Chapter – 21 ‘The Rabbi visits Valentines Farm’
This was the second day in a row that the clouds of heaven opened up and rain was pouring down. It was a good break from the hard work that Valentine was doing now that it was late summer. This had given them some last minute time, to spend in the barns, getting the machinery tuned-up and ready for the upcoming fall harvest.
Rebekah and Pastor Valentine had just put the finishing touches together for a fall revival meeting for the youth of the church. Her brother Yosef would be coming as a guest speaker for a ten day time of bringing the ‘good news’ to the Uniontown area. Three other churches were co-hosting the event, which would be held in the high school football stadium. Advertising was underway and volunteers were already being registered for the event. Training of councilors would start in two weeks and should take ten days to cover what would be required.
***
A quick three weeks had now passed and Rebekah’s brother would be arriving in two days. Leah would be coming later the next week.
Almost half of the town were attending the first evening; they were sitting in the bleachers where the Home team fans sat for football games. Every seat was taken and several were even standing. The youth had passed out bulletins as people entered. Pastor Valentine and the other pastors were surprised by the large crowd but it was a happy surprise. He could see that there were many-many youth but he was joyful at the number of adults sitting in the crowd.
Yosef was introduced by Valentine, a hometown boy that most of the crowd knew; he mentioned they had been in the war zone together and had become friends; then Yosef started his message and he asked, “When you hear the name GOD what do you think or imagine? Do you ever wonder where HE might be this very moment, or what HE might look like?” Yosef paused for a moment to let the words sink in. He told them that knowing a little about the creator was a good place to start with. “I will use the scriptures to give you my thoughts on the subject.”
“Feel free to take notes on your bulletin,” Yosef paused a moment then spoke, “First of all; when we speak of God, we should be reverent and not use the name in a flippant way. One day every knee will bow before the Lord and every idle or distasteful word we speak, will be examined. Yosef mentioned that the Advocate, the Good Shepherd, the Mediator, and the Great Physician were just a few of the names that described Jesus in the NT scriptures.
He paused as he walked back to the podium, “YHWH was the name used in the original Hebrew language; over 5000 times, and the meaning is the Lord.” He told them that the one who has unchanging love for all people was named ELOHIM in the Hebrew; that the one who focused on the relationship between the creator and we humans was known as ADONAI. “I’ll mention just one more, it’s EL SHADDAI, which is defined as God Almighty; he who carries out his own will and purpose.” Yosef looked back at Valentine a moment then commented, “Another word often used by ministers is ‘OMNIPPOTENT’, which describes the power of God.”
“So moments ago when I asked, what do you think he might look like, what did you think?” He told them there were some mysteries and one of them is God himself. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In chapter 28 of Matthew all three are mentioned in the same sentence and then again in Matthew 3, the three have an active part in scripture. He paused a moment and then spoke, “Are you getting some notes written on your bulletin?”
“Scripture tells us that the one we think of as God is invisible, then the Apostle describing the attributes in 1 Timothy, writes the word invisible again. Continuing in the book of John, verse 1:18 we see another example. There are several other passages with similar text; so are you all ok so far?” Yosef paused a moment; then walked toward the small podium.
So the Father is invisible and so is the Holy Spirit. You can’t see the Holy Spirit but you can feel the effects of it. John 3:8 tries to describe its effect. Another thing about the Holy Spirit; once a person follows the scripture and they turn from sin; then turn to the Lord, the Holy Spirit becomes a resident in we ‘who follow Christ’. You can check that out in 1 Cor. 3:16.
Yosef exclaimed, “Jesus, who is God the Son, was the one who spent time on this earth proclaiming the ‘Gospel or Word of God’.” Jesus told the people, of that day, what was required in order to reserve a dwelling place for eternity. His disciples continued with HIS message and today your church ministers continue that same message. “Who is Jesus?” He told them to look at Hebrews 1:1-4. He read it, then paused a moment… Next he asked, “Have you ever thought about the word ‘US’ or ‘OUR’ in Genesis; is it singular or plural? Add that to your notes.” He told them that God was unique; there was no one like HIM.
“Where does HE dwell? Scripture tells us HE has a throne in heaven. Just as the Jewish Temple had a Holy of Holies; God dwells in the heavenly Holy of Holies.”
Yosef smiled, “I am ending this first session with a comment and with more to come tomorrow evening. This person, Jesus, is God. Only the Christian faith proclaims this truth.”
***
God rules the universe from a throne in the HEAVENLY Holy of Holies –Rev. 4:2-4, 2 Immediately I [that is John, the Apostle] was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Attachments – Scripture
Matthew 12:36-37, All will be justified OR condemned by their words. [Paraphrase]
Matthew 28:19, Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” [The trinity or triune God]
Matthew 3:16-17, After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens spoke, “This is My beloved Son, in who I am well pleased.”
Colossians 1:15, He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God….. with all the attributes of God.
1 Timothy 1:17, Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory forever…
John 1:18, No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. [Jesus is at the right hand of the throne of Father God; with authority.]
John 4:24, God is SPIRIT and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. [The Holy Spirit which dwells in us when we become SAVED; speaks thru us when we pray and worship.]
John 3:8, The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. [A miracle; unexplainable.]
1 Corinthians 6:19, ..do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and that you are not your own? [Once SAVED; you are adopted into Gods family.]
1 Corinthians 3:16, Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? [This happens once a person puts their TRUST in Christ as their Lord & Savior, not until then.]
Hebrews 1:1-4, Paraphrase – God appoints Jesus, His son, who made the world, heir of all things… Jesus also represents God in all ways, including the Fathers loving and forgiving nature.
Genesis 1:26, Then GOD said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…” [Plural]
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I heard these words in a song recently, “Jesus, the name above every name, there is no one like you.” And then the words a little later were, “Open my eyes, Lord.” [Is that what we think?]
DG