This is a series on the attributes of God.
Selected Scriptures
Purpose: In this session we shall look at what the Bible has to say about the immensity of God so that we would draw implications for our lives.
- Definitions of the immensity of God
- What does the Bible have to say about the immensity of God?
- What is the relationship of the immensity of God with other attributes of God?
- Implication
Definitions of the immensity of God:
- Wayne Grudem: “God cannot be contained by any space, no matter how large.”[1]
- John Feinberg: “…God cannot be limited to just one spatial location, for he transcends them all and is at all places at once.”[2]
- John Frame: “Spatial omnipresence cannot mean that God is a physical substance spread through the material universe. What it means, rather is that God’s power, knowledge and ability to act in the finite world are universal.”[3]
What does the Bible have to say about the immensity of God?
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27)
- What’s going on in the context?
- King Solomon has just completed building the temple of God.
- Solomon in the beginning of chapter 8 has brought the ark to the temple and the glory of the Lord has descended with it (1-11)
- Solomon then addressed the crowd (12-21)
- This is followed by a long recording of Solomon’s prayer (13-53)
- It is in Solomon’s prayer that this verse teaches us the immensity of God.
- Notice this verse mentioned opens with a rhetorical question: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth?”
- If you remember your Scripture, it was Solomon’s father David who first thought of the idea of building a temple for God.
- There’s an understanding that a temple is where God “lives at” in some sense as we see from God’s response to David in 2 Samuel 7:5-7: “Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a [a]tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’
- God’s response in 2 Samuel 7:5-7 does suggest that God does not need a “house” to contain Him.
- Like God’s rhetorical question in 2 Samuel 7:5-7 Solomon also asks with a rhetorical question that imply God doesn’t need a dwelling on earth. Solomon might have asked this because he was aware of what God told David.
- God’s immensity is proven by a positive affirmation of God’s immensity: “Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You”
- We typically think of heaven being where God resides and there is truth to that (see verses where God is described being in heaven in passages like Psalm 2:4, Psalm 115:3).
- However here we see that Solomon say that “heaven” and “the highest heaven” cannot exhaustively contain God.
- God’s immensity is proven by a negative denial of the limitation of God: “how much less this house which I have built!”
- Here Solomon acknowledges that if God cannot be exhaustively contained in the space of “heaven” and “the highest heaven” then the temple is less so something that can contain God.
- Thus this verse affirm the doctrine of the immensity of God.
“But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?” (2 Chronicles 2:6)
- Both John Feinberg[4] and John Frame[5] seem to think 2 Chronicles 2:6 is the exact parallel 1 Kings 8:27 but the wordings and situation is different.
- What’s going on in the context?
- Here King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 2 wants to build the temple (1) which takes place chronologically before 1 Kings 8 where Solomon has just completed building the temple of God.
- As part of the preparation for building the temple Solomon sent a message to the king of neighboring Tyre for building material (2)
- It is in Solomon’s message to the king of Tyre that we see the confession of God’s immensity.
- This verse contains two rhetorical questions both of which affirm the immensity of God.
- “But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him?” (2 Chronicles 2:6a)
- Even with Solomon’s building project he acknowledges that “the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him.”
- “So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to burn incense before Him” (2 Chronicles 2:6b)
- The second question gets personal for Solomon now mentions himself: “So who am I…”
- Knowing God’s immensity the reason for building the temple is now for this reason: “to burn incense before Him”
- Notice it is not to “house” God in His entirety.
““Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? 2 “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)
- Context is this is the Prophet Isaiah writing what God has to say in the last chapter of the book of Isaiah.
- Here two rhetorical questions are asked: “Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?”
- The first one shows that we cannot build a house that can house God in His entirety.
- The second question is also concerning place but one where God can rest with the assumption that there is none.
- In trying to build a house for God, God also points out that He created the very materials that is required in building a house for Him: “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being” In other words all things depend upon Him rather than He need those things to house Him.
- Thus if God dwells anywhere it is because of God’s condenscenion rather than because He needs to be dwell somewhere.
- The prerequisite for God to indwell anywhere according to God is a spirit of humility and fear of God: “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word” (2)
“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:” (Acts 7:48)
- In the context this is Stephen preaching to the religious leaders and recounting Isreal’s redemptive history.
- In verses 46-47 Stephen mentions about the history of the building of the temple started by David and completed by Solomon. Thus Stephen is expounding the truth on God’s immensity as taught in the verses we have seen earlier.
- From the Old Testament Stephen says that God “does not dwell in houses made by human hands.” He is affirming that God transcends any house or man-made temple.
- Even how Paul calls God as “the Most High” is a contrasts to “houses made by human hands” made on Earth.
- To reinforce the point that Paul here is talking about the immensity of God Paul mentions “as the prophet says…” Who does Paul quote? He quotes Isaiah and specifically Isaiah 66:1-2 in verses 49-50.
- Thus we see Stephen expounding on all the verses on God’s immensity.
- Following this discussion Stephen then attacks the religious leaders sins. There is a definite contrasts between the immensity of God and sinners.
What is the relationship of the immensity of God with other attributes of God?
- God is Unique as was taught in our second session. This is one of the ways that God is different from other living being and things.
- God is independent as was taught in our third session. This is one of the ways that God is independent, in that some of these passages we saw in this shows us God doesn’t need a place to live at or shelter, etc.
- God is Simple as was taught in our fourth and fifth sessions. God is fully God at any location but also He is God beyond any place to contain Him.
Implications
- We must never forget that the study of God’s attribute is done for the purpose of worship; Are you at awe at the immensity of God?
- Knowing the immensity of God should humble us; recall Solomon’s words in His prayer in which it flows with humility knowing that God doesn’t need the temple that was built. Does the doctrine of the immensity of God motivate you to true humility?
- Does it move you to humility knowing that our works for God is quite small in comparison to God, even of that of building a temple for God? Does it make you realize even what we do for God, God doesn’t need it?
[1] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 174.
[2] John Feinberg, No One Like Him (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 253.
[3] John Frame, The Doctrine of God (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2002), 580.
[4] John Feinberg, No One Like Him (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 253. Feinberg after citing 1 Kings 8:27 writes “see parallel in 2 Chron 2:6.”
[5] John Frame, The Doctrine of God (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2002), 580. Frame after quoting 1 Kings 8:27 writes “cf. 2 Chron 2:6.”
We serve an amazing God. Thanks for the great insight. Very helpful.
Blessings.
This is a good lesson, in that it answers some questions but raises others. I had never considered that the Temple was for burning incense to God, not to be His dwelling place. (as in, “How lovely is Your dwelling place…” Hmm…)
It raises questions about sanctified places, especially the Holy of Holies. Is the Lord’s presence more intense some places than others? It sure seems that way.
(You can imagine what it’s like for my poor Sunday school teacher. 😏)
All good questions! Eventually down the road I will be covering God’s omnipresence! That one I think will be more than one post. To answer your question I think calling the Temple His dwelling place was rooted in Scripture as the song you mention comes from Psalm 84:1 and context indicate it’s the Temple in view with the courtyard mentioned. Yet the passages in this post shows God doesn’t need to dwell there like human beings need to dwell somewhere with some kind of dependence relationship God has with the temple or creatures and creation. I think God’s presence is everywhere but it manifest in different ways with different dynamic in relations to creatures and creation and places of more acute intensity is often for us to be more aware of God and His character and His work of redemption. On top of that there’s redemptive history we must keep in mind that before there was a holy of holies but that has been torn off for now God dwell in believers. Very good questions you ask that I hear from other people too!
Thanks, Jim.
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard this attribute of God called immensity; I’ve understood this as omnipresence. In a sense, one can argue that neither really capture this trait adequately, for they both imply spatial dimension, i.e., physicality. But in trying to fathom and describe God we do our best!
Hey Craig! I will be covering God’s omnipresence a few weeks or months from now but I see the immensity of God is presupposing God’s omnipresence but even then He’s also uncontainable in His creation. Why I cover immensity before His omnipresence is because for this series I’m starting out with His attributes where He’s most unique then we will move to the more relational attributes, or communicable attributes of God, which we see better analogies in His creatures or creation. Usually God’s immensity receives a few paragraph in systematic theology books but I thought I give it a full teaching session last night with looking at the biblical data, it’s doctrinal relationship to other attributes of God and also implications/applications. Craig you reading this and sharing your input is a blessing brother! How can I pray for your week?
Oooh, I see your plan. Sorry for my misunderstanding.
I hope things have settled down a bit in your neck of the woods.
I love your lesson. When I saw your title, I thought of the scripture you quote (Isaiah 66:1 and Acts 7:49 – “Heaven is My throne, And the earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me?”)
Thank you again Jim for this excellent series. Today’s post on the immensity of God certainly requires humble meditation. How blessed is man that Almighty God in His immeasurable immensity desires to commune with him. As I read this today it became clearer that the temple is more for the benefit of man than for God, a place where man can commune with the Almighty. It shows us His complete knowledge of the limitations of our humanity, that we need a specific space that our minds can understand to come before Him.
Thank you again brother, and may our Father God bless you and yours.
Amen to your comment and this part was especially profound: “ As I read this today it became clearer that the temple is more for the benefit of man than for God, a place where man can commune with the Almighty.” That’s true. Very true. It is a reminder for me that we need God more than He need us. Actually He doesn’t even need us…oh what grace. How can I pray for your health?
Hi Jm, thank you for your encouragement brother. I have an exam by my doctor tomorrow relating to my ongoing back pain and other related issues – I must confess I am nervous.
I loved this Study! Sorry for talking too much! I will do better next time! I thought you did a great job showing how 1 Kings 8:27 and 2 Chron 2:6 are not parallels! I am amazed by the Immensity of God. God is far greater than what we can think, comprehend, know, feel etc. That can either excite us or it can scare us because we have to accept there are things, ways of God that we will never know. I am so thankful that our Triune God is BIG and that the more we worship Him and seek Him the more grace He gives us to know and love Him more. Blessings to you, Nancy and kiddos!
Many your comments and your sharing is much appreciated. I know there’s limitation we have on time, since we don’t have an immense amount of time (pun intended) but know its never about what you or anyone share that’s a concern! Please know that your thoughts is welcome! God is so immense! HOw is you day going so far?
It’s a strange day here for some reason. Lot of people on edge. Been praying for your youth a lot the past two days.
Thank you for introducing us to this attribute of GOD, Jim! The Immensity of GOD is an awesome realization that He is not just in the church or any space that humans can simply imagine to place or confined Him as He is everywhere in all His vast creation but not a part of nor attached to His creation. That is how Independent, Simple, and Unique GOD is. I like John Frame’s definition ‘that GOD’s power, knowledge and ability to act in the finite world are universal.’ This is true for all space and time. This, I have to digest further and ask GOD on this information deeper in Heaven/eternity. One thing is for sure that we can put our trust and anchor our faith in an Immense GOD who is merciful and just to us! Blessings to you and your family!
You have definitely chewed through this post from looking at the definitions, and how this attribute relate to other attributes of God. I am encouraged with that. As I was teaching it I was thinking of how Mandy said God is not in a box. Quite true! He can’t be contained fully by anything or anyone amen?
Amem! We will just trust GOD knowing that He is GOD.
[…] God’s attribute: The Immensity of God […]
Thanks for this lesson outline! God the Creator of the Universe is sooooo immense, an awe-inspiring thought, and that means that He is able to tabernacle within all believers, a comforting truth.
He indeed is immense and what a thought that He “tabenacled” within believers. I think the last two weeks’ lesson on Divine Simplicity is also important here in that while nothing can contain God fully in terms of His entire being, yet God is truly within the believers’ heart and not just “parts” of God within us since He is Spirit and not a composite being. Isn’t that rather mind-blowing? This should make us worship God amen?
RE: Isn’t that rather mind-blowing? This should make us worship God amen?
Amen! I really appreciate these lessons about the attributes of God!
Reblogged this on My Logos Word.
Great series on the attributes of God, it’s true what you said all that we do for God He doesn’t need. We are not doing Him a favour. We serve an amazing triune God, and to think that the second person of the Godhead became a man to rescue us? , no wonder the Apostle Paul said “rejoice in the Lord always”.
Thank you pastor Jim.
Thank you Crissy for reading this! Its humbling to think about how God doesn’t need us when we serve Him, isn’t it? Yet we are to still serve out of love for Him. I guess the attributes of God matter, specifically the attribute of the immensity of God: it should purifies our personal motivation for why we serve Him doesn’t it? Amen?
Amen ! The more we learn about God the more we learned to love Him.
Thank you for bringing these precious studies to your blog.
The Lord continue to bless you and give you wisdom as you grow in the knowledge of Him.
[…] Eric is suppose to destroy the Christian God then the skeptic has forgotten that the Biblical God is immense (nothing can contain Him), Simple (not made out of components that can be broken down and not be […]
I don’t normally think of God as being immense but its true if He’s infinite in every sense including spatially
[…] https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2021/02/03/gods-attribute-the-immensity-of-god/Omnipresence: Omnipresence or ubiquity is the property of being present anywhere and everywhere. All present. […]