What is God Like?

Mar 26
4 min read

What Is God Like? (A Clear Biblical Answer That Might Surprise You)

If you’re trying to figure out God’s will, there’s a deeper question you have to answer first:

What is God actually like?

Because let’s be honest—depending on how you answer that question, your entire approach to God changes.

Is God an impersonal force?
A harsh, angry ruler?
A distant, passive presence?

There are versions of God that would make you avoid ever praying, “Your will be done.”

And that’s exactly why this matters.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” — A.W. Tozer

The problem is, most of us don’t start with who God actually is.

We start with ourselves.

And over time, we shape a version of God that looks a lot like us.

God Introduces Himself (So We Don’t Have to Guess)

If you want to know what God is like, you don’t have to speculate.

There is a moment in Scripture where God introduces Himself directly.

Before that, people knew God primarily through titles:

Elohim — Creator God

“In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)

El Elyon — God Most High

“Melchizedek…was the priest of God Most High (El Elyon).” — Genesis 14:18 (NKJV)

El Shaddai — Almighty God

“I am Almighty God (El Shaddai); walk before Me and be blameless.” — Genesis 17:1 (NKJV)

These titles revealed aspects of God’s power and character.

But then Moses asks a deeper question:

“What is His name?” — Exodus 3:13 (NKJV)

Not just, “Who are you?”But, “What makes you…you?”

And God answers:

“I AM WHO I AM.” — Exodus 3:14 (NKJV)

This is where it gets incredibly rich.

The Hebrew root word is hayah — to be.

Ehyeh (first person) = “I AM” — how God refers to Himself
Yahweh (third person) = “HE IS” — how we refer to God

So when God speaks, He says, “I AM.”

When we speak of Him, we say, “He is.”

This is why Scripture says:

“This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” — Exodus 3:15 (NKJV)

God is not becoming.

He is not evolving.

He is not adapting.

He is.

The same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Moment God Defines His Character

Fast forward.

God rescues Israel from Egypt.

They arrive at Mount Sinai.

And almost immediately—they rebel (Exodus 32).

God disciplines them.

Moses intercedes (Exodus 32–33).

And then Moses asks to see God’s glory (Exodus 33:18).

God says yes.

And what happens next is one of the most important moments in the Bible:

“And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…’” — Exodus 34:6–7 (NKJV)

Before giving more commands…

Before advancing the story…

God reveals His character.

1. God’s Mercy Is Deep and His Grace Is Active

The first words God uses to describe Himself are:

“Merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6).

The word for merciful (rachum) carries the idea of deep compassion—like a mother’s love for her child.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child…? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” — Isaiah 49:15 (NKJV)

God doesn’t just observe your life.

He feels. He cares.

And He is gracious (hanun)—which means He acts.

He helps.

He moves.

He intervenes.

God is not distant.

He is both compassionate and active.

2. God Is Patient—But Not Passive

God describes Himself as:

“Longsuffering” (Exodus 34:6).

Literally: “long of nostrils”—slow to anger.

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty…” — Proverbs 16:32 (NKJV)

God does not explode emotionally.

He has control over His anger.

But don’t confuse patience with indifference.

God is angry at evil:

Injustice
Abuse
Exploitation
Violence

As John Stott described it:

“God’s wrath is His steady, unrelenting opposition to evil.”

God is not angry at everything.

He is angry at what matters most.

3. God’s Love Is Steadfast and Covenant-Bound

God says He is:

“Abounding in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6).

The word for goodness is hesed—a rich word that means loyal, covenant love.

This is not casual love.

This is not conditional love.

This is unbreakable commitment.

And “truth” (emet) means reliability—faithfulness over time.

“Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” — Psalm 36:5 (NKJV)

In a world where people walk away…

God does not.

He cannot deny His own nature.

4. God’s Forgiveness Is Complete

God continues:

“Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” — Exodus 34:7 (NKJV)

Three words. One point:

Nothing is outside the reach of God’s forgiveness.

Iniquity — twisted motives
Transgression — rebellion
Sin — falling short

The Hebrew word for forgiveness means to lift and carry away.

God doesn’t just acknowledge sin.

He removes it.

5. God’s Justice Is Uncompromising

But the passage doesn’t stop there:

“By no means clearing the guilty…” — Exodus 34:7 (NKJV)

God is loving—but not lenient toward evil.

There is no cheap grace.No shortcuts around justice.

As C. S. Lewis wrote:

“Mercy, detached from justice, grows unmerciful.”

God’s justice ensures that evil is dealt with fully.

Because a world without justice would not be good.

What This Means for You

Many people struggle to trust God’s will because they don’t trust God’s heart.

But when you see who God actually is:

Deeply compassionate
Actively gracious
Patient but purposeful
Steadfast in love
Faithful and just

Then everything changes.

You’re not following a tyrant.

You’re not guessing with a distant force.

You are trusting a God whose character is consistently good.

The Bottom Line

If you misunderstand God, everything else will feel off.

But if you see Him clearly…

It changes everything!