The King Of Heaven
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In the story of creation written by P-author God separates water from the land, and creates a dome. People and all living beings are situated under the dome and God is over it. So he separates himself from his creations. Such image seems to be not very positive for ordinary people. We can’t feel safe, if we think we are separated from God. The most positive understanding of the God’s nature is seeing him as the Source of being. When God is not in person that he created, but is over us, we begin to fear him and his judgment. This model of understanding of God leads to the division of the universe into 3 tiers: heaven, earth and Sheol. Such model is very beneficial for priests. If people felt that God is in them, they would not need priests to connect them with God. But most people fear to go to Hell (or Sheol) after their death and think that priests will help them to please God. Priestly author views God as a King, who lives in the Heavens and that the Universe is divided into 3 parts. In the Old Testament God is very often depicted in such a way. Vivid examples we can find in Psalms.
God’s home in heaven
In Psalm 11:4 we read: The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORDS throne is in heaven. In the beginning of this Psalm the author complains, that people, who are not righteous are making him feel bad. So here is a cute picture: wicked people will go to the Sheol, the righteous ones should go to the heaven, nevertheless they are also struggling and God is sitting at his throne in a holy temple and seems to be rather indifferent to all troubles of his people. If the author of these verses had think of God as of the Source of the whole being, he would have probably found the way to overcome his bad emotions (which actually are the fear to become an outsider). But the author sees God separated from people. He describes him as a king, who looks down on the earth from his sit in the heaven and puts his sons to the test. His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. (the same phrase is in Psalm 53:2) Such image of God doesn’t arouse emotion of love, but only that of fear.
There is the same picture in Psalm 14:2. The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men. It is written in the Psalm that all people have become bad and they are not seeking after God. The author is upset with this problem. But if he had viewed God, as something united with his creations, he would have seen that people don’t have to seek after God, because he lives in them. I think we can’t judge people and divide them on righteous and unrighteous ones. If we think that people have made a mistake, we should try to transmit them our point of view with the energy of our thoughts. As God is connected with each person, we are also connected with each other through him. So we should try to help person just with our thoughts.
“O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine” — this is a cry of people, who have lived on a good fruitful land, which later began to deteriorate. If a person thinks that God can make something, that is unwilling to her, it will probably happen. The author of this Psalm (80:14) shows God as a ruler of the world who looks down from the heaven. And if God is far above the dome he can’t feel all struggling of his people. On the other hand, if we see God connected with us, we will feel stronger and the confidence that God is with us will help to overcome any problem.