What does God look like?

TL;DR:

God the Father is spirit and cannot be seen with human eyes, but He has revealed Himself throughout history in various forms. Jesus Christ, God the Son, took on human form and shows us exactly what God is like. One day, believers will see God face to face.

what does the bible say?

God the Father is spirit and cannot be seen with human eyes, so we cannot know for certain what He looks like. At the same time, throughout history God has graciously revealed Himself in various ways. In the Old Testament, He appeared in theophanies—in forms such as fire, cloud, a gentle whisper, and even as an angelic visitor. Jesus Christ, God the Son, took on human flesh and became the visible image of the invisible God, fully revealing the heart and nature of the Father. One day, all who belong to Him will see God face to face in the fullness of His glory. Until then, we are called to reflect His character as we surrender to Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify and transform us and living out His love, truth, and holiness in our everyday lives.

from the old testament

God the Father is not a human being we can see (Numbers 23:19).
Although God is spirit and therefore invisible, God has revealed Himself to humanity at various times and in various forms throughout the Bible. For example, He appeared to Abraham as an angelic visitor prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18). The Lord spoke to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3) and even showed Moses His back at one point (Exodus 33). God’s presence was among the Israelites in the wilderness guiding them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21–22). God spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper after a windstorm, an earthquake, and a firestorm (1 Kings 19:11–12). God was the fourth man in the fire when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown in a furnace for refusing to worship the king (Daniel 3:23–25).
God made human beings in His likeness, and we bear His image (Genesis 1:27). This means that we reflect parts of who God is.

from the new testament

The Bible says that God is spirit and therefore invisible to the human eye (John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17).
No one has seen God in the fullness of who He is (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12).
God revealed Himself in human form through the person of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and the second Person of the Triune Godhead. Before His birth, Jesus was announced as Immanuel, which literally means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9).
Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (John 1:14; Colossians 1:15).
In the future, when believers are reunited with God through Christ in heaven, the Bible says we will see God as He is face to face: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1–2).

implications for today

While we cannot see God physically with our human eyes, we can see Him with the eyes of our heart and mind. John wrote, “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). When we forgive someone who has wronged us, offer help to a struggling neighbor, or speak truth with kindness, we reflect the invisible God to others. Each time we choose patience over frustration or give generously without expecting anything in return, we display glimpses of His nature. In our daily lives—whether at work, at home, or in our community—we can become living reflections of God’s love and truth. As we grow in Christ, our lives serve as visible reminders of the invisible God, preparing our hearts for the day we will see Him face to face.

understand

God the Father is spirit though He has revealed Himself in physical forms at various times in history.
Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God.
Believers will see God face to face in heaven.

reflect

How does knowing that God is spirit impact the way you relate to Him?
In what ways does recognizing that Jesus is the image of the invisible God help you understand who God is and how He interacts with humanity?
Where in your life is God inviting you to reflect His nature more clearly to others?

engage

What do the various ways God revealed Himself in the Bible teach us about His desire to be known?
How does Jesus reveal the character of God?
What are some practical ways we, as believers, can reflect God’s love and truth in our world today?