Category: Life with God

Gospel of Luke: There are 2 Kinds of People

This past Sunday, we just finished a 6-week journey through the Sermon on the Mount together.  Jesus says all kinds of startling, earth-shaking things in that famous address, re-defining how His followers would view the world, their lives, and Him.  But, He is not just giving some food for thought.  He closes His remarks with a challenge to respond: we must pick a side – are we in or out?

In Matthew 7:13-27, Jesus makes a similar point in four different ways: There are two kinds of people.  People can take broad path with the crowd, or the narrow path with Him.  They can listen to false prophets, or to fruitful, faithful teachers.  They can say they believe, or they can live it out.  They can build their house on the sand, or on the Rock of His words.

Jesus wasn’t just a nice teacher, or even a miraculous healer – to be accepted  as much or as little as we’d like.  He is the Son of God, Who calls us to believe in Him.  While this makes Him the greatest source of unity we could ever hope for,  this also makes Him extremely polarizing:
Based on their response to Jesus, people are divided into two categories.

Perhaps nowhere else have I seen this point more clearly than in the Gospel of Luke.  When our church traveled through the entire narrative of the Bible together in 2017, we spent a month in Luke.  That’s not a lot of time for such a “thorough account” of the life of Jesus, so I knew I needed to focus on a theme.  Having already reflected on the “Words of Jesus” from the Gospel of Mark, I approached the book of Luke from a different angle – examining Jesus’s impact on the people He encountered.  It was these “Encounters with Jesus” that really illustrated His polarizing effect on humanity.

Early in His ministry, Jesus clearly states that His purpose is to preach the good news of the kingdom (Luke 4:43) and call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32).  The immediate response is remarkable: Matthew, a tax collector, the worst of sinners, responds to Jesus’s call, and holds a great banquet at his house to celebrate. The religious leaders notice that the banquet is full of sinners and, rather than celebrating along with Jesus, they complain.  Jesus is moving the goalposts, redefining righteousness as something based on repentance of sin and faith in Him, rather than outward appearance.  In response to this encounter with Jesus, sinners throw a party, and religious leaders complain.  Sinners are entering the kingdom ahead of religious leaders (Matthew 21:31).

Perhaps even more surprisingly, we see a similar contrast between the Jewish elders and a Roman centurion.  The centurion’s servant is gravely ill, and he sends some Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come and heal him.  A Roman ordering around Jews – so far, it sounds pretty normal for the occupier-subject relationship.  But then, the situation is turned upside-down.  The Jewish elders plead his case, claiming that the centurion “deserves” this favor because of his good deeds.  The word in Greek is axios, literally meaning “equal in weight,” and often translated as “worthy.”  But as Jesus approaches, the centurion sends friends to ask Jesus to not trouble Himself to come – but to simply give the word, and the servant will be healed.  The centurion actually considers himself undeserving of a visit by Jesus (hikanos = insufficient) and unworthy (axios) to approach Jesus, Himself.  In response, Jesus is amazed (thumazo).  Nowhere else in the gospels is this word used to describe Jesus, other than Mark 6:6, when He is amazed at the unbelief of His hometown, in response to His miracles.  Here, Jesus is amazed at this centurion’s faith – which was greater than any He had seen in Israel.  This foreigner, who considered himself unworthy, was actually more worthy than any of God’s chosen nation.

Moving on, Jesus later visits some friends – Mary & Martha, who were sisters of Lazarus.  Martha gets busy preparing a meal, while Mary sits at Jesus’s feet and listens to His teaching.  Martha gets upset, but Mary is affirmed.  This well-known story continues to irk well-meaning Christians, who find that they relate to Martha’s work ethic rather than Mary’s more passive demeanor.  But is this story merely about two different personalities?  No.  When Jesus says “Mary has chosen what is better,” He is talking about a conscious decision on their part.  He is not saying that one personality type is more holy than the other; He is saying that “only one thing is needed,” and we need to decide what that “one thing” is for us.  Martha was “worried,” and she took it out on everyone around her.  This was not an example of joyful, overflowing, or humble service; she may have been trying to earn Jesus’s favor.  In contrast, Mary offered her eyes, ears, and implicitly, her heart.  She acknowledged that she needed to receive from Jesus, not vice-versa.  And this would not lead to passivity; surely, practical service would result from whatever she heard and received from that encounter.

Noticing a pattern, here?  As people encounter Jesus, they are distinguished by each other not by their religiosity, culture, or good works, but by their faith in Him.  A child of God is simply someone who believes in who Jesus is and receives what He has done for them (John 1:12).  He calls us to repent, believe, and follow Him – acknowledging our need for forgiveness,  trusting that His death and resurrection takes care of that, and committing our lives to His leadership and care.
Notice what these requirements exclude?  Outward religiosity, cultural background, impressive works…get the idea?  No wonder He was so polarizing.

Take a look at the rest of Luke,
and notice also how, in Jesus’s parables, people are divided into two groups.  At God’s great banquet, there will be those who respond to the invitation, and those who don’t (Luke 14:15-24).  There are those like the Prodigal Son, who repent and return to the Father, and those like the older brother, who judge others and stay out of the celebration (Luke 15:11-32).  There are boasters who will be humbled, and the humble who will be exalted as righteous (Luke 18:9-14).  There are those who leave everything and enter the kingdom like humble children, and those who hang onto their wealth (Luke 18:15-30).

As Jesus’s birth drew near, a priest was muted for lack of faith, while a young virgin was commended for hers (Luke 1:1-38).  As Jesus’s death drew near, one disciple betrayed Jesus and met his demise; another denied Him, regretted it, and was reinstated (Luke 22:47-62).  One ruler acknowledged the innocence of the King of the Jews, and the other mocked Him (Luke 23:1-38).  One criminal on a cross beside Him joined in the mockery, while the other repented, believed, and was saved (Luke 23:39-43).  The final chapter tells of His resurrection when, finally, two people are together and agree!  Jesus encounters two men on the road to Emmaus, and reveals to them that His life, death, and resurrection have fulfilled what the Scriptures promised.  Before long, His followers will be given the Holy Spirit and sent to the world with this good news! (Luke 24:13-49)

Who do you relate to, in these encounters with Jesus?
How do you respond to Him?  Who is He?  What does He mean to you?

Between You and God: A Review of Surrender to Love

Surrender to Love: Discovering the  Heart of Christian Spirituality
by David G. Benner.

What does God think of you?
Do you relate to Him with fear or trust?
How does that affect your life?

David Benner, a professor of psychology and spirituality, summarizes the Christian life in his title: Surrender to Love. He recognizes our longing for love and connection – indeed, it is our life purpose – yet we are hesitant to be vulnerable.

The book contains only five chapters, and is not burdensome to read. It takes the reader through a progression as follows:

First, he poses the question, “what do you think God feels about you?” He encourages us to think if God as the Father of the prodigal son – loving us despite our sin. He also points out that Jesus, God incarnate shows us that God is love. The problem, however, is that many people know this, but don’t feel it. They need to experience it.

Second, Benner addresses fear. Some people relate to God in this way, as if God only offered His gift of Love “at gunpoint.” And, living in fear, we seek safety by seeking to control ourselves and others. Only knowing the safety of God’s uninventable, inconceivable gracious love can free us from fear, to vulnerably receive.

Third, he argues that obedience to God, which leads to our well-being, needs to be in surrender. We can’t strive to obey by our own strength; we must abandon control, and trust His love. Obedience should be restful, like flowing in a stream, rather than striving by our own strength. It is preferring His way, and saying “yes” to Him – only possible if we trust His love.

Fourth, Benner outlines the transformational journey this involves. It begins with conversion, which involves repenting or turning from our sin, to God. This requires trusting His love and reorienting toward Him. Next, one must receive the love in vulnerability – only then can it truly transform us. One may know the truth, but they will not be able to change by sheer willpower. Finally, after opening oneself to God, one must “leap beyond belief” and truly experience His love. Only God’s love can truly satisfy, and only His love is perfect enough for absolute surrender; but our love can partially reflect it enough to partially enjoy this transformative love in a human context.

Fifth, Benner addresses how we can “become love.” He points out that conversion involves a death and rebirth of the self. And to become new, it involves meditating on God’s love, rather than trying to mimic it. But, one must experience this love through the cross alone – recognizing our sinfulness and need, and receiving His gift. From there, we lose ourselves and become others-oriented; we become love, in the image of the One Who is love.

What can I say about this book?

If you prefer practical, hands-on, formulaic, how-to ministry manuals, this isn’t for you. Yet, in a way, it does present us with very simple and clear instructions on how to benefit from God’s love.

Perhaps, you may wonder, ‘How can Benner, or anyone for that matter, speak of such things? Aren’t these issues private, between us and God?’

No. Read the Psalms. Read the Bible! We need to talk more about our relationship with God. Yes, it is individual and unique, but it is strengthened in community. Benner doesn’t have the complete view, but neither does anyone else. Yet, we can learn from one another, and I dare say we should learn from what Benner shares here.

So, by all means, check out this book, read it with an open mind, and take from it what you can!

3 Words of Wisdom to Help with Trials

Temptations.  Suffering.  Persecution.  Hardship.  Waiting.  Sickness.  Unemployment.  Relational Strife.  All of these, and more, may fall into the category of what the Apostle James calls “trials of many kinds.”  That’s the topic with which he begins his letter to the early church – a very relevant topic for Christians living in the Roman Empire, and perhaps for you as well.  After hearing from the life stories of people at our prayer & sharing time on Thursday, I could see why they chose to read this book of the Bible together!

From the first 18 verses, I’d like to share three words of wisdom that James offers for those experiencing trials:

1. Attitude

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

One word stood out from the verses, above: “consider.”  James acknowledges that “trials of many kinds” will come, but his instruction does not pertain to action.  He does not tell his readers to strive to change their circumstances; rather, they should “consider.”  James is speaking about their attitude toward their circumstances, not their actions in response.  Before they react in frustration, they should “consider it joy.”

Notice the difference?

It’s easy to complain, to get down on life, comparing our circumstances to others, to our past, to our ideals – and to consider ourselves short-changed.  But, we are to consider it joy – to recognise the good in the midst of trials.  It is actually through these trials that we can persevere and mature in our faith!  If faith is “the conviction of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1), then our decision to “consider it joy when we face trials” is a great exercise of faith!  Our perseverance in trials will actually work toward our maturity; this is a reason for great joy!

Another reason for joy is that we have a God Who generously provides wisdom to those who ask!  Whether we are at a crossroads, in a quarrel, or going about our everyday tasks, we desperately need wisdom in order to do the right thing, and do it well.  But, similar to how we view trials, our attitude toward prayer can make all the difference.  God generously and freely gives, but He does ask for something from us – our faith.  We need to consider Him faithful, Who we ask – as it says in Hebrews 11:6: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

2. Perspective

9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

While approaching our trials with the right attitude gets us on the right track, sometimes we also need to step back and gain perspective.  It’s nice to know that our difficulties will result in the maturing of our faith – but is that really what you want to hear in the moment of suffering?

Perspective removes us from the immediate circumstances, and helps us see the bigger picture – closer to how God sees it.  In verses 9-12, James reminds the reader that our circumstances are fleeting; in fact, in many ways, they are an opposite indication of the eternal reality.

“Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position” because, as Jesus said so many times and in so many ways (Matthew 5:3-12; Matthew 19-20), “the last will be first.”  Jesus promised to raise the humble, esteem the servant, and reward sacrifice.  We are to do good things in secret (Matthew 6:1-18), seek places of lesser honor, give to those who can’t repay – and expect a reward at the resurrection (Luke 14:7-14).

James provides us with perspective – a window into the future, to help us in our present trials: while the rich “will pass away like a wild flower,” those who persevere under trial “will receive a crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”  The rich have great resources at their disposal – which certainly don’t hurt, at times.  But, in the bigger picture, it is a love for God that will carry someone to the end – not wealth, which is fleeting.  As David said in Psalm 62:

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3. Belief

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Finally, while we need the right attitude in the moment and the right perspective toward the future, this all stems from a right belief in God.  Trials can lead to all sorts of doubts and questions:

Why did God do this to me?  What is His purpose in this?
Why did God allow this?  Where is He?  Did He abandon me?  Does He care?

James reminds us of two things: the source of our temptations, and the Source of all good gifts.

We have already seen that God allows trials to come, which result in our growth when we persevere in faith.  He is ready to generously give us the wisdom that we need, when we approach Him in faith.  But, He is not the source of our troubles – that would be sin.  Though God made everything good, He also made us in His image, with a personality and ability to love.  This ability necessarily involves a certain amount of freedom, which we’ve all used in rebellion against Him.  We live in a world that is scarred by sin, full of trials and temptations – including our own inner desires.

But the good news is that God is there to help – He “does not change like shifting shadows” of our circumstances; but remains ready and available, with “every good and perfect gift.”  He is not the source of our problems, but the Source of our solution.  Do we believe that?   Do we blame God for our trials, or do we look to Him for help, trusting that He is good? 

James tells us the good gift that God gives: “birth through the word of truth.”  The good news of Jesus Christ – revealing God in His life, reconciling us in His death, reigning as the resurrected king – gives us birth into a new life.  Believing in Him changes us from the inside-out, completely re-orienting our way of thinking.  We see that God’s love comes first, which results in our love.  We see that we can only give what we receive, and that we must humble ourselves to become great.  We see that all the glory belongs to Him.  When we believe and receive this and become His child (John 1:12), then we become a sort of “firstfruits,” a sampling of the future renewal of all things (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).  God is in the business of reconciling all things to Himself through Christ, and those who are reconciled now are a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) – a small indication of the “New Heaven and New Earth” (Revelation 21:1-5) to come.

I hope that these three words – attitude, perspective, and belief will help you in whatever trials you face.  Recognise what God is doing in the moment, what He will do in the future, and how good He is – and it’ll make all the difference!

Exodus 19 & Numbers 14: God’s Special People for a Special Purpose

I recently had a fascinating conversation about predestination.  The issue always seems to come up at some point in a Christian’s journey – Does God show favoritism?  Do we really have free will?

Throughout the book of Genesis, we’ve observed how God would initiate relationships with individuals – Abraham and His chosen offspring.  He would call them to follow Him, and act specially on their behalf while using them as His instruments.  In Exodus, we see God acting specially on behalf of an entire nation – Israel (descended from Abraham).  He saves them from Egypt and brings them safely to Mt. Sinai, where He explicitly defines this special relationship with them:

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (Exodus 19:4-6).

What?  Why are they so special?  Why does Israel receive this privilege?
God later makes it clear that it has nothing to do with their own merit.  It is also well-known that God does not show favouritism.
So, what is the meaning of this?

This is actually consistent with God’s purpose, all along.  Remember that God specially chose humans to bear His image and be stewards of creation.  He specially chose Abraham to be a blessing to all nations.  Now, He specially chooses Israel to be a kingdom of priests.  They are to be holy and set apart – not for their own sake, but as mediators between God and all people.  Their salvation would serve as a witness of God’s power, their obedience as a witness of God’s wisdom, and their presence as an inviting light to all nations.  It is primarily through Israel that God would work in the world, reveal Himself, and bless other nations.  Eventually the promise of blessing all nations would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, a descendent of Abraham.  Jesus would also serve as the perfect High Priest  and Mediator, dying for the sins of the world:

But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)

But God’s plan isn’t complete, yet.  His purpose is still to work through a chosen people, to bring about the redemption of the world.  Jesus calls His followers the light of the world who will be sent out as “fishers of men” to invite all people to follow Him .  Now, Jesus’s followers compose the new People of God – united and identified through faith in Christ – not race, class, or gender.  Through faith in Christ, they are reconciled to God and to one another – many nations made into one new humanity – a family of God, a new Temple in which the Spirit dwells.  Believers are also collectively referred to as Christ’s Body – the instrument through which He still works on earth.  Christians are also called a New Creation, and ambassadors who bring God’s message of reconciliation to the world.  In fact, Peter refers to the Church in the same wording that we see in Exodus 19:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

But again – why the favoritism?  How is it fair that God would choose some?  Does He predestine some to be saved, and others not?
If it is not clear yet, I will state clearly now: God’s overarching purpose is the redemption of all things.  That is the end of the story – heaven and earth uniting and everything being made new – God and humanity together, again.  God is reconciling all things to Himself and entrusting to believers, the beginning of His New Creation, the message of reconciliation.  Yes, He actively calls certain people to follow and serve Him; He actively chose a certain nation to be His own; and He has called and chosen His Church to be set apart.  Yet, these people are no one special.  If anything, weakness is their best quality , which shows God’s strength to the world.  But God calls His people to pray for the world, wanting everyone to be saved, patiently waiting for all to come to repentance.  To put it succinctly, Paul explains God’s purpose in one, long sentence:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:3-10)

So, God specially calls people to follow Him – for the purpose of reaching out to others.  He has plans to unite all under Christ, reconciling the world to Himself – and He plans to do it through His chosen people.  N.T. Wright says this about our salvation:

“the work of salvation, in its full sense, is (1) about whole human beings, not merely souls; (2) about the present, not simply the future; and (3) about what God does through us, not merely what God does in and for us.”

Paul claims to have been called to ministry before his birth – but, before call this “favouritism,” see what Jesus says about him at his point of conversion:

he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. (Acts 9:15-16)

Being God’s instrument is no cake walk.  It’s not just a free pass.  It wasn’t for Abraham, and it wasn’t for Israel.  God tests and disciplines His children, wanting to work with willing participants who trust Him.  Though God called Abraham and promised to make him a blessing, this plan was not confirmed and fulfilled until Abraham’s faith was confirmed.  Likewise, though God called Israel to be His people, and promised to give them rest in the land of Canaan, this plan was not fulfilled until Israel learned to trust Him and receive the promise by faith.  When Israel on the verge of entering the promised land, the majority of them lost faith and decided to turn back to Egypt.  Though God had saved them from slavery and sustained them in the desert, they did not believe He could overcome their opposition in Canaan.  In response, God was ready to wipe them out and start a new nation with Moses – He could accomplish His plan through anyone, and didn’t particularly need Israel.  But, see how Moses interceded on their behalf:

But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ (Numbers 14:13-16)

See Moses’s reasoning?  Israel should not be saved for their own sake; they were undeserving, and not essential to God’s plan.  But, for the sake of God’s reputation, He should save Israel.  In light of His plan to show His power to all nations, He should follow through with His commitment to Israel.  For the sake of other nations, God must use Israel’s weakness to show His strength – so that all nations might put their faith in Him.  Moses continues:

And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Not only would God’s power be called into question if Israel was destroyed, but so would His love.  God had claimed to be loving and forgiving, and had treated Israel accordingly up to this point.  Moses calls Him to remain faithful to His promise, despite Israel’s unfaithfulness.

And God relents.  He pardons Israel, but also disciplines them for their instruction, and as an example for us.  Yet, God does not change.  His change of course actually reflects His persistence of purpose, and His consistency of character.

  • Despite Israel’s wavering faith, God continued to pursue His purpose of blessing all nations through Israel.  Through saving them, He would show Himself to be the One, true God.
    Like a spouse who remains in a troubled marriage for the sake of the children and home, God would remain faithful to Israel for the sake of His greater purpose – the redemption of the world.
  • Despite Israel’s change of heart, God remained faithful in His commitment to love, forgive, and care for His chosen people.
    Like a neglected spouse who continues to do their part, patiently waiting for the other to change, God would remain faithful to Israel because His love is perfect and patient.

Through this episode between God and Israel, we see clearly that God treats people according to His purpose and character.  His plan does not depend on our success, nor does His love depend on our worthiness.

  • Despite the blunders of His people, God persists in His purpose to bless and redeem the world.  So, He shows His power by accomplishing His will through our weakness.
  • Despite the resistance of His people, God’s character remains consistent.  He shows His love by forgiving and pardoning us simply because He has promised to do so.

Isn’t it comforting to know that God’s plans are bigger than us?  

  • His faithfulness to His people is for His purpose of reaching the world.

And isn’t it comforting to know that God’s love doesn’t depend on us?

  • His faithfulness to His people comes from Who He is, not what we do.

Psalm 116:5-7 says:
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
    our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
    when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
    for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Online messages available here.

Exodus 1-18: Seeing God in a New Way

What is God like?
Is He all-powerful?  All good?
Apart from us?  With us?
For us?  Against us?

Distinct answers to these binary questions form the basis of worldviews, philosophies, and religions – it all comes down to what you think about God.  In light of the problem of evil, Atheists and agnostics will view God’s power and goodness as mutually exclusive – while Christians will trust that God is working to pursue, convince, and redeem His lost, but free people.  Many eastern religions (polytheist, pantheist, mystic) emphasize God’s nearness, while western philosophy from the enlightenment (Deist) emphasizes God’s separation from humanity.  In contrast, Christians will embrace that both are made possible through the work of the Trinity, as revealed in the stories of Scripture.

If you’ve read through Genesis, I hope you can say that you’ve learned a lot about God’s character.  I hope you have observed the manner in which He relates to people.  And I hope that you’ve gained a sense of His purpose for humanity.  I’ve argued that our purpose in reading Genesis should be to get to know God.  He is the Protagonist of the story Who ties it all together.  We’re not looking to other characters for an example to follow; rather, we learn through the context of their stories about how God interacts with people.

God specially created humans to bear His image, to be fruitful and multiply – exercising stewardship over the earth on His behalf.  When people persisted in rebellion, God specially chose Noah to re-start humanity.  When people united in their pride, God scattered the nations and specially called Abraham – a man with apparently limited potential – to father a nation that would bless all others.  God entered into a personal relationship with Abraham and his descendants, making promises and inviting them to respond in faith.  So, Genesis was all about God’s personal interactions with individuals, who He used to reach out to others.
Four centuries pass between Genesis and Exodus, and Abraham’s descendants have been “fruitful and multiplied” in Egypt.  They have now become a great nation – just as God had promised to Abraham – and a threat to Egypt.  The time is right for Israel to leave there, and the time is right for them to enter Canaan, where the people have been given their allotted time (Genesis 15:13-16).

Again, the time has come for God to act – to intervene in world affairs, and reveal Himself in a new way.  His purpose and methods are still the same – choosing people to use for His glory – but His chosen instrument is different.  In Genesis, God related directly to individuals – especially the patriarchs; in Exodus, God now acts on behalf of their descendants – the nation of Israel.  After the setting is described, the story of God’s action begins as follows:

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25)

God heard…remembered…saw…knew.   A new side of God is being revealed.  In fact, in the very next chapter, He personally reveals Himself to Moses in the form of a burning bush.  In this one moment, we see that the Angel of the Lord Who is seen in the bush is also the same God Who is speaking from it – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Finding himself in God’s holy presence, Moses removes his sandals and hides his face in fear (Exodus 3:1-6).  Yet, this holy God is not aloof and unapproachable.  He tells Moses:

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land (Exodus 3:7-8)

This same God Who created the world, called Abraham, and appeared in a burning bush is the Lord who sees, hears, cares, and comes to the rescue.  In Genesis, we see references to “God” and “the LORD” interspersed.  The generic term, “God,” or Elohim is often used when referring to God’s Almighty, macro-level activity.  The personal term, “LORD,” or Yahweh, is used when God personally interacts with humans.  It is here, in Exodus 3, that God formally introduces Himself to Moses as Yahweh, the LORD, the I AM.  The true, living God of Creation is the One Who is with the nation of Israel.  He explains to Moses:

God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. (Exodus 6:2-6)

And indeed, God brings them out, and saves them.  Egypt is devastated by plagues, the sea is parted, and the nation is miraculously fed.  God fulfils His promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:13-16), and also to Moses – that Israel would worship God at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 3:12).

In the early chapters of Exodus, we see more clearly than anywhere else (until Christ’s coming) that the Almighty God above is also down with His people.  Centuries later, God says in Isaiah 57:15:

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
    who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
    and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Praise God, who is Big Enough to save, and Near Enough to care!

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