"Here's the thing, most of the time you see God acting in the Old Testament, it was in fact a Christophany. IT WAS JESUS ACTING THAT WAY. The One speaking to Moses from the bush, the same One Who's anger burned against Israel, Who judged them, and let them die out in the wilderness. The One Who said that He would destroy all of Israel save Moses?
Yeah, that was Jesus.
It's not very hard to reconcile the idea of the two together, if one reads the Bible. But it is hard for the modern day Christian who only reads select parts of the New Testament and has a funny distorted view of the character of God, and tries to shade the entirety of God's character by the few parts of the Gospel accounts of Jesus that they don't feel uncomfortable with.
" I mean, then we get funny ideas of God. Like He never judges, He never brings calamity, he never brings destruction. The problem is, is that He has, He does, and He will." EverestoSama
Very sound and inspiring post EverestoSama [Grant]. The problem is, that in accepting this truth that the Godhead as One is to be feared and loved and obeyed, and He DOES bring wrath upon men..[ over and over and over in scripture] then I just cannot go on in my self absorbed world of my success, my ministry, my way.
..."And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him !"...Jesus [ Jahweh ]....Jesus, who holds the keys to death and Hell is saying "Fear me!"
I think that the doctrines of extreme grace come to view in those who would avert this truth that He must be obeyed and feared. Also the doctrines that Jesus taught about following Himself.
" But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them;
"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."
Whenever you see Cross in the New Testament substitute your name and the word death. Time to die; to your hopes, loves, successes and future, even to the extent of losing all, inwardly for sure and possibly outwardly. [ ask the martyrs ]
It no longer about the blessing God then; it is about the Conforming God and the Terrible, Fearful One that desires to conform us to His living image. This must involve failure and burning and self-denial, and for some, the cost of following Jesus is just another rainy day for my parade.
Ambition to BE myself is just another form of satanic AMBITION, the twin sister to pride. Jesus said we must die to that, and it was He who after creating the worlds stretched out His hand to create a human son and his wife. Jesus IS Jehovah and His ways or personality does not change nor evolve. He calls Himself "I AM" for this reason.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven."
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
.....Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM!".
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."
Yet today there are those who are picking up stones rather than bow and obey. They save their lives, for now.
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