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How does God the Father work in the Old Testament
Fred R. Coulter—September 1, 2018
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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to Sabbath services! Today we're going to cover a subject that we need to understand:
- How does God work?
- How does God work in the Old Testament?
- How does God work in the New Testament?
Recently one of the large Churches of God had a discussion—they put it up online so you can search that out yourself—about changing this phrase, which has been used many times over and over again: Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament! They want to determine that we shouldn't use the word 'thus' (the), but rephrase it: Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, or in another way.
Remember that when doctrine is changed, they always begin with something that looks very innocuous. One word: the; claiming that one word causes confusion. Well, to take the word out:
- What would that accomplish?
- Would there be new understanding come in the wake of that?
We need to always guard the doctrine and teachings that God has given us! Take nothing for granted. In the video that they put up online—which I watched twice completely from start to finish—was very interesting. They discussed Scriptures, but they never examined them. Because they want to move the pendulum a bit—remember that a little leaven leavens the whole lump—their endeavor is to show that God the Father was far more active in the Old Testament than we have assumed. They never asked if we should assume. We're to prove all things!
'If we say that Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament before He became Jesus Christ, we may cause some confusion in the minds of some.'
How do we understand the way we come to the knowledge of the Truth and true doctrine?
2-Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness."
- What is that sound-mindedness? The mind of Christ!
- How is that achieved? Through the Holy Spirit!
When we come with doctrinal questions, especially this one, let's see what else we are told to do.
Verse 8: "Therefore, you should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but jointly suffer with me for the sake of the Gospel, according to the power of God, Who has saved us and called us with a Holy calling—not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages of time" (vs 8-9).
This is telling us that God's plan was all established "…before the ages of time" in relationship to men and even angels.
How do we understand the things that were done and planned and finally revealed and being worked out in the Bible? We do it by following the rules of Bible study!
Verse 10: "But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ…"
Think about that for a minute. God planned it; how many ions ago? We don't know! But it is revealed with the coming of Jesus Christ. Did God work a little differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament? We'll see!
"…Who has annulled death, and has brought to light eternal life and incorruptibility through the Gospel unto which I was ordained a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles" (vs 10-11).
Sidebar: What is he? A preacher? An apostle? A teacher? All! We do different things at different times, and different functions in different ways. So, think about how Paul looked at himself.
Verse 12: "For which cause I am also suffering these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed. For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He has the power to keep what I have committed to Him for that day. Hold as the standard for doctrine the sound words…" (vs 12-13)—not the reasonings of men. We are told in Col. 2 to beware of vain philosophy and arguments over words!
Verse 13: "Hold as the standard for doctrine the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good thing that was committed to you by the Holy Spirit that is dwelling in us" (vs 13-14).
- We're to guard the doctrine!
- We're to guard the Truth!
- We're to continually address everything, analyze everything, look at everything through the lens of Scripture and the Word of God!
- How does false doctrine begin? We're told to guard the doctrine!
- How did God the Father function in the Old Testament?
I listened to the discussion that they had back and forth and there were certain Scriptures that were brought up that were good. As a matter fact, the one in 2-Tim. 1:9 about before the measurement of time as we know it, God has His purpose already established. That was good, but I was also taken aback by the fact that they didn't look into the Scriptures.
Maybe we can give them the benefit of doubt and say they did before they came to the meeting. But I certainly couldn't understand the purpose of the meeting or why they were doing it? Why this topic even came up?
2-Timothy 2:14: "See that they remain mindful of these things, earnestly charging them in the sight of the Lord not to argue over words that are not profitable in any way, but which lead to the subverting of those who hear."
How do you guard and teach and know and understand the Word of God? This is a rather sophisticated argument, so let's tackle it.
Verse 15: "Diligently study to show yourself approved unto God…" When you study you study to find out what God says! What God may reveal! You never go to study a topic by having a preset conclusion in your mind! That's how false doctrine comes about!
"…a workman…" (v 15). You have to work at it:
- you have to study
- you have to pray
- you have to think
- you have to meditate
- you have to know the Word of God
- you have to put it together
As we're going to see, that's exactly what we're going to do! And, according to the Scripture we read first, before the ages of time, we have to keep in mind:
- What is the plan of God?
- How does God work?
- Through whom does He work?
All of those are questions that must be answered before you start removing the word 'the' from 'Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament! And start putting in more of what you thinkthe Father has done. We will examine all the Scriptures.
"…who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of the Truth" (v 15).
- What happens when you wrongly divide the Word of Truth? You end up with error!
- How much error? Well, it depends on how far you go!
We're going to look at some Scriptures that are absolutely true, because we want to know the TRUTH!
Let's see how God put the Bible together. It says in Deut. 29:29[transcriber's correction] that the things that we understand God has revealed, but the secret things He has for Himself. We're also told that God hides things, but it's the honor of the king to understand it.
We will see that Jesus said that we have been given—revealed knowledge—concerning the plan of God! How does that happen? Let's see! We're going to cover some basic Scriptures and get some basic foundations of what we need to have, before we start delving into different things to counter the argument that these men were talking about. I was confused in my mind as to why they even had the meeting at all!
Isaiah 28:5: "In that day the LORD of hosts shall be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, for the remnant of His people… [that's bringing the people back from captivity] …and for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment…" (vs 5-6).
Who is going to be given judgment? The saints (Rev. 20)! So, as we read these things keep in mind the outline of all of God's plan, because it will be weaved in and out of these things so that we get a proper understanding.
"…and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate" (v 16)—of what? Of the Word of God! When it is attacked by false doctrine or strange reasonings that lead to false doctrine. We're going to turn it back in the battle at the gate. You don't let it in the door!
Verse 7: "But they also stagger through wine, and reel through strong drink…." Where does that come from? Rev. 17; the kings of the earth have been made drunk; the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk by the wine of her fornication!
"…The priest and the prophet stagger through drink; they are confused by wine; they reel through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment, for all tables are full of vomit and filthiness; no place is clean. [God says]: 'Whom shall He teach knowledge?….'" (vs 7-9).
Doesn't that describe the world out there? Terrible! No knowledge, no truth, no understanding! So, in the midst of all of this, and in the midst of the Church:
"…And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?…. [rightly understand it] …Those who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts" (v 9). You have to beyond the basics! But only after you have the basics down sure, and you never leave the basics!
Remember what Paul wrote to those in Heb. 5: At the time you ought to be teachers, you have need of milk! That's happened to too many people.
Now, here's how God put the Bible together, and we'll see what happens when men come to try and understand it without looking to the Truth of God, yielding to God, so that they will understand what is right and wrong and to see what the Bible itself says! Not because we argue over a word that we suppose what it may or may not say.
Verse 10: "'For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little'; for with stammering lips and foreign tongue He will speak to this people. To whom He said, 'This is the rest He gives to the weary,' and 'This is the refreshing,' yet, they were not willing to hear" (vs 10-12).
God is saying that you can have understanding 'IF you do it My way'; it's available.
Isaiah 29:9: "Be stunned and amazed! Blind your eyes and be blind!…."
Let's stop here and think about some things. What does Jesus say to the Church of Laodicea? Anoint your eyes with eye salve, because you are blind, naked, poor and don't understand it! So, you can study all you want, but unless you rightly divide the Word of God, and if you have another secret agenda that you're hiding behind all of this, you will never understand! People will be led astray. That's why Paul said, 'Guard the doctrine!'
"…They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink, for the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your rulers, and the seers" (vs 9-10).
That's what's happened in the Church! Look at the history of the Church. Read Rev. 2 & 3 carefully and find out what happens.
Verse 11: "And the vision of all has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which they give to one who is learned saying, 'Please read this,' and he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.'"
- If it is sealed, who can open it? God!
- How will He open it for us? That's the whole purpose of what we're going through!
Verse 13: "And the LORD said, 'Because this people draws near Me with their mouth, and with their lips honor Me, but their worship of Me is made up of the traditions of men learned by rote, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandments of men."
I want you to think on this phrase for just a minute: 'We keep the Sabbath and Holy Days because we love God! Not because God commands us to, but we do it because we're good.' See what that statement really does. We are to:
- love God
- obey Him
- keep His commandments
- keep His Holy Days
- keep His Sabbath
because God commanded it to be, and for our own good and for our own purpose!
- Do we want to know what God is doing?
- Do we want to understand how God works?
- Do we want to understand through whom God works?
- Do we want to know what is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
- Do we want to know the operation of God in both?
That's the whole purpose of what we're doing here!
"…their fear toward Me is taught by the commandments of men; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do again a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise ones shall perish, and the wisdom of their intelligent ones shall vanish" (vs 13-14).
- Did we see a church infiltrated by:
- deceivers?
- liars?
- satanists?
- to change the Word of God?
- Where did it start? With the nature of God!
- Are you changing the nature of God if you try to change what the Bible tells about how God works? Yes, indeed!
Verse 15: "Woe to those who go deep to hide their purpose from the LORD! And their works are in the dark, and they say, 'Who sees us? And who knows us?'"
- What happened to the largest Church of God?
- What did the new leaders do? They went from Sabbath to Sunday, from Holy Days to holidays!
Verse 16: "Surely, you have turned things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the potter's clay; for shall the work say of him who made it, 'He did not make me?' Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'He had no understanding?'" Isn't that what happens when we decide to take things on our own, to tell God what to do!
How do we understand the Word of God? Understanding comes from loving God and keeping His commandments!
Psalm 111:10: "…a good understanding have all those who do His commandments…." Not some of them, but all of them! Isn't that true? Yes!
Let's see if we can understand things that are hard to understand. Let's see how God does it. Let's put it together. Remember:
- we're to rightly divide the Word of God
- we're to put it together properly the way that God wants
- we're to examine the Word of God to see what He's going to tell us
Psalm 119:18: "Open my eyes so that I may behold wondrous things out of Your Law."
Think about today with the whole Bible, the wondrous things we can understand. But we can't get slack! We can't get carried away! We can't be giving in to the carnal things of the world, and religious practices of men!
1-Corinthians 2:9: "But according as it is written, 'The eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'"
1-John 5:3: "For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments…"
- if you love Me, keep my commandments
- here are those who have the faith of Jesus Christ and keep His commandment
- here are those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ
All of that's required, plus the Spirit of God!
1-Corinthians 2:10: "But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit…"
What did Jesus say concerning His words that He spoke to the apostles? The words that I speak to you are Spirit and Life! The flesh profits nothing!
So, when you study the Word of God with the Spirit of God, you are going to learn if you are loving God and keeping His commandments. That's how we understand it. We don't understand everything all at once. We have to see what it is that God has revealed. The secret things still belong to God, and many of those secret things we will never know until we attain the first resurrection. You must be a spirit being to understand them.
"…for the Spirit searches all things—eventhe deep things of God. For who among men understands the things of man except by the spirit of man, which is in him? In the same way also, the things of God no one understands except by the Spirit of God" (vs 10-11).
Look at all the religious councils that the Catholic Churches had down through the centuries. What do they understand of the Word of God? Nothing!Why? Because they don't keep the commandments of God! Simple!
What happens in the Churches of God when people become lukewarm and blind? Same thing!
Verse 12: "Now, we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is of God, so that we might know the things graciously given to us by God… [God has to give it] …which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit in order to communicate spiritual things by spiritual means" (vs 12-13).
- the world doesn't receive it
- the world doesn't know it
Only God can reveal it!
We will see that there was a distinct difference between the Old and the New Testament, as we have just covered, and it's measured by the Holy Spirit of God. A lot of people want to know about God. They want to know how they can have eternal life, but they're not willing to do what God says. If they're willing to do some of it:
- How much further will they go?
- Do they go just so far and stop?
They haven't finished what they need to do in their lives, then! But it has to be revealed to us. It's revealed in God's Word and by His Spirit together, an overall combined project of God.
Matthew 13:10: "And His disciples came to Him and asked, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries… [What are the mysteries? The secrets? The secrets of God!] …of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given'" (vs 10-11). So, the world won't understand it!
Sidebar: Why are we called the Church of the Firstborn? Why are we called the Firstfruits? Because we're called out of this world—though we live in the world, and we have to fight against the world, Satan the devil and our own nature—but we're the firstfruits because God is not saving the world at this time. So, they don't know! They are not willing to obey!
Here's why Jesus says, v 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance, but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him."
What happens when you start embracing false doctrine? Even the understanding that you have shall be taken! This is why we are to continuously study and pray every day!
Verse 13: "For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand; and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive; for the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed…'" (vs 13-15).
I want you to think about the Laodicean condition: 'we're rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing!' Another way of say that:
- You're fat!
- You're full!
- You're naked and blind and don't even know it!
That's how false doctrine comes in! What they have will be taken. That's why Paul told Timothy, 'Guard the doctrine! the teaching! the Truth!'
Verse 15: "For the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them." God doesn't want to convert anyone who will not obey Him! Why was Satan removed? Because he rebelled!
Verse 16: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see, and have not seen; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard" (vs 16-17).
What do you think the responsibility upon us at the end of the age actually really is in relationship to God? the knowledge of God? the Truth of God? the doctrines of God?
Very important, especially living in a world that is so evil and satanic on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, having everything:
Intelligence: Look at all the things we have with the whole Bible and all the Bible helps that we're able to do and produce for people. What a tremendous and marvelous thing that is. But we better use them! What good does it do to have a brand new car parked in your garage—shiny, clean and nice and neat—but you never drive it? Just a little analogy so we understand a little bit more.
Let's begin to answer the question in John 1 and then we will look at some things in the Old Testament. Why did John have to write this at the beginning of the Gospel of John. Because the same false doctrines were being promulgated in the Church before his death! So, he had to write and clarify it. This has been written and preserved—perfectly preserved—so we can know the Truth.
John 1:1 "In the beginning was [#1]the Word, and [#2]the Word was with God, and [#3]the Word was God."
People get all excited and say that the definite article is not there in the Greek, so therefore—as the Jehovah Witnesses do—they make it a small 'g' in their translation of the Bible (The New Word Translation of the Holy Scriptures) {https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/774-what-about-that-a-god-translation-in-the-jehovahs-witness-Bible}
- What do you know about that?
- How can you be one if you don't have the same existence?
Verse 2: "He was in the beginning with God."
Now, v 3 is very important because it tells us how God works! "All things came into being through Him…"—the Word!
God the Father and Jesus Christ had to plan before the ages of time, and He gave the creation of everything for His plan to Jesus Christ: Who was the Word; Who was the Lord God of the Old Testament. Make no mistake about that!
"…and not even one thing that was created came into being without Him. In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of men" (vs 3-4).
All human beings have life because of the creation of mankind with the spirit of man by the One Who became the Word!
Does it say that God the Father made man? No! Let's read what is said in Gen. 1. What God the Father completely absentminded and away from everything? No! But He gave it to the One Who was the Word to do the creating! Isn't that what it says in John 1? Yes!
Gen. 1—we have the Word and God. The Word is the One Who became Christ—God manifested in the flesh—and God the Father Who is in heaven above.
- How does God carry out His work and His plan?
- How much does He literally do?
- How active is He in the Old Testament?
- How active is He in the New Testament?
- In the Old Testament, how did He carry out His will?
- In the New Testament, how did He carry out His will?
- If the Father was known in the Old Testament, why did Jesus Christ have to reveal Him?
(go to the next track)
Before we come to Gen. 1, let's look at some other Scriptures showing a little bit more about the things that were foreordained before the foundation of the world and the plan of God, His purpose.
Matt. 13—talking about the spiritual things, the secrets of the Kingdom of God, which God did not reveal to the masses of the people.
Sidebar: That's a hard one for the world to understand. Why? Because they know nothing about the second resurrection! You want to know a little bit more about that? That's why we have The Last Great Day! Yet, they have the Bible and it's right there. Like we read to begin with, their eyes are blinded, closed and they don't understand it.
Matthew 13:34: "Jesus spoke all these things to the multitudes in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them; so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world'" (vs 34-35). That also has to do with Christ!
1-Peter 1:20: "Who truly was foreknown… [by God] …before the foundation of the world…"
- Do you think God is going to have a plan and not work things out?
- Do you think that there's anything that's going to surprise God?
- Of course not!
Remember John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. [v 3]: …not even one thing that was created came into being… [existence] …without Him."
Let's notice something very interesting concerning humankind. This is before the creation of Adam and Eve. Here's the plan:
Genesis 1:26: And God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image…'"—plural. The word God we already understand is 'Elohim' which means more than one. Th Bible only reveals two. We'll examine it in a little bit to see how that works.
"'…after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of heaven and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that crawls upon the earth.' And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female" (vs 26-27). Now we have man and woman!
We have God the Father and Jesus Christ; we have the God and the Word—Us! Was this not the most important part of Their plan up to that time? Yes! The One Who became the Father is the One Who told Jesus to do it and how to do it. But the Father Himself did not do it personally.
There's one more time in the Old Testament where it talks about Us, 'Let Us go down and see what they're doing' (Gen. 11). The One Who became God the Father gave all the instruction to the One Who became Jesus Christ to carry out the dispersion of the people of the world to their inheritance in the world, scattering them from the Tower of Babel. Those are the only two times that Us is used in the Old Testament.
Jesus used that phrase Us in John 17, 'That they may become one in Us.' So, we have the beginning in Genesis and the prophecy of the finishing in John 17—be one in God!
After this Us, the One Who became the Father is not directly involved. The One Who was the Lord God, the One Who became Jesus Christ, the Lord God of the Old Testament was Jesus Christ, and it is perfectly correct to say: The Lord God of the Old Testament was the One Who became Jesus Christ!Or reverse it and say: Jesus Christ, Who came in the flesh—God manifest in the flesh—was the God of the Old Testament! So, let's see how that works!
Genesis 2:7: "Then the LORD God…"—not Us! God gave that all to the One Who was the Lord God, also called The Word!
Stop and think about it; there are many names of God.
"…the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (v 7). Then He put them in the garden and Adam was created with a language already functioning; he could talk.
How did God appear to Adam and Eve? We know that God told Moses, when Moses said, 'Show me Your glory,' The Lord God said, 'No man can see My face and live.' So, how did God appear to Adam? Just like He appeared to the disciples after He was resurrected from the dead; as a man!
Nowhere does it show that God appeared to Adam and Eve in His glorified form at any time. Could He have? Well, if He did they would have died! God the Father—even though He was in on the plan to design the purpose and everything of it—He did not personally get involved in the creation of man nor woman.
After being in the garden, and God talking with Adam, He brought all the animals by and to name them, whatever Adam named them, that was its name. That shows tremendous intelligence just by creation. God would have to be appearing to Adam in a human form, otherwise, Adam would have died.
So then, God took a rib from Adam and made a woman. The human race is promulgated by two: man and woman. We all came from Adam and Eve.
Sidebar: We find in Gen. 2:15 God revealed to them the necessity of a coming Savior. He didn't tell them it was 4,000 years away. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would the Father have been revealed to mankind at that time? Don't know! We will never know, so we can just say that's an interesting question.
Let's look at what really took place. We have the Lord God. There's a book The Names of God by Andrew Jukes. Lord comes from the Hebrew YHVH: Yahwah, Yahweh or Jehovah. It also means the Eternal One! God has many names and has dealt with different one at different times under different names.
Here in Gen. 11we have Us and after that not another word about Us referring to the One Who became God the Father and the One Who became God the Son. Nothing until we get to John 17.
In the Old Testament we find that the One Who became the Father is also known as The Most High! Let's see the first mention of The Most High. This is after the battle that Abraham had led with his servants to get Lot and bring him back, and the others. They brought the things that they recovered from the invaders and came to the place called Salem. Here's the first reference to Melchisedec:
Genesis 14:18: "And Melchisedec the King of Salem…" Heb. 7 tells us this Melchisedec was the One Who became Jesus Christ; so, here's another name for the Lord God, now acting as Priest.
"…brought forth bread and wine. And He was the Priest of the Most High God" (v 18). Here's mention of the Most High!
- How active was the Most High God in the Old Testament?
- Was He always behind the scenes?
- Was He actively involved in anything?
- Does this present a problem that now the Most High becomes the God of the Old Testament instead of the Lord God: Yahweh or Jehovah or Eternal, whichever one you want to call Him?
This is the question that the men—in the other Church of God—were discussing.
Verse 19: "And He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Abram of the Most High God…"
- Why is there a relationship between the Most High and Abraham?
- Was that a spiritual relationship? Yes, indeed!
- Was the Most High active in the life of Abraham?
OR
- Did the Most High leave that to the Lord God?
- He left it to the Lord God!
Just like in the New Testament with us, Jesus Christ:
- our Savior
- our Redeemer
- our High Priest
- our Sacrifice
- our Intercessor
- our coming King
- our spiritual Brother.
God the Father is there in the New Testament, and we will see that He does get active in the New Testament, but not as the Most High in Old Testament.
In the Old Testament the Most High —the One Who became the Father—Who is God over all, the Most High God, can't get any higher than that! So, that has to be the One Who became the Father. He is not actively involved in working with Abraham, though it is said,
"…'Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth'" (v 19). That's not said of any other man in the Old Testament! Just Abraham! Why? Because he was to become the father of Isaac and Jacob (Israel), and he was to become the father of the seed that would be the spiritual seed 'if you are Christ's and heirs according to the promise.'
Get The Christian Passover book {truthofgod.org}and read about the two aspects of the blessing of God to Abraham—physical through Isaac and spiritual through Christ. The 'sand of the sea' are the physical ones, and the 'stars of heaven' are the spiritual ones. Again, a duality: a physical purpose and a spiritual purpose! Abraham was going to be the father of both of those aspects from the plan of God on down through to the resurrection and clear on through the new heaven and new earth.
But it doesn't say that the Most High was involved in other ways, so this is as direct as could be. But all of the issues day in and day out were left up to the Lord God rather than the Most High. Very important to understand.
Now we're going to look at every place in the Bible where it talks about the Most High. We have seen that the One Who became the Father, the Most High God of the Old Testament, left all of the active working to the Lord God, the God Who became Jesus Christ.
It's entirely correct to say that Jesus was the Lord God of the Old Testament interacting with all of the children of Israel from Adam all the way down through to the time that He came to the earth as Christ manifested in the flesh.
In delivering His final message to the children of Israel before they went into the 'promised land,' here's what we find:
Deuteronomy 32:7: "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations…. [look back at history; that's what we need to do today] …Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam…" (vs 7-8).
That's Gen. 11, 'Let's Us go down and see what they're doing, and let Us confound their languages. Let Us scatter them across the face of the earth!'
- Who was the One Who carried that out? The Lord God!
- How active was the Most High in this? It was His decision carried out by the One Who was the Lord God!
"…He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, for the LORD'S portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (vs 8-9). So, after the Most High gave the order, then it was carried out by the Lord God!
What we're going to see is that the Most High is referred to in the Psalms and then in Daniel. What we find is the pattern of how the Most High involved Himself in the Old Testament, the One Who became the Father in the New Testament. He set the agenda and the Lord God carried out the work!
We're going to find the Psalms quite enlightening, and it was not generally known of the people. Remember that they did not have the Bible. They did not have the Word of God as a personal possession for their own like we have today. Think about the amazing thing that that is, that we're able to have the Bible, and that we're even able to go through it and understand the things that we do, the way that we do. All of that comes from God!
Psalm 7:1: "O LORD my God, in You have I taken refuge; save me from all who pursue me and deliver me…. [v3]: O LORD my God…"
We are going to understand that David is dealing with the Lord God! But we're also going to see—because He's the future king over all Israel forever under Christ—that he's given some knowledge of the Most High!
But I'm going through this to show that the Most High Himself is not involved. Rather He has given that to the Lord God to do.
Verse 6: "Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; lift up Yourself against the rage of my enemies…"
Verse 8: "The LORD shall judge the people; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness…"
Verse 11: "God is a righteous judge, and a God Who has indignation every day."
Verse 17: "I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High."
That doesn't show that The Most High was down there doing anything. But David understood that there was The Most High! Did the people understand very much about that? Maybe the high priest understood it, but besides that The Most High not out here active. All the way through David doesn't say the Most High; no, but right at the end he says, "…[I] will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." And he ends his prayer!
It's interesting that David says he " will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High"—not directly to the Most High!
Psalm 9:1: "I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You… [the Lord God] …I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."
- Did David worship Him? Yes!
- Was the Most High active in David's life?
- No, it was the Lord God, all the way through!
Psalm 21:1: "The king shall rejoice in Your strength, O LORD; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the prayer of his lips. Selah" (vs 1-2). The Lord is under the Most High!
In the New Testament we have God the Father and under Him is Jesus Christ. The same setup. We're going to see in the New Testament the Father is much more active. Why is He more active in the New Testament, and virtually not active at all in the Old Testament? Except in important matters! And then that's delegated to the One Who is the Lord God!
Verse 3: "For You do meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold on his head." David is saying, 'Look, God, You've given me all of these things and even this crown, thank You for it!'
Verse 4: "He asked life from You; You give to him length of days forever and ever." David knew he was going to live forever, salvation!
Verse 6: "For You have made him most blessed forever; You made him exceedingly joyful with Your presence; for the king trusts in the LORD and in the mercy of the Most High; he shall not be moved" (vs 6-7). That's a close parallel to the New Testament! Again, it's all through The Lord!
How do we get our blessings from God the Father? Through Jesus Christ! We see the same pattern here. We're going to go through step-by-step. This is how we study to answer the question: How active was the Most High personally in the Old Testament? Then we will come to the New Testament and see active He is with those of the saints in the New Testament. I think you'll see quite a difference.
Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The Lord God working with men, kings and saints directly!
Verse 2: "Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains shake with the swelling of it. Selah" (vs 2-3). Think about that!
- When is this going to really occur? At the return of Jesus Christ!
- What is that going to bring in? Usher in the Kingdom of God!
That's going to culminate in the new heaven and the new earth and the tabernacle of God dwelling with men and women made perfect, and the new City of Jerusalem. Fantastic!
Verse 4: "There is a river whose streams make the City of God rejoice, the Holy dwelling place of the Most High." A prophecy of the coming New Jerusalem!
Where does that river come from? From under the throne of the Father and the Lamb (Rev. 22)!
Verse 5: "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her at the approach of the morning."
In the Old Testament you have things present, past, future and on into eternity. Here we have a glimpse into New Jerusalem as described by David. That's a prophecy.
Psalm 47:1—a prophecy into the future: "Clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with the voice of triumph… [When will that be? When all the wicked are burned up! That's the final triumph!] …for the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth" (vs 1-2).
When? Not now, but when New Jerusalem comes to the earth, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and this is what it's all about!
Verse 3: "He shall subdue the people under us and nations under our feet."
- Isn't that going to be true?
- Won't all of them be subject to New Jerusalem, and that's where we're going to live?
Verse 4: "He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. Selah." Of course we're spiritual Israel, or spiritual Jacob; those in the first resurrection!
Again, we see the Most High in prophecy into the future. Not directly involved in the affairs of even the saints, except acknowledged of it by King David. We don't find any other king mentioned here. This is how we come to answer the questions:
- How does the Most High reveal Himself?
- How much work does He actually do personally with the children of Israel or with the kings of Israel and Judah?
- He leaves all of that up to the Lord God!
Sidebar: With Whom did Jacob wrestle? He wrestled with the Lord God of the Old Testament! The One Who became Jesus Christ of the New Testament! Or Jesus Christ of the New Testament was the God Who wrestled with Jacob, not the Most High.
- Is it correct to say that Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament? Yes!
- Does that exclude the Most High? No way!
But the Most High was not revealed to men! We're going to find that virtually only King David! Then you will be surprised to whom else He was revealed.
Again, as we go through here, what does it reveal in the activity of the Most High? That the Most High was not actively involved, except with Abraham and David. Understood, but not directly involved in the daily affairs that they were carrying out.
Psalm 50:1: "The mighty God, God, the LORD, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined forth" (vs 1-2). This is during the Millennium! This is a prophecy!
Verse 3: "Our God… [didn't say the Most High] …shall come, and He shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, so that He may judge His people: 'Gather My saints unto Me… [the first resurrection, so this whole thing is a prophecy] …those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice'" (vs 3-5).
Sidebar: What is our sacrifice? God's part is Jesus Christ's death and shed blood! Our part is repentance and baptism. That puts us in covenant with God. That is our sacrifice! We come out of the world and we pledge our death through baptism, that is we are not faithful to the end we will die! That's what it means by sacrifice.
Verse 6: "And the heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God Himself is judge. Selah. 'Hear, My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, even your God. I will not reprove you for your sacrifices, or your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me. I will take no bull out of your house, nor he-goats out of your folds, for every beast of the forest is Mine and the livestock upon a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all the fullness of it" (vs 6-12).
I want you to get the scope of the activity of the Lord God of the Old Testament, the One Who became Jesus Christ! He was there doing all of these things. That's right after the prayer about the coming Kingdom!
Verse 13: "Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving; and pay your vows to the Most High" (vs 13-14)—a projection into the future!
Verse 15: "And call upon Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall honor Me."
In the background always is the Most High! He is the One Who is in charge of the universe! Christ is the One Who is dealing with those on the earth. Quite a very interesting thing!
I want you to see that the Most Highis the One Who became the Father in the New Testament. We're going to see that His activity in the Old Testament was very limited, because He delegated all of it to the One Who was the Lord God,with the exception of Abraham, David and certain key events. But they did not know Him personally like we are to know the Father. They knew of Him.
Scriptural References:
- 2-Timothy 1:7-14
- 2-Timothy 2:14-15
- Isaiah 28:5-12
- Isaiah 29:9-11, 13-16
- Psalm 111:10
- Psalm 119:18
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
- 1 John 5:3
- 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
- Matthew 13:10-17
- John 1:1-4
- Matthew 13:34-35
- 1 Peter 1:20
- John 1:1, 3
- Genesis 1:26-27
- Genesis 2:7
- Genesis 14:18-19
- Deuteronomy 32:7-9
- Psalm 7:1, 3, 6, 8, 11, 17
- Psalm 9:1-2
- Psalm 21:1-4, 6-7
- Psalm 46:1-5
- Psalm 47:1-4
- Psalm 50:1-15
Scriptures quoted, not referenced:
- Colossians 2
- Deuteronomy 29:29
- Revelation 20; 17
- Hebrews 5
- Revelation 2; 3
- Genesis 11
- John 17
- Genesis 2:15
- Hebrews 7
- Revelation 22
Also referenced: Books:
- The Names of God by Andrew Jukes
- The Christian Passoverby Fred R. Coulter
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 9/18/18
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