God

The God of Scripture is not a philosophical concept or a religious ideal. He is a person who speaks, acts, creates, judges, redeems, and keeps his word. The Bible does not begin with arguments for God’s existence; it begins with God acting: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Everything that follows flows from who this God is.

His name in the Old Testament is Yahweh: the personal covenant name he revealed to Moses at the burning bush. It means something like “I am who I am” or “I will be what I will be.” It is a name that defies full definition. What it points to is God’s absolute self-existence, his freedom from any dependence on creation, and his personal commitment to be present with his people in ways that will be revealed as history unfolds. Every time the LSB uses “Yahweh,” it is a reminder that the God who acts is not an abstract force but a specific person who has named himself and bound himself to his people.

The character of Yahweh is revealed through his acts in history. He is holy: utterly set apart from sin and from all that opposes his nature. He is righteous: he always acts in accordance with what is right. He is faithful: he keeps every word he has spoken. He is merciful: he does not deal with his people as their sins deserve. These are not separate attributes balanced against each other but the unified character of the one God who governs all things. The articles below trace how Scripture reveals who God is through what he does.