This is another paper that I composed for my Great Books class. Frankly, I had a lot of fun writing this one. It was like having my eyes opened to this world for the first time.
Happy Reading!
~Chelsea
------------------------------------------
God of Wonders
Chelsea Nygaard
GBT III, 3rd Paper
Due March 24, 2006
“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep…Then God said, ‘Let there be light’…”
[1] With that single command came the birth of everything physical and natural: man, beast, and the elements were brought forth from the Voice and Hands of the Omnipotent. From the dawn of time, God has been closely associated with His creation. He is called the Father of all, the Creator of the world, the Author of our lives. Through an even closer association, we say that He is our Rock and our Light. He broods over His children like a mother bird. Jesus Christ is the Spring of Life and the Holy Spirit has been likened to a rushing wind. Why all these metaphors? Why do we draw so many connections between the Creator and the created? Many have endeavored to describe God in physical terms to make Him more understandable to our minds – but is this the only reason? We constantly hear our Lord being given the characteristics of objects: “He is strong like a rock; He shines like the sun.” What if it were turned around? “A rock is strong like God; the sun is bright like Him.” This presents an entirely new way to look at the earth and its God – and the man who presented it was Saint Thomas Aquinas.
In his work
The Summa Theologica, Aquinas takes up a question regarding “whether any name can be applied to God substantially.”
[2] Within his answer, he makes a declaration: “God prepossesses in Himself all the perfections of creatures…”
[3] Taken at first glance, this may not seem to be an extraordinary statement. He quotes Augustine as saying “‘Because He is good, we are,”
[4] therefore, because God is the Originator of everything, all the goodness and “perfection” exhibited by nature was His to begin with. However, if examined more closely, it becomes clear that what Aquinas is saying is much more complex.
Every positive quality that exists in a natural object or animal existed in God first. As stated earlier, we often say that “God is strong like a rock,” but it could be that we have it backwards. First, why do we use this image? A boulder is sturdy, immovable, firm, and can be either foundational or crushing. The connection begins to clarify: God is steady and unwavering, never changing, while Christ is connected with the stone that either supports a building or acts as a stumbling block.
[5] Therefore, we are justified in using this metaphor. On the other hand, would it not be closer to reverse the order of the words? Where did these characteristics originate – in the stone or in its Mason? Only One of the two was around before the foundations of the earth were laid. “Hence every creature
represents Him, and
is like Him so far as it possesses some perfection…”
[6] God does not have the attributes of that boulder; that boulder has the attributes of God. He projected a few facets of His personality – steadfastness, strength, and permanence - onto that piece of His creation, so that His people might never forget that He is Who He is.
In Romans, Paul states quite clearly, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…”
[7] How might God’s attributes reveal themselves in the natural world? It could be accomplished through several methods, some more comprehensive than others. A modern scientist could go into incredible detail while searching for parallels; but there may be a simpler method. To the ancients, all matter was composed of only four elements: Wind, Earth, Fire, and Water. Describing each and their characteristics should shed light onto how they can illustrate their Designer.
When God made Adam, He breathed air – life – into his nostrils. In its most general form, “Wind” can include more than merely the breezes and gales that sweep the land. Air and the atmosphere, and breath itself, can all fall into the same category. Without air, without something to breathe, all life would perish. Wind in the sails of a ship powers it forward, towards an anticipated destination. The layers of air and gasses that envelop the planet protect it from deadly light and unfriendly space. Most amazing of all, it is invisible and has no form, so we cannot detect it through our senses.
“Earth” is a misleadingly simple word. When taken in its entirety, it encompasses soil, rock, and gem. It may be the dirt that nourishes an orchard; it may be what that house is built with. Boulders can either support immense weight or crush a man to death. The gem, particularly the diamond, is one of the most treasured items in the world. Radiance and permanence combined.
Without light, we could not see anything surrounding us. Illumination emanates from the sun, candles, light bulbs, and bonfires. Fire not only provides light, it also warms the cold traveler on a winter’s night. In a metalworker’s forge, it burns impurities out of the iron or gold, so as to produce a perfect item. It can be destructive, charring homes and taking lives. At the same time, in a controlled setting, a forest fire can clear the way for new and healthier growth to appear.
Water is a contradictory element. It can cool or scald, depending on its temperature. Sprinklers and drinking fountains provide essential sustenance, while a tidal wave can level an entire coastline. Snow, clouds, rain, ice, steam, or dew: it has many forms, and is not restricted to any one of them. It cleans like no other agent, having the ability to make the dirtiest clothing or person spotless.
A very clear portrait of our Sovereign begins to emerge through these components of nature. Nevertheless, an essential factor has not been addressed. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – He is Three in One. Is this reflected anywhere in Creation? Yes, it is. “Then God said ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’”
[8] There has been much debate as to whether or not man has three parts to his personality. In defense of this argument is the fact that the New Testament employs three words to signify life: spiritual life, mental life or the soul, and physical life.
[9] If an opinion in favor of this view is to be accepted, then the human person is made with a spirit, soul, and body. Aside from literally making humans tri-dimensional beings, God infuses them with creativity, strength (whether physical or mental), reason, and wisdom. Once again, this illustrates His powers in a diminished way: He, the Creator of all, possesses the greatest Creative Mind in existence; His Power knows no equal; His Thoughts and Speech are unparalleled for their Infallibility; He knows all things and understands all things with perfect Comprehension. He truly did make man in His image.
By investigating the evidence, it has been made apparent that our Father infused His character into the entire world around us. So much so, that it seems complete. His gentleness and power, His simplicity and complexity, His splendor and invisibility: all sides of Him are made clear. Would it not be accurate to say that by studying nature we come to know Him? When viewed in this light, the Scriptures seem almost superfluous. Let the physical world be our Bible, our guide to God’s Personality. If He is in nature, what else do we need?
On the other hand, there was the time when Elijah stayed on Mount Horeb, and the Lord came to speak with him. God sent a windstorm, an earthquake, and a fire, but He was not
in any of those. It was only after Elijah heard a “still small voice” that he responded and went to converse with God.
[10] Why? Later in his article, Aquinas explains that “creatures are the representations of God,
although in an imperfect manner…”
[11] . If you take a piece of metal, and hold it so the sun strikes it, the metal shines. But its brightness is trifling when compared to what illuminates it. So is it with this world compared to God. We and the nature around us reflect Him, yet His glory exponentially surpasses all earthly radiance.
In the Garden of Eden, when the world was “very good,” even then it was not a sufficient representation of God. He did not rely on the trees or animals or gemstones to explain Himself to mankind. He spoke with Adam and Eve directly and spent time with them; He knew them and they knew Him personally. The significance of this lies in the fact that God does not inhabit His creation. He uses it for His purposes, but He does not communicate directly with His children through it. Instead, He speaks to us in person, primarily through His Word: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
[12] If nature was all that was needed, why then did the Son of Man – the Incarnate Word – come to the earth?
As amazing as the physical universe is, it is nothing compared to the One who designed it. As Aquinas wrote, creation receives and projects His Character “not in its full degree, but in a measure that falls short…”
[13] The only way that we can know Him – not just know about Him – is through personal relationship. Glorious though it is, creation cannot express His Love; only through words and songs and conversation can we understand His heart for us. Nature express What He is, while only through His Word can He tell us Who He is.
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”
[14] One day, we shall see why God is more beautiful than diamonds, why He satisfies thirst more completely than any spring, and why the fire of His Love is more intense than any physical flame. One day, we shall meet this God of Wonders, and understand Him: He who is the One Who “prepossesses in Himself all the perfections of creatures, being Himself simply and universally perfect.”
[15][1] Genesis 1:2-3. The Holy Bible, New King James Version
[2] St. Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologica, First Part, Question 13, Article 2
[3] Ibid. “I answer that”, 4th paragraph
[4] Ibid. “I answer that”, 4th paragraph
[5] I Peter 2:7,8
[6] Summa, Pt 1, Q13, A2, “I answer that”, 4th paragraph (Italics added)
[7] Romans 1:20
[8] Genesis 1:26
[9] Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Greek entries. #2222: zoe or #4151 pneuma (spirit); #5590: psuche (soul); #979 bios (body)
[10] “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.” (1 Kings 19:11-13)
[11] Summa, Pt 1, Q13, A2, “Reply to Objection 2”, 1st paragraph (Italics added)
[12] Ps 119:105
[13] Summa, Pt 1, Q13, A5, “I answer that”, 1st paragraph
[14] I Corinthians 13:12
[15] Summa, Pt 1, Q13, A2, “I answer that”, 4th paragraph
