God is not a creature with a body
The Bible begins by telling us that humanity is made in God’s image, not that God is made in ours (Genesis 1:27). That helps us avoid imagining God as simply a larger, older version of a person. Jesus says God is spirit, and Paul calls him the invisible King (John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17).
God is personal. He speaks, loves, judges, listens, and acts. But his being is not limited by a human body, a location, or a visible shape. Solomon recognised this when he dedicated the temple in Jerusalem: even heaven could not contain God, much less a building made by human hands (1 Kings 8:27).
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Why no one can fully see him
When Moses asked to see God’s glory on Mount Sinai, God answered that no person could see his face and live (Exodus 33:20). The point is not that God was hiding a physical face from Moses. God’s holy glory is too great for fallen human beings to take in without being overwhelmed.
The Bible sometimes describes God with human features, such as hands, eyes, or an arm. These pictures help us grasp what he does: his hand can protect, his eyes can see, and his arm can save. They should not force us to think that the eternal God has human anatomy. Scripture also says that no one has seen God in his fullness (John 1:18).
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
What about visions of God?
Prophets did receive visions. Ezekiel saw a throne, radiant brightness, fire, and a likeness with human appearance, yet he carefully described it as the appearance of the likeness of God’s glory (Ezekiel 1:26-28). John likewise saw God’s heavenly throne surrounded by dazzling colours and worship (Revelation 4:2-3).
These scenes are not dull or unreal. They reveal something true about God: his majesty, purity, authority, and beauty. Still, the language of likeness and appearance shows that human words and images cannot contain him. A vision points beyond itself to the God who is greater than anything we can draw or visualise.
Jesus shows us what God is like
The clearest answer comes in Jesus. The Son took on real human flesh, so people could see him, hear him, and share meals with him. Yet Jesus did not merely resemble God in a vague way. Colossians calls him the image of the invisible God, and Hebrews says he perfectly expresses God’s nature (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).
So when Philip asked Jesus to show the disciples the Father, Jesus pointed to his own life and relationship with the Father (John 14:9). Look at Jesus welcoming children, touching the unclean, confronting hypocrisy, forgiving sinners, serving at the table, and giving himself at the cross. This is not a full physical portrait of the Father. It is something better: a trustworthy revelation of God’s heart and character.
You may not be able to form a complete picture of God in your mind. That is alright. Read the Gospels slowly, especially the encounters Jesus has with ordinary people, and ask what they show you about the God who wants to be known.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: