230115 God speaks

The book does not introduce God, the spirit assumes that the reader is very acquainted with God. You know. The God who freed the people from Egypt, and brought them through the waters of the Red Sea. The one who spoke from the mountain and made the earth shake. The one who lead them by a column of smoke during the day and a pillar of fire at night through the wilderness.

There is the book of Leviticus that outlines the function of the priests and the protocol worship of God. That is in the Tanakh (OT)

In the NT, the Mystery Doctrine of the Church age we have now the book of Hebrews. It is has been referred to as the Christian Leviticus as it upholds the spiritual life and priestly function of the Church age believer.

As Genesis began with

IN the beginning God

The letter to the Hebrews begins

Hebrews 1:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Who is your God?

When we as believers, when we as the church go wrong it is always in the same way.

We get God wrong.

Wrong knowledge of God leads to worshipping the wrong God.

Wrong thinking about God leads to worshiping the wrong god—idol worship. An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God, while idolatry is giving worship or devotion to that thing that replaces God.

A W Tozer

If we take a moment, can you formulate any intellectual thought about your God. What is your idea of God. Who and what is God?

If it is not from scripture that you know your God, then from what source are you going to, to formulate your thoughts or opinions of God?

You say, in or by my heart.

Ok, shall we consider what the bible says about the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) — 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Ecclesiastes 9:3 (ESV) — 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Mark 7:21 (ESV) — 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

What kind of God will such a heart come up with. Certainly, the wrong god, a god that is not to be worshipped.

Well then how about the spirit?

What spirit? Are you sure what spirit is speaking to you?

Is this your God? Or might this be a deceiving spirit with a corrupted view god.

So who is your God?

WE have an unconceivable God.

The finite mind cannot perceive that which is infinite.

It is impossible to know God apart from God revealing himself to us in a way that the finite mind can understand at least in part.

Who is this God who the writer of Hebrews is speaking of?

Is this the same God who led the Israelites His people through the wilderness? Is it the same one who spoke to the prophets? Is your God the Son of God who is the heir of all things and in him we are inheritors as well? Is it your God that upholds all things by the word of his power?

It is the writer that begins his letter in such away and without his own name attached to it is drawing our attention to the first word in the letter.

God

Kind of Contrast to other letters, isn’t it

1 Peter 1:1 (ESV) — 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

James 1:1 (ESV) — 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

1 Corinthians 1:1 (ESV) — 1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

Philippians 1:1 (ESV) — 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

Notice John never cares to mention himself by name. Just an observation. Not many believe that John wrote Hebrews.

Since we mentioned Leviticus already how does this book in the Torah begin?

Leviticus 1:1 (ESV) — 1 The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,

This writer by passes all attention to self and draws the attention straight to the God who is worthy of praise and glorification.

Hebrews 1:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

John 9:29; 16:13; Heb 2:2f; 3:5; 4:8; 5:5; 11:18; 12:25

33.70 λαλέω: to speak or talk, with the possible implication of more informal usage (though this cannot be clearly and consistently shown from NT contexts)—‘to speak, to say, to talk, to tell.’ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἐν παραβολαῖς ‘he used parables to tell them many things’ or ‘he spoke to them about many things using parables’ Mt 13:3; τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησεν τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ‘then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples’ Mt 23:1.

God has spoken.

We have a God that speaks.

We have a God that is not an aloof God who sits in heaven separated from his people. We have a God who condescends himself to connect with man.

The power of God’s words formed the universe. In Genesis 1 God spoke and his created universe responded until the world was brought out of chaos and into order. All of which was done by the power of God’s word.

He spoke to his people given man the ability to communicate through words and vocabulary himself and the way God spoke was not just verbal but communicated through other agencies.

63.19 πολυμερῶςa: pertaining to that which occurs in many parts—‘fragmentary, in many parts.’ πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ‘in many parts and in many ways God spoke in early times to the ancestors’ He 1:1. It is also possible to interpret πολυμερῶς in He 1:1 as referring to many different occasions, and therefore it may be translated as ‘often’ or ‘many times’ (67.11). For yet another interpretation of πολυμερῶς in He 1:1, see 89.81.

God spoke and that which we call progressive communication. In Parts. Now here is a word that becomes the sermon in itself.

Parts.

We have as a church culture in our Sunday schools and even in our pulpits come to fragment the word of God. we draw out verses and rest our entire sermons and application on one verse.

We teach About Adam and Eve and throw in a few words of application of what we can apply to our current life.

Stories of Noah, Abraham of David and Goliath, and so forth.

You want to make the bible come alive? Seek continuity of the bible as whole and how these fit into one narrative.

Ask the question

Why did the spirit chose to write this in the bible and what does it have to do with the whole.

Adam and Eve – How sin entered into the world through one man and the promise of a redeemer

Noah – how God destroyed the Nephilim on the planted that threatened to destroy the messianic line.

Babel the third rebellion God confusing the language and separating the nations

Abraham to call out a people group to himself that the line of Christ would come through.

David the royal family line that would produce the messiah.

This is progressive revelation to be unfolded which were parts that formed the whole.

Those seeking the Lord at different times had only parts to form some kind of conclusion they would not always get it right such as when Eve gave birth to Cain thinking that this would be the promised one of God.

So, God’s word came in fragments.

Well guess what, we though we do not have all of what can be known we do have the completed canon of scripture.

This is what is referred to as the completed or perfect

1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV) — 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV) — 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

We the body of Christ have the completed canon in whole that we might see in panoramic view the entire scope of God’s plan as it has been revealed to us. The Old Testament saints had but parts or fragments, but we have the completed.

Point of Application:

to whom much is given much is expected.

How do you as Christians respond to this great gift called the bible?

And in many ways

Theophany is the manifestation of the preincarnate Christ.

What are some examples that come to mind when God showed up?

Adam and Eve

Noah

Jacob at Jabock

Abraham

Balaam

What other ways did God communicate to man?

In the church age there are two primary types of revelation

General that is God reveals himself through the creation which here the writer points out. General revelation speaks to all man directing attention to God.

Romans 1:20 (ESV) — 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Special revelation is to a specific person or people.

While the bible is profitable for every good work, not all of it is directed toward us. As students we must learn to discern who the bible was written to and why.

But if the sovereignty of God reveals himself to man and speaks to man through his word, then I would say that we owe God a hearing and to ignore his word is nothing short of disaster.

Why does God condescend himself to speak to man at all?

Because if God did not, then it would be leaving man in his condemnation. Salvation is not of man or man’s plan. It is not through religion or moral ethics or codes. And though if it was possible that man could sin no more and become experientially good it would not save one man from Going to hell.

Adam and Issha would have been condemned having no further word of God, they would have worn their fig leaves all the way to the great white throne judgment.

How would we know God, God’s plan, salvation, obtain a future sense of destiny if God remained quiet.

Some say he does remain quiet. Then I must ask you

When was the last time you opened your bible?

When was the last time that you took a knee in prayer and spoke to God.

When was the last time you asked God for wisdom.

No, God speaking is not just in verbal language. God speaks to us in Scripture

I love the saying

Do you want to hear God speak?

Read the bible.

Do you want to hear God speak out loud?

Read the bible out loud.

We have the greatest gift. The first hurdle that we all have after redemption from our sins is to trust that this bible is from God speaking to us in words that we can understand.

I tried and can’t understand it.

How bad do you want to hear from God?

How much do you care to take the time to stop and open up the book.

How desperately are you looking for a pulpit that is true to God’s word, where the pastor is actively engage in equipping the saints in the ability to properly handle and discern their bibles.

The best questions that you can ask your Pastor is questions dealing with the proper discernment of the bible.

That is often we want the pastor to tell us what decision that we ought to make when we are dealing with the certain issues but how often does one come and ask…

Pastor, what does this mean in the bible?

In counseling it is said of Al molder school of Counselling

What is your problem

What does the bible say about your problem

Why are we still talking

The spirit will occasionally turn your head or your direction. But Moreso the spirit of God will take what you have read and learned from scripture and illuminate your willing and malleable heart to it.

You want to hear from the Lord?

His voice is but an arm’s length away as we prayerfully diligently and solemnly open up the book that is right in our hands to hear what the spirit of God says.

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