The Father's Relationship to the Son

 

God as Father

 

The Father's Relationship to the Son

 

 

Do you recall The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath, where Jesus healed the man who had been lying there for 38 years?  John 5:2-16, verse 17 is Jesus’ reply to the Jews who were upset that He did this on the Sabbath.  But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. John 5:18

John 5:19,  So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”

John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 17:1-5, When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,  since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

 

Our Relationship to the Father and the Son

 

 John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 Colossians 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God is called "Father" 184 times in the New Testament, 64 times in the first three Gospels, and 120 times in the fourth Gospel. God is also referred to as the "Father of mercies" in 2 Corinthians 1:3, the "Father of glory" in Ephesians 1:17, and the "Father of lights" in James 1:17. In Romans 8:15, God is referred to by the Aramaic word Abba, which is an intimate term for father. 

 

Old Testament

God is called "Father" about 20 times in the Old Testament, including in Deuteronomy 14:1-2, Isaiah 63:16, 64:8, and Jeremiah 3:19. In the Old Testament, God is referred to as the Father of Israel, and the relationship between God and his chosen people is described as special and tender. However, the Old Testament also emphasizes the distance between God and humans and the reserve one should feel before him. 

 

God as Father

In the Old Testament, God is the Father of Israel (and Israel is his son) in the context of God forgiving and redeeming Israel. While the Jews of Jesus’s day were hesitant to call God their Father (and angry at Jesus for doing so), Jesus claimed God as his Father and taught his followers to do the same. God is the Father and is also the Son, whom the Father sent to carry out his plan of redemption. What distinguishes the Son from the Father is not the quality of his being, which is just as divine as the Father’s is, but the functioning of their relationship, according to which the Son had come into the world to do the Father’s will. We relate to God as Father, therefore, through Jesus the Son, sharing in his sonship through the adoption we receive through Christ’s redeeming work for us.

Christians today take it for granted that God is our Father, but few people stop to think what this name really means. We know that Jesus taught his disciples to pray “Our Father” and that the Aramaic word Abba (“Father”) is one of the few that Jesus used and that it has remained untranslated in our New Testament. Nowadays, hardly anybody finds this strange, and many people are surprised to discover that the Jews of Jesus’s day, and even his own disciples, were puzzled by his teaching. This is because the deeper meaning and the wider implications of the term “Father” are largely unknown today. So widespread and generally accepted has the name become that we no longer question it, and so we often fail to realize how important it is for our understanding of God. (Taken from The Gospel Coalition)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

God's Judgment on Tyre

 

Ezekiel 26:15-21

 

December 28, 2023

 

“Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: Will not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in your midst?  Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground and tremble every moment and be appalled at you.  And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you,

“‘How you have perished, you who were inhabited from the seas,
O city renowned, who was mighty on the sea; she and her inhabitants imposed their terror on all her inhabitants!  Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall, and the coastlands that are on the sea are dismayed at your passing.’  “For thus say the Lord God: When I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you,  then I will make you go down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will set beauty in the land of the living.  I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord God.”

 

Tyre, had become like Sodom and Gomorrah with no fear of God, much like many of the nations of the Western world we live in.  We in the USA have told God to say out of our government, our schools, and higher education, and it is very clear He has, and we see the product they have turned out. 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Tyre

 

Ezekiel 26:1-14

December 27, 2023

Prophecy Against Tyre

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.  They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock.  She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers.  He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you.  He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes, he will break down your towers.  His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached.  With the hoofs of his horses, he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters.  And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.  I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the Lord; I have spoken, declares the Lord God.

 

If one looks at Scripture to find something that they believe never happened it might be a false belief that God said Nebuchadnezzar would destroy Tyre.  Verse three states that many nations.  King Nebuchadnezzar was just the first, of several, and he attacked the mainland, it was Alexander the Great that did a lot of harm, and the Romans.

Tyre was destroyed and this Phoenician city was never rebuilt, and it was known for its famous purple dye.  Most of it population lived on the small Island about a half-mile off the coast. When Alexander the Great built a ramp from the mainland to the Island.

Often on things like this, I look at what others have said and Got Questions is very good, they state that in 1291, Tyre was completely destroyed by the Saracens, fulfilling Ezekiel 26’s prophecy.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Philistia

 

Ezekiel 25:15-17

 

December 25, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Philistia

“Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast.  I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon them.”

 

Will you join me in praying for the foolish people not only of the USA but the whole world that have wished for the destruction of Israel, they have no understanding of the wrath of God?  But Scripture is clear they are bringing His vengeance upon themselves.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Moab and Seir

 

Ezekiel 25:8-14

 

December 25, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Moab and Seir

“Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’  therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.  I will give it along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, that the Ammonites may be remembered no more among the nations,  and I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

When God speaks you better listen, for his judgment against the Ammonites was very final. 

Prophecy Against Edom

“Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword.  And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God.

How wise we who follow after Christ would be to seek His will, His face, and not just His hand.  As I write this paper we have many very foolish young college students chanting they desire the death of Israel.  They are untaught and very foolish in bringing curses on themselves.

 

And we the people of God need to pray for an awakening before God brings judgment against this nation.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Ammon

 

 

Ezekiel 25:1-7

 

December 24, 2023

 

Prophecy Against Ammon

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.  Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk.  I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord.  For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

 

Should we the Church of the living God, rejoice over the destruction of our enemies?  That would be inconsistent with Jesus teaching us to love our enemies and pray for them.  I do know it is a very foolish person who brings God, wrath on Israel and desires Israel's destruction.  It goes back to God's promise to Abram before God changed his name to Abraham.  In the book of Genesis, chapter 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

 

The Ammonites found great disfavor from God for rejoicing over Israel's destruction.

 

From The Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Trinity

 

 

The Trinity

 

In class today we explored ways people have tried to explain 

The Trinity

 

God has not asked anyone to try to prove that He is, but He has given us who choose to by faith believe that He is Three personalities in one God Head.

 

I always had a problem with people who want to read the last chapter so they know how it is going to end before starting at the beginning and letting the Author build till the climax.   So, shall we begin in the book of Beginning?

 

Genesis 1:1

The Creation of the World

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

In Genesis 1:2, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

In Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

 

Now this is not a new thought, and the reason God gave us free will was so we would return His love.  In doing so with that free will came a desire to do it our way.  A  man wrote a very popular song titled, “I did it my way.”  That is trying to bypass grace.  Hebrews 11:6 gives an understanding of a person who by-pass grace, and faith; “And 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.” 

 

Nowhere in the Scriptures does it call anyone to prove there is a God?

 

But we are told the Righteous shall live by Faith

 

Romans 1:16-17, we have God’s plan for those who by faith are followers of Jesus Christ.  

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith.

^“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

God has no need to prove that He exists and Romans 1:16-22, ^“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,”

 

A wise person will study the Scripture, and by doing so you will derive knowledge of God and His greatness, but if that is all you do it is my belief you have fallen short, one must apply application, and action, by letting the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth.  I’ve discovered that Jesus is the truth.

 

A man I often look to for understanding is Blaise Pascal who lived in the 1600’s.  Let me share with you a few quotes; “Faith is different from proof; the latter is human; the former is a Gift from God.”  And I will end with this one; “In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice