Psalm 89:6-7 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord, 7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all those who are around Him?
(1) The reference is among the Angels, the precept is for us. They greatly _________ God, for He is ____________ and above all.
(2) The Psalmist wants us to glimpse the magnificence and eminence of the Lord; For our God is awesome and greatly to be feared. Is it possible to honor and respect God if we remain unaware of His majesty and grandeur even if it remains above our complete comprehension?___________.
The Jews missed it, although they were faithful in attending temple, praying for His anticipated arrival and the blessing that would accompany His rule. They were looking with physical eyes. This was prior to the cross and therefore impossible for them to comprehend the spiritual or to have a renewed mind. Ephes. 4:23 . . . that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. (1) According to this passage did the Jews, as a people receive their Messiah? ______
Perhaps a better question is why did the Jews miss the advent of His appearance? Listen as Jesus explains, quoting the prophet Isaiah.
Mark 7:6-7 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain;
(1) Their teachings are but rules taught by men.' What do you think Jesus meant when He said "their hearts are far from me?" ___________________________________________
(2) They thought they pleased God by their rule keeping, their own righteousness. God declared they were but the rules taught by ___________.
"They served God in the image they had created--Not by His true image, but by their own standards."c By doing this they had reduced God to an image of their own making.
We can see this irreverence displayed throughout human history-from the time of Adam.
Genesis 3:5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
(1) What was Satan tempting Adam with? An opportunity to be like ________. Creating a desire to be like God, equal with God
(2) If Adam had retained a proper lofty image of God wouldn't he have understood how unattainable that was? _________.
(3) Would it be fair to say that Adam had reduced God to the level of a mere man?______
Our book then points us to examine the nation of Israel as it is being delivered from Egyptian slavery.
Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
(1) They had already witnessed an all powerful God, able to deliver them from the might of Pharaoh; His almighty hand as He parted the Red Sea. They watched him crush the Egyptian army with a wall of water. Now they want to reduce God to an image that they can relate to, for they said "Come, _________ us a ________ who will go before us."
Exodus 32:3-4 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god (elohim, God, god :- divine, divine being, exceedingly), O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."
(1) At first this may seem ludicrous to us, but these people were familiar with images of this ilk in the Egyptian culture from which they were just delivered.
(2) Did they believe that what they made actually delivered them from Pharaoh, or did it only represent, in terms that they could relate to, the God of Moses? _________
Exodus 32:5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord." The Lord:[Yhvh, [i.e. Yehovah or Yahveh]; the proper name of the God of Israel :-]
(1) The calf was the image around which they would feast, but who was the object of the feast? ____________. God in an image that they could comprehend.
John Bevere points out that "they called this calf the name of the Lord, thus reducing the greatness of the Lord to the common terms and finite images they were so familiar with". d
Roman's 1:20-21 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
(1) As the children of Israel did not give God, their deliverer, the proper esteem, honor and reverence that He warrants, We should not think of ourselves more highly. "For although they knew God, they neither ____________ him as God nor gave __________ to him.
(2) Notice what happens when we withhold honor and thanksgiving to God. "Their thinking became _________ and their _________ hearts were ___________.
Roman's 1:22-23 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
(1) What were their claims about themselves? They claimed to be ______________. In God's eyes they were __________.
(2) What do these fools do? They exchanged the _________ of the ____________ _________ for images made to look like mortal _______ and birds and animals and reptiles
As our author points out: Once again we have reduced God's true and glorious image to resemble something cognizant, something that the finite natural mind can comprehend. Now think back to what the Hebrews did when they cast the image of God in the form of a golden calf.
In our Modern Churches (Example from the compiler)
One popular TV preacher claims that God has a 9 inch hand span, another that God is only 6 feet tall. These men are reducing God to the image of corruptible man.
Isaiah 40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance, And the hills in a pair of scales?
(1) Does Scripture validate that view? __________ . Could a man do that?
(2) What man can span the universe with his hand, or hold the waters of the earth in the hollow of that hand, lift the mountains onto a scale? We serve an awesome God. Can we honestly comprehend our God as no greater than a man? _______________
We flippantly refer to God [Jesus} as our friend, and indeed He is friend to all who truly love and obey Him. Listen to the writer of Psalm 119: verses 63-64, I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. 64 The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
(1) The writer declares his camaraderie with all who ______________ the Lord and demonstrate that by following Gods ________________. Not willing to miss the mark the writer pleads with the Lord to ________ ___ ____ ____________.
Jeremiah is speaking for God here! He is voicing God's opinion to those who lightly address Him as Friend.
Jeremiah 3:4-5 Have you not just called to me:' My Father, my friend from my youth, 5 will you always be angry? Will your wrath continue forever?'This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can."
(1) Did God acknowledge them as friends? _________
(2) Why not? _____________________________________. They didn't follow his decree's or precepts, did they?
This passage refers to a time when the men came and lowered the paralytic through the roof to come into the presence of Jesus for healing:
Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
(1) Why did Jesus call Him friend? __________________. A friend is one who trust you implicitly, This man had faith in Jesus, that Jesus is who He said He is, God incarnate, and therefore had the ability to heal him.
(2) Does the passage infer that faith is a necessary part of determining our relationship with Jesus (God). _________________________________________________________________.
John 15:13-14 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
(1) What does Jesus stipulate as a requirement to call Him friend? ____________________.
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
Do you recall the story of Abraham's obedience, to offer to God, on an alter, his only son.
(1) What enabled Abraham to be called God's friend? ______________________________
These passages are but a sampling of friends of God who hold him in awe [fear}. In every case their response to God is faith, obedience and a belief that God will reward those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him
(1) Are you and I guilty of thoughtlessly calling God-friend, indifferent to our level of commitment, faith, belief, and reverence? In other words not having a proper fear of the Lord! __________.
(2) Does the Church today have a limited perception of the "image of God's Glory" rather than by His true image as revealed through His living Word ________________(e).
In our daily lives we reduce God into the image of corruptible man when we nullify His word to justify our situation or circumstance.
As a Christian we must learn to ask; What Would Jesus Do? How would He react? For example: Our President has been unfaithful in keeping his covenant with his wife, before God. As a Christian, which response below would not reduce God to a human level?____
A. We may publicly stand against his immorality, but we must not demean the President's person.
B. We pray for him, and his family, asking the Holy Spirit to bring conviction upon him for his inappropriate behavior.
C. Both of the above, for we must remember our roots of sin and who it was that saved us and renewed our minds.
Roman's 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
(1) Again, If God has established authority, even bad or corrupt authority, what should our response to it be? ____.
A. Openly make jokes and show open disrespect and contempt to discredit the man.
B. Acknowledge God's authority and openly pray for those in leadership over us.
Exodus 22:28 "You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
(1) When we make exceptions, doesn't that bring the unchangeable God down to our fickle level? ___________________________
A recent joke may illustrate the point more clearly! In an effort to increase membership a church changed the marquee out front to read: "Home of the 7.5% tithe and 8 commandments."
(1)While perhaps an exaggeration, the point is that when we distort, or twist the word of God to justify an exception for whatever reason, have we not reduced God to the image of corruptible man? ______
return to the Home page return to the fear of God index forward to chapter 3
If you would like t o make a comment, suggestion, or simply ask a questions Email the compiler at deans@interpath.com You may write the Author at John Bevere Ministries, P.O. Box 2002, Apopka, FL 32704-2002