Introduction

God is often depicted as an elderly white man with a flowing beard, but is that really
what He looks like? In recent years, the question of God’s skin color has become a topic
of debate. Some point to Jesus and his physical characteristics in accordance with histori-
cal accuracy. Others believe that the true essence of God transcends race and physicality.
This article will explore the evidence available to determine if God is black, drawing
from biblical texts, historical context, and theological interpretation.

Does God Have a Color?

No, God does not have a color, as God is spiritual in form. While humans take a physical
form, God is not bound by matter, so He does not appear the same way as humans. The
Bible does not describe God as having a physical form but as existing beyond the mate-
rial and physical limitations of the world. As such, God does not carry color attributes.

Consider John 4:24, which states, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must wor-
ship in spirit and truth.” This verse emphasizes that God’s essence is spiritual rather than
physical, highlighting the belief that God exists beyond human conceptions of matter and
form. Furthermore, God is above time (2 Peter 3:8), above space (Jeremiah 23:24), and
above matter (Colossians 1:16-17).

When God was still on earth with mankind (from the Garden of Eden until 400 years be-
fore the New Testament), He often appeared as fire and the accompanying colors of fire,
as displayed in Exodus 3:4-8 and Exodus 19:18-20. In 1 Kings 19:11-13, God appeared
as a low whisper after a fire.

Additionally, when God came to the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, it was His (Shekinah)
glory that covered the meeting tent of the Tabernacle in Exodus 40:34-35. Here’s the full
verse:

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the taberna-
cle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on
it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

At the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, as recorded in 1 Kings 8:10-11, God appeared as

a cloud. Here’s the full verse:

“And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so
that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord
filled the house of the Lord.”
As you can see, God does not appear as a color but in physical manifestations that hu-
mans are not capable of, often as a burning bush, a whisper, or a cloud. Often His spirit
appears as light. Even Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the light…”
When the Holy Spirit came to settle on the apostles, He appeared as “tongues of fire” ac-
cording to Acts 2:3-4.

God appears as a presence, not as a definable color; He’s invisible. Consider 1 Timothy
6:16, “who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has
seen or can see…” God is light, and light often appears white to humans but can appear
as many other colors depending on the wavelengths. However, this is not white like a
skin tone but more the absence of color. As such, God is beyond color.

What Race is God?

While God chose a favorite people, He never stated that He was like those people. In-
stead, God transcends human categories of race, ethnicity, and other physical characteris-
tics, including color. However, as we are created in God’s image and likeness, the de-
scription goes far beyond the color of skin, instead showing we are all in the same form
as God, not the same skin tone.

Everyone in the world is part of the same race, the human race. Instead, we are made in
God’s likeness and image in a different manner than in the color of our flesh. In Hebrew,
the word image comes from the word "‫( "ֶצֶלם‬tselem), which refers to a non-physical re-
semblance or representation. Instead, humans are a reflection of God’s character and at-
tributes in a non-physical, spiritual, or functional sense.

Furthermore, the word likeness in Ancient Hebrew was "‫( "ְּד מּות‬demuth), which rein-
forces the concept of image by emphasizing the idea of being like God in certain capaci-
ties or attributes, such as moral awareness, rationality, and the ability to relate to others.
These words do not point to physical attributes, leading us even further away from de-
scribing God as taking on any human characteristics.

Next, the Bible emphasizes the universality of God’s relationship with all of humanity,
instead of Him associating with one specific racial group or ethnic group. While in the
Old Testament, God chose the Israelites as His people, this was because following every
race would have led to far too long a set of scriptures! Following only the Israelites al-
lowed God to focus the Bible on His desire to share His instructions with us. If God had
written about every race, the Bible would have grown in size by the thousands!

Does the Bible say Jesus was Black?

The Bible does not provide a detailed physical description of Jesus Christ, including His
skin color. This has led to different interpretations and depictions of Jesus' appearance
throughout history. Most likely, He would have taken on the characteristics of His earthly
family, such as olive or brown skin from His Mother Mary, who was of Asian descent
like all Israelites. He would have had dark hair and eyes more than likely too.

It's important to remember that the Bible emphasizes Jesus' divine nature and His teach-
ings rather than His physical appearance. The Bible focuses on Jesus' message of love,
compassion, and salvation, rather than His ethnicity or appearance. Therefore, the Bible
does not explicitly state that Jesus was black, white, or any other race. Instead, it encour-
ages believers to focus on Jesus' teachings and strive to live according to His example.

What do We Know About God?

God is often described as transcendent, meaning God exists beyond the limitation of the
material universe. He is also described as all-powerful, all-knowing, and present every-
where, and immanent, which means He is involved in and cares for the world and its peo-
ple. Here are some scriptures for each:

Omniscient

• Psalm 147:5: "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no
limit."
• Hebrews 4:13: "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is
uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Omnipresent

• Psalm 139:7-10: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your
presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths,
you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the
sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
• Jeremiah 23:24: "Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" de-
clares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.

Omnipotent

• Genesis 18:14: "Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the ap-
pointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
• Revelation 19:6: "Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar
of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For our
Lord God Almighty reigns.'"

Immanent
• Acts 17:27-28: "God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out
for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live
and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his
offspring.'"
• Colossians 1:17: "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Moreover, we know God is a spirit (John 4:24) instead of a physical being. We also know
God is eternal (James 1:17), unchanging (Malachi 3:6), has a plan for the world
(Jeremiah 29:11), and for its people (Ephesians 1:11). The Bible goes on to tell us of
God’s love (John 3:16), justice (Deuteronomy 32:4), mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5), and holi-
ness (Isaiah 6:3).

In summary, the biblical portrayal of God encompasses His supreme power, presence,
knowledge, moral purity, justice, and boundless love and mercy. These attributes are wo-
ven throughout the narrative of the Bible, revealing a God who is both transcendent and
imminently involved in the world and the lives of those He has created.

What Really Matters?

The essence of God, as described in the Bible, is characterized by His love, justice,
mercy, compassion, and faithfulness. These attributes are evident throughout the Old and
New Testaments and are central to understanding God's nature. God is known not by His
physical attributes but by spiritual attributes such as His character and the relationship He
seeks with humanity.

Beyond God's attributes, the biblical perspective suggests that God's understanding and
perspective transcend human comprehension, encapsulating the entirety of existence
across time and space. This divine transcendence means that God perceives the grand ta-
pestry of creation, history, and individual lives in its entirety, whereas humans are only
capable of discerning fragments or 'tiny puzzle pieces' of the vast mosaic of reality.

Scriptures such as Isaiah 55:8-9 underscore this profound difference between God's ways
and human understanding: 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.' This passage emphasizes the
immense gap between God's infinite wisdom and the finite human perspective.

In this context, faith involves trusting in God’s vision and wisdom, even when individual
circumstances might appear perplexing or challenging. The biblical call to trust in God
despite limited understanding is rooted in Proverbs 3:5-6: 'Trust in the LORD with all
your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and
he will make your paths straight.' This trust is based on the belief that God, with His tran-
scendent wisdom and love, is steering the course of events towards a good and just con-
clusion, even if the full picture remains beyond human grasp.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the question of whether God is Black transcends physical descriptions, as

God is not a physical being but a spiritual one. Instead of focusing on His physical at-
tributes, we need to emphasize His spiritual qualities, such as love, justice, mercy, and
holiness. Thinking of God in human form detracts from His more significant attributes
that truly matter, such as His sovereignty and His love for us."