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Our God in Heaven (Psalm 115:2-3)
“Why should the nations say,
‘Now, where is their God?’
Our God is in the heavens—
All that he delights in, he does.”
(Psalm 115:2-3)
Indeed, those who have made gods to worship out of gold and silver do look at us and ask us how we can worship a God that we can neither see nor touch? The psalmist’s reply is an important one. Often, when we are pressed with the same question from a secularist, we retreat and are a bit defensive with our answer. We usually say something to the extent of, “well, it takes faith…” Or, if we are a bit more astute, one of the classic answers that is given is, “you cannot see the wind, but you see the effects of the wind—so it is with the Holy Spirit and with those born again of the Holy Spirit,” making a reference to Jesus’ language before Nicodemus. Yet, there is nothing defensive about the psalmist’s response. The psalmist replies to the question by saying, “Our God is in the heavens and he does all that he pleases.” Do you see what the psalmist is doing here? It is as if the psalmist is saying—you are criticizing me for not having a god made out of metal or stone that I can see, but your gods are inanimate objects—the creation of your own hands—how can I bow down to one who is incapable of answering my prayers? I worship a God who rises high above the heavens—he cannot be constrained by puny things of metal or stone, nor can he even be constrained by the world itself—and all that takes place is a result of my God’s good will. So, who will you worship, the god formed out of the dirt by the sweat of your own brow, or the God who created the dirt and all that is around with but a word of his power. Beloved, statements like this are anything but defensive, they cut to the quick, and address the problem at hand—who is the true God of heaven and earth and what ought to be done with all of the bad imitations?
Loved ones, why are we so often intimidated when people challenge our faith? We know the effect of the hand of God in our own lives, we have seen God’s work in the world, and we know the truth of God that is found preserved for us within the Holy Scriptures. In addition, creation itself testifies to God’s majesty! Where is there room for anything but bold assurance? It is not incumbent upon us to prove to the atheist that God does exist—it is his responsibility to prove that God does not exist if he wants to hold a position that is so contrary to reason and observation. Because we have allowed ourselves to be intimidated by academic degrees and titles, we have allowed unbelievers to turn the tables on us, forcing Christians to swallow lies in the name of “science”—lies that do not even stand up to the secularist’s own scientific methods of scrutiny.
The final statement is also telling for two reasons. First of all, it compliments the previous statement about God in the heavens. We do not worship a God that was like the gods of the Greek philosophers—ones who were transcendent and so separate from the world that they do not act, but only observe—but we worship a God who does act within the realms of men. But what is also important is that not only does God act, he takes pleasure in his acting. We spend a lot of time talking about God’s sovereignty and that he works out all things according to the council of his own will (Ephesians 1:11), but we often neglect the principle that is expressed here—that God does take pleasure in his actions.
Beloved, think on things this way: God is satisfied with himself to such a wonderful degree that all that he thinks and does brings him pleasure. And, to continue the line of thought to its logical end, if God finds his ultimate satisfaction in himself and finds profound pleasure in all that he does, we can find our ultimate satisfaction in Him and pleasure in all that he does in our lives. That is an easy statement to agree with when things are going well, but what about when the world around us seems to be falling apart? Can you affirm, even in the midst of your greatest heartache, that God is still working all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose? Though we may struggle with it, this is exactly how we should be thinking. Our God rules the creation and works out his good pleasure in your life and in mine; let us strive to take our pleasure in the working out of these things by his strong and steady hand—finding our hope and satisfaction in Him and in Him alone.
God’s Work of Creation
God’s Creative Work
The work of creation is a work that was engaged in by all three members of the Triune Godhead, thus it needs to be briefly treated here, as we discuss Theology Proper. Within this category, there are four things that we must principally discuss: The Setting of creation, the Act of creation, the Purpose of creation, and the Destiny of creation.
The Setting of Creation
When we speak of the setting of creation, we are speaking of the state of existence prior to creation from which God began his creative work. In this case, there was nothing apart from God.[1] All things that are were created by God and from nothing. In other words, there was no preexistent matter from which God began his creative work.[2] This fact rejects the Gnostic and Greek notion of the Pleroma, it rejects any sort of polytheism, and it rejects the notion of the universe being eternal[3] and ongoing. In modern science, it also rejects the notion of the universe’s origin being a “Big Bang” as the theory hinges on the idea of a preexistent singularity from which the universe came. Similarly, this rejects naturalism, as God is outside of and not bound within nature. Simply speaking, God existed in perfect harmony and satisfaction in his Triune state for eternity prior to his work of creation; he is the self-existent being from which all that exists finds its origin.
The Act of Creation
There are several things that fall under this heading: first, the cause of the act; second, the means by which the act was performed; and third, the act itself.
First, we must note that there was no outside cause that brought about God’s act of creation, nor was there anything lacking within God that precipitated a need for him to create. He made the decision to create purely for his own eternal purposes and to show his own glory. There are some who would portray God as being needy without the praises of his people or as being desirous of a relationship that was outside of himself, yet this is not the Biblical presentation of God’s sovereign being or act of creation.
Second, we must address the means by which God created. Scripture affirms that God spoke all creation into being[4] by the word of his power[5], which is Jesus Christ.[6] Scripture does not portray God as creating through other powers, it does not portray God as creating by forming preexistent matter, nor does scripture present God as creating through an interplay with or against evil powers. Instead, scripture presents God in the sovereign act of creating and then pronouncing that which he created as good.[7]
Finally, we see the act itself, by which God made all things.[8] There is a great deal of debate as to the nature of this act. Did God directly create all things by divine fiat? Did God begin the work of creation miraculously and then guide the natural development of the world through secondary causes? Did God begin creation and set the natural laws and then leave development to take place in a natural way? Is the world relatively young of is the language of Genesis 1 metaphorical?
It is not possible, within the scope of this discussion to address all of these issues as much ink has been spilled over these debates. The answer to this question falls largely into the question of which one holds to have priority. Do we interpret scripture according to man’s reason and scientific understandings or do we submit our reason and scientific understanding to the authority of scripture? We must ask, “which is translated by which?” There are faithful Christians on all sides of this debate. If one holds that scripture is primary, then science must be interpreted in light of the revelation. If one holds otherwise, then one is free to hold various interpretations of Genesis 1. See appendix for a defense of a literal (seven 24-hour days) position on the time and order of creation and the importance of holding to such a position.
The Purpose of Creation
There are really only two answers that can be given to the question of the purpose of creation. The first is that God created to glorify himself[9] and that the second is to honor Christ.[10] While there may be many secondary and subordinate plans and purposes that God has worked out in his world, like that of bringing us into a relationship with himself, the primary purpose of creation is to honor the one who brought it into being—to honor the one who rightly deserves praise and adoration. Even in our fallen state, one thing that we understand well is that it is right and proper to honor the artist or maker of a great work of art. Hence, names like Michelangelo and Rembrandt, Bach and Mozart, or Chaucer and Shakespeare are well known to us, though many years have passed since they created their masterpieces. Even the most ardent unbeliever understands that it is proper and honorable to give words of acclamation to someone who is an accomplished musician, athlete, or painter. Thus, when we see the created order and understand it to be the infinitely wonderful masterpiece that it is, how much infinitely more proper it is to praise its artist, God himself, for his work. Even more so, how much more wonderful is the infinitely perfect character of God himself than the character of his creation, and how we should praise him simply for who he is even apart from what he has done! Indeed, how much more rude and conceited it is when we refuse to honor God properly than when we refuse to give a human artist his or her due. Likewise, Christ, as the radiance of God’s glory[11] and the perfection of God’s image[12] deserves our praise.[13]
The Destiny of Creation
The discussion of the end of the created order begins with God’s initial creation. For God created all things and pronounced them to be very good[14] and gave mankind the responsibility of subduing it[15], essentially extending God’s garden of Eden—paradise—to the whole of the created order.[16] In other words, creation, while very good in every way, needed to be given order and further cultivation. Man and woman, in taking dominion over the world, were to imitate God in his gardening activity by making the planet paradise. Yet, Adam and Eve fell and as the created order was under their regency[17], the created order fell with them. Yet, God has promised through Christ that the created order will be remade perfectly at the time his Son returns[18], Jesus as King in Adam’s place, remaking the world into paradise. Hence the language of Revelation picks up on much of the Old Testament imagery of the Garden of Eden.[19] Thus, the destiny of the created order is never-ending paradise under the dominion of Christ.
[1] Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2.
[2] See the unit on Symbolics for more on God’s creating ex-nihilo.
[3] Note that there is a difference between time and eternity: time being created and eternity being a state of timeless-ness, it simply is. This is important to note, as Augustine points out in his Confessions, for otherwise we must ask why God waited “so long” to begin his noble task of creation. Time is simply the measure that finite beings use to mark the sequential progression of their existence. Eternity describes the state of God’s being.
[4] Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26.
[5] Hebrews 1:3; Psalm 33:9.
[6] John 1:14.
[7] Genesis 1:31.
[8] Note that in the discussion of God creating all things, we are including the spiritual realms as well as the physical realms. Though it is not entirely clear as to on which day God created the spiritual world and populated it with angels, given that God is the only pre-existent being, it is understood that they were created at some point within these seven days. See appendix for more on angels and the spiritual realm.
[9] Revelation 4:11; Isaiah 43:7.
[10] Colossians 1:16.
[11] Hebrews 1:3.
[12] Colossians 1:15.
[13] Note that while some would consider God to be conceited and prideful for demanding our praise, we need to remember two principles. First, conceit and pride come as a result of a disproportionate emphasis on self to the exclusion of the rightful honor of others, and certainly this is not so with God. Secondly, praise is in our best interests, for when we praise that which is good, we find great joy. Thus the greatest of joy can be found in praising that which is the most praise-worthy: God himself.
[14] Genesis 1:31.
[15] Genesis 1:28.
[16] Genesis 2:15.
[17] Romans 8:20.
[18] 2 Peter 3:10.
[19] Revelation 21:1, 22:1-3.
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 12)
“The King will rejoice in God;
and boast, will all who swear by him;
for the mouth will be shut of all who speak a lie.”
(Psalm 63:12 {Psalm 63:11 in English Bibles})
And David, who is the rightful king of Israel, will rejoice in God (even in the midst of having to flee for his life) because God will shut the mouths of the liars—God will vindicate David’s name and bring to shame those who would seek to speak ill of him. What an amazing statement! David is saying that because God is who he is, that he has no fear. Even in the situation he is in, where people are seeking his life and his kingdom, that David is entirely confident that God will bring truth to the surface and will bring an end to the lies that are being spoken about him.
Beloved, were it that we could only have such faith! That we could walk with such confidence as to know that God will stop the mouths of those who lie about us. Yet, friends, we can because God will! How often do we respond to lies about us by angrily confronting the liars? How often do we drop everything that we are doing just to focus our energies on “restoring our good name?” Loved ones, do not misunderstand me, a good name is an important part of your Christian witness, but do you not think that God will restore your good name for you? Do you not think that God is able to put an end to false talk about you? If you believe that God will do this and that he is able to do so, why do you fret and panic about the lies of the enemy so?
Loved ones, you are held in the hand of the one who is the very definition of truth and righteousness—pursue His truth and righteousness and the lies of the enemy will be shown for what they are. As our Lord, himself said:
“Blessed are you when they reproach you, persecute you, and say evil and lies of you because of me. Rejoice and Exalt! For your reward is great in heaven. For thus they persecuted the prophets who came before you.”
(Matthew 5:11-12)
Beloved, let our lives sing and boast of the one we serve, for what other god is like our God? None! No not one!
I will sing of my Redeemer, and his wondrous love to me:
On the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer!
With his blood, he purchased me;
On the cross he sealed my pardon,
Paid the debit and made me free.
-Philip Bliss
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 11)
“They will be thrown down on the sword;
they will be a portion for foxes.”
(Psalm 63:11 {Psalm 63:10 in English Bibles})
Not only is David confident in the death of those who seek his life, but he is confident in the ignoble way in which they will die and be left for the scavengers of the field. The language of being “thrown down” on the sword paints the picture for us of the execution of defeated enemies, forced to their deaths. And of course, the language of their bodies being a portion for the foxes finishes the picture of dead bodies strewn across the battlefield and left to rot and be eaten by scavenging animals—alone and without the dignity of a proper burial.
Oh, the indignity of the final end of those who persecute God’s own. Not only is it ruin in this life, but it is ruin in the next. Beloved, how many people do you know and love that are destined to be a portion for the foxes? How many people do you regularly interact with who are on the wide path that leads to damnation? And have you been faithful in showing them that there is another way? Have you worked, even at cost, to remind them that Christ is the answer to their problems? Have you warned them that unless they flee to Christ, condemnation is what they will face? Oh, loved ones, how often we sit idly by while those we care about head for the sword of final judgment. Friends, take a serious look around you at those whose lives do not reflect a relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. Will you share the good news with them? They may reject you, forsake you, change the subject, or walk the other way, but if they don’t, and they listen, oh the joy that you will share in seeing one who was destined for destruction experience life!
The Decrees of God
The Divine Decrees of God[1]
In general, we can begin by defining what we mean by a “decree” of God. A decree reflects the definite plan of God; Wollebius[2] defined a decree as: “an internal act of the divine will, by which he determines from eternity, freely, and with absolute certainty, those matters which shall happen in time.”[3] Thus, when we are speaking of the “Decrees of God,” the definition is focused on three basic aspects:
- The Decrees were made in eternity, prior to God’s creative act. This is not a portrayal of God that pictures him working along through history, hoping that he can bring his desires into reality, but a God who is in sovereign control over history.[4]
- These Decrees were made in perfect consistency with God’s immutable will.[5] All these decrees flow out of his perfections and are good and right and designed for the bringing about of God’s purposes.
- These Decrees were made without outside influence[6] (as in eternity prior, there was nothing outside of our Godhead) and without any internal deficiency or need.
With this definition in mind, there are seven attributes or character traits that can be said to belong to these decrees: they are founded on divine wisdom; they are eternal; they are efficacious; they are unchangeable; they are unconditional; they are all-comprehensive; and they are permissive with respect to sin.
- They are founded on Divine Wisdom. God neither pronounces his decrees randomly nor in a way that is arbitrary or fickle, but his sovereign decrees are pronounced in, by, and through his divine wisdom. This gives his decrees purpose and meaning and gives us every reason to trust in said decrees. They are his “good pleasure” to design, are grounded in God’s ever-wise foreknowledge[7], and they come to pass as a result of God’s ever-wise foreordaining.[8]
- They are eternal. The Decrees of God are formed from before the beginning of time and will relate to all things that will come to pass, beginning with God’s first spoken word of creation and continuing forever without end.[9]
- They are efficacious. What God decrees comes to pass. While man may plan, contrive, and anticipate all sorts of endeavors, he cannot so much as make one hair white or black[10], nor add an hour to his life.[11] Yet, God can do all things that he sets before himself to do; the God of the Bible is not a God who sits in submission to the works of men nor is he a God whose plans are able to be undone by the aspirations of man.[12]
- They are unchangeable. God is not a God who is fickle as men are fickle, nor is he a God of chaos. If God’s will is perfect, then, by definition, there is no room to improve on that perfection, and hence the concept of change in the decrees of God is nonsensical.[13]
- They are unconditional. God does not act in response to outside input; God’s actions and decrees are not caused by anything apart from his perfect will. Neither do God’s decrees rely on fallen man so that they may come to pass; they come to pass because God so decrees.[14]
- They are all–comprehensive. Some have made the suggestion that God’s decrees are only concerned with salvation and do not apply to anything else. Yet God has ordered all things according to the counsel of his will[15] and has set all things into being[16], from the greatest of things to the smallest. He numbers our hairs[17], feeds the birds of the air[18], and he has set the moon and stars into their respective orbits.[19] Even what we view as evil in this world is brought to pass through the will and decrees of God.[20] Note that this does not mean that God is the author of evil, yet he uses the evil that comes through sin and rebellion to accomplish his good and perfect will. There is nothing that we experience in this world that does not fall under the oversight of God’s decrees.[21]
- With reference to sin, they are permissive. God is not the author of sin[22], yet God yet permits sin to come about through secondary causes, using it to complete God’s good and perfect plan.[23]
Objections to the Doctrine of God’s Decrees:
There are several concerns that rise when we use the language of God’s decrees that ought to be addressed. The first is one which we have already dealt with in that the language of decrees can seem to imply that God is the author of sin. In discussing this, we must add to what has already been discussed the concept that sin is an attribute of the fall much in the same way that wisdom is an attribute of God. Wisdom is not so much a created thing as it is a reflection of God’s perfect being and actions. In the same way, sin is not so much a created thing, but it is a reflection of our fallen state and actions. We miss the mark, when it comes to God’s righteousness, and hence we sin. Even so, this doctrine does contain the idea that God willingly chose to permit the fall to take place and could have ordained otherwise. Yet, as Augustine suggested, there is a blessedness in the fall, for without the fall of man, we would not know the full extent of Jesus’ sacrificial love for us as his people.
The second concern that has been raised with the Doctrine of God’s Decrees is that such a doctrine robs man of his moral freedom and will, thus removing from him the liability for his sin, making the idea of salvation meaningless. This debate is at the core of the Calvinist-Wesleyan/Arminian[24] debate. It is not our purpose here to delve into this debate beyond the following principle: the scriptures present the God of the Bible as being sovereign over all things and the scriptures present man as being responsible and culpable for his sin. Any theology that does not affirm both of these principles is out of accord with orthodox Christianity and both the Calvinist and the Wesleyan seek to present a theology that affirms both of these principles. With this in mind, whether Wesleyan or Calvinistic, one is right to speak of the decrees of a sovereign God.
The third concern flows out of the previous question and leads us to the discussion of election and predestination. It is felt that in affirming a doctrine of God’s decrees (assuming that God has decreed who will come to him in faith) one robs man of the motivation for evangelism and of the responsibility to seek him in a stance of worship. Yet, this objection misunderstands the position of the Calvinist.[25] Scripture clearly affirms that man is used as a tool by God[26] to bring about his ends and that our primary task as the church is to go out and make disciples of all nations[27] through the process of preaching and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.[28] Thus, regardless of your position on decrees and on predestination, the making of disciples through evangelism and teaching is the work we have been commissioned to do.[29]
[1] While we normally refer to “Decrees” of God in the plural, it should be noted that this is not meant to suggest the disunity of God’s decretive work. All of the decrees of God flow from his perfections in such unity that one could realistically speak of them as if they were a single, multi-faceted
[2] Johannes Wollebius (1586-1629) was a Dutch theologian and professor of Old Testament at the University of Basel.
[3] Compendium of Christian Theology (need more accurate citation)
[4] Acts 2:23; Job 11:7-9; 21:22; 1 Corinthians 8:6.
[5] Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; Proverbs 16:4; Job 40:2.
[6] Romans 11:34-35; Isaiah 40:12-14; Job 34:13-15.
[7] There is an important distinction that must be made between foreknowledge and foreordination. Foreknowledge, drawn from the Greek term proginw/skw (proginosko), literally means, “to know beforehand.” Yet, we must understand that this knowledge is not simply a result of God gazing ahead in time and seeing what will come to pass. Knowing, in its Biblical usage, refers to a relational knowledge. Thus, foreknowledge not only reflects God’s perfect knowledge of all time from eternity prior, but it also reflects God’s setting his affections upon that which he foreknows or those which he foreknew. In contrast, foreordination is represented by several Greek words: pro/qesiß (prothesis), which means “to will beforehand” (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11); and proori/zw (proorizo), which means “to decide beforehand” or “to predetermine” (Acts 4:28; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 2:7).
[8] Acts 15:18; Psalm 84:8-11; Ephesians 1:9-11.
[9] Ephesians 1:4; Isaiah 48:13; Matthew 25:34; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 17:8.
[10] Matthew 5:36.
[11] Matthew 6:27.
[12] Psalm 33:10; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Acts 2:21.
[13] Ephesians 1:11; James 1:17; Job 23:13-14; Psalm 33:11; Luke 22:22.
[14] Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:2.
[15] Ephesians 1:11.
[16] Job 38.
[17] Matthew 10:30.
[18] Matthew 6:26.
[19] Psalm 8:3.
[20] Isaiah 45:5-7.
[21] Deuteronomy 18:22; Isaiah 42:9; Ezekiel 24:14.
[22] James 1:13; Job 34:10—note, the concept of God sinning is self-contradictory and nonsensical. Sin, by definition, refers to missing the mark—not living up to the righteous standard of God. Thus for God not to be able to live up to the standard that is set by his own essential character is a contradiction of the very term and makes no sense.
[23] Genesis 50:20.
[24] It should be noted that while many Calvinists confuse Wesleyanism with Arminianism, assuming their views to be synonymous, there is a distinction between the two. Wesley adapted the positions of the Remonstrance particularly in the area of the extent of the fall. The Arminians held that the fall did not affect the human will, thus allowing man freedom of choosing God rightly on one’s own. Wesley properly understood that the fall affected the will as well as the mind and flesh, yet argued that the work of the Cross made it possible for man to choose God when presented with the Gospel (falls under Wesley’s category of “Prevenient Grace”).
[25] It should be noted that one ought not confuse the position of the Calvinist with the heretical position of hyper-calvinism, which does, in fact, hold that believers have no obligation to evangelize because of God’s predestining work.
[26] Zechariah 9:13; Romans 9:19-24.
[27] Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8.
[28] Luke 24:47; Romans 10:14-17.
[29] Sometimes it is easier to talk about these decrees in the negative: God is not the author of sin; God does not repress the will of created beings; God does not eliminate secondary causes; God does not relinquish his divine sovereignty.
A Proverb in a Song: part 6
“Why should I fear the day of evil?
Iniquity is the very footprint of those who surround me—
Those who trust upon their own strength,
And boast of abundant riches!”
(Psalm 49:6-7 {Psalm 49:5-6 in English Bibles})
And now the Psalmist sets the question before us. How is it that those who believe in God can walk without fear in the presence of Great evil? How is it that when they are surrounded by men of iniquity, they can stand confident in their God? Thus, with this in mind, the rest of the psalm is aimed at reasoning through this question and setting the answer before an unbelieving world.
What I find particularly interesting is the interplay between these two verses. Verse 6 (Hebrew) begins with the question of fearing in the day of evil and ends with a definition of what the day of evil happens to be, namely the time when his foes surround him—implying the idea of their seeking to crush him. Literally, the psalmist writes that Iniquity is the “heel” of those who surround him—it is what defines them firstly, but also, it implies malicious intent—particularly in the context of the verb bb;s’ (savav), which means, “to surround.”
As the psalmist moves to verse 7 (Hebrew), he provides a definition of those whose footprint is iniquity—of those whose very life is defined by sin. And the psalmist lists two attributes: they rely on their own strength and they praise (or boast in) wealth. Sadly, that sounds like much of our American culture today? In America, we idealize the “self-made-man” and the man who can “stand alone” against the world. Oh, how this mindset is so alien to the Biblical mindset! How we are not a people who stand alone against the world, but who stand united not only with other believers in the body of Christ but also with Christ himself as our King and Lord. We are not self-made men and women, but are God-made, and, oh, how I thank God that this is the case!
Beloved, if you are swayed by the world to adopt their views of what makes a man great and strong, you will be led into pride and iniquity. In addition, if you are relying on your own strength, from where do you find comfort and peace when you are surrounded and overwhelmed by the enemy. If your strength is in your riches or in your strength, you will be defeated and sink in to fear—and oh, how far that is from where the heart of the believer is to be—how far indeed. Believer, cling to Christ and find your hope and strength in him and in him alone and call others to do the same.
Against You I have Sinned: Psalm 51 (part 5)
“Against you, and you alone,
I have sinned
And that which is evil in your eyes, I have done—
Thus, you are justified in your words
And pure in your judgments.
(Psalm 51:6 {Psalm 51:4 in English Bibles})
Here is a verse that people sometimes stumble over until they begin to understand that sin, in any manifestation, is outward rebellion against God—it is a repetition of the willful disobedience of Adam and Eve. God had given them a righteous command—don’t eat of this tree—and it was a command that was meant for their own good. The tree, we are told, was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Indeed, goodness they understood, for they had a perfect relationship with God on high and there was no separation between God and man—what more magnificent goodness could one know? Yet, what they did not know was evil and evil’s relationship to good—and there is the rub—they chose to make their own rule—thinking themselves wiser than God—and ate of the fruit. From that point on, a world that only knew good now knew evil as well, and not in an abstract way, but deeply, intimately, and personally. And when you or I willfully enter into sin and do not resist sinful temptations, we are repeating the acts of Adam and Eve. Oh, what a sick and depraved race we are.
Unless you understand the wickedness of sin, when you come to this verse, you may be tempted to ask the question that many do, “How can David’s sin be only against God?” “Did he not sin against Uriah?” “Did he not sin against Bathsheba?” “Is not the baby paying the price for David’s sin?” The answer to these questions is that yes, David did sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. And though the child would die, it is the parents, David and Bathsheba, who will bear the worst part of the grief for the loss of the child, for indeed, this child of believers will go straight to his heavenly father’s side. David also sinned against the people for betraying his responsibility as their king. With this being said, what David understands is this—no matter how ugly the sin may be in the eyes of the world, it is outward rebellion against a holy and righteous God and that makes it an infinitely greater offense. Sins against men will pass with time; sins against God are eternal. And because of that, his sin stands before God and before God alone.
And what of the last clause in this verse? How is God justified in his words? God had spoken through the prophet Nathan that this child would die because of his sin. David is saying that as he understands his sin to be an affront to God, God is righteous and pure in punishing sin—both in this world and in the next. In seeking forgiveness, David acknowledges that he already stands guilty and convicted by his sin and that he is deserving of wrath.
Beloved, do you think of sin in these terms? If you don’t, you should—indeed, you must. Until you begin to come to terms with your total and complete unworthiness, how can you rest in the work of Christ? We will never rest wholeheartedly on another if we think there is even a small handhold for us to reach for, and upon Christ, and Christ alone we must rest. There is no other that can save us for there is no other that has borne the punishment for our sins—it is Christ and Christ alone to whom you must cling.
My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
For thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus ‘tis now.
-William Featherstone
God Communicates through Christ: Hebrews 1:1-4 (part 5)
“he spoke to us through the Son…”
What a wonderful gift has been given to us in Jesus Christ. All of the many parts and pieces of scriptures, all of the narratives, all of the prophetic literature, all of the songs, the poems, the laments, the dirges, all of the exalted praise find their meaning and unity in Jesus Christ. In Christ scripture finds its fullness of meaning, apart from Christ we are left with a puzzle that is disjointed and confusing. Is it any wonder that so many non-believers have looked at the Bible and have seen nothing but random words of men through the history of the church and of Israel, while as believers we come to the word of God and see Christ! Oh, beloved, do not back down, shy away from, or give up this great truth! How great a truth that the church in our own day has given up, when they give up the doctrines of the plenary inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility of scripture, for when you let go of these views, you begin looking at scripture as the unbeliever looks at scripture and you lose its unity because you lose the one piece that gives it significance, unity, and life—you lose Christ. The writer of Hebrews states boldly and clearly that in the ancient times God spoke to his people in many and sundry ways, now, in these last days—they days between the cross and the return of our Lord, God speaks to us through Christ—through the Word made flesh, and now written out for us in the complete scriptures.
Have you ever noticed how often our God speaks? This is one of the wonderful attributes of our God—he is communicating and he designs to communicate with his creation—an infinite God condescending to communicate with a finite man. God did this with Adam and Eve in the Garden and even after their sin and the fall, God continued to communicate with them. We even see God communicating with himself before mankind existed, during his creative process (Genesis 1:26), and God used communication as the means by which he created in the first place, for he spoke creation into existence. What a wonderful thing that communications is—it is the way that ideas are shared, thoughts are put together, and societies are united. Communicating is part of our very nature for it is part of God’s nature. The sad thing is that often we fail to communicate or refuse to communicate truth to others. In turn, that is why relationships, marriages, and cultures break down. Now, notice the connection to our passage, for while God has many ways of communication at his disposal, his preferred and happy means of communicating with his people is through his wonderful Son, Jesus Christ!
Oh, loved ones, how we often fall into sin and error when we refuse to communicate in the context of Christ. What do I mean by that statement? What I mean is this: if God chooses to reveal all we need to know for living (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17 for the reminder that the scriptures are profitable for all of life) through his Son, then we also should communicate all we do through God’s Son as well. Thus, if you are a historian, we should communicate all of history on the basis of its relationship to the life and work of Christ. If you are a philosopher, all philosophies should be understood and communicated in their relationship to Christ. If you are a mathematician, mathematic principles should be communicated in their relationship to Christ, knowing that all things were created through and for Christ—hence the regularity of mathematical or scientific descriptions of the world was established for the glory of Christ himself. Christian, if you want to see reformation and even revival in our culture once again, it begins by breaking down the dichotomy between life in Church and life elsewhere. If you want to see real change, you will need to communicate as God communicates—through Christ—in every endeavor you undertake.
The Names of God
It is worthwhile to spend some time reflecting upon the various names of God, particularly those names given in the Old Testament. In thinking on these names, it is important to reject at the outset of this discussion the theological error of attributing the many names of God to a variety of cultic traditions which were later combined together to form what we know as Old Testament Judaism. These names do not reflect multiple cultic groups, but rather reflect ancient Israel’s attempt to understand the fullness of God’s character from multiple angles. These names are designed to reflect specific character traits of our infinite God, and as God is infinite, so too are the angles in which one may seek to express his character. Just as one needs more than one lens on a camera to take a three-dimensional picture, the multitude of names given to God give us multiple lenses by which we can perceive God’s character and thus have a fuller picture of his character.
Primary Names of God: While there are many names given to our God in scripture, there are five names that are most commonly used in the Old Testament to speak about God:
hwhy (Yahweh): By far the most commonly used name of God is Yahweh (6,828 times in the Old Testament). This is the name that God gave to Moses on Mount Horeb at the burning bush so that Moses could identify God to the Israelites back in Egypt. It is the name that God gave to his people by which we can know him throughout the generations. This name literally means, “I am who I am,” or “I am who I will be.” In other words, it reflects the eternality and self-existence of God’s character. There never was a time when God was not, nor will there ever be a time when God will be, God simply “is.” In the New Testament, the language that refers to God as “the one who was, who is, and is to come” is built on the idea of the covenantal name of Yahweh. In addition to speaking of the eternality of God, the giving of this name also reflects God’s covenantal nature and is often found used in a redemptive context.
~yhiloae (Elohim): This name of God, used 2,602 times in the Old Testament, reflects his strength and power, especially in the context of Creation. Oftentimes, the fact that this name is found in the plural is cited to speak of the plurality of God’s person, yet the plural usage of this name, as discussed above, may also simply be seen as reflecting the idea that God’s might and power are so abundant that it is not suitable to speak of it in the singular. In addition, this name is also understood to represent God as lawgiver in the lives of his people.
yn”doa; (Adonay): The root word for this name of God, found 444 times in the Old Testament, is !Ada” (adon), which simply means “lord” in a very generic sense. Yet, when the y ‘ (ay) ending is added, the term takes on new meaning. This ending elevates the word to a title of exaltation. God is not simply being referred to as Lord, but as the Lord of all Lords, or as the greatest and mightiest Lord that has or ever will exist.
tAab’c. hw”hy> (Yahweh Tsebaoth): God is called “Yahweh of Armies” or “Lord of Hosts” on 242 occasions in the Old Testament. This name is a constant reminder not only of the might that is found in God’s own hand, but that he is the God of hosts of armies. God is the mightiest Emperor in all of the universe, no Czar, no Caesar, no Pharaoh, no King or General can stand against him—God reigns and no other has the might to rival him.
lae (El): This is a more generic name for God that refers to his might and to his power. It is found 200 times on its own in the Old Testament, but is usually found in connection with one of God’s attributes, reflecting that God is the greatest in righteousness, holiness, etc…
Secondary Names of God: There are a number of other names that are given to God that are reflections of some of God’s many perfections. They help us see the fullness of God’s glory, his grace, and his goodness and the abundance of these names is meant to enhance our worship as we see God in the context of these various attributes. As mentioned above, many of these names are composites of the name lae (El) and one of God’s attributes.
yD:v; lae (El Shaddai): This name literally means, “God of the Mountain,” but is often translated as “God on High,” reflecting God’s exalted state resting high above the mountains. It might also be seen as an allusion of our relationship to God, sitting under the mighty shadow of his presence, not unlike the Israelites when they dwelled under the shadow of Sinai.
!Ayl.[, lae (El Elyon): This name means “God Most High,” and is a name that reflects the exalted nature of God himself. Jesus is also referred to as the “Son of the Most High,” which is a direct reference to this divine name.
Yair| lae (El Raiyy): “God of Seeing.” God sees all things that men do; nothing escapes his sight.
~l'(A[ lae (El Olam): “God of Eternity” or “Everlasting God.” God is forever, there is no end to him or for him, thus we who belong to him may rest in him forever as well.
hn”Wma/ lae (El Emunah): “God of Faithfulness” or “Faithful God.” God is faithful to the ends of the earth, we need to fear him to be whimsical or capricious, but in him lie everlasting stability and faithfulness.
tA[DE lae (El Deoth): “God of Knowledge.” God is all-knowing and omniscient; God knows all things to an infinitely thorough degree. There are no surprises to God and there is nothing is not eternally and intimately known to God on high.
rABGI lae (El Gibor): “God of Strength” or “Mighty Warrior God.” This name of God reminds us that the battle is the Lord’s, it is his might that brings victory at every stage, and not our own.
tAlmuG> lae (El Gemuloth) and tAmq’n> lae (El Neqamoth): “God of Recompense” and “God of Vengeance.” God will bring vengeance upon his enemies and upon those who cause harm to his people. “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord.
yliyGI tx;m.fi lae (El Simchath Gili): “God of my Jubilation and Exultant Joy”. This is probably one of my favorite, and could even be simply translated as “God of my joy joy” to echo the old children’s song about having God’s joy down in our heart. This title used only once of God expresses the almost uncontainable joy that one feels when he or she comes into the presence of the Lord of their life.
yY”x; lae (El Hayay): “God of my Life.” This name is the simple reflection of the Lordship of God in all of life—God is a jealous God and he will share his people with no one.
New Testament Names: Though the New Testament does not contain the abundance of names for God as does the Old Testament, several new Testament Names are worth mentioning.
qeo/ß (Theos): This Greek term is the most common name that is used to reference God. It can be applied to refer to any supernatural entity, but within the Greek New Testament, it is most commonly used to refer to the God of the Bible. It is the term from which we get “Theology” and “Theophany.”
Pa/ter (Pater): Normally when we think of God in terms of his Fatherhood, we think in New Testament terms. We think of how, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are adopted into God’s household and given the privilege of calling him Father. Yet, we must also recognize that this language is not alien to the Old Testament as well. God is referred to as Father of believers in ancient Israel as well. In addition, as a sign of God’s great mercy, God is also referred to as a “Father to the fatherless.”
uJio/ß (huios): As we move into the New Testament, we find the Trinitarian names of God coming into prominence. And while we will spend time speaking of the many names and titles given to Christ when we deal with the section on Christology, it is important to remember at the onset, that God is Triune and thus the names applied to the Son apply to the Trinitarian Godhead as a whole. God is not Father alone, but he is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in perfect Trinitarian union as discussed above.
a¢gion pneuvma (hagion pneuma): The third member of the Triune God is God the Holy Spirit, again, as we have seen above, who has been spoken of in the Old Testament, but presented with far more clarity in the New Testament. Again, we will discuss the Holy Spirit more fully when we deal with the section on Soteriology, but it is important to mention Him here as we present the names of God.
Kurio/ß (Kurios): This is just as much a name as it is a title. It is the Greek term which is used to translate both hwhy (Yahweh) and yn”doa; (Adonay) from the Old Testament. In the New Testament, its primary usage as a name of God is applied to God the Son, who is Lord of our lives as believers.
∆Emmanouh/l (Emmanouel): Once again, the name “Immanuel” is as much a title as it is a name, and means “God with us.” While this name is most commonly thought of in terms of the naming of Jesus, we must be reminded that this name, like that of Pa/ter (Pater), has Old Testament roots.
While there are many other names of God that we could explore and reflect on, rich names like “Lord of Lords,” “Lord of Kings,” “Lord of the Whole Earth,” and “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” the aforementioned names demonstrate for us how these names reflect upon the character of God as a whole. In some ways, looking at these names, like looking at God’s many perfections, is like gazing at a diamond from many different angles. As you turn the diamond, the light catches the different facets from different directions and the gem never ceases to sparkle and gleam in slightly different, but increasingly captivating ways. The deeper we look at God and his perfections, the more deeply we must be drawn into him, the more deeply we must love him, and the more deeply we shall adore him.
Note that the very fact that we have names of God given to us in scripture is just one more affirmation that our God has made himself knowable to his people. Note also that these names do not originate in the ideas that men have about God, but as scripture, they originate with God and come through inspired men who are seeking to describe what God has revealed to them about himself.
Because of the uncertainty of the vowels for the covenantal name of God, many older texts transliterate this name as Jehovah, yet most modern scholarship leans toward Yahweh as the proper pronunciation of God’s covenantal name. Most of our English Bibles will render this name as LORD or LORD (depending on the typeset) to reflect the Jewish tradition of substituting yn”doa; (Adonay, which means “Exalted Lord”) out of reverence for the divine name.
Revelation 1:4,8; 4:8. Revelation 11:17 and 16:5 also pick up on this idea, though they only contain part of the formulaic language.
The Garden of God’s Word
Before I enter scripture itself, I wanted to begin with it as a whole. God’s word is very much like a wonderful garden, filled with all kinds of produce. And, it is a garden that reflects back at us all of the thorns and thistles of our lives. When I was growing up, my parents kept a large vegetable garden. This garden usually caused me to lament the coming of Saturday, for I often was made to spend them pulling up weeds or tilling the soil when I would have rather been playing baseball or watching cartoons like my friends. Yet, though we all sweated and toiled over it, the produce was always a blessing on the dinner table.
God’s word is the same way. As a Christian, we need to labor in it. It takes work to root out the deep truths and riches that it contains. Does that mean that the Bible is full of thorns and thistles, subject to the fall? Certainly not! The thorns and thistles are the things that we bring to the table. These are our secret sins and lusts. The word of God is powerful and potent when it comes to convicting men of their sinful ways. And if we are going to approach the word of God seeking its fruit, then those thorns and thistles in our own life must be pulled out by the root.
But what a rich variety of fruit that lies within God’s Word! There are the sweet berries of God’s promises, the abundant and hearty beans of God the Father’s nature revealed within, the spicy peppers of the power of God the Holy Spirit moving through history, and the earthy tubers of God the Son’s work on earth. There are the majestic and flowering fruit trees of God’s grace and there are the bitter radishes of God’s judgment on unbelievers. And the abundance therein proclaims without hesitation God’s glory and his constancy toward and provision for his people.
And just as is with any healthy garden, it is full of life. Worms to till the soil, bugs to pollinate, and birds to fill the trees with song, God’s word is alive and healthy and how the Christian ought to long to rest therein for all of his days. And the garden most importantly is a garden that is fed with a spring of pure and living water, even though it is surrounded by a dry and arid land. What an oasis we have in God’s Word! Oh, how the Christian inflicts such pain on himself by seeking the worldly pleasures of baseball and cartoons over the riches of God’s word.
God’s Garden
(Genesis 2-3)
It would seem that God is the original gardener. And what a garden he planted. It was paradise! Yet, what made it paradise is not the variety of beautiful and tasty plants, but God’s own presence therein. God strolled freely with Adam and Eve in the garden. Even the pits of hell would be paradise with Him as a companion. Yet this garden also was not fallen. There were no thorns or thistles, there were no pesky rocks to till out, and there were no diseases within the place. There were no storms in Eden. There were no natural disasters or floods to worry about; just the cool summer rain that fell gently on their backs.
There was no viciousness in the animals and no predators to worry about. They could sleep under the stars gazing at a picture of God’s glory undefiled by the clouds of sin or the fear of darkness. They lay naked and unashamed. What a contrast this is to our world today. And Adam and Eve gave all of this up for a bite of fruit and a lust to be like their creator.
It has been said that you never appreciate your blessings until they are gone. How this truth is illustrated by Adam and Eve. They threw away paradise! And we would do the same if we got the chance. How often we find ourselves longing for the “greener” grass on the other side of the hill. We know that it is not greener, but our heart still yearns for it. How often we reflect longingly at past paths of sin. We only remember the fleeting moments of pleasure and never the lasting pain of guilt and grief. Oh how often we see the seeds of temptation as harmless, yet, time and time again, they sprout in our fertile hearts.
Let our hearts long once again for paradise. For the believer in Jesus Christ, paradise has been reserved for you in heaven, no more will the ravages of sin destroy. Yet, as we look around at those we care about, we must ask, how many of them will not be joining us there. Let us seek to plant the seeds of paradise in the hearts of those around us, that they might walk the cool meadows of heaven by our side.
Show Me Your Glory, part 19: The Hand of God and the Cleft of the Rock
“And Yahweh said, ‘Behold, there is a place beside me and you will stand upon the rock. And while my glory passes over, I will set you in the crevice of the rock and I will hold protectively my hand over you until I pass by. Then I will turn aside my hand, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.’”
(Exodus 33:21-23)
Once again, God covers his people. We need to be reminded of this over and over as we struggle with doubt and sin. God protects them even from eternally falling away and he protects them even from the things that are too wonderful to know! One may not see the face of God and live—though that might be the heart of Moses, it would be too much for Moses’ eyes to handle. Thus, God covers him. Oftentimes we want to know more of God’s plan or more of God’s glory than is good for us to know. We sometimes get frustrated that God does not give us a crystal ball to see our futures. Where will I go beyond seminary, what will my son grow up to be, what effect will my ministry have… These are things that would likely harm us were we to know them. Thus we must recognize that sometimes God closes our eyes to some of these truths for our own protection.
At the same time, here is Moses in the presence of the transcendent God of creation. That prospect, in itself, ought to cause us to cringe! Who are we, oh sinful man, to approach such a God. Yet, Moses did in faith, and God preserved him with his hand. Sometimes I think that we take the prospect of coming before the transcendent God a little too lightly. Admittedly we do not stand on Mount Sinai in the presence of God, surrounded by his glory-cloud, but we do go before his throne in prayer and in worship. While we ought to revel in the privilege, we also ought to see it as the awesome privilege it is and to recognize that it is God’s Son that is protecting us from being consumed by the wrath of a Holy God as we come before him in all of our fallen-ness. Oh, dear Christian, what a God we have.
A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
With numberless blessings each moment he crowns,
And filled with a fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, O glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of his love,
And covers me there with his hand,
And covers me there with his hand.
-Fanny Crosby
Show Me Your Glory, part 18: The Rock
“And Yahweh said, ‘Behold, there is a place beside me and you will stand upon the rock. And while my glory passes over, I will set you in the crevice of the rock and I will hold protectively my hand over you until I pass by. Then I will turn aside my hand, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.’”
(Exodus 33:21-23)
This rock that God stands Moses upon is most likely the same rock as which Elijah found shelter in when he experienced the passing over of God’s presence (1 Kings 19). In the Elijah encounter, the cleft in the rock carries with it a definite article, suggesting that this cleft was a well known cleft to God’s people; hence it is likely reference to this passage in Exodus. Note the connection, then, between Elijah and Moses. Elijah is the prophet that God raised up to prepare God’s people to go into exile—Moses had been the prophet that God used to bring God’s people into the land in the first place. Of course, God would later raise up a third great prophet—the greatest prophet (the one prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:18)—indeed, the great divine prophet, the Son of God himself, Jesus Christ. Moses had led the people into the land as a nation, Elijah would prepare the people to leave the land and to cease being a nation, and Jesus would unite his people once again as a nation, but not one whose boarders are here on earth, but a nation of priests, whose citizenships are in heaven. How it should not surprise us that when Jesus’ glory is being revealed to Peter, James, and John on the mount of transfiguration, that it is Moses and Elijah that join Jesus for a conversation about God’s redemptive work (Luke 9:30-31).
While there are some who suggest that this rock upon which Moses is placed is Christ, I think that they are in error. While it is indeed correct that one may not see the Father without being “held upon the rock of the Son,” to say that this rock is Christ would be to enter into speculation and allegory. We are told by Paul (1 Corinthians 10:4) that the rock which was struck by Moses to bring water to the people (Exodus 17:6) is Christ, but these two rocks are not the same rocks. Accordingly, we should speak of this rock in terms of refuge, not salvation.
The verb that is used in this passage for the “covering” that God does with his hand is the verb %k;f’ (sakak), which is a derivative of the verb %k;s’ (sakak), “to cover.” Most often, though, this term is used to reflect a protective covering that is placed over something. The idea, then, that is being expressed is the idea of God personally placing his hand over Moses as a protective covering, to prevent Moses from seeing his face as he passed by. Jesus would pick up on this same language when he spoke of believers being held protectively not only in his hand, but in the hand of the Father as well (John 10:28-30).
Oh, loved ones, we have a God who preserves us not only here and there, but he preserves us for all eternity. As a born again believer, he has called you and separated you from this world for himself—trust him to complete that work and bring you effectually to glory. Oh, the promise of God as revealed by Paul in Romans 8:29-30: “Those who he chose ahead of time, he also predestined to share in the likeness of the image of his son so that he should become the firstborn of many brothers. And those who he predestined he also called, and those he called he justified, and those who he justified he also glorified.” The Puritan, William Perkins, called this the golden chain—not one link can be broken for this chain was wrought and cast by God and it binds his elect wonderfully to himself. Beloved, though you may go through times where it seems the world is falling down around your ears, never forget these words, for God will preserve you to glory and he will stand beside you in all of your darkest times—even to the point of death—and beyond for all eternity!
Show Me Your Glory, part 17: No Man May See My Face and Live
“And He said, ‘You will not be able to see my face, for no man can see me and live.’”
(Exodus 33:20)
The language of not being able to see the face of God and live is language that will be picked up later in the New Testament by both John (John 1:18) and Paul (1 Timothy 6:16). God is infinite and incomprehensible to a finite mind. This prohibition is not meant to keep us from knowing God (indeed, he has given us his Son and his Word so that we might know him), but it is meant to spare us from destruction. To gaze upon his face would be like gazing upon the Sun; it is beautiful beyond comprehension and would sear our eyes forever. So too, is God too wonderful for fallen man to set his eyes upon–yet, God has given us his Son, so that our finite eyes might gaze upon the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) and we might see the glory of the Father revealed in the Son.
Oh, what a wonderful theme to reflect on for a time—seeing the face of God. Sin has separated us from that blessing and redemption through Christ makes seeing his face something that we will experience once again in heaven. In the face of God are glory, truth, and all beauty; there is radiance and joy for the believer and wrath and judgment for the unbeliever. Redemption, hope, and peace can all be found when God’s face shines upon us. Believer, let the hope of seeing God’s face fully revealed permeate into your very being; let it color the way you live, behave, and interact with the world. It is a great promise that we have been given in Christ and this promise will sustain us through even the darkest of days. Let the things of God become part of the very fabric of your soul that you may never be separated from them and that they will clothe you with hope even when it seems that all hope is gone. Trust and hope in these promises, loved ones, and share them with your children and grandchildren, for these promises are for all who would trust in Christ for their salvation.
Show Me Your Glory, part 16: In the Name of Yahweh
“And He said, I will cause all of my goodness to pass over your face. And I will invoke my name in your presence, that is, I will show favor upon those who I will show favor to and I will show compassion upon those to whom I will show compassion.’”
(Exodus 33:19)
Literally, the text reads, “And I will call in the name of Yahweh in your presence.” Many have taken this to be a sermon that God is preaching on his divine name. While that is a perfectly legitimate translation of the text, I don’t think that it captures the full meaning of what God is promising to do. The language of “calling in the name of Yahweh” appears 8 times in the Old Testament (Genesis 4:26, 12:8, 26:25; Exodus 33:19, 34:5; 1 Kings 18:24; 2 Kings 5:11; and Joel 2:32). In each instance apart from these two debated instances in Exodus, the language is used to reflect an invocation of God’s name, not a sermon. Thus, my suggestion is that we should understand these two debated uses as an invocation as well. Thus, Yahweh is not preaching a sermon on the divine name, but invoking his own name to give force to what it is that he speaks next.
And what does come next? Some suggest that Yahweh us making an idem per idem statement. In other words, this is meant to be a reflection of his divine character and name: “I am who I am.” Here, they suggest, God is expanding on what his name means–specifically in terms of God’s sovereignty. Yet, the Apostle Paul connects this statement with God’s election (Romans 9:15), and though God’s election does flow out of his sovereign character, it certainly is only a single aspect of God’s divine nature.
We can find clarification on this statement in Exodus 34:6-7, when God does invoke his own name. God speaks of both his compassion and his judgment; all of these things flow from his absolute divine nature. To those who would question God’s ultimate autonomy in creation, I would cite God’s response to Job’s questions in Job 38-39: “Who are you, oh man? …” And to those who would assert their own autonomy in matters of personal salvation, I say, “repent and put away your fallen pride!”
In a sense, then, we can suggest that God, as he approaches Moses on the mountain, did preach a sermon, but it is not as much a sermon on his divine name as it is a sermon on his divine sovereignty in judgment and redemption. What primacy God himself places upon preaching that he would do so himself! It does the heart of a believer good to hear the character of Yahweh faithfully preached. Though sometimes people in the pews complain about their preacher’s sermons not being “fresh enough” or “contemporary enough,” for the believer, God’s character, his blessings, and all that is contained in his word should always be fresh and rich and refreshing to hear. What a blessing that God gave to Moses on that mountain!
So why the themes of judgment and redemption? The Bible itself is the story of God’s redemption of a people for himself. Everything that God reveals to us in scripture is for the purpose of this separation—a separation between the elect and the non-elect, between God’s children and the children of the serpent. And, of course, all redemption and judgment has its climax in the person, work, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the center of the scriptures and of redemptive history. Redemption and judgment are the story of the scriptures.
One pitfall that preachers often fall into is that they like to preach about redemption but shy away from preaching judgment. They like to preach that God is love (indeed he is) but neglect to preach that God is holy and righteous and brings judgment upon his enemies. The big problem with this is that redemption (or judgment) are rendered meaningless if they are not kept together. There can be no redemption if there is no judgment and speaking of judgment serves no purpose unless there is a hope of redemption. They are flip sides of the same coin and are inseparable if you want to present the scriptures in a meaningful way. Thus, when God proclaims these words before Moses, both judgment and redemption are held high as a pronouncement of his goodness.
Beloved, our culture, in only speaking of God as some sort of all-loving, sappy, celestial blessing-giver has tried to sell us a picture of God that is emasculated and impotent. They present God as just wanting good things for mankind and not having the power to stop evil from going on. Friends, reject that language with the strongest terms! This language (as one preacher is fond of saying) is from the very pits of hell and smells like smoke! Flee from it and flee from those who would preach it for it is not the truth. It is poison, spoiled food, and rotting flesh from a diseased animal. It is simply not suitable for consumption by the people of God. Beloved, flee to the truth of Christ in both redemption and judgment; this is what God pronounces with force—in his name.
Show Me Your Glory, part 15: All My Goodness
“And He said, I will cause all of my goodness to pass over your face. And I will invoke my name in your presence, that is, I will show favor upon those who I will show favor to and I will show compassion upon those to whom I will show compassion.’”
(Exodus 33:19)
Note the response of God. Moses asks to see the glory of God, yet God offers to pass all his goodness over Moses. While there are some who would equate God’s glory with his goodness, God’s glory is far more comprehensive that that. Indeed, God is glorified in the goodness that he demonstrates to all the earth as well as the goodness that he demonstrates to his people. Yet, God is also glorified in his wrath and judgment of his enemies. God is glorified in the discipline that he gives to his people, and God is glorified in his electing people for grace and passing over others for condemnation. Oh, how so many of God’s people have developed an anemic vision of the glory of God! Oh, that we might put spiritual meat on our bones and rejoice in all of the activities of our God, even when we have difficulty coming to terms with what good can come about from them.
So why is it that God chooses to show his glory to Moses by passing his goodness by? Could not have God revealed the fullness of his glory? The answer is twofold. First, the human mind, finite as it is, is simply not capable of taking in and understanding the full glory of God—it is a simple impossibility. The full glory of God would overwhelm us—I might even suggest that we might die as a result. Thus God is gracious in controlling how we are shown his glory so that we can comprehend what it is that he is showing us.
And secondly, it is God’s goodness that is promised to God’s people; the wrath of God is reserved for his enemies. God’s presence here is not meant to intimidate (as in other cases), but it is meant to bless. Thus, God blesses Moses with a revelation of his goodness in such a way that God’s glory is revealed in an edifying way rather than in a way which would break him.
Beloved, let us rest in the revelation of God’s glory. Ultimately, he has revealed his glory in his Son, Jesus Christ, and he has given us his word that we might know him deeply and intimately. Here is a God who is just and righteous and holy, yet he meets us where we are, not only meeting our needs, but blessing us beyond our ability to comprehend. Oh, dear saint, enjoy the revelation of God; immerse yourself in it—his word is life and he has made it available to you and me. Take and drink.
Show Me Your Glory, part 14: And He Said…
“And he said, ‘Show me your glory!’”
(Exodus 33:18)
I think that it is impossible to read this verse without feeling the excitement that Moses was feeling. God had promised to walk with his people and to lead them from this mountain. Here, Moses verbalizes the glorious hope of every believer: to see God’s glory. There are very few that the Bible records being given such a privilege: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the three Apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration, John in his final Revelation, etc… While there are others, the response of believers to God’s presence is always one of awe, fear, and an overwhelming sense of unworthiness. It would do the church well to learn from these past believers, for one of the great problems we have is that we often enter into God’s presence all too casually. We are bid to enter in with joy and thanksgiving, but doing so ought to give us goose-bumps. Here is the transcendent creator of the universe kneeling down in the muck and the mire of our sinful existence to have a relationship with us.
Oh, what a God we have been called to serve! And oh, what a bold request that Moses makes upon this mountain! When we see the Apostle Peter awaiting his own martyrdom, likely about 35 years after the resurrection of Christ, we can see from his own words that he is still reflecting on the transfiguration of Christ, which he was blessed to witness (2 Peter 1:17-18). How much more must the experience of Moses on the mountain sustained him through the difficulties of leading God’s people through the wilderness over the following years?
I would suggest that this should be the heart’s desire of every Christian—that we might see the glory of the Lord, not only in part as we look upon the faces of believers, but in full as we anticipate seeing the glory with our own eyes when we see him face to face in heaven. The hope of seeing this glory should be a powerful motivation for the believer to live faithfully and to persevere through this life, lest we fall away and be separated from him forever (note that I am not denying the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, but scripture also seems to describe those who have had an experience that looks like a conversion, but who then later fall away—showing that the experience that they had was not true regeneration—thus believers are often bid in scripture to walk in faith towards the goal).
Beloved, do you long to see the glory of God revealed with your own eyes? Certainly, you can get a taste of it in the Scriptures, but we look forward to a time when our eyes will be finally opened and we will see our King, our Lord, our Savior, our Prophet, and our High Priest riding triumphantly on a great white steed in the clouds returning to bring final judgment on his enemies and to remake the world to be as it was before the fall. That day is coming, loved ones, hope in it; dare to dream of it; and pray to God that your life would be one that leads others to see it as well—not as one condemned, but as one rejoicing in the return of their king.
Show Me Your Glory, part 13: God Confirms
“And Yahweh said to Moses, ‘I will indeed do this thing that I have promised, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I have known you with a name.’”
(Exodus 33:17)
God confirms that he will fulfill his promise to Moses and to the people of Israel. This promise is the same promise that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and is the promise that Moses reminds him of in defending Israel against God’s righteous wrath (Exodus 32: 13). Yet, beloved, this is the same promise that God makes to those who trust in his Son, Jesus Christ, for their salvation. God’s presence will be with us.
Notice how patient God is with his promises of reassurance. It is not that God likes being redundant, but it is that God recognizes our weakness and need to be reassured of his continued blessing. How often, when we are facing difficulties or when we fall into sin, do we think of God having left us—I don’t feel his presence, people often say. Yet, beloved, God has promised to stand with you through all of the mountains and valleys of life if you are a believer—you are his and he will not allow you to slip through his fingers. Just because you cannot “feel” him does not mean that he is not there, ordering and shaping your life to bring you back into conformity to the image of his Son. God has repeated this promise over and over in scripture—it is not going away. So beloved, stake a claim on these promises—stand on them. They are trustworthy and true and will never fail you even when you fail to trust and rely on them. Why are these promises so stout and true? Because God stands behind them and who is more worthy of trust than him who spoke creation into being?
Show Me Your Glory, part 12: Your Presence Makes Us Special (part 2)
“And he said, ‘If your face is not going, do not lead us from this place. And in what way will it be known, then, that I have found favor in your eyes―I and your people? Is it not in your going with us and that we have been treated specially―I and your people―from all the people who are on the face of the earth?’”
(Exodus 33:15-16)
Moses also clarifies the motive behind his request for God’s presence (as we discussed above). When God’s threatened to destroy the nation of Israel because of their idolatry, part of Moses’ defense of God’s people was based on what the pagan world would say about God’s activity (Exodus 32:12)—Moses’ concern was that the righteous name not be besmirched in the eyes of the surrounding pagan nations. Here that theme surfaces once again. Moses poses the rhetorical question of how the world will know that God has favored Moses and the Israelites. And here is the answer to Moses’ rhetorical question. It is in God’s presence and in his favor that the world will know that the nation of Israel is favored by God (see Psalm 117, 1 Chronicles 16:31).
There is some disparity in how translations render Wnylep.nIw> (weniphleynu)—“we have been treated specially.” Most major translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, KJV, RSV) translate this word with respect to God distinguishing or making his people separate from the rest of the earth—“so that we are distinct” reads the ESV. Yet, hl;P’ (palah), which is the verbal root that Wnylep.nIw> (weniphleynu) is derived from, speaks of a distinguishing that comes as a result of special or preferential treatment. Thus, in the context of this passage, the distinguishing from the peoples of the earth is a result of both God’s presence and the blessing that comes as a result of God’s presence.
Though God’s people are set apart from the rest of the earth as a result of God’s presence and blessing, the glory of the Gospel is that we are to take the good news of Jesus Christ to all the world! Though we are set apart by God’s blessings, people from all over the world can enter into those blessings through faith in Jesus Christ. But notice that the receiving of such blessings comes as a result of entering into the body of God’s people—this is not a universalistic promise, but one only given to those who belong to Christ. Beloved, what a joy it is to watch someone partake of such blessings for the first time; so why is it that we don’t share the gospel with more people? Oh, what blessings we so often withhold from our friends, neighbors, and loved ones because we are often timid when it comes to inviting people to come and join our fellowship with the great King of all creation—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
-Elisha Hoffman
Show Me Your Glory, part 11: Your Presence Makes Us Special
“And he said, ‘If your face is not going, do not lead us from this place. And in what way will it be known, then, that I have found favor in your eyes―I and your people? Is it not in your going with us and that we have been treated specially―I and your people―from all the people who are on the face of the earth?’”
(Exodus 33:15-16)
Moses now reiterates his plea that God be with them as they leave Sinai, but now he adds reasons for the request. When God’s people stray from God’s presence, there is nothing but grief and trouble for those people. And oh, this world has enough troubles in it as a result of sin–even when we walk in God’s presence–how is it that so often the church thinks that they can go on alone. Moses rightly understands, though, that what makes Israel separate, blessed, and unique from all the other people of the earth is the presence of God with them. Without God’s presence, there can be no true blessings. Solomon sought to explore this idea further in the book entitled Ecclesiastes. His conclusion is that anything done or gained apart from God is empty and vain. This statement of Moses’ is a statement that should be found upon the wall of every pastor’s office and should be part of the prayer of every leadership meeting that Christ’s church has. Oh, how often we stray from this truth.
It is also worth noting that some of the last words of Pharaoh to Moses were that the next time Moses saw the face of Pharaoh, he would die. Yet, Moses understands clearly that it is not the presence of Pharaoh that insures peace, but the presence of Yahweh alone. The sad thing is that so many Christians seek to find their “place” in this world on their own strengths rather than seeking their place in Christ. We chase after fame and we chase after recognition, but what do these things gain us in the eyes of an almighty God? No, loved ones, let us seek our place in Christ—all else is vanity.
Show Me Your Glory, part 10: Rest
“And He said, ‘My face will go with you and I will secure rest for you.’”
(Exodus 33:14)
God promises to provide x;Wn (nuach), or rest, for his people. While there are a variety of uses of this verb in the Old Testament, in the context of this passage, the rest that is spoken of is rest from trial and from one’s enemies. God is speaking of his presence with his people, and it is only when we rest in his presence that we find peace–even in the midst of worldly challenges. The problem that God’s people so often run into is that they fail to rest in God and seek satisfaction in the temptations of the world. God is promising rest for his people, but it is in the context of his presence and it is in the context of them following his ways (see verse 13).
This is the promise that Jesus offers the church when he says “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened; I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29). Oh, how we may learn to rest in Christ, for this rest can be found even in the most chaotic days of our life. Let us rest and find our pleasure in him and in him alone.
At the same time, let us always remember that this promise of rest carries with it conditions. Just as the rest that was promised to the Israelites was rest based on their remaining in God’s presence and upon their remaining in God’s “ways” (or their obedience to him), so it is the same with the church today. Too many people take the freedoms that we have been given in Christ as a license for worldly behavior. The apostle Paul responds to this attitude with the strongest language in Romans 6:15-18, reminding us that we serve one master or another, either sin and death or God and life—take your pick. Yet, beloved, if you want it, if you desire to have this peace and rest in the midst of life’s storms, it is yours for the asking; just seek that peace and rest in Christ.
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear,
Falling on my ear; the Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
-C.A.M.
Show Me Your Glory, part 9: My Face
“And He said, ‘My face will go with you and I will secure rest for you.’”
(Exodus 33:14)
There is an exegetical question that must be answered within this clause: should we translate this as “my presence” or “my face.” Certainly, the idea that is being conveyed is that God’s presence will go with his people. At the same time, the language of the face of God shining upon his people is the language of blessing (Numbers 6:22-27). God’s name and God’s blessing are seen as that which marks his people apart from the nations, and indeed, are significant themes in this passage. Thus, while speaking of God’s presence is a legitimate translation of this clause, speaking of his face provides a fuller and more theological understanding of what is being conveyed. It is not merely the presence of God that he is granting (though that is a great blessing in itself!) but he is turning his face to shine upon his people, bringing blessing upon them as long as they do not stray from his presence.
The willingness of God to set his presence with his people is one of the most encouraging doctrines of the Christian faith. Jesus echoed these words when he said “Behold, I am with you every day, even to the consummation of eternity.” (Matthew 28:20). This is an important concept that runs through the Old Testament with his people (see Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, 1 Chronicles 28:20) and that is what is symbolized by the tabernacle and the temple. Believers can draw great confidence from this for we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and God dwells within us (1 John 2:24).
God’s presence with us means that we can have confidence in stepping out in faith to share the Gospel with others. This means we can go to the deepest, darkest regions of Africa or the coldest wastes of Siberia, and God is still with us. As King David wrote:
O Yahweh, you have searched me and known me;
You know when I sit and when I rise,
You understand my thoughts from far away.
In my journeying and in my lying down, you observe me;
You are acquainted with all my ways.
Even when there is yet no word on my tongue,
Behold, Yahweh, you know all it will be.
My back and east are besieged,
And you set your hand over me.
This knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is exalted and I am not able to attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
And where can I flee from before your presence?
If I ascend to the heavens, you are there.
And if I lay in the grave, you are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
Or I dwell in at the ends of the sea,
Even there your hand will lead me,
And your right hand shall hold me.
(Psalm 139: 1-10)
There is no place in this world that we can hide from him and there is no place in this world that we are not sheltered by his grace. We can walk with confidence, knowing that God has ordained even our footsteps for his glory. Even if we go to the fires of martyrdom, God is yet there with us. And if God is there with us in the furthest regions of the earth, he will be with us at the water-cooler at work or at the fencepost, when we have the chance to talk to an unbelieving neighbor. He will be with us in school, when we are surrounded by people who are not believers, and he will be with at the grocery store when we have the chance to share the gospel with the lady behind us in the check-out line. And he will be with you even as you are grieving great loss. Believer, take courage, though this world may not be your home and at times may be a hateful place, our God has promised to never leave nor forsake us. That is more comfort than we deserve and all the comfort that we need—no matter what life holds.
Show Me Your Glory, part 8: This Nation-Your People
“And Moses said to Yahweh, ‘See, you said to me, ‘lead this people up.’ But you did not reveal to me who you were going to send with me. And you said, ‘I have known you with a name and you have found favor in my eyes.’ And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, reveal to me your ways so that I may know you and so that I may find favor in your eyes. And understand that your people are this nation.’”
(Exodus 33:12-13)
This last clause is perhaps one of the most difficult to translate into idiomatic English and still maintain the integrity of the original text. Simply stated, Moses is reminding God that this rebellious nation is “your people.” Literally, Moses is stating: “See! Your people–this nation.” God has raised up a people for himself and bound them together as a nation. Though they may be rebellious and discontent, they still belonged to God and were separated apart by God for his good pleasure.
Oh, how these words still ring true of the church today. Though we are rebellious and prone to sin, we are still the bride of Christ, and God still blesses us with his presence and works to sanctify us as a holy and pure bride on account of his Son, the great and true covenant mediator. Beloved, God has chosen to have a relationship with us. That simple statement is overwhelming and is the thing that separates Christianity from every other religion on the planet. We have a transcendent God who chooses to have a personal relationship with us even though we are sinful and rebellious. Oh, the grace and mercy of God that is demonstrated in his claiming and keeping of his people! O, the grace and mercy of God that is demonstrated in his claiming and keeping of me—wretched sinner that I am! This is truly a God that deserves our worship!
Show Me Your Glory, part 7: Show Me Your Ways
“And Moses said to Yahweh, ‘See, you said to me, ‘lead this people up.’ But you did not reveal to me who you were going to send with me. And you said, ‘I have known you with a name and you have found favor in my eyes.’ And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, reveal to me your ways so that I may know you and so that I may find favor in your eyes. And understand that your people are this nation.’”
(Exodus 33:12-13)
The request of Moses to understand God’s ways should be understood as carrying a double meaning. First, the ways of God are holy and pure and in them is life (Psalm 119:37). Sanctification is an ongoing process for every believer and to seek the ways of God is to seek the God behind the ways, and by extension, Christ (John 14:6). God is holy and thus his ways are holy, and if we wish to grow holy in our lifestyles, we must seek after the things of God—to hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6) with a passionate zeal. This is what it means to live out ones faith and this is how we grow wise in living (Colossians 1:9-10).
At the same time, Moses is interceding for his people. His desire is that God bless them with his presence as they travel to the Promised Land. Thus, this request can also be understood in terms of Moses’ desire to see the plan of God for his people as they leave the mountain and that he (Moses) would be able to lead the people faithfully in the eyes of God. And, indeed, through walking faithfully, that one might find favor in the eyes of God.
Oh, how we should seek after the ways of God, beloved, and we should guard and cherish them in our lives. This is why deliberate sin is so heinous for the believer in Jesus Christ—we know the ways of God—we have been shown them in scripture and the Holy Spirit testifies to these things in our lives—yet we rebel against what we know to be true and act upon our own sinful desires.
How foolish we can be, that we allow the weakness of our flesh to veil the truth of God’s glorious way! At the same time, loved ones, for those who repent—those who turn from their sin and return their eyes to God’s way—God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Oh, the marvels of grace! Oh, the joy of being undeservedly forgiven! Beloved, taste of the goodness of God, that he would not only forgive you when you strayed from his ways but that he would set you back on the path that leads to his righteous throne—oh the wonders of the God we serve!
O may this strange, this matchless grace,
This god-like miracle of love,
Fill the whole earth with grateful praise,
And all the angelic choirs above,
And all the angelic choirs above,
Who is a pardoning God like thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
-Samuel Davies
Show Me Your Glory, part 6: And Now…
“And Moses said to Yahweh, ‘See, you said to me, ‘lead this people up.’ But you did not reveal to me who you were going to send with me. And you said, ‘I have known you with a name and you have found favor in my eyes.’ And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, reveal to me your ways so that I may know you and so that I may find favor in your eyes. And understand that your people are this nation.’”
(Exodus 33:12-13)
And now, in the spirit of another covenant mediator (Abraham, see Genesis 18:22-33), Moses begins to argue, based on God’s words, seeking to ensure God’s presence with the people. We must ask the question at this point, was Moses successful in changing God’s mind? Some would argue, based upon the text, that Moses did change the mind of God. Yet, this is something we must flatly reject. God is eternal and the history of creation was written long before God began speaking creation into existence.
So how should we explain what it is that we see? God’s interactions with his people involve the people in the process of history. In other words, God’s foreordination does not necessitate either fatalism or determinism. We still act and perceive ourselves to be choosing freely, even though our actions are brought about according to God’s perfect plan. God conforms our will to his own, either through molding and sanctifying our hearts or through hardening. The fact that we perceive ourselves to be acting freely leaves us accountable, though God has still ordained all things. It is God’s plan that Moses interact with him in this way, and this kind of testing of Moses’ faith (this is, indeed, a bold action on Moses’ behalf), will better equip him to lead the rebellious people of Israel through the wilderness. In addition, it testifies once again to the great grace of God, that he would accompany a people who had rejected him by their sinful actions.
Beloved, there is another difficulty that comes out when we begin to reject God’s absolute sovereignty over history and see God as interacting with us through history, but not really having foreordained the path the world takes. When you do this, you essentially place your own will as being sovereign over that of God’s. This is the end result of John Wesley’s position (a form of what is called Arminianism), where he believes that the human will is autonomous when it comes to salvation—Wesley says that it is about “my choice” not God’s election. This essentially puts you in the shoes of God, and beloved, that is not a place I want to be.
I find that there is great comfort in trusting in the absolute sovereignty of God. Does this mean I think of myself as a robot or a marionette under God’s control? Certainly Not! I am acting and choosing of my own liberty and am thus responsible for my actions. Yet I thank God that he has ordered my way and the way of the world, for I know that he has promised blessing to those who love him and are called by his purpose (Romans 8:28).
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