Getting to Know the Father - Exodus 33, 34; Micah 6 and John 4 - July 5, 2009

Sunday School Lesson – Getting to Know the Father – July 5, 2009

This begins a new series of study entitled “Experiencing God Triune-ly.”

We will explore the concept of the Trinity and its implications for Christian living.

Our scripture is Exodus 33:18-23; 34:5-8; Micah 6:6-8; John 4:21-24.

July 5 – Getting to Know the Father
July 12 – Exalting the Son
July 19 – Living in the Spirit
July 26 – Key Questions About the Triune God

People who read and study the Bible encounter the Trinity in Genesis 1:26 a:

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. Who is GOD speaking to? Most conclude that this is the first encounter with the Trinity – GOD, THE FATHER, GOD, THE SON and GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Do I think there are three (3) separate and distinct persons? Yes. But there are many different ways to consider the Trinity.

One can build a case for one person with three different roles such as our earthly fathers or mothers. They are a son or daughter to their parent, they are a mother or father to their children and they are a wife or husband to their spouse. This would embrace one person responding in three (3) different ways depending on the circumstance.

I have wrestled with this over the years and what I have concluded is that GOD, the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT are three (3) different persons. If you ask a question to any one of the three (3) you will get the same answer. They are separate but are in absolute harmony and unity with each other. But this is my way of thinking about the Trinity. As we study we will explore and the HOLY SPIRIT will lead us to know the truth.

The Bible is the revelation of GOD, on an ever ascending scale, culminating in the revelation of CHRIST and the working of the HOLY SPIRIT in the lives of believers.

Let’s read Exodus 33:18-23:

18 Then Moses said, “Please, let me see Your glory.” 19 He said, “I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name • Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”[3] Rm 9:15 20 But He answered, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” 21 The Lord said, “Here is a place near Me. You are to stand on the rock, 22 and when My glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen.”[4] Jn 1:18

The setting for this scripture was - Moses had led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. They had been camped at Mount Sinai for a period of time. The Israelites had made the golden calf to worship. Moses had offered himself to pay for the sins of the people but GOD said, no. Each person will have to pay for his or her own sin. GOD had instructed Moses to lead the people to the land HE had promised Abraham. This is exciting that we see, even though Abraham was dead, GOD fulfills HIS promise to Abraham.

GOD had revealed Himself to Moses but Moses wanted to know HIM in a more intimate way. He wanted to see HIS Glory. Glory is a Hebrew word which means “something heavy in weight.” The word could also refer to a person that was very important. When Moses used “Glory” in reference to GOD, he was asking GOD to reveal more of HIS character and nature. It means the manifestation of HIS presence. It carries the idea of inexpressible beauty and holiness. GOD’S Glory exists whether or not we see it manifested. But all we have to do is look around us each moment and see HIS Glory manifested through HIS handiwork.

Moses wanted to see GOD’S Glory. GOD informed Moses in verse 20, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” The Purity, Holiness and Righteousness of GOD are more that a human can tolerate. This is hard to explain. The closest I have experienced is while listening to a beautiful piece of music or experiencing a moment of overwhelming love or beholding a scene of inexpressible beauty. These moments are so rich and captivating that I could not find the words or emotions to express what
I was experiencing. These are moments when you think you will explode inside because you cannot express what you are experiencing.

I believe that is why we as humans cannot see the Glory of GOD. Just beholding HIS handiwork through others, nature, music and many other ways is overwhelming and inexpressible. Often, such moments inspire people to take pictures, paint pictures, write music, write poetry, write commentary, breath in the moment to remember it for the rest of their lives and the list goes on.

By GOD not allowing Moses to see HIS Glory gave GOD the opportunity to reveal some attributes about Himself in verse 19:

“I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name • Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”[3] Rm 9:15

GOD’S Goodness is closely related to HIS Glory. HIS Goodness is in direct contrast or the opposite side of sin. It is GOD’S Goodness that produces all the attributes of GOD toward HIS creation. HIS Graciousness and HIS Compassion toward humans is based upon HIS Goodness and not based upon something good HE sees in them.

Yahweh is one of the most important names for GOD in the Old Testament. It was the name that GOD used when HE spoke to Moses from the burning bush. It means “I AM” or “I will be WHO I will be.”

Gracious – GOD shows grace which is unmerited favor. It is GOD’S forgiveness when it is not deserved. GOD showed grace when HE delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. They had not merited HIS intervention. HE intervened because HE had promised Abraham that HE would make a nation from his descendants.

Compassion or mercy is an aspect of GOD’S love which moves HIM to help the miserable due to circumstance beyond their control.

This attributes give us information regarding the nature of GOD. Moses wanted to know GOD in a more intimate way. He wanted to see GOD face to face, which means up close and personal. Notice that GOD was not offended by Moses request. HE did not say “How dare you!” No!!! GOD revealed that HE was open and willing to work with Moses to grant his request the best that HE could without killing Moses. Moses wanted a more intimate, personal relationship with GOD. That is exactly what GOD wants with all believers, a deeper relationship.

This to me is awesome. GOD is the same today. When HIS children want to seek a more intimate relationship with HIM, HE does all HE can to accommodate them. HE showed Moses where he could stand and GOD would cover him with HIS hand until HE safely passed by and would let him see the back of HIS head.

This is such a fitting example for Moses and all believers. By faith believers can know what GOD is planning but it is awesome to see what GOD has done. It is often difficult to see where GOD is going but awesome to see where HE has been.

Ask GOD to help you build the most intimate, loving relationship with HIM that is possible. Believers have to realize that GOD does not zap them with Holy Dust and they receive instant Spiritual growth and insight. But it is often a process as believers yield their lives to HIM.

Let’s read Exodus 34:5-8:

5 The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed [His]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. name • Yahweh. 6 Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth,[1] Nm 14:18; Ps 86:15; 103:8 7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand [generations]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. , forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave [the guilty]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. 8 Moses immediately bowed down to the ground and worshiped.

Again we see additional attributes of GOD:

GOD identified Himself as Yahweh.

GOD repeats that HE is compassionate, which means HE empathizes with us and cares about what humans are experiencing.

HE is gracious, slow to anger and forgives wrongdoing, rebellion and sin.

GOD will punish the guilty and bring the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. We know that abusers produce abusers. The sinful nature of mankind must be dealt with before it is passed on to other generations or else it will reproduce itself.

The overarching idea is that what GOD has condemned in one generation is still condemned in future generations. People can either through heredity or their environment be inclined toward certain tendencies and lifestyles such as abuse, addictions, violence, lying, stealing, cheating and the list goes on. However, every person is responsible and accountable for his or her own actions.

Moses’ knew that he was in the presence of Almighty GOD and His response was to bow and worship HIM. GOD had revealed more of HIS attributes and nature to HIM that produced a response of worship and awe.

Let’s read Micah 6:6-8 and John 4:21-24:

6 What should I bring before the Lord when I come to bow before God on high? Should I come before Him with • burnt offerings, with year-old calves? 7 Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the child of my body for my own sin? 8 He has told you men what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: Only to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

The Word of the LORD, through the Prophet Micah, was to warn the Israelites that their idolatrous practices would lead to their ruin. Micah lists the things used to worship GOD but are they the most important? He even raised the question regarding human sacrifice by sacrificing their first born. This was connecting them to pagan practice because human sacrifice has never been suggested or implied by GOD. Not the physical things the world has to offer but what is stated in verse 8 – “the Lord requires of you: Only to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.” GOD does not want you to run to the temple every day but as you live and breathe each moment show the love of GOD to others by serving HIM. GOD is Spirit and those who worship HIM must do so in Spirit and Truth, which JESUS states in our next scripture.

John 4:21-24: (JESUS speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well.)

21 Jesus told her, “Believe Me, • woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans[9] Samaritans is implied since the Gk verb and pronoun are pl. worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

It is not the ritual of going to church every time the doors open that pleases GOD but what pleases GOD is for believers to obediently serve HIM through a loving, intimate relationship. Gathering together is good but only when we do it for the right reasons.

Believers go to Bible study after Bible study, which is good. But putting into practice what they know is what GOD wants for them. Some may say but I am afraid. Good, then you need to go to GOD in prayer and ask HIM to help you. Fear is not from GOD but from Satan.

This study has exposed us to some of the attributes of GOD as our FATHER. It has revealed some awesome characteristics about GOD. How do you see GOD? HE hates evil but loves good. HE is good, merciful, kind, generous, gracious, compassionate but also a GOD of wrath because of evil.

HIS desire is for all humans to accept JESUS as their SAVIOR and that none perish, no not one. The choice is yours. Will you accept CHRIST as your SAVIOR right now? Ask HIM to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life. CHRIST in you is what makes you a Christian and not the church you attend.