What on Earth are We Doing Here, for Heaven's Sake?
What on Earth Are We Doing Here, for Heaven's Sake? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Why are we here?
Why are we here?
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Two misconceptions:
God was bored.
We see this in the Greek pantheon especially (but with other religions as well). A god or gods got bored. They needed something to do. So they created humans for entertainment. This, obviously, negates the picture we have of a holy God in the Bible. A god who creates beings merely for his entertainment and who does not care what happens to these mortals does not at all fit the description of our Lord.
God was lonely.
Any monotheistic religion that doesn’t have a trinitarian godhead runs into this issue. Where a deity creates humans to fill the void of loneliness. These humans could do his bidding, and sacrifice to him so he could feel all wanted and warm and fuzzy inside. This would completely derail the biblical picture we have of God. God does not need humans. He has plenty of company within the Trinity.
From: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/why-did-god-create-us.html by Hope Bolinger
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Will connotes intentionality.
Will - will with the attitude of wish, inclination, pleasure
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
You are not an accident!
You are not an accident!
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
God’s Purposes Arise From His Character
God’s Purposes Arise From His Character
God is Creative, so It Brought Him Pleasure to Create Us
God is Creative, so It Brought Him Pleasure to Create Us
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
God is Personal, So He Delights in Relating to Us
God is Personal, So He Delights in Relating to Us
“You are worthy, Adonai Eloheinu,
to have glory, honor and power,
because you created all things—
yes, because of your will they were created
and came into being!”
Adonai — often translated as “Lord”, it is read in place of YHWH
Eloheinu — the plural 1st person possessive of Elohim, meaning “our God”.
It is seen in Deut 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
Shema’ Yisra’el, Adonai ‘Elohenu, Adonai ‘echad, (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Shema’ Yisra’el, Adonai ‘Elohenu, Adonai ‘echad, (Deuteronomy 6:4)
The Shema, with its call for complete personal devotion to God, became a standard for the various forms of Judaism of the Second Temple period;
“Blessed are we who, early and late, evening and morning, say twice each day, Shema’ Yisra’el, Adonai ‘Elohenu, Adonai ‘echad,” or, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This text is known as the Shema and is a foundational affirmation of faith within Judaism. The Shema to Jews is like the Apostles’ Creed to Christians.
Sh’ma — listen, or hear and do (according to the Targum, accept)
Yisrael — Israel, in the sense of the people or congregation of Israel
Adonai — often translated as “Lord”, it is read in place of YHWH; Samaritans say Shema, which is Aramaic for “the [Divine] Name” and is the exact equivalent of the Hebrew “ha-Shem”, which Rabbinic Jews substitute for “Adonai” in a non-liturgical context such as everyday speech.
Eloheinu — the plural 1st person possessive of אֱלֹהִים Elohim, meaning “our God”.
Echad — the unified and cardinal number one אֶחָד
Shema can be translated “hear” but with its use in this context it means to listen, to understand, and to obey.
“Our God” indicates a relatable God
In fact, the Bible taks of God in relatable terms:
Friend:
Friend:
Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
“But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My friend.
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Father:
Father:
Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
“I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Husband:
Husband:
For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.
For your husband is your Maker
This phrase introduces a profound metaphorical relationship between God and His people. The Hebrew word for "husband" here is "בַּעַל" (ba'al), which can also mean "master" or "lord." This term signifies a covenant relationship, akin to marriage, where God is the protector and provider. The word "Maker" is "עֹשֶׂךָ" (osekha), derived from the root "עָשָׂה" (asah), meaning "to make" or "to do." This emphasizes God's role as the Creator, not just of the universe, but of Israel as a nation. Historically, this reflects the intimate and binding covenant God established with Israel [in the Old Testament and the Church in the New Testament], akin to a marriage, where He is both Creator and Sustainer.
The Husband usually is the one who pops the question. He invites into the relationship.
He provides. He protects, He sustains. He lays down His life for the life of His beloved.
The LORD of Hosts is His name
The title "LORD of Hosts" is "יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת" (YHWH Tseva'ot) in Hebrew. "Hosts" refers to the armies of heaven, indicating God's supreme command over all celestial and earthly forces. This title underscores His omnipotence and authority. In the historical context of Isaiah, this would reassure Israel of God's power to protect and deliver them from their enemies. The use of "His name" signifies the importance of God's revealed character and attributes, which are encapsulated in His name.
God is Generous, so He Delights in Giving
God is Generous, so He Delights in Giving
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God Is Love, So He Delights in Loving
God Is Love, So He Delights in Loving
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God is a Redeemer, So He Delights to Restore
God is a Redeemer, So He Delights to Restore
Let’s go back to:
For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer
"Redeemer" is "גֹּאֲלֵךְ" (go'alech) in Hebrew, from the root "גָּאַל" (ga'al), meaning "to redeem" or "to buy back." This term is rich with connotations of deliverance and restoration, often used in the context of a kinsman-redeemer who restores family rights. "The Holy One of Israel" emphasizes God's unique and set-apart nature, highlighting His moral perfection and faithfulness to His covenant. This phrase reassures Israel of God's commitment to their redemption and restoration, despite their unfaithfulness.
He is called the God of all the earth
This phrase expands the understanding of God's sovereignty beyond Israel to encompass the entire earth. "God of all the earth" signifies His universal dominion and authority. In the ancient Near Eastern context, deities were often seen as territorial, but this declaration affirms that the God of Israel is not limited by geography. This would inspire confidence in the Israelites, knowing that their God is supreme over all nations and creation. It also foreshadows the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's redemptive plan, a theme that unfolds throughout the prophetic writings and into the New Testament.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.
The Lord gives his people strength;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Ezra
Etymology From the verb עזר (azar), to help or support.From (1) the adjective עז (az), strong, and (2) the verb ראה (ra'a), to see.
Elizabeth means God of Oath (Promise) and Contentment (Peace)
You will keep the mind that is dependent on You
in perfect peace,
for it is trusting in You.
