Symbolic Designation of God (5)
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This evening we continue our study of symbolic designations found Scripture related to God, His nature, and His characteristics. So far, we have considered...
God is Our Purifier
God is Our Purifier
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: And he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
For this symbolic designation, we are given the work of a silversmith. Note that God “shall sit as refined and purifier of silver.” There are two basic functions of a silversmith or goldsmith.
Understanding His Purpose
Understanding His Purpose
The first function is to take raw ore and smelt into something usable. Smelting involves extracting usable metal from ore by a process of heating and melting. It is a process that pushes the ore beyond its melting point. Smelting requires temperatures that move the ore beyond its melting point.
The second function of silversmith or goldsmith is the refining process. After the ore is extracted, the smith then purifies and refines the ore turning it into something useful. It here that the ore turns into a finished product.
With this in mind, the Holy Spirit paints this picture of God as being a silversmith. He takes raw material and smelts it into a useful product. He then takes that product and turns into finished item that is beautiful and worthy of His use.
How does God purify and refine His people? He allows the temperature to rise in our lives to the point of melting us. It is not something that we enjoy thinking about or even long for. Yet, it is an important part of God’s process of perfecting our daily walk with Him. Note these verses.
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
It is crucial that we have a correct understanding of the trials and tribulations which enter our lives. They are not there to beat us down. To the contrary, God allows them so that He might refine and purify us spurring spiritual growth in our lives. Without that process, we would never grow. Instead, we would be content to remain as we are. God never wants us to be stagnant in our walk with Him. He desires that we continue to grow in the righteousness that He already bestowed upon us. Thus, He uses the fiery temperature of life’s trials as the means of molding us to be more like His Son each day.
Understanding His Process
Understanding His Process
He often Demands Great Sacrifice!
He often Demands Great Sacrifice!
Think about the life of Abraham. Remember God’s demand.
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
God also expects us to make great sacrifices for Him as well.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
He often Leads Us on Daunting Journeys
He often Leads Us on Daunting Journeys
Israel is a great example. God led them from Egypt across a wide desert and on a journey that took 40 years. There was a much quicker and easier way from Egypt to the Promise Land. Who led them? It was God. He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Where did God lead them? He took them the difficult way. What was the purpose of taking them on such a difficult journey?
2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
He often Presents Demanding Choices
He often Presents Demanding Choices
Solomon comes to mind here.
5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
He often Places Difficult Tasks in Our Way.
He often Places Difficult Tasks in Our Way.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
He often Allows Suffering as We Dutifully Serve Him.
He often Allows Suffering as We Dutifully Serve Him.
Remember Paul and Silas as they were serving the Lord in Philippi.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
He often Allows Divers Temptations.
He often Allows Divers Temptations.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
These are just a few of the things that God often uses in our lives to refine and purify us. What is the endgame once again? It is try our faith helping us learn to rely upon Him thus creating an environment which forces us to grow spiritually.
God as a Husband
God as a Husband
This symbolic designation is one the Holy Spirit used repeatedly concerning God’s relationship with Israel.
We see this portrayed in Hosea. In this small book of prophecy, God depicts Israel as His “wife.” In fact, it is Hosea’s own marriage that God uses to portray His relationship with Israel. Hosea’s wife was a harlot before their marriage and adulterous after marriage. However, God used Hosea to demonstrate His attitude towards Israel as a grieving husband who strove to win His faithless wife to back to His side. God did all that could be expected to woo Israel from their evil wanderings.
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; The Lord of hosts is his name; And thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, And a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; But with great mercies will I gather thee.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; But with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, Saith the Lord thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; So have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart, And the hills be removed; But my kindness shall not depart from thee, Neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, Saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
There is also another side to that of God being a husband. One that we find in Jeremiah 49:11
11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let thy widows trust in me.
What is interesting about this verse is that the great D.L. Moody’s mother marked this in her Bible when she lost her husband! The fact is that when we lose a spouse God is there to fill the void if we will just turn to Him.
9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which my covenant they brake, Although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
When arrive in Heaven, we will find out just how many grieving women will testify to God being their Husband after death robbed them of their human husbands! The great news is that God stands ready to “relieve the fatherless and widow.” No matter how difficult the passing of spouse may be, such an opportunity is provided for God to fill that void with His presence.
God as a Governor
God as a Governor
What a chaotic and messed up world we live in today! Melvin often speaks in his prayer about how today many see wrong as right and right as wrong. What a true statement! Whenever we see such things happening our world, it would, at times, seem that God is not ruling as a Governor. Many of today’s international and national governments have excluded God from their decision making. It was not that long ago that we applauded US Presidents who openly read their Bibles and sought God in prayer. Such is not the case now. However, as we consider this designation, we are reminded that God is indeed One Who rules and reigns over the affairs of men.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s: And he is the governor among the nations.
As we know, the term “governor” means one who rules. It is the very same word used to describe Joseph when Pharoah appointed him.
6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
Joseph was good and fruitful governor. Unfortunately, the great tragedy of today’s presidents and ruling bodies is that we have incompetent rulers. We have gone from having rulers who sought to fight evil to having rulers who themselves have joined in creating more evil. Such is to be expected of human rulers.
God, on the other hand, is the PERFECT GOVERNOR. He is perfect in every way. There is no sin, no guile, no evil, and no selfishness. Thus, He alone possesses the divine right to govern the nations for all their wrongs. A judgment that is soon to come. Later, when we finally arrive at the names and titles of Christ, we will discover all the promises related to His divine govern-ship.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Therein lies our hope as believers. Amidst all the chaos and completely inept governmental leadership, we cling to the fact that it is Jehovah Who truly reigns.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s: And he is the governor among the nations.
18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Presidents and kings may think they rule, but it is God, Jehovah, Who overrules for it is STILL HIS world.
This designation should cause us to pause though and ask two simple questions of ourselves.
Does He govern my own personal universe?
As God, am I allowing Him to set in His rightful place as Governor of my life?