My hope is that this series will offer my readers a chance to consider the names, characteristics and descriptions of our God in the Word.
The remaining Names of God in this series might be considered descriptors, or characteristics of the Lord. We have reviewed the three primary Names of God, along with nineteen compound Names of God in our previous posts. As we venture through these descriptors of our God, I hope we will recognize all the many characteristics of our God that we tend to take for granted.
The Word is truly rich with descriptions of the Living God, and this effort of searching in the Word was quite illuminating. He truly is the ultimate subject of the Word, and His revelation of self-descriptions, or the accolades offered Him by His priests, prophets, kings apostles and faithful truly is a blessing.
May the Name of the Lord be praised, and by thinking on His name, may you have a blessed day.
| 196 |
| GOD OF OUR FATHERS |
| Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. |
| In our most recent posts, we have considered each of the previous names in the verse above on an individual basis, each time relating to one of the patriarchal fathers. In our post this morning, we find Peter grouping the three names of God associated with the patriarchs of Israel, a common grouping together, and defining this group of names as the God of our Fathers. This is Peter’s second sermon, and it is the result of the miracle of a healing cripple at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. The people saw him walking, the cripple man that is, and were filled with wonder and amazement. Peter takes advantage of the situation and starts to teach. He speaks to “men of Israel”, as verse 12 tells us, and proceeds to speak of how they delivered Jesus to the government, denied Jesus in front of Pilate, (though Pilate he sought a way to release Him), and how they killed the Author of Life. Acts 3:15 and you killed the Author of Life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. They killed Him. Peter pulls no punches. And to make things worse, (if that is possible), he speaks of how God, the God of their Fathers, regarded this One they killed. The God of their Fathers glorified his Servant Jesus. They killed Him. Of course, Peter is referring to the resurrection, for that act alone is the pinnacle of God’s opinion of who Jesus is. But before this declaration of God’s attitude of Jesus, the God of their Fathers spoke audibly to witnesses of His Servant. It is not as though the Men of Israel had not been given witness of God’s opinion of Jesus. They killed Him. Not only had God, the God of their Fathers provided verbal witness of His pleasure in Jesus, the many miracles He performed amongst the Men of Israel spoke of His union with the God of their Fathers. They killed Him. Jesus gave witness of His union with the God of their Fathers in His teaching, explaining over and over again of how He was One with God, the God of their Fathers, of how He was the chosen One, the Messiah, and of parables providing truths that gave ample witness of the truth of His Person. They killed Him. These Men of Israel surely had watched the city in an uproar during the triumphal entry, been part of the whipped up crowd calling for His death, witnessed the crucifixion and then heard rumors of an empty grave. Rumors that could easily have been verified, and that was spreading through the city like wildfire. These Men of Israel had Fathers who knew this God, patriarchs that knew of the God they spoke of, of the God who was being worshipped even now by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but these Men of Israel did not know God. They killed Him. But the God of their Fathers would not give up, and provided opportunity for these Men of Israel to know the God of their Fathers, the God who is the God of the Living and not of the dead. Peter was reminding them that He is the God of resurrection, for when the reference to God as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is used, it is always associated with resurrection. Jesus was raised from the dead and was seen by many. His resurrection is the proof of His Messiahship, proof of His saving power, and proof that He is the God of their Fathers. God provided this witness of the Servant of God, the God of their Fathers, raised up from death, to the Men of Israel who killed Him. Acts 3:26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” The Men of Israel could know the God of their Fathers. Even though they took part in such a heinous crime, the God of their Fathers was providing them an opportunity to know the God of their Fathers. To those reading, who come from a family where faith was evident, from parents or grandparents that walked with the Living God, it is incumbent in your own life to know the God who raised up Jesus. To depend on being related to those who came before you, who knew the Living God themselves, can turn out to be very very dangerous! Each person on their own has to face God for the sins they have committed and for the sinful stance they take against God. The faith of other people is of no help. Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. Jesus is the One, the God of their Fathers, the God of our Fathers, the forgiving God, who forgave those who killed Him, who is reaching out even now to you. Do not depend on other peoples faith. He needs to the the God of our hearts and lives today. |
I would love to hear of your favorite name, characteristic or description of the Living God. Please leave me a comment, and I will include it in the list!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.
Your message has been sent
Come join us at Considering the Bible
Considering the Bible 