The image of the God of Israel.

It would be interesting to conduct a poll on our idea of ​​God. The question is not new; different religions have long presented their images of their deities. Let’s see how the Old Testament approaches this topic.

The image of the God of Israel is a particular theme in the Bible. The Ten Commandments contain not only the prohibition of worshiping other gods but also the prohibition of depicting them: “You shall not make for yourself an idol, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth!” (Deuteronomy 5:8 ). In his speech, Moses explains that the prohibition to make an image also applies to the God of Israel: “be very careful, for you did not see any figure when the Lord spoke to you in the midst of the fire on Horeb” (Deuteronomy 4:15). Today’s excerpt from Isaiah can also be read in these intentions.

The prophet asks, “To whom will you liken God? And what form will you set next to him?” (Isaiah 40:18 – Ecumenical translation). This question arises in the context of the Babylonian captivity, a period when the Israelites were exposed to the worship of the god Sin and the cult of the God Marduk, both of which were part of the Babylonian culture. The Babylonians were famous for their astrology and their spectacular celebrations. In this context, the ‘invisibility’ of God serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, it protects God from triumphalism and excessive pride. On the other hand, it creates a crisis (v. 27) about whether God Yahweh is really what he says: mighty (v. 26), eternal and wise creator of all things (v. 28).

The opening rhetorical question about our reading suggests that the God of Israel is not just different from other deities, but incomparable. The term holy (Heb. qadoš) expresses this uniqueness (v. 25) in a way that sets our God apart. The eternal God, or more precisely the God of Eternity, is also the creator of the ends of the earth (v. 28). Eternity conceals all time; the most distant past and the most distant future, and the ends of the world represent all space. Therefore, every moment and place is in God’s power (Berges, 159-160). There is nothing to which He does not give being. We don’t know what God looks like. But it’s not really about his appearance at all. Isaiah directs the readers’ attention elsewhere. God does not lose strength or grow old (v. 28). Time does not rob him of vitality. As is common in other cults, he does not need people to charge him with life energy. Still, he distributes it to exhausted and weak people (v. 29). While natural powers are waning, God is the source of new inexhaustible power (v. 31). The key that opens the door to the source is hope, expectation, and reliance on God. This concept of hope as a source of strength should inspire and empower us all. As we light the candles on the Advent wreath, let our hope and trust in God grow with the increasing light. The Advent season, focusing on the anticipation of Christ’s birth, is a fitting time to reflect on the nature of God as revealed in the biblical text. Let us recognize him when we look into the face of the baby who will be born in a few days in Bethlehem. I add my heartfelt congratulations to Lucia and wish everyone a blessed day.