2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Throughout this series of messages, the Lord has been guiding me to ways He reveals His various attributes. My experience in studying the Scriptures has brought home one particular truth from Genesis all the way to Revelation: that is that He wants us to know Him in all the manifestations of His glory. I’m convinced that this is essential to our preparation to enjoy close fellowship with Him eternally, and I also feel that I have felt a foreshadowing of that joy in the process of learning each new thing about Him that has come my way. Today He leads me to talk about Him as a person of the Trinity, as the Father. The last thing that should be done is to make this an academic exercise. So, it is important for us to understand that the way we really get to know the Father is by experiencing Him as a vital force in our lives. That means that as we obey His commands, that knowledge comes to both our heads and our hearts.
He has revealed so many things about Himself to us that we run the risk of arrogantly assuming that He is no longer an unknowable mystery, or that He has even lost some of His authority. Such couldn’t be farther from the truth. God, the Father is indeed transcendent-high above creation, utterly different from anything that can be perceived entirely with ordinary human senses. PS 99 God the Supreme King presents Him as the transcendent Being that He is. Because God has given us so much, let me ask you to read the citations I give you today and bear with me for not writing out all of them in this message. We know from JN 14: 9. 11, 15-17, 21, & 23 that God is in three persons known as the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Today, we are looking at the first person, the Father. When the English words “the Lord God” as used in GN 2; 4, 7-8 is translated into the original Hebrew the word “Elohim” is used. That is the pleural word for God!
Let’s begin by looking at the Father’s identity. When Moses came up to the burning bush, he was told to take off his sandals as he was standing on holy ground. When Moses heard God’s voice, he did what any of us would have done and asked Who was speaking. In EX 3: 14, the answer he was given was, “I Am Who I Am.” This identity is later repeated in JN 8: 24 & 28. God reveals himself to Moses in EX 34: 5-7 as compassionate, patient, a promise-keeper, loving and faithful. He even gives us the suggestion of a physical description of Himself in His throne in EZK 1: 26-28 and REV 4: 2-3. When I first studied these passages, I was quite surprised at how much detail they had.
While I have quoted the following passages to you before, they bear repeating. The persons of God were involved in a pre-creation determinate council in which crucial decisions regarding mankind were made. For example, it is at this time that it was decided that the Son should be made incarnate and eventually be offered as a sin sacrifice on the cross to provide faithful humans with a way out from under slavery to the consequences of their sins. Take the time to read about this activity in COL 1: 15-20, AC 2: 23 & 4: 27-28, EPH 1: 5, 9-11, and 1 PET 1: 20-21. My faith that this determinate council really happened is borne out by the facts of history. If there was ever any question about God’s ultimate authority, it is certainly demonstrated here. Yet, we need to look at some of the Scriptures regarding his supremacy to really cap off this understanding. Look at RO 1: 16-17 and 3: 29-30 to get a view of the extent of His power. DN 4: 17, 34-35 describe His supremacy in terms a human can’t miss, even with our limited ability to perceive in comparison to God’s. In PS 139: 4-6 express God’s omniscience and how beyond our own understanding it is. That God knew us before we were even born and was our Creator is shown clearly in PS 139: 13-16, JER 1: 4, and GN 1:1. How else could He have had the authority to have Christ presented to Him and give the Son authority over His eternal Kingdom as was seen in Daniel’s vision in DN 7: 13-14?
God has also revealed important facts relating to His wisdom and character. For example, it is by His divine wisdom that He decided that certain mysteries should be gradually revealed to us and those revelations should be at exactly the time He knows we need to understand them. We learn about some of these mysteries in the following citations (which I hope you will revisit in order): DT 29: 29; JN 13: 7; RO 16: 25; EPH 3: 3-6, 9; JN 20: 19; LK 18: 31-34: MT 24: 36. Only God’s wisdom would lead to these things being revealed when mankind is ready for them and needs them. One further mystery is found in the view of future events that Daniel (and through him us) is given in DN 9: 24-27. He is even known as El Olam, which means “God Who gradually reveals eternal secrets.” [Don’t despair if you have a hard time understanding this last passage. I promise at some time in a future message to spend some time discussing it]. God’s sovereign mercy is revealed in EX 33: 19 and 34: 6. His eternal nature is revealed in HE 13: 8, PS 90: 1-2, and PS 105: 25-27.
We know that God is the Source of light from GN 1:3, PS 119: 105, JAS 1: 17-18, and EPH 5: 8. I can personally testify to you that He is the Source of truth, truth that pierces the darkness of this world and brings blessings on those who put their faith in it. God’s will shall be done. We know this from IS 14: 24. His time is different than ours, but to be trusted completely ( 2 PET 3: 8). God forgives and forgets, as we see in IS 43: 25, JER 31: 34, and HE 10: 17. From reading and studying Romans, I know that when God forgives us He sees us as He sees His own Son. That kind of love may be beyond human understanding, but it is real!
PRAYER: O Lord, You amaze us by the extent to which You reveal Yourself to us. In spite of our imperfections and our limited ability to perceive in comparison to Yours, You protect, love, guide, show patience, and cast Your divine light upon us. We approach You in humble adoration and thanksgiving for the incredible force for good You are in our lives, if we will only let You into them. We experience You through our obedience to You. Your will is what is best for us. Your presence as the Lord of our lives blesses us. Praise and glory be to You! In Christ’s name, amen.
Dear Ones, don’t let the number of citations in this message intimidate you. Take however much time you need to look them up, and I promise you will be blessed by having done this as I am. God really wants us all to know Him for the very best reasons. Feel privileged that He loves us that much. Be encouraged in your faith and know that your diligence and faith will be richly rewarded in ways that transcend the grave and last eternally. Peter and I send you our love today and always.
Grace and Peace Be With You,
Lynn