CHAPTER 9

ON THE GREATNESS OF GOD AND HIS UNFATHOMABLE NATURE, AND ON THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF REPRESENTING HIM VISUALLY

In chapter 5, part 5 of this volume we wrote that the Lord God can neither be portrayed in an image nor entirely comprehended. However, we would like to offer an illustration, which we hope will make this point clearer to the reader. In figure 16 on page 350, letters A and B represent our world, showing both the heavens and the earth. Letter C represents the region of the upper worlds, the area of the fixed stars. The spirit-worlds are represented with the letters D, E, F and G, with H designating the heaven above the heavens—insofar as we can comprehend that concept—where the throne of the Living God is located. Now, the reader should imagine himself standing in this farthest region of the heavens (region H) and stretching out his hand beyond it, if possible. If it is not possible, then it must be because this action is hindered by another higher heaven, J, and indeed, still other heavens beyond that, K, L, M, etc. Or one could suppose an even more absurd possibility, namely that above the heavenly region H there is an unending solid barrier, which surrounds and encloses the divine majesty of God. If we suppose this to be the case—which it is not—would this barrier have an end or a point at which it dissipates? Or if we suppose an unending expanse of fluid in place of the solid barrier, what kind of fluid would this be? Even if we simply presume that there is one heaven after the other in ever-extending circles, one of these must be the highest heaven; but even then there must be something that occupies the space beyond it, which encloses all these theoretical heavens, directs them and maintains them. It is precisely this most holy, true and unending something that we are attempting to describe here, namely the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the source of all life and being by whom all things were made and who keeps them in his care. We cannot imagine an end or limit to the depth, height or breadth of such a being. It is an abyss that both astonishes and overburdens our mind, which can only in some small way imagine the reality of the divine expanse that is God. O glorious majesty! Who can look upon your most holy countenance or the unfathomable light of your incomprehensible divinity and still live? Through you, O sweet Lord Jesus, we will someday see the majestic countenance of your Father, because in you the fullness of God became man (see Colossians 2, verse 9).