The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Introduction

Series this month on God

We looked at the Trinity

Last week we looked at God as the alpha and omega

Both in creation and in our relationship with him

And today we are looking at a description of God that we see all over Scripture that we might overlook

God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Scripture Reading

Exodus 3:9–15 (CSB) (9-12)(13-15)

So because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

13 Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?”

God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

This is something mentioned by Jesus himself (Matt 22:31-32)

It is also stated in the Sermons in Acts (Acts 3 & 7)

God Connects His Name to Humanity

This is a key theme of the whole Bible

That the creator God, connects himself to humanity

In this story of Exodus when God reveals himself to Moses he says two things:

I AM WHO I AM

I AM has sent me to you

The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.

This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

He is both high and mighty

And near and close to humanity

Abraham

He is the God of those who faithfully look to him despite their circumstances

Isaac

He is the God of provision

Jacob

He is the God of nearness (even when his people are rebellious)

The God through Generations

But it’s more than just these three generations

It’s every generation

As Mary says in her Magnificat,

Luke 1:50 (CSB)

His mercy is from generation to generation

on those who fear him.

The Bible is the Story of God but it is also the story of God’s people

Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, Ruth, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Esther, Mary…

As we read our Bibles we have to be aware of this

It’s not just a random collection of a bunch of stories

But it is one story of God’s faithful love from one generation to the next

Some generations respond to God’s call into relationship, most reject God and his love…

But God remains steadfast in his love towards his people

New Testament Development

But something entirely new happens once we get to the gospels in the New Testament

God doesn’t just relate to humanity from afar

God becomes human

Emmanuel—God with us

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

The faithful God from generation to generation

Becomes human

And I think in Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection he accomplishes 3 things:

Payment for the penalty of his people’s sins

Displays to his people what a true life looks like—life in the Spirit

Triumphs over spiritual forces—demons, Satan, sin, and death

And these things are at the core of all of the issues and problems we see throughout the Old Testament

God’s people over and over, continue to sin against God

Reconciliation has to be made

God’s people time and time again fail to glorify God (make God known tangibly)

We need an example to see what God-honoring humanity should look like

God’s people wrestle and fight with evil spiritual powers… and we all face sin and death

We need a decisive victory over these powers that overwhelm and overpower us

So Jesus comes to save his people by:

Payment

Example

Triumph

But the story doesn’t end there!

What happens in the beginning of Acts?

Pentecost—The Spirit is poured out

Emmanuel (God with us) now becomes God in us

What is better?

God with us as a human? (limited to one place)

God in each of his people?

John 16:7 (CSB)

Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

And now we are at a wonderful time in history

Jesus has paid our debt to God from sin

Jesus has shown us what it means to live fully

Jesus has triumphed over everything

And now the same Spirit of Christ is living in us as believers

Conclusion

And so as you read your Bibles or try to understand your Bibles I want you to see this trajectory

God deeply desires to relate to humanity

And the story of the Bible is God is slowly moving closer and closer to humanity

We don’t simply the God who created this world

We worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

As you read your Bibles I hope you are overcome with awe

The God who loves us is the same God who:

Created everything

Has the power to flood the Earth

Parted the Red Sea

Brought down the walls of Jericho

Was with David as he slew Goliath

Performed miracles through Elijah

Protected Daniel in the lion’s den

These aren’t just stories (or mythologies) that we read for fun

These are the wonderful testimonies of our God’s faithful love to his people

So I want you guys to know that this God is with you

From generation to generation God is faithful

People grow old and eventually pass but the work of God continues through each generation

And the reality is… you are the future

Each generation God is looking for those whose hearts are after God

Following Jesus isn’t just something you decide to do once you graduate college, start a career and family and settle down

But there are things God wants to do through you now!

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is your God and his work in this world is not finished