Who is God?

Those who know me best would, I think, support my claim to be an aficionado of the English language. I get most annoyed when people use an adjective when it is an adverb that is required. I like to see the humble apostrophe used in the correct manner (or omitted when it is not required!). I don't like to see a preposition as the final word in a sentence!

So I can understand why some people may think it strange that when, some 3,500 years ago, Moses asked his God - the God of the Israelite people - who He was, he received a strange response. God said: "Say to the Children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you ... This is My name forever." (Ex. 3:14-15).  

A two-word sentence! Yet it is full of meaning! In the English language, a sentence needs only two parts of speech to be complete - a subject and a verb. So when God says that His name, not one of His attributes, is "I AM", this conveys to us the concept that He is complete in Himself. He is subject and verb. He is everything that we could possibly need.

However, there is more. This name indicates His eternal nature. He is not "I was". That would suggest that He had a past. He is not "I will be". That would suggest that He has a future. His name "I AM" shows that He is dwells in the timelessness of eternity. You see, that is the nature of eternity. It is not "endless time", but timelessness! If you find that to be confusing, don't worry - you are not alone! However, it is one of the words with which I deal in my book "Great Words of the Faith" (see above for a link). I provide an analogy that, I believe, most people will understand - indeed, will have experienced!

Then, in the fulness of created time, Jesus put flesh on God's bare-boned answer to Moses' question. Jesus, Who is God the Son, left the eternal glory in order to give His life for our salvation. However, He also came to show us what it means to bear the Father's name. 

In John's account of the Gospel, the apostle records seven specific instances in which Jesus declared His deity by the the use of the words "I AM". He said, "I AM the bread of life" (6:35 ff). He said "I AM the light of the world" (8:12. 9:5). He said: "I AM the door" (10:7,9). He claimed "I AM the Good Shepherd" (10:11.14). Outside the tomb of His friend, Lazarus, He stated "I AM the resurrection and the life." (11:25). He told His disciples: "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (Jn.14:6). He said "I AM the true vine." (15:1,5).

John records two further instances of "I AM" statements made by the Lord Jesus. However, these are not metaphors. They are direct applications of "the Name" ("HaShem" - the manner by which Jews refer to "I AM") made by the Lord Jesus to Himself - and are therefore His own claims to being an integral part of the Godhead. (If the doctrine of the Trinity confuses you, I deal with that word, also, in "Great Words of the Faith.") The first of these is found in 8:58, where Jesus says to certain Jews who had been disputing with Him: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM". He was not making what would have been a ridiculous claim that He was older than Abraham would have been at that time, but declaring His eternal existence - His being God.

The second occasion on which He speaks like this is recorded in John 18:4-5. Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the soldiers, priests, and mob, led by the traitor, Judas, have come to arrest Him. As they approach, He asks for whom they are seeking. They tell Him that they seek Jesus of Nazareth, and the Lord says "I AM He"! Now that word "He" is added in English language translations, by the translators. However, in the original Greek of the Second (New) Testament, the record states that His response was "Ego eimi" - "I AM". He was applying God's covenant, personal, name to Himself. Little wonder that they "drew back, and fell to the ground". (v.6).

If, for whatever reason, you are questioning Who God is, take some time to get to know Jesus, the eternal One, made flesh, in the pages of His word. He is, as Paul wrote to the Colossian believers: "... the image of of the invisible God," (1:15). I commend Him to you - and you to Him!

My Barrister!

During my time as a Chaplain with the former Strathclyde Police Force, I had a separate blog named "Chaplain's Corner", that tied in with a monthly spot in the bulletins published by the three areas in which I was deployed. I had totally forgotten about this blog, but found this post from June 2012. I immediately decided that it was worth sharing again. Indeed, I suspect that I gleaned the article from some other source, and adapted it! It is, of course, "fictional" in the sense that no specific individual is portrayed as the writer, and the word-picture painted has no precise Biblical foundation. However, the basic message is very true. I commend it to you.

After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth came to the end. The next thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what appeared to be a courthouse.

The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor." He was a villainous looking character who snarled as he stared at me. He was definitely the most evil being I had ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my Barrister, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, that I felt I must know Him.

The door flew open and the Judge appeared, in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome Presence and, as He moved across the room, I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."

The prosecutor rose and said,

"I am the Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and times in the past when I had cheated others. He told of other horrible sins that were once in my life and, the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, not even my own Barrister, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at the Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my Barrister Who sat there silently, not offering any form of defense at all. I knew I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't they at least cancel part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in hell.  He is guilty of all that I have said, and there is no-one who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, my Barrister first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of the Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendour and majesty. I realised why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Saviour.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hi, Dad," and then He turned to address the court.

The Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Saviour, so he is Mine."

My Lord continued, "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me. The Satan still does not understand. This man is not to be given justice, but rather grace and mercy."

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips..

"This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear the Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up, I will win the next one." I asked Jesus, as He gave me my instructions where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?"

He lovingly smiled and said, "Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ....... Paid In Full."

As stated at the top, it's only a story - but it does have a message. If we want Him to represent us there; we must be willing to represent Him here!   If you've never done so before, confess your sins to Him now; ask for His forgiveness; thank Him for taking your place on the cross; accept Him as Saviour and Lord.  Then live for Him - "life in all its fulness" (Jn.10:10). By the way, it doesn't matter if you are male or female!