowing others to destroy them because of their rebellion and sin against Him! As someone
has written, this is not the picture of “some heavenly General Patton” finding our acts of
insubordination intolerable. Rather, this is the image of a parent. Every father and mother
has experienced a similar grief while watching a son or daughter disobey and do foolish
and harmful things. Clearly, God’s suffering with us is not because He is weak, but because
He is love!
“In all their suffering he also suffered …” (Isaiah 63:9 – NLT)
God also rejoices with His people when they trust and follow Him:
“as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5);
“The LORD your God is in your midst … he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by his
love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
5. GOD’S IMMANENCE SEEN IN HIS NAME, “YHWH”: There are three major
Hebrew names for God (Elohim, Adonai and YHWH) used in the Old Testament of the Bible:
[See chapter 6 – God’s Name & Glory]
- Elohim means “God.” [see also Chapter 2 – God’s Power]
- Adonai means “Lord” or “Master.” [see also Chapter 3 – God’s Sovereignty]
- YHWH, His major name, is what we want to focus on in this study. It is a name with great
significance in the Bible.
YHWH (pronounced, Yahweh or Jehovah) unfortunately is translated, “the LORD” in most
English translations. It is the primary Hebrew name of God and is found about 7,700 times!
God introduced this name when He commissioned the prophet Moses:
“Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say …, “The God of your fathers has sent me to
you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I
AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.” … Say this to the people
of Israel, “The LORD [YHWH = “He Is”] the God of your fathers … has sent me to you.” This is my name
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forever’ … ” (Exodus 3:13-15)
Yahweh is technically not a name, but is a form of the Hebrew verb “to be” (hayah). When God
used that name for Himself, speaking in the first person, it is properly translated, “I Am” or “I
Am Who I Am,” but when that name was spoken in the third person about God by people it
should be translated, “He Is” or “He Who Is” (instead of “The LORD “).
The most important thing to understand about the name YHWH is that it speaks of God
revealing Himself to us. It shows us that God is not interested in simply making us
understand His power or His will, but He wants to make Himself known to us. It’s like
saying, “Here I am!” or “Let me show you who I am so you can know me.” One of the
greatest differences between the teaching of the Qur’an and the Bible about God can clearly
be seen by comparing their primary names for God:
Allah, meaning “The God” = The only God.
Yahweh, meaning “I Am” or “He Who Is” = the God Who reveals Himself.
Even though God, the great omnipotent Creator, is transcendent (above, distinct and separate
from His creation), and although it seems totally impossible for us mere created mortals to ever
have any kind of personal relationship with the Almighty Creator, God has Himself chosen to
enter into our lives and to be “near” (Psalm 119:151) to us. This is His immanence, which
has many facets:
6. GOD’S IMMANENCE SEEN IN HIS COVENANTS:
a. What Is A Covenant? What Are the Components?
1) A Covenant Involves Two Parties In A Relationship. When God makes a
covenant with people, He puts Himself into a relationship with them. This is seen initially
by the fact that a covenant is always made “with” someone, whereas a promise is made
“to” someone. Thus by making covenants with people, God established relationships
with Adam & Eve, with King David, with the nation of Israel and even with believers
today.
2) A Covenant Is A Pledge By The Two Parties To Each Other. In God’s covenant
with Adam and Eve, for example, He pledged Himself to provide unhindered fellowship,
a beautiful garden in which to live, all the food they could possibly want, perfect health
and eternal life. In exchange Adam and Eve were pledged to fulfill God’s directives to be
fruitful and replenish the earth, to take care of the garden, to exercise dominion for God
over the earth and all the creatures and to refrain from eating the fruit from the tree of
The Knowledge Of Good and Evil (See Genesis chapters 1 & 2).
3) A Covenant Is In Force As Long As Both Parties Honor Their Pledges. For
example, God’s pledge to make Abraham a great nation, to give the land of Canaan to
his descendants, and to make his Son a blessing to all the nations of the world (Genesis
12) would never have happened if Abraham had not been willing to leave his home and
family and follow the Lord wherever He led him.
b. A Sampling Of The Covenants God Has Made With Mankind: In addition
to God’s covenants with Adam and Eve, and with Abraham, which we have already
mentioned, there are at least 12 others mentioned in the Bible. The details and Bible
references for each of these covenants are far too numerous to include here, but here are
the names of several:
[See Appendix 8 for a complete listing with all the details of most of God’s Covenants]
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- God’s Covenant With Noah And His Descendants
- God’s Covenant With Hagar And Her Son Ishmael
- God’s Covenant With The Nation Of Israel Through Moses
- God’s Covenant With David And His Son
- God’s Covenant With King Solomon
- God’s New Covenant With Believers From The Nations
Just imagine! Almighty God, the omnipotent Creator, has chosen to obligate and pledge
Himself by making covenants, just so He can create a relationship with us mere created mortal
human beings! How awesome is His immanence!
7. JESUS, THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S IMMANENCE: God, in His Immanence,
chose to become one of us so He could live among us:
a. As A Fellow Human Being: How is it possible for God to become a man? What
better way is there for the Almighty to reveal Himself to us mere mortals?
“… Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:8,9)
“In the beginning was the Word … and the Word was God ... All things were made through him ...
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ...” (John 1:1-3,14)
“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,who is close to the Father’s heart, who has
made him known.” (John 1:18 - NRSV)
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has
seen me has seen the Father.’” (John 14:9)
“He is the image of the invisible God …” (Colossians 1:15)
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature …” (Heb.1:3)
b. As A Friend And Brother: How can our great Creator become our friend and
brother? Because of love, Jesus became family, living in community with us:
“... That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my
brothers ...’” (Hebrews 2:11,12)
“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might … make propitiation
for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)
His amazing love for His friends and brothers is obvious:
“By this we know love, that he [Jesus] laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16)
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Just imagine the love that caused …
The Creator to choose to enter into His own creation in a created body,
The One worthy of all honor and glory to be a relatively unknown common man,
The Unchanging One to be born in a human body,
The Omnipotent One to become a helpless baby, unable to talk, eat or walk,
The Sovereign King of kings, Who is infinitely high above all, to become a village carpenter,
The Righteous One to live in a world of shameless evil,
The Sovereign Lord of Lords to become a servant of all mankind,
The Omniscient One to have to grow in wisdom and knowledge,
The Eternal One to be restricted by the limitations of time,
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The Omnipresent One to be confined to one location at a time,
The Owner of all the universe to find no room in the inn and be born in a stable,
The Owner of the cattle on a thousand hills to become poor,
The One Who never slumbers or sleeps to become weary and overcome by sleep,
The One Who cannot be tempted by evil to be tempted by the Devil.
The Lord of Lords humbling Himself to become a servant of all mankind,
The Lord of Life to submit Himself to enter death in our place,
The King of Glory to joyfully embrace the shame of crucifixion.
c. As One With Us: Using very graphic metaphors, He invites us to be united with Him
in an even more intimate relationship:
1) To Follow Him And Join Him In His Death To Self:
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 & Matthew 16:24)
2) To Feed On Him, i.e., to be united with His death and resurrected life for us:
“I am the bread of life … I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this
bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
… Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on
the last day ... Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”
(John 6:48-56)
3) To Put Him On (like a garment) And Be United With Him:
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
(Romans 13:14)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses … In him we have
obtained an inheritance ... In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of
our inheritance …” (Ephesians 1:7,11,13,14)
d. So, If We Don’t Receive And Believe In Jesus, God’s Revelation Of
Himself, We Can’t Know Or Believe In God:
“that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not
honor the Father who sent him.” (John 5:23)
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” (John 14:6,7)
“Whoever hates me hates my Father also.” (John 15:23)
“No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1
John 2:23)
But when we turn to God through the Lord Jesus, see what happens:
“But their [Israelites] minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same
veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever
Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” (2
Corinthians 3:14-16)
[For many more verses revealing the deity of Jesus see Appendix 5;
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Also see chapters 29 to 32 in Nabeel Qureshi’s book, No God But One Allah or Jesus?]
8.THE COST OF GOD’S IMMANANCE – HIS HUMILITY: “Bending down” in humility
to talk with, fellowship with and listen to the thoughts of His created mortal children is part of
the “price” God pays in his immanence: [see also chapter 14 section D]
“… I bent down to them … for I am God … the Holy One in your midst,” (Hosea 11:4,9)
[God said to Moses] “And I will come down and talk with you …” (Numbers 11:17)
[Abraham’s reasoning with God about the city of Sodom] “… Abraham still stood before the LORD. Then Abraham
drew near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are
fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty
righteous who are in it?’ … Then he said, ‘Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this
once. Suppose [only] ten are found there’ He answered, “For the sake of [even just] ten I will not
destroy it.” (Genesis 18:22-24,32)
God Himself is self-sufficient, so His only reason for being intimately involved with us is His
fatherly love for us. He wants to make us great! But in doing so the omnipotent, almighty and
sovereign God humbles Himself. This is most evident in His causing His eternal Word to
become a man in order to conquer death for us. That eternal Word stooped down to become a
servant of mankind, bearing the guilt of all our sin:
“… Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
“… the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life ...” (Matthew 20:28)
Jesus also talked about His humility in becoming a human being as our substitute:
“… learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart ...” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“… I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:27)
God’s humility in bending down to listen and in wanting to partner with us should make us want
to pray and praise Him even more!
“Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2 – NLT)
C. MY REACTIONS & CONCLUSIONS:
1. GOD NOT IMMANENT: Islam exalts God’s transcendence so much that His
immanence is denied.
2. CONTRAST WITH BIBLE’S DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN: Although there are
some noticeable similarities between the Qur’an’s description of Paradise and things
mentioned in the description of the new heaven and new earth in Revelation chapters 21 and
22 of the Bible (e.g., “a bride adorned for her husband,” “radiance like a most rare jewel, like a
jasper,” “pearls,” “pure gold,” “the river of the water of life,” “the tree of life with its twelve kinds
of fruit,” etc.), nevertheless the major focus in the Bible’s description is God on His throne,
surrounded by believers totally focused on worshiping and exalting Him and being with Him:
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“… there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne…. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our
God, who sits on the throne’ … they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night.... ‘“
(Revelation 7:9-15)
“… and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
”… the throne of God…will be in it, and his servants will worship him.” (Revelation 22:3)
Contrast this with the Qur’an’s description of believers reclining in honor and dignity on
their own thrones totally focused on the ecstasy of their own rewards:
3. DIRECT OR INDIRECT PRAISE: While Islam teaches Muslims to praise God well by
speaking about Him (“God is the greatest!”), their lack of a personal relationship with Him
means they are not able to praise Him by speaking directly to Him as in Revelation 4: “You are
worthy, O Lord!” “… we thank you!”, etc.
4. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? Here’s one young Muslim’s reaction to
the idea of us having a personal relationship with God:
“This idea that God is personal is ridiculous. There’s no way that can be true. Any good Muslim knows Allah is
far removed from us and is to be feared. He is the Almighty! How could any Muslim believe such a
blasphemous thing as a personal God?”
In our human understanding it would seem impossible for us created human beings to achieve
a personal relationship with God; even far more impossible than it would be for an ant to be
able to have a personal relationship with a human being. But it is not at all impossible for the
omnipotent God to create us in such a way as to make a personal relationship with Him more
than possible – and that is what He Has done!
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APPENDIX 7
DETAILS FROM THE QUR’AN’S TEACHING ABOUT
PARADISE
[All Qur’anic quotations are from Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted]
I have been able to find 389 verses (in 82 of the 114 Suras of the Qur’an) that mention or
describe Paradise. Here are the topics in this study:
1) Paradise Described As An Earned “Reward”
2) Those Who Earn Paradise
3) The Presence Of Women Believers In Paradise
4) The “Presence” Of God In Paradise
5) Complete List Of Rewards In Paradise
6) Complete List Of 389 References In Traditional Order
7) Article, “The Pleasures Of Paradise” From IslamiCity Web Site
1) Paradise Described As An Earned Reward:A total of 91 times the following
words are used to describe Paradise being obtained as a reward or an achievement (The number
preceding each word or phrase is the number of times that it is mentioned in this way):
(61) a “reward,” (7) a “recompense,” (4) an “inheritance,” (4) an ”end,” “object” or “goal,” (1) the race for forgiveness
from your Lord;” (9) the highest or supreme “achievement;” and (2) that which was “sent forth/before you;” and (3)
“earned”
2) Those Who Earn Paradise: The following are the words or phrases used to describe
those who earn Paradise. (The number preceding each word or phrase is the number of times that term is mentioned):
(102) “the righteous who work or do good deeds of righteousness;” (69) those who “believe” or are “believers;” (9)
“those well pleasing to God;” (7) “those who fear God;” (2) “those who fear the judgment;” (5) “servants of God;” (5)
“who are patient and constant and patiently persevere;” (5) “who obey God and the apostle;” (4) Those who “repent;” (4)
“devotees, devoted to God;” (2) “who bow to God and in Islam;” (4) those who suffered harm or fought or been slain in
God’s cause [jihad];” (4) “Those who have left their homes or been driven out there from; (3) “the martyrs, who believe
and suffer exile and strive”
3) The Presence Of Women Believers In Paradise: The Qur’an’s description of
Paradise seems to be a place especially designed for men. However, it mentions the presence of
righteous women 17 times. Here are 7 of them:
“And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them, ‘Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he
male or female. Ye are members one of another.’” (Sura 3:195 – see also 4:124)
“God hath promised to believers, men and women, gardens …’ (Sura 9:72 – see also 33:35)
"… promised to them, and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity!” (Sura 40:8)
“… enter ye the garden, ye and your wives …” (Sura 43:70)
“That He may admit the men and women who believe, to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye”
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(Sura 48:5)
“… And those who believe and whose families follow them in faith, to them shall we join their families …” (Sura 52:21
– see also 53:15)
“One day shalt thou see the believing men and the believing women …” (Sura 57:12 – see also 57:18)
4) The “Presence” Of God In Paradise: There are15 specific mentions of the
“presence,” “pleasure” or “countenance” of God in Paradise. This does not mean believers will have a
personal fellowship with God. Gifts given “in’ or “from his presence” seem to mean only that God is
present – seeing, knowing and giving all rewards. Seeking “his countenance” and receiving the “good
pleasure of God” seem to mean only that believers are seeking His approval:
“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of
their Lord”. (Sura 3:169)
“And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them, ‘Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he
male or female. Ye are members one of another. Those who have left their homes or been driven out there from, or
suffered harm in My cause, or fought or been slain – verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into
gardens with rivers flowing beneath – a reward from the presence of God and from His presence is the best of
rewards.” (Sura 3:195)
“… for those who fear their Lord, are gardens, with rivers flowing beneath. Therein are they to dwell (for ever) – a gift
from the presence of God; and that which is in the presence of God is the best (bliss) for the righteous.” (Sura
3:198)
“And We should then have given them from our presence a great reward” (Sura 4:67)
“For them will be a home of peace in the presence of their Lord: He will be their friend, because they practised
(righteousness).” (Sura 6:127)
“Those who believe and suffer exile and strive [jihad] with might and main in God’s cause with their goods and their
persons, have the highest rank in the sight of God. They … will achieve (salvation). Their Lord doth give them glad
tidings of a mercy from Himself, of his good pleasure, and of gardens for them, wherein are delights that endure. They
will dwell therein for ever. Verily in God’s presence is a reward, the greatest (of all).” (Sura 9:20-22)
“Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance of their Lord; Establish regular prayers; spend, out of (the
gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly; and turn off Evil with good: for such there is the final
attainment of the (eternal) home,” (Sura 13:22)
“They shall have all that they wish for, in the presence of their Lord: such is the reward of those who do good.” (Sura
39:34)
“And the garden will be brought nigh to the righteous – no more a thing distant. (A voice will say), ‘This is what was
promised for you – for every one who turned (to God) in sincere repentance, who kept (His law), enter ye therein in
peace and security. This is a day of eternal life!’ There will be for them therein all that they wish, and more besides, in
our presence.” (Sura 50:31-35)
“As to the righteous, they will be in the midst of gardens and rivers, in an assembly of truth, in the presence of a
sovereign Omnipotent.” (Sura 54:54,55)
“Your riches and your children may be but a trial: But in the Presence of God, is the highest reward.” (Sura 64:15)
“Verily, for the Righteous, are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.” (Sura 68:34)
“Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification and have in their minds no favour from anyone for which
a reward is expected in return but only the desire to seek for the countenance of their Lord Most High; and soon
will they attain (complete) satisfaction. ” (Sura 92:18-20)
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In addition to the above verses, there are 16 other expressions that could be interpreted to mean
some kind of nearness to God in Paradise:
“… For the righteous are gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath. Therein is their eternal home
with companions pure (and holy) and the good pleasure of God. For in God’s sight are all his servants. ” (Sura 3:15)
"Our Lord! we have heard the call of one calling (Us) to Faith, 'Believe ye in the Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord!
Forgive us our sins, blot out from us our iniquities, and take to Thyself our souls in the company of the righteous.”
(Sura 3:193)
“Their Lord doth give them glad tidings of a mercy from Himself, of his good pleasure, and of gardens for them,
wherein are delights that endure” (Sura 9:21)
“God hath promised to believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful
mansions in gardens of everlasting bless. But the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of God. That is the supreme
felicity.” (Sura 9:72)
“… But those who believe and work righteous needs will be in the luxuriant meads of the gardens. They shall have
before their Lord all that they wish for. That will indeed be the magnificent bounty (of God).” (Sura 42:22)
“These will be those nearest to God, in gardens of bliss.” (Sura 56:11)
“Thus, then, if he be of those nearest to God … ” (Sura 56:88)
“And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe the wife of Pharaoh: Behold she said: ‘O my Lord! Build for
me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from
those that do wrong.’" (Sura 66:11)
“Truly the righteous will be in bliss … a spring from (the waters) whereof drink those nearest to God.” (Sura 83:22,28)
“Come back thou to thy Lord, well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him. Enter thou, then among my
devotees. Yea, enter thou my heaven.” (Sura 89:28-30)
“Their reward is with God; gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow. They will dwell therein for ever, God well
pleased with them, and they with Him. All this for such as fear their Lord and cherisher.” (Sura 98:8)
5) A Complete List Of Rewards In Paradise: Here are the rewards promised to the
righteous in Paradise (The number preceding each word or phrase is the number of times that element is mentioned):
God’s gifts qualifying believers for Paradise:
(15) forgiveness (I will blot out from them their iniquities);
(8) grace from their Lord;
(4) mercy from Himself;
God’s Rewards In Paradise (almost entirely physical, earthly):
(116) garden /gardens [in a; on high; luxuriant meadows; dark green in colour; whose width
is that of the heavens and of the earth]
(53) rivers / fountains /springs [flowing beneath /whereof they drink]
(44) eternal, lasting forever; that endures; ever open
(29) fulfillment of all desires: (22) all that they wish, call for, desire or delight in [their
entertainment] (7) the great *salvation [to attain; achieve; place of]
*[Yusuf Ali’s note #833: “Fauz = felicity, happiness, achievement, salvation, the attainment or fulfillment of
desires.”]
(27) mansions [dwell in; hospitable; lofty; beautiful; one above another] & homes [eternal;
that will last; in the hereafter; of peace; final; of the righteous; in heaven; hospitable]
(24) bliss [gardens of; life of]
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(22) rest (5) recline; (4) rest & repose [at complete /at ease]; (11) on jewel encrusted
thrones [raised; (of honor & dignity); arranged in ranks]; (2) on couch
(19) fruits [all kinds of; in abundance; every kind available; any that they may select,
including dates and pomegranates; whose season is not limited, nor (supply) forbidden; the
bunches hang low in humility; near (easy of reach]
(19) companions (13) of the garden; (6) of the right hand [in an assembly of truth; he
that will be given his record in his right hand]
(13) honor/dignity (4) honor; (9) dignity [thrones of]
(11) companions (virgins) [of special creation; virgin-pure (and undefiled); to be joined to;
fair; good; beautiful; pure and holy; chaste; restraining their glances; in (goodly) pavilions;
beloved (by nature); with beautiful, big and lustrous eyes; (maidens); whom no man or jinn
before them has touched; Like unto rubies and coral; like unto pearls; well-guarded, as if they
were (delicate) eggs closely guarded; of equal age]
(11) delights [that endure; gardens of; mead of; rivers of; of the eye]
(11) salutations of peace; ‘Peace be upon you!;’ ‘Peace! Peace!’ [will greet one another
with]
(11) supreme felicity; happiness;
(9) wine [rivers of; from clear-flowing fountains; crystal-white; of a delicious taste; free from
headiness or after-ache; nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom; a (loving) cup of; mixed with
kafur; mixed with zanjabil; sealed [with] musk; a fountain where the devotees of God do drink;
flowing in unstinted abundance; a fountain there called Salsabil; pure and holy; full (to the
brim); thirst slaked with]
(9) sustenance & provision [determined morning and evening; most excellent; with full
satisfaction]
(7) joy, enjoyment, joyful; (blissful) joy in all they do
(6) the good pleasure of God; being well-pleasing unto Him [God]; of his good pleasure
(6) peace & security
(6) light [their; of beauty]
(6) cool shade [in groves of; ever deepening; long-extended]
(5) other companions (1) associates (3) youths (handsome) [round about them who will
serve (devoted to them); as pearls; well-guarded; of perpetual (freshness)] (1) brothers
[facing each other; questioning each other]
(5) all kinds of trees, palms & vines [among lote-trees without thorns; among talh trees with
flowers; piled one above another]
(5) (complete) satisfaction; all that they wish
(4) dishes, goblets of gold, vessels of silver, beakers, & cups of crystal
(4) gold & pearls & silver [bracelets of]
(3) carpets [on rich; of beauty; whose inner linings will be of rich brocade]
(3) profit [from truth; with health]
(2) green cushions [on; of beauty; set in rows]
(2) green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade [wearing]
(2) meat & flesh of fowls [any that they may desire]
(1) rivers of milk [the taste of which never changes]
(1) rivers of honey [pure and clear]
Absence of negative elements:
(4) no grief (memory of hurts; blame; injuries)
(4) free of all taint of ill
(3) no fear
(3) no intoxication (from wine)
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(2) no vanity shall they hear therein
(2) free of frivolity
(1) no limits or restrictions
(2) no toil or sense of fatigue
(2) not the least injustice or wrong will be done to them
(1) no evil
(1) no blame
(1) nor untruth
(1) no excessive heat from the sun or cold from the moon
(1) nor will they there taste death, except the first death
(1) no burden
6) Complete List Of 389 References In Qur’anic Order:
Here is a list of those references, in which one or more of these elements are found: I have arranged
them in the order in which they appear in the traditional order of the Qur’an:
Sura 2 verses 25, 82, 110, 202, 207, 212, 214, 221, 226, 244-245
Sura 3 verses 15, 133-136, 145, 148, 157-158, 169-171, 185, 193, 195, 198-199
Sura 4 verses 13, 31, 57, 67, 69, 77, 122, 124, 146, 162
Sura 5 verses 12, 65, 72, 85, 88, 119, 122
Sura 6 verses 16, 32, 127
Sura 7 verses 40, 42-44, 46, 49-50, 169
Sura 8 verse 28
Sura 9:20-22, 38, 72, 89, 100, 111
Sura 10:9-10, 25-26, 64
Sura 11 verses 23108,115
Sura 12 verse 57
Sura 13 verses 22-24, 35
Sura 14 verse 23
Sura 15 verses 45-48
Sura 16 verses 30-32, 41, 96-97
Sura 17 verses 20-21
Sura 18 verses 2-3, 30-31, 88, 107-108
Sura 19 verses 60-63
Sura 20 verses 65, 76
Sura 22 verses 14, 23, 56, 58-59
Sura 23 verses 11, 102, 111
Sura 24 verses 31, 51
Sura 25 verses 10, 15-16, 24, 75-76
Sura 26 verses 85, 90
Sura 27 verse 89
Sura 28 verses 80, 83-84
Sura 29 verses 7, 9, 27, 58, 64
Sura 30 verses 15, 44-45
Sura 31 verse 8
Sura 32 verses 17,19
Sura 33 verses 29, 35, 44
Sura 34 verse 37
Sura 35 verses 7, 32-35
Sura 36 verses 26-27 54-58
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Sura 37 verses 40-49, 58-60, 80
Sura 38 verses 25, 40, 49-54
Sura 39 verses 20, 34-35, 61, 73-75
Sura 40 verses 8, 39-40
Sura 41 verses 30-32
Sura 42 verses 7, 22-23, 26, 36
Sura 43 verses 35, 68-73
Sura 44 verses 51-57
Sura 45 verse 30
Sura 46 verses 14, 16
Sura 47 verses 6, 12, 15
Sura 48 verses 5, 17, 29
Sura 49 verse 3
Sura 50 verses 31-35
Sura 51 verses 15-16, 22
Sura 52 verses 17-28
Sura 53 verse 15
Sura 54 verses 54-55
Sura 55 verses 46-77
Sura 56 verses 10-38, 88-91
Sura 57 verses 12, 18-19
Sura 57 verse 21
Sura 58 verse 22
Sura 59 verse 20
Sura 61 verse 12
Sura 64 verses 9, 15-17
Sura 65 verse 11
Sura 66 verses 8, 11
Sura 67 verse 12
Sura 68 verse 34
Sura 69: verses 8-24
Sura 70 verses 35, 38
Sura 74 verses 39, 40
Sura 76 verses 5, 6, 11-22
Sura 78 verses 31-36
Sura 79 verses 40-41
Sura 81 verses 13,14
Sura 82 verse 13
Sura 83 verses 22-28, 35
Sura 84 verses 7-9
Sura 85 verse 11
Sura 88 verses 8-16
Sura 89 verses 27-30
Sura 92 verses 5-7, 17-20
Sura 93 verses 4,5
Sura 95 verse 6
Sura 98 verses 7-8
7) Article, “The Pleasures Of Paradise” From IslamiCity Web Site: As an
example of Islamic teaching about Paradise, see the following article from IslamiCity, an Islamic web
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site, which contains a heavy emphasis on physical rewards and is void of even a hint of fellowship
with God:
The Pleasures of Paradise
9/13/2012 - Religious - Article Ref: IR1209-5254
From IslamiCity web site: http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IR1209-5254
As for the life of the Hereafter, there will be no hardship nor suffering in it, and people will live therein in pure
joy and delight. All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering which people experience in this life will be absent
in the Hereafter.
The reality of Paradise is something which people will never be able to understand until they actually enter it,
but God has shown us glimpses of it in the Quran. He has described it as a place essentially different to the life
of this world, both in the very nature and purpose of life, as well as the types of delights which people will enjoy
therein. The Quran tells people about Paradise, which God offers to them, describes its great blessings, and
proclaims its beauties to everyone. It informs people that Paradise is one of two ways of life prepared for them
in the afterworld, and that every good thing will be theirs in Paradise to a degree that surpasses our present
ability to imagine. It also shows that Paradise is a place where all blessings have been created perfectly and
where people will be offered everything their souls and hearts will desire, and that people will be far removed
from want and need, anxiety or sadness, sorrow and regret. Every kind of beauty and blessing exists in
Paradise and will be revealed with a perfection never seen or known before. God has prepared such blessings
there as a gift, and these will be offered only to people with whom He is pleased.
But what is the nature of these delights in Paradise, and how will it be different from the delights of this world?
We will try to highlight a few of these differences.
Pure delight without pain and suffering
While people in this world experience some delight, they also face much toil and suffering. If one was to
scrutinize the life which they live, they will find that the amount of hardship they face is much more than the
ease and comfort. As for the life of the Hereafter, there will be no hardship nor suffering in it, and people will
live therein in pure joy and delight. All the causes of sorrow, pain and suffering which people experience in this
life will be absent in the Hereafter. Let's take a look at some of these causes.
Wealth
When one thinks of success in this life, they usually conjure the image of big houses, fine jewelry and clothing,
and expensive cars; financial stability is seen to be the key to a happy life. To most people, success is
inseparably related to wealth, even though this is the furthest from the truth. How many times have we seen
the wealthiest of people living such miserable lives, that it sometimes even leads them to commit suicide!
Wealth is something which humans in their very nature desire at any cost, and this desire has been created for
a great and wise purpose. When this desire is not satiated, it causes some extent of grief in a person. For this
reason, God has promised the inhabitants of Paradise that they will have all that they imagined as far as
wealth and belongings are concerned, both for those who were extremely poor, experiencing even hunger and
thirst, to those well-to-do but who desired even more. God gives us a glimpse of this when he says:
"... there will be there all that the souls could desire, all that the eyes could delight in ..." (Quran 43:71)
"Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent forth (good deeds) in days past!" (Quran 69:24)
"... They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and
heavy brocade. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good [is] the recompense! How beautiful a
couch [is there] to recline on!" (Quran 18:31)
Disease and Death
Another cause of pain and suffering in this life is the death of a loved one or disease, which are both nonexistent in Paradise. None will feel any sickness or pain in Paradise. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy
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and blessings of God be upon him, said about the people of Paradise:
"They will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
None will die in Paradise. All shall live eternally enjoying the pleasures therein. The Prophet Muhammad
said that a caller will call out in Paradise when people enter it:
"Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again, may you live and never die again, may you be young
and never grow feeble again, may you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again." (Saheeh Muslim)
Social Relationships
As for the remorse felt due to a rift in personal relationships, people will never hear any evil or hurting
comments or speech in Paradise. They will only hear good words and words of peace. God says:
"They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin. But only the saying of: Peace! Peace!" (Quran
56:25-26)
There will be no enmity between people nor ill-feelings:
"And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in
the life of this world)..." (Quran 7:43)
The Prophet said:
"There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God,
morning and evening." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
People will have the best of companions in the Hereafter, who were also the best people in the world:
"And whoever obeys God and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom God has bestowed
favor - of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are
those as companions!" (Quran 4:69)
The hearts of the people of Paradise will be pure, their speech will be good, their deeds righteous. There will
be no hurtful, upsetting, offensive or provocative talk there, for Paradise is free of all worthless words and
deeds. If we were to discuss all the causes for anguish in this life, we would surely find its absence or opposite
to be true in Paradise.
The Eternalness of the Hereafter
The Pleasures of this world are transient whilst the joys of the hereafter are lasting and eternal. In this life when
a person enjoys something, it is only a short while before they get bored with it and proceed to search for
something they feel is better, or they may not feel a need for it altogether. As for the delights of Paradise, a
person will never feel bored with anything, but rather, its goodness will increase each time they indulge in it.
Also, the life of this world is very short. Humans only live on this earth for a short while, and very few people
reach the age of seventy.
"...Say: Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears God..." (Quran
4:77)
As for Paradise, people will live forever. God says:
"...its provision is eternal and so is its shade..." (Quran 13:35)
"What is with you must vanish, and what is with God will endure ..." (Quran 16:96)
"(It will be said to them): This is Our Provision, which will never finish" (Quran 38:54)
Superior Delights
The delights of the people of Paradise, such as their clothing, food, drink, jewelry and palaces, will be far
superior to their counterparts in this world. There is in fact no room for comparison, as even the smallest space
in Paradise is better than this world and all that is in it. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings
of God be upon him, said:
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"The space of the bow of any one of you in Paradise is better than all that the sun rises upon" (Mishkaat alMasaabeeh 3/85, no. 5615)
Free from all Impurities
Paradise is free from all the impurities of this world. Eating and drinking in this life results in the need for
excretion and its associated unpleasant odors. If a person drinks wine in this world, he loses his mind. Women
in this world menstruate and give birth, which are sources of pain and hurt. Paradise is free from all of these
discomforts: its people will not urinate, defecate, spit or suffer from catarrh. The wine of Paradise, as described
by its Creator, is:
"Crystal-white, delicious to those who drink (thereof), free from intoxication, nor will they suffer intoxication
therefrom" (Quran 37:46-47)
The water of Paradise does not become brackish, and its milk never changes in flavor:
"...rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes..." (Quran 47:15)
The women of Paradise are pure and free from menstruation, postnatal bleeding and all the other impurities
suffered by women in this world, and all are free from stool and feces. God says:
"...and they shall have therein purified mates..." (Quran 2:25)
The prophet answered a person when they asked how the people of Paradise will relieve themselves:
"They relieve themselves by perspiring through their skins, and its fragrance will be that of musk, and all
stomachs will have become lean." (ibn Hibbaan)
What we have mentioned has been a mere comparison in order to understand the nature of Paradise, but as
God said, its delights are truly hidden:
"No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do." (Quran 32:17)
Paradise: There is Nothing Like It
The delights of Paradise surpass the imagination and defy description. They are like nothing known to the
people of this world; no matter how advanced we may become, what we achieve is as nothing in comparison
with the joys of the Hereafter. As is mentioned in several reports, there is nothing like Paradise:
"It is sparkling light, aromatic plants, a lofty palace, a flowing river, ripe fruit, a beautiful wife and abundant
clothing, in an eternal abode of radiant joy, in beautiful soundly-constructed high houses". (Ibn Maajah, Ibn
Hibbaan)
The Sahabah asked the Prophet about the buildings of Paradise and he replied with a wonderful description:
"Bricks of gold and silver, and mortar of fragrant musk, pebbles of pearl and sapphire, and soil of saffron.
Whoever enters it is filled with joy and will never feel miserable; he will live there forever and never die;
their clothes will never wear out and their youth will never fade." (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, ad-Daarimee)
God says:
"And when you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a great
dominion." (Quran 76:20)
What God has kept hidden from us the delights of Paradise is beyond our ability to comprehend. The
Prophet said that God said:
"I have prepared for My slaves what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human heart can imagine."
Recite if you wish:
"No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do." (Quran 32:17)
In another report:
"Never mind what God has told you; what He has not told you is even greater." (Saheeh Muslim)
APPENDIX 8
COVENANTS IN THE BIBLE
A List Of The Covenants God Made With Various
Individuals And Groups
ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT COVENANTS FOR US? IF SO, IN WHAT WAY?
“That is why his [Abraham’s] faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’ But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for
his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord”
(Romans 4:23,24)
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement
of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
“For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned?
Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the
thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.” (1 Corinthians 9:9-10)
“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the
ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
[covenants in red bold are those that apply to us today]
With
Whom?
References Commands, Ordinances, Promises,
Judgments
Condition Sign Valid
Today
?
For
Us?
1. EDEN:
1. Adam & Eve
2. all
descendants
3. animals
- Genesis 1:26-30;
2:8-9,15-17; 3:8,9
COMMANDS:
1. be fruitful, multiply & fill the earth
2. subdue & rule over the earth and all living things.
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. created in image of God
2. live in Garden of Eden with fruit trees, including the
Tree of Life and Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
3. eat all seed bearing fruits and vegetables
4. daily fellowship with God
do not eat fruit
from Tree of
Knowledge of
Good & Evil
none NO, they
violated it,
so it was
cancelled
NO,
no
longer
valid
today
2. The CURSE:
1. Adam & Eve
2. all
descendants
- Genesis 3:14-24
- Rom. 5:12-19;
6:23
- 1 Corinthians
15:42-44
- Heb.2:14,15;
9:27; 10:26-31
JUDGMENTS:
1. cut off from the Garden and God’s fellowship;
facing eternal judgment – spiritual death
3. cursed, innocence lost & shame in nakedness
4. serpent to crawl on belly; be hated by man – to
bruise man’s heel; man to crush its head
5. women to have pain in childbirth, but still desire
their husband
6. husbands to rule over wives
7. earth cursed & men to labor to grow plants
none none YES YES
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8. slavery to sin, diseases and death, returning to
dust – physical death
With Whom? References Commands, Ordinances, Promises,
Judgments
Condition Sign Valid
Today?
For
Us?
3. CAIN:
1. Cain
- Genesis 4:12-16
- Hebrews 11;4
- 1 John 3:12
- Jude 11
JUDGMENTS:
1. cursed from the ground, unable to grow plants
2. fugitive and wanderer in the earth
3. hidden from the presence of God
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. God’s protection from being murdered
none a
“mark”
or
“sign”
NO,
Cain is
dead
NO
4. NOAH:
1. Noah
2. all
descendants
3. all creatures
- Genesis 6:8,15-
22; 7:1-16; 8:15-
22; 9:1-17
- Matt. 24:37-39
- Acts 15:20
- Romans 14:1-23
- 1 Timothy 4:1-5
- Hebrews 11:7
- 1 Peter 3:20
COMMANDS:
1. be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. No more world-wide floods or destruction of all
living things (as long as the earth remains)
2. animals will now fear mankind
3. man can now eat meat, but not with blood
4. institute capital punishment for murderers
1. build ark’
2. preach to
warn people
3. receive
animals into
the ark
rainbow
YES YES
5. ABRAHAM A:
1. Abraham
2. Isaac
3. Jacob
4. Israel;
physical
descendants
through Isaac
and Jacob;
especially those
who love Him
and keep His
commands
- Genesis
11:31,32; 12:1-3,7;
13:14-17; 15:1-21;
17:1-16,21; 18:10-
19; 21:12;
22:17,18
- Deut. 1:10; 10:22
- Psalm 105:8-11
- Daniel 9:4
-Acts 7: 7:2-8
- Hebrews 11:8-12
COMMANDS:
1. leave home, relatives and family
2. follow to the land where God leads
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. you will become a great nation as numerous as stars
and sand through a son from your own body
2. you will be father of many nations and kings
3. you will have a son by Sarah named Isaac, and my
covenant will be with him and his descendants
4. I give the land of Canaan to your descendants
through Isaac forever; they will return here from slavery
in Egypt in fourth generation
5. Sarah will be the mother of nations and kings
6. you’ll be blessed, famous, rewarded and a blessing
7. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who
curse you
8. God will be a shield to you and be your God
9. God will keep His covenant with those who love Him
Believe = leave
home and
family and
follow where
God leads
circumcision
YES,
God says
it is “an
everlastin
g
covenant,”
which He
keeps
with those
who love
and obey
Him.
NO,
only
for
Abrah
am
and
Isreal
6. ABRAHAM B:
1. Abraham
2. spiritual
descendants
- Genesis 12:3;
15:1-6; 17:4-7,19;
22:1-18
- Acts 3:25-26
- Rom. 4:9-24;
9:6-8
- Galatians 3:6-
9,14-16; 5:6
- Colossians 2:11
PROMISES:
1. all families/nations will be blessed in your seed
2. I am your shield and very great reward
3. your descendants shall be as the stars
4. everlasting covenant with your seed
5. God himself will provide the sacrifice
“believed God
that:
- descendants
would be as the
stars;
- bear a son by
Sarah
- God would raise
Isaac from the
dead
circumcism of
the
heart
YES YES,
by
faith
7. JACOB
1. Jacob/Israel
2. physical
descendants
through 12 sons
- Genesis 28:10-21
- Genesis 35:9-12
- Deut. 1:10; 10:22
- Psalm 105:8-11
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. I will give this land to you and your descendants
2. I will multiply your descendants like the dust.
3. Nations and kings shall come from you
4. in you and in your descendants all nations will be
blessed
5. I will be with you and keep you wherever you go
6. I will bring you back to this land
7. Your name will be Israel
COMMANDS:
1. Be fruitful and multiply
he made
YHWH his God
circumcism
YES NO,
only
for
Jacob
and
desce
ndants
158
With Whom? References Commands, Ordinances, Promises,
Judgments
Condition Sign Valid
Today?
For
Us?
8. HAGAR &
ISHMAEL:
1. Hagar
2. Ishmael
3. physical
descendants
- Genesis 16:1-14
- Genesis 17:17-21
- Genesis 21:9-21
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. God sees and hears her and will look after her
2. her son will become a great nation and her seed will
be greatly multiplied
3. her son, Ishmael will be strongly independent and
hostile against everyone
return to serve
Sarah
none YES NO,
9. INITIAL LAW
AT
SINAI/HOREB:
1. First
Generation of
Israelites over
the age of 20
when they left
Egypt
- Exodus 19:4-8;
20:1-21; 23:20-33;
31:12-18; 32:1-20;
33:1-17; 34:1-28
- Numbers 1:18;
13:1-33; 14:1-43
- Deuteronomy
2:14,15; 5:1-3
- Jeremiah 31:32
COMMANDS:
1. keep my ten commandments & all the law
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. shall be God’s possession out of all nations, a
kingdom of priest and a holy nation
2. God will send an angel to guard and lead
3. God will destroy enemies
JUDGMENT:
6. first generation will die in wilderness
total trust and
obedience
sabbath NO,
they broke
it & died in
wildernes
s.
It is
suspende
d until
Messiah
returns
(Deut.4:3)
NO
10. REPEATED
LAW AT
MOAB:
“THE LAW”
“OLD
COVENANT”:
1. Second
Generation of
Israelites
(physical
descendants of
Jacob)
- Exodus 19:4-8;
20:1-21; 23:20-33;
31:12-18; 32:1-20;
33:1-17; 34:1-28
- Deuteronomy
chapters 1-34
(curse of the law:
Deut. 1:5,19; 2:14-
16; 5:1,2;
11:1,13,22,26-28;
28:1-68; 29:1;
30:1-19; Joshua
8:34; Neh. 10:29;
Daniel 9:11;
Galatians 3:10-13)
COMMANDS:
1. keep all the law all the time
2. make no covenant with Canaanites
3. love the Lord will all heart, soul and strength
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. shall be God’s possession out of all nations, a
kingdom of priest and a holy nation
2. God will send an angel to guard and lead
3. God will destroy enemies
4. God’s presence will go with them
5. will give you land of Canaan forever – Deut. 4:40
4. complete blessing on all physical life (food, health,
crops, animals, money, enemies & long life)
JUDGMENTS:
1. spend 40 yrs in wilderness until 1st generation dies
2. curse of the law by not obeying all laws all the time
total trust and
obedience
sabbath NO
(Hebrews
8:7-13)
NO,
11. PHINEHAS:
1. Phinehas
2. physical
descendants
- Num. 25:10-13
- Psalm 106:30,31;
- Nehemiah
13:28,29;
- Ezekiel 40:46;
43:19; 44:15;
- Malachi 2:4-9;
? Hebrews 7:11-18
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. a covenant of peace
2. his jealousy for God reckoned as righteousness
3. perpetual priesthood for his descendants forever
His jealousy for
God’s glory
none YES,
suspende
d till
Israel’s
revival &
return
NO,
only
for his
seed
12. DAVID:
1. David
2. David’s
reigning sons
(Kings)
- 2 Samuel 7:5-17
- Psalm 89:19-37;
132:10-12
- Acts 7:46;
13:22,35,36
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. make your (David’s) name great
2. give rest from all your enemies
3. establish your house (dynasty) after you
4. your son to build my (God’s) house
5. sins of sons to be punished by men,
6. your house (line) & throne to last forever “before me”
7. my faithfulness and love will be with you
8. anoint you with holy oil and strengthened with my arm
9. “horn” of David will be exalted
was a man
after God’s
own heart, who
did all of God’s
will
none NO NO,
only
for
David
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With Whom? References Commands, Ordinances, Promises,
Judgments
Condition Sign Valid
Today?
For
Us?
13. DAVID’S SON
(MESSIAH):
1. David
2. David’s
descendant,
Messiah
- 2 Sam 7:11b-17
- Psalm 89:19-37;
132:10-18
- Isaiah 9:6,7
- Jer. 30:8-11
- Ezek. 34:23,24;
37:21-28
- Matthew 1:1;
15:22; 21:9,15
- Luke 1:32,33
- Acts 2:24-31;
13:23,32-37
- Romans 1:1-4
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. David’s son to build God’s house
2. establish son’s kingdom forever
3. I will be His Father and he will be my Son
4. my love will hot depart from him like from Saul
5. will be my firstborn and highest of kings of the
earth
6. “horn” of David will be exalted
7. will rule over restored and reunited Israel forever
8. my everlasting covenant, my faithfulness and my
love will be with you
9. “horn” of David will be exalted
God’s beloved
Son
virgin
birth
Matt.1:
22,23
Isaiah
7:14
YES YES
14. SOLOMAN:
1. Solomon
2. Reigning
Sons
- 1 Kings 3:4-14;
6:11-13; 8:15-21;
9:2-9; 11:1-13
- 2 Kings 23:25-27
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. will give him wisdom above all others
2. will give riches and honor above all kings
3. will carry out covenant He gave to his father, David
4. will live among His people of Israel
5. will put you on the throne of David
6. will put your sons on your throne forever
6. will allow you to build my house (Temple), where I will
put my name, heart and eyes forever
JUDGMENTS:
7. If you turn away, I will turn away from all my promises
and take away the kingdom from your son
total obedience NO,
he turned
away in
his later
years
NO
15. NEW
COVENANT A:
1. Israel &
Judah
- Jeremiah 31;31-
40; 32:37-40
- Ezek. 34:11-31;
37:21-28
- Rom. 11:11,25-
28
- Hebrews 8:6-9:10
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. will re-gather Israel from all nations to Jerusalem
2. will re-unite Israel as one nation
3. will remove all idols from Israel and will put my law in
their hearts
4. David’s son (Messiah) will rule over them forever
5. will be their God & they my people forever
6. they shall all know me
7. will forgive their sin and never remember it
8. Jerusalem will be rebuilt and never again destroyed
9. Temple will be rebuilt and remain forever
none They
shall all
know
the
Lord
YES, but
not yet
fulfilled
NO,
only
for
Israel
16
.
NEW
COVENANT B:
1. Believers
from all nations
- Hebrews 9:11-28
- Hebrews 10:4-22
- Hebrews 11:6,7
- Luke 22:20
- John 1:11-13
- Acts 2:38,39
- Rom. 3:1-31;
6:3-11; 10:8-13;
11:11-32
- 1 Cor. 11:25
- 2 Corinthians
3:3,6-18; 5:17
- Eph. 2:1-13
- 1 Peter 2:9,10
- Revelation 22:1-
5
PROMISES, PROVISIONS:
1. Christ came into the world in a human body so He
could die in our stead.
2. Christ entered the heavenly tabernacle with his own
blood and obtained eternal redemption from all our sins.
3. Christ cleansed us from dead works so we could
serve God.
4. God will never remember our sins
5. Christ obtained new and eternal life for us.
6. Christ has perfected and sanctified us for all time
7. God has put His laws in our hearts and minds
8. God has given us boldness to enter into His presence
so we can draw near in fellowship with Him
9. God has justified us and made us heirs of His
righteousness.
10. God gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit to live in us.
faith in Jesus Baptism
Col.2:
11-13
YES YES
160
CHAPTER FIVE
THE INSCRUTABILITY
(INCOMPREHENSIBLENESS) OF GOD
A comparative study of the teaching about God in both
the Qur’an and the Bible
[All Qur’an quotations are from A. Yusuf Ali’s translation unless otherwise noted. All Bible quotations
are from the English Standard Version (translation) unless otherwise noted]
We will be looking at the following topics related to God’s Inscrutability:
A. Can We Know God?
B. Is God Spirit?
C. God’s Further Direct Relationship With Mankind
Under each topic we will look first at what Islam teaches and then what the Bible says.
A. CAN WE KNOW GOD?
ISLAM:
1. NAMES OF GOD RELATED TO HIS INSCRUTABILITY: Three of Islam’s 99
“most beautiful names” of God seem to relate to this subject:
Az-Zahir (Zaahir) = The Manifest One, Apparent
Al-Batin (Baatin) = The Hidden One, Latent, Unobvious
Al-Latif (Lateef) = The Subtle, Mysterious
[See Appendix 1 for a complete list of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” of God]
I find it interesting that the only one of Islam’s 99 “most beautiful names” that in any way
indicates God’s revealing of Himself is Az-Zahir (Zaahir) (The Manifest One, Apparent), which
is listed right next to (in contrast to) Al-Batin (Baatin) (“The Hidden One, Latent, Unobvious”).
This contrast seems to give a sense of mystique saying that although He is (somewhat)
manifested, He is still hidden; although He is (somewhat) knowable He is still unknowable. A
glimpse of this idea is found in the following quote from a Muslim Sufi internet site called
sherifbaba.com:
“Now let’s think of a painting. You look at this painting; it’s quite beautiful. There is a beauty in its Zahir, its outer
side. But this doesn’t happen by itself. When you look, you think, ‘There is someone who created this.’ The
person who painted it is not visible, but he has hidden himself inside of the art that he has created. That
is the Batin.” (from http://www.sherifbaba.com/batin.htm)
2. GOD KNOWS ALL. Clearly the Qur’an is not a revelation of the character of God. The
major emphasis of the Qur’an is on God’s Greatness, not His Being or Character. Part of
that greatness is His omniscience. He is so great that He knows everything and has all
161
wisdom. So while we know very little about Him, He knows everything about us and about
everything else. He is so great He understands all mysteries, even though we cannot:
“… Allah is He Who understands the finest mysteries, and is well-acquainted (with them).” (Sura 22:63;
also 31:16 and 67:14)
“And recite what is rehearsed to you in your homes, of the Signs of Allah and His Wisdom: for Allah
understands the finest mysteries and is well-acquainted (with them).” (Sura 33:34)
In speaking of God, the Qur’an uses the terms “all-knowing,” “knows what you know not,”
“knows best,” etc. over 100 times. He is so great and His transcendence is so complete
that it is not possible for mankind to know Him intimately!
The Qur’an tells us much more about God’s power and His will for mankind than about God
Himself. It also says a lot about Who God is not; essentially that He is not like any created
being – not like anything we can know and understand.
3. GOD IS UNKNOWABLE. The Qur’an tells us that God is incomprehensible:
“No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is above all comprehension [Latif], yet is
acquainted with all things.” – Sura 6:103)
“Invent not similitudes for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not.” (Sura 16:74)
Al-Ghazali, one of the most respected theologians in the history of Islam, reasoned that we
understand things by comparing them with things they are like, and since God is completely
unlike anything known to mankind, He is utterly unknowable! Fadlou Shehadi, a
contemporary scholar of Al-Ghazali, wrote about this:
“If God is a unique kind of being unlike any other being in any respect, more specifically, unlike anything
known to man, it would have to follow by Ghazali's own principles that God is utterly unknowable. For,
according to Ghazali, things are known by their likenesses, and what is utterly unlike what is known to man
cannot be known. Furthermore, God would have to be unknowable, completely unknowable, not only to
'the man in the street', but to prophets and mystics as well. This is a conclusion that Ghazali states very
explicitly and not infrequently.” (Fadlou Shehadi, Ghazali's Unique Unknowable God, Leiden, E.J. Brill, 1964, p.
21-22)
A Shi’ite theologian has a different idea. He says, “the Divine Attributes and Names” of God,
which “are the very Essence of Allah, cannot be known by means of concepts” of the mind.
But he adds that “if it is possible to visionally know Allah-which is actually possible-it will be in
the heart ... that is, by way of intuitive and visionary knowledge”
(https://hawzah.net/en/Article/View/78778/To-What-Extent-Can-Allah-Be-Known)
4. GOD IS INFINITE AND UNMEASURABLE. God is not only beyond our
understanding, He is also beyond all measure and all boundaries:
“Limitless is He in His glory, and sublimely, immeasurably exalted above anything that men may say
(about Him).” (Sura 17:43 – M. Asad)
THE BIBLE:
1. THE ETERNAL GOD IS INVISIBLE: God (Who is Spirit) has no physical form and
therefore is invisible:
162
“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)
“By faith he [Moses] left Egypt … endured as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27)
“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory ...” (1 Timothy 1:17)
“he said [to Moses], ‘you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’” (Exodus 33:20)
“No one has ever seen God …” (1 John 4:12)
“he … who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see …” (1 Timothy
6:15,16)
2. GOD IS OBSCURED IN “THICK DARKNESS.” The Bible says that God lives in
and speaks out of “thick darkness.” In other words, intense total darkness:
“… Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” (Exodus 20:21)
[the ten commandments] “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the
midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness …” (Deuteronomy 5:22)
“He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.” (2 Samuel 22:10)
“Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.’” (2 Chron. 6:1)
“Clouds and thick darkness are all around him …” (Psalm 97:2)
3. WE OURSELVES CANNOT KNOW GOD. Islam says the omnipotent, sovereign
God is unknowable by us created human beings. The Bible agrees that to our natural minds
God is unknowable. In our own human resources and abilities, we cannot begin to fathom the
depths of God’s being. God expresses this fact through the words of Zophar, one of the three
friends of the prophet Job:
“Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than
heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the
earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9)
And the prophets David and Isaiah echoed the same truth:
“Why, O Lord, do you … hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)
“Truly, you are a God who hides himself…” (Isaiah 45:15)
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your
thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8,9)
And the Apostle Paul likewise says God is both unsearchable and un-understandable:
“Oh, the depth of the … knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable
his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord …?” (Romans 11:33,34)
Paul K. Moser raises the question of God’s hiddenness in his booklet, Why Isn’t God More
Obvious? Finding the God Who Hides and Seeks. Some of his conclusions are:
“… God’s … hiding thus does not entail that God is resistant … or deceptive toward humans (cf. Luke 12:32;
Isaiah 65:1-2). It aims for our valuing, our treasuring, God above all else ...” – page 13
“… We come to know God only as God becomes our God, the Lord of our lives. God will then differ from a
mere object of our … speculation, amusement or self-indulgence, …” – page 18
163
“… filial knowledge of God … includes our being reconciled to God … entrusting ourselves as children to
God in grateful love …” – page 27
4. BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO US. This is where the
Bible’s teaching differs dramatically! Yes, we cannot know God ourselves, but God can and
does reveal Himself to us, and what He has revealed is beyond amazing!:
a. A Very Basic Revelation Of God In Nature: Initially, God chose to reveal two
very basic things about Himself in His creation:
“For what can be known about God is plain to them … For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal
power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in
the things that have been made ...” (Romans 1:19,20)
I believe those two things which all mankind can know just by looking at nature are:
i) “His eternal power,” which means He is all-powerful (omnipotent, omnipresent,
omniscient and eternal).
ii) His “divine nature,” which means that there is a God (a being; not just a force)
Who created everything, Who is distinct from His creation (transcendent).
This basic knowledge about God seen in nature, however, is not the same as a personal
knowledge of God. Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God! As I thought
about this truth, I found it very significant that essentially the Qur’an’s teaching about
God (i.e., His awesome power and absolute transcendence) is almost synonymous with
what God has already revealed about Himself in nature! That means that the Qur’an
reveals only a basic, limited, foundational level of knowledge about God! Only the Bible
truly reveals God’s character and nature in a way that enables us to know Him
personally!
b. Sinful Mankind Does Not Want To Know God. The Bible tells us that God’s
eternal purpose for us is not simply for us to know facts about Him, but also to know Him
personally. Therefore He has chosen to reveal Himself to us in spite of the fact that we
are unable in our own fallen, sinful nature to know or have fellowship with Him and we
do not naturally even desire to know Him:
“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who
did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that was not called by my name.” (Isaiah
65:1)
However, God’s purpose in revealing mysteries to us is not simply that we might
intellectually know what His attributes are, but that we may know Him personally by
enabling us to enter into an intimate relationship with Himself:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom … but let him who boasts boast in
this, that he understands and knows me ...’” (Jeremiah 9:23,24)
“The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him …” (Psalm 25:14)
5. HOWEVER, OUR SINS HAVE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO KNOW
GOD, “THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.” Not only are we naturally unable to know God, but our
sins are an even greater hindrance to our knowing Him:
“but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His
face from you so that He does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)
164
6. SO GOD HAS CHOSEN TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO US IN JESUS THE
MESSIAH. Amazingly God has chosen to reveal Himself to us is by causing His eternal
Word to become a human being – one of us – and live among us. He is the incarnation and
revelation of God and His love to us:
“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship
with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18 – NIV)
“… no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27)
“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you … may have strength to comprehend with
all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge …” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
7. KNOWING GOD IN JESUS IS ETERNAL LIFE. The Bible plainly says knowing
God and having eternal fellowship with Him is what salvation and eternal life is all about, and
this is only possible through trusting in Jesus the Messiah:
“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
(John 17:3)
“Jesus said … ‘I am the way … No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)
[The various stages and ways in which God has revealed Himself to us are found in Chapter 9. They include:
God’s communication through nature, in an audible voice, in special appearances, in the written word, in
human flesh, by His Holy Spirit, in eternity, and in the “face” of God.]
8. GOD THE REVEALER OF MYSTERIES: God not only reveals Himself to His
people, but He also reveals unknowable truth to us. In the Bible “mysteries” are we spiritual
truths we cannot know by ourselves but God has revealed them to us. Daniel the prophet
understood that God is the “revealer of mysteries” and was able to demonstrate it to the
great King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon:
“Daniel answered the king and said … ‘there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries’ ... The king
answered … ‘Truly, your God is … a revealer of mysteries …’” (Daniel 2:27,28,47)
The words “mystery” and “mysteries” are used 33 times in the New Testament. Knowing all the
mysteries God has revealed to His people is not important for this study, but they include:
- The Mystery Of God’s Dealing With Israel (Romans 11:25)
- The Mystery Of God’s Plan To Unite All Things In Himself (Ephesians 1:9,10)
- The Mystery Of Christ’s Deity (1 Timothy 3:16)
- The Mystery Of The Gospel (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 6:19)
- The Mystery Of Gentiles Included In God’s Covenant People (Eph. 3:3-9)
- The Mystery Of Christ And His Church (Ephesians 5:32)
- The Mystery of Christ (Colossians 1:26,27; 2:2,3; 4:3)
- The Mystery Of Lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
- The Mystery Of Jesus’ Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:51)
In Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Qur’an the words “mystery” and “mysteries” are used 8 times of
physical things we cannot understand because only Almighty God does. We just have to
believe what He says about them because He is not going to reveal them to us:
165
"The (Qur'an) was sent down by Him who knows the mystery (that is) in the heavens and the earth: verily
He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Sura 25:6)
B. IS GOD SPIRIT?
ISLAM:
When I mentioned to a Muslim friend that the Bible says “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) he told me
God could not be a spirit because spirits are created beings. He further stated, “God is not a spirit
and He is not a man; He is God!” In other words He is so totally unique that there is only one way
to describe Him – “God”!
So how does Islam interpret the 18 times The Qur’an mentions God’s Spirit in phrases like, “The
holy spirit,” “His Spirit” and “the spirit”?:
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Qur’an speaks of the “holy spirit” 4 times:
“… to Jesus the son of Mary We … strengthened him with the holy spirit …” (Sura 2:87)
2. GOD BREATHED OF HIS SPIRIT. 6 times the Qur’an says God “breathed … of His
spirit” into Adam and into Mary:
“He fashioned him [Adam] … and breathed into him something of His spirit …” (Sura 32:9)
“And (remember) her [Mary] who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her
and her son a sign for all peoples.” (Sura 21:91)
3. A SPIRIT FROM GOD: 5 times it mentions a “spirit” sent by God:
“With it came down the spirit of Faith and Truth” (Sura 26:192)
“They ask thee concerning the spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord …” (Sura 17:85)
4. THE ANGELS AND THE SPIRIT: 4 times it says, “the angels and the spirit”:
“Therein come down the angels and the spirit by Allah's permission …” (Sura 97:4)
Notice that “spirit” is not capitalized in any of these verses. All Muslims believe that these verses
are talking about the angel Gabriel. I have checked several Islamic websites and all agree that the
Angel Gabriel is God’s messenger referred to as the “holy spirit” and the “spirit” sent from God.
This idea is based on Sura 2:97,98:
“… Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before,
and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,-Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and
messengers, to Gabriel and Michael,- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.” (Sura 2:97,98)
[for more about “spirit” see chapter 13 – “The Life And Image Of God”]
THE BIBLE:
1. GOD IS SPIRIT. We believe this because it is plainly written:
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“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)
One significance of the Scripture saying, “God is spirit” (John 4:24) is that spirit, like water, wind,
oil and fire (comparisons used in Scripture for God), is unbounded and unlimited. God is totally
beyond our control, measurement and the limitations of human understanding.
2. GOD CREATED US WITH SPIRITS. Yes, as the Qur’an says, all spirits (except God
Himself) are created beings, but the reason He created our spirits is because He is Spirit and He
wants us to know Him and be able to communicate with Him in our spirits:
“In that day this song [of worship] will be sung in the land of Judah … ‘My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit
within me earnestly seeks you …’” (Isaiah 26:1,9)
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must
worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23,24)
When a person does not know God, but worships something or someone else it makes God
jealous. He created us for Himself and longs for us to intimately know and commune with Him in
our spirit, which He formed to be able to know and worship Him:
“… he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one
flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)
“Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has
made to dwell in us’?” (James 4:5)
That is the same reason angels were created as spirits – so they can know and worship Him. God
is constantly in communication with them as His servants sent to minister to believers among
mankind:
“And to which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your
feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”
(Hebrews 1:13,14)
C. GOD’S FURTHER DIRECT RELATIONSHIP
WITH MANKIND:
ISLAM:
1. GOD’S “PRESENCE:” The Qur’an mentions God’s “presence” 36 times. 23 of them
speak of His presence in this life and 13 of His Presence in Paradise. However, His “presence”
seems to mean only that He sees and knows all that we do. It doesn’t seem to involve a
personal, direct fellowship or communication with believers. At best it involves His being “a
protecting friend” to those who practice righteousness:
“To Allah belong the East and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is allPervading, all-Knowing.” (Sura 2:115)
“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the
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presence of their Lord.” (Sura 3:169)
“For them will be a home of peace in the presence of their Lord: He will be their friend, because they
practised (righteousness).” (Sura 6:127 – Pickthal translates it “a protecting friend”)
“… We have sent thee a Message from Our own presence.” (Sura 20:99)
“In an Assembly of Truth, in the presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent.” (Sura 54:55)
[See chapter four – God’s Immanence - for a fuller description of God’s presence in Paradise]
2. “REMEMBRANCE” OF GOD: A phrase used 22 times in the Qur’an is “remembrance
of Allah,” which is interpreted by Sufi Muslims to mean meditating on God, which they do as
they chant God’s name (or phrases including God’s name) hundreds of times. They do this in a
special remembrance (dhikr) worship service sitting, standing or whirling in a circle. They
sometimes also do this individually. They believe this will enable them to draw near to God.
Here are a few of those verses:
“And do thou (O reader!) Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in
reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who
are unheedful.” (Sura 7:205)
“Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in
the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Sura 13:28)
“… and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds)
that ye do.” (Sura 29:45)
“But keep in remembrance the name of thy Lord and devote thyself to Him whole-heartedly.” (Sura 73:8)
3. “SEEKING GOD’S FACE:” God’s “face” is mentioned 5 times in the Qur’an. Two of
them (Sura 28:88 & 55:27) mention God’s face being eternal (In Arabic “face” is wajh, meaning
“self.”). The other three are about Muslims’ desire for a more direct communication with God
by “seeking God’s face.” These verses (below) describe God’s instruction to Muhammad
regarding those who seek God’s face in prayer morning and evening, but it is important to note
that there is no mention of God granting them intimate fellowship with Himself as a
result. There is only the promise that God will deal with them justly by setting them “on the
right path” and by benefiting their souls in reward for their good deeds:
“… Whatever of good ye give benefits your own souls, and ye shall only do so seeking the "face" of
Allah. Whatever good ye give, shall be rendered back to you ...” (Sura 2:272)
“… those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face ...” (Sura 6:52; 18:28)
Also there are four verses that mention believers “seeking” God’s “countenance,” with the
meaning that they are seeking God’s material blessings as a reward for their righteous deeds:
“So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek the
Countenance, of Allah, and it is they who will prosper. That which ye lay out for increase through the
property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah: but that which ye lay out for charity, seeking
the Countenance of Allah, (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Sura
30:38,39 - See also 13:22 & 92:20)
4. BRING YOURSELF CLOSER TO GOD: One verse says this. Notice that it says
“bring yourself” closer to God, not God will come closer to you or draw you closer to himself:
“… bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the closer (to allah)!” (Sura 96:19)
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There does not seem to be any clear indication of believers having an intimate, personal
relationship with God in His “presence,” in His “remembrance” or by seeking God’s “face” or
“countenance.” Nor do Muslims (other than Sufi Muslims) talk about having such a relationship
with God. This is in contrast to what the Bible says (see below) about God being found by and
having fellowship with true seekers.
THE BIBLE:
God’s communication of Himself to us is not limited to objective, external knowledge. He wants us
to know more than facts about Who He is – He want us to have an intimate “knowledge”
(relationship) with Himself:
1. GOD’S PROMISES TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO THOSE WHO TRULY SEEK
TO KNOW HIM:
“But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all
your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29)
“… the LORD … If you seek him, he will be found by you ….” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” (Proverbs 8:17)
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you ...” (James 4:8)
“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he
appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)
These promises are for those seekers who are seeking God Himself rather than God’s
blessings or rewards for righteous deeds:
“… whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek
him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
And God uses His Son Jesus and His written Word to reveal Himself to us:
“… no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and
anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27)
[Jesus said] “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that
bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39,40)
Although we ought to seek Him, God will be found even by those who do not seek Him
because He is drawing us to Christ (enabling us to seek Him) more than we could ever
seek Him. We can never really reach up to God, so He reaches down to us!
“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for
me.” (Romans 10:20)
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him ... It is written in the Prophets, ‘And
they will all be taught by God ...”(John 6:44,45)
2. THE “FACE” OF GOD: A person’s face is that part of the human anatomy which most
reveals the thoughts and intents of the inner being/person. Since we were created in the Image
of God, we know God’s “face” is the original and our faces are only a reflection of His.
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However, our human faces are flesh and God is Spirit, not flesh. Therefore God’s face is not a
physical face but is the most intimate spiritual communication of God’s being/person that is
possible. So “seeing” God’s “face” means a greater glimpse of His awesome person and glory.
God’s “face” is mentioned 83 times in the Bible (6 in N.T.):
a. God hiding or turning away His “FACE” from someone: This is found 31
times in the Bible and means that God is refusing or cutting off any intimate relationship
with those people:
“Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from
them, and they will be devoured ...” (Deuteronomy 31:17)
“… For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return
to him.” (2 Chronicles 30:9)
[Job said to God] “Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?” (Job 13:24)
b. God Setting His “FACE” against someone: This occurs 12 times and is God
opposing someone; a step more severe than turning away His face:
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that
person and will cut him off from among his people.” (Leviticus 20:6)
“The face of the Lord is against those who do evil ...” (Psalm 34:16)
c. God making His “FACE” to shine on people: This is found 11 times and
shows God’s delight, favor and blessing:
“the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25)
“not by their own sword did they win the land … but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your
face, for you delighted in them.” (Psalm 44:3)
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us” (Psalm 67:1)
d. God being seen “FACE to FACE” by someone: This is found 8 times and is
a very rare, most intimate relationship with God, revealing His glory to a degree beyond
normal capacity:
“the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend ...” (Exodus 33:11)
“The Lord spoke with you [nation of Israel] face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,”
(Deuteronomy 5:4)
e. God’s “FACE” Being Seen In Eternity: This is found 7 times and seems to say
we cannot see God’s full glory in this life, but will in the next:
“… you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)
“As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your
likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:4)
f. Seeking the “FACE” of God: Found 6 times, this indicates a serious desire to
obtain an intimate meeting and fellowship with God:
“Now there was a famine … And David sought the face of the Lord ...” (1 Samuel 21:1)
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“if my people … humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin ...” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
g. God showing His back to someone, but not His “FACE:” This is found 3
times and means revealing only as much of God’s glory as a person can endure:
[God said to Moses] “Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be
seen.” (Exodus 33:23)
h. Various other references to God’s “FACE:” 5 other verses speak of God’s
face in various ways:
“… may they perish at the rebuke of your face!” (Psalm 80:16)
“a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens …” (Isaiah 65:3)
“they do not consider that I remember all their evil ... they are before my face.” (Hosea 7:2)
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