How often have we seen God portrayed as a man, perhaps floating on a cloud? Michelangelo’s famous painting of creation on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel depicts God in just this way, about to touch Adam and presumably give him life. This is a mental picture that society has held over the centuries.
Since God is usually referred to as He or Him, it almost seems natural to consider God as a corporeal being, formed in man’s image and likeness. But this is not the truth about God.
In the Bible, God is never described in any bodily fashion. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets of the Old Testament had a personal relationship with God, whose presence appeared to them at various times through a voice, a burning bush, a pillar of cloud or fire, a whirlwind—all of which indicated one Supreme Being, a presence that is tangible, spiritual, not material. This is in distinct contrast to other ancient societies that worshiped many gods, often represented by idols.
