If we are to imitate God then we must know who He is. The trouble starts when we create an image of God in our minds that does not faithfully reflect who He is. Often this happens with an overemphasis of one of His characteristics, but even more often it is the fact that we make God in our image. We have "Humanized God, Deified Man, and Minimized Sin."

In humanizing God, we who have been created in His image turn things around and instead attempt to make God in our image. We do not fear God, we do not reverence His name or His Word, and we truly mock His holiness. If we can for even a moment think about God and not be moved to worship then we have a wrong view of God!

How can we imitate God when so much of our time is spent trying to build up self and fulfill our own desires? How can we imitate God if we fail to be holy? How can we imitate God if we refuse to deny self?

Let us look then at who God tells us He is in Isaiah 40 as Isaiah prophecies about the Babylonian Captivity of Judah and the time to come once judgment is finished. This is a brief outline so I encourage you to listen to the message once it is available online later today.

To Whom Then Will You Liken God?
Isaiah 40:1-31

Isaiah presents us with a picture of God as our Comfort, our Shepherd, and our Creator.

A. God our Comfort - vs. 1-8

1. Judgment is Finished and Judah's Sins Have Been Paid
2. But What Comfort is Judgment? (the promise of the Messiah)
3. The Voice in the Wilderness – Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; John 1:23
4. God’s Word Stands Forever

B. God our Shepherd – vs. 9-11

1. A Strong Hand
2. Ruling and Rewarding
3. Feeding His Flock

C. God our Creator – vs. 12-31

1. Who has Directed Him? (12-14)
2. The Nations are a Drop in a Bucket (15-17)
3. Making God in Our Image (18-20)
4. Behold Your God (21-31)

Bonus - Be sure and read this blog post:
God's Mercy and the Insight of King David - Part 1 - by Dustin Butts.