God is for real


 
He will show you things to come. John 16:13



You can't believe in the kingdom if you don't believe in God.

So, first of all, how can we know he's really out there?

There are several ways. First, by the evidence of things around us.1 Creation demands a creator. Life requires a life-giver. The design inherent in the universe requires a designer. And the laws of the universe demand a law-giver. Once set in motion, the universe requires a sustainer to continue to keep the laws, designs, various kinds of life and created things in motion. Nothing in your life just "happens." Nothing in the universe does either.

To the not-so-scientific mind, these facts may seem abstract. Another, and for some, more pertinent, proof of the existence of God is fulfilled prophecy. In fact, God refers to the fact of fulfilled prophecy as his own revealing mark, like a signature. "For I am God -- I only -- and there is no other like me who can tell you what is going to happen. All I say will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish."2 And again, "Time and again I told you what was going to happen in the future. My words were scarcely spoken when suddenly I did just what I said."3 And again, "Let them try to tell us what occurred in years gone by, or what the future holds. Yes, that's it! If you are gods, tell what will happen in the days ahead."4

The succession of world empires prophesied in Daniel -- Babylonian, Mede-Persian, Greek and Roman -- came to pass. The prophecies of the Messiah came to pass. And so, too, will the prophecies of the kingdom.

All real Christians believe that God exists. That's not a problem. What is a problem for many Christians, however, is gaining a full understanding of what God -- God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ -- is really like. Some questions that many have:

What does God look like?

Like us, in form and shape, at least. Genesis tells us that we're made in his image, after the God kind.5 He has eyes and eyelids.6 He has a face.7 He has a back.8 He has hands.9 The Lord Jesus Christ said: "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!"10

Four major prophets have recorded their visions of God. These visions of God and his surroundings were recorded so that we can have a better insight into what the Lord looks like:

Isaiah: The year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord! He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the Temple was filled with his glory. Hovering about him were mighty, six-winged seraphs. With two of their wings they covered their faces; with two others they covered their feet, and with two they flew. In a great antiphonal chorus they sang, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is filled with his glory.' Such singing it was! It shook the Temple to its foundations, and suddenly the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke.11

Ezekiel: One day late in June, when I was thirty years old, the heavens were suddenly opened to me and I saw visions from God. I saw, in this vision, a great storm coming toward me from the north, driving before it a huge cloud glowing with fire, with a mass of fire inside that flashed continually; and in the fire there was something that shone like polished brass. Then from the center of the cloud, four strange forms appeared that looked like men, except that each had four faces and two pairs of wings! Their legs were like those of men, but their feet were cloven like calves' feet, and shone like burnished brass. And beneath each of their wings I could see human hands . . . For high in the sky above them was what looked like a throne made of beautiful blue sapphire stones, and upon it sat someone who appeared to be a Man. From his waist up, he seemed to be all glowing bronze, dazzling like fire; and from his waist down he seemed to be entirely flame, and there was a glowing halo like a rainbow all around him. That was the way the glory of the Lord appeared to me.12

Daniel: I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient of Days -- the Almighty God -- sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat upon a fiery throne brought in on flaming wheels, and a river of fire flowed from before him. Millions of angels ministered to him and hundreds of millions of people stood before him, waiting to be judged. Then the court began its session and the Books were opened.13

John: When I turned to see who was speaking, there behind me were seven candlesticks of gold. And standing among them was one who looked like Jesus who called himself the Son of Man, wearing a long robe circled with a golden band across his chest. His hair was white as wool or snow, and his eyes penetrated like flames of fire. His feet gleamed like burnished bronze, and his voice thundered like the waves against the shore . . . His face shone like the power of the sun in unclouded brilliance."14

Where does He live?

God lives in the heavenly temple, set within an ivory palace -- one of a number of such palaces -- on the heavenly mount Zion.15 His throne is set beneath a rainbow that casts a powerful greenish hue like emerald.16 Before the throne is a sea of glass. Lightning and thunder emanate from the throne of God. Around that throne are twenty-four seats for the heavenly elders. There are also four beasts around the throne, as well as heavenly animals in the surrounding areas of the ivory palaces.17

The apostle Paul was transported to heaven18, either bodily or in a vision, and saw a remarkable scene. Not having the benefit of that experience, we can only take these insights and imagine a heavenly Versailles, a corporate headquarters for the universe, landscaped with perfectly symmetrical gardens, shining in glory, home for God the Father, God the Son, heavenly beings and innumerable angels. God will one day soon establish a like environment on the earth when he restores his kingdom.

What is he really like?

Warm, close, affectionate. The same kind of strange and wonderful love that we have seen in Jesus Christ is in the Father. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."19 He is the kind of Father that carries us about with hugs and kisses just like an earthly father carries around a beloved two-year-old child, but our heavenly Father carries us about after that fashion even to our old age.20 Truly, this is the love that makes the Christian who is close to the Father cry out, "Abba, Father," or translating, "Daddy, Father" just as the Lord did. "And He said, 'Abba' (or Daddy), Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt."21 And just as every Christian can. 22 23

What are some of his names besides "God"?

God always names things for what they are. So, too, with himself:

  1. Elohim. The creator.
  2. Jehovah. The covenant maker and keeper. For example:
  3. Jehovah Jireh. Jehovah our provider.24
  4. Jehovah Ropheka. Jehovah our healer.25
  5. Jehovah Nissi. Jehovah our banner.26
  6. Jehovah Mekaddishkem. Jehovah our sanctifier.27
  7. Jehovah Shalom. Jehovah our peace sender.28
  8. Jehovah Zebaoth. Jehovah of hosts.29
  9. Jehovah Zidkenu. Jehovah our righteousness.30
  10. Jehovah Shammah. Jehovah is there.31
  11. Jehovah Elyon. Jehovah most high.32
  12. Jehovah Roi. Jehovah my shepherd.33
  13. Jah. Jehovah having become our salvation.
  14. El. Elohim in all his strength and power.
  15. Eloah. Elohim, the living God who is to be worshipped as contrasted with inanimate idols.
  16. Elyon. Elohim, the most high God.
  17. Shaddai. The Almighty, able to supply every need.
  18. Adonai. Lord, Blesser.
  19. Adon. Lord, Ruler.
  20. Adonim. Lord, Owner.
     

What does God do all day?

I have heard it said that God does and enjoys many of the same things that we do, and I believe it. It makes a lot of sense, him and us being a lot alike. After dispatching his executive duties, delegating other responsibilities to angels, conferring with the Father, I imagine that Jesus enjoys a wide range of activities.

Take music, for example. As the poet says, music is the greatest good that mortals know, and all of heaven that we have below. I expect that Jesus and his father Jehovah are composers and musicians. We know, for example, that the Lord sang hymns with his followers while on the earth. We'll see later in this book he'll sing out loud for joy in his kingdom. Is it not reasonable to expect that he continues to enjoy music back in his heavenly home? Well, it is. We know it for a fact.34 And it's not unreasonable if we have a clear picture of the real Lord. So I expect that the Gods of heaven play chamber music and then gather, on occasion, with angels and other heavenly beings to perform major symphonic and other large-scale works. I expect that they perform a kind of music that we have not heard or imagined as yet, as well as the kind of Bach, Beethoven, Bruckner and Brahms that we do know.

The Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are real, indeed . . . real enough to enjoy music.

Real enough to enjoy sports and athletic contests, too. To wear a sweatsuit. To play soccer, raquetball, football . . . and other heavenly games. Real enough to enjoy food and drink, as Christ did after he was resurrected and yet still on this earth, and as he promised to do with us in the kingdom.35

In short, real enough to do the things we do. Real enough to read, to plan, to act, to think, to dream.

And to do some things we don't do. To receive and answer prayer, to heal, to bless, to watch after his children, day and night. To notice if a sparrow falls to the ground,36 can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it." and to keep track of how many hairs are on each of our heads.37 And, most significantly to the subject at hand, to prepare for the restoration of the kingdom to the earth.38

A day is as a thousand years to the Lord.39 He is not bound by time like we are. So he has time to do all this.

Once we get a good handle on the reality that we are God's children, that we're made to look like him, and that he's coming to live with us,40 none of the above should seem strange at all. In fact, what should seem strange to us, is praying to and worshipping a God for so long that we knew so very little about.

 

FOOTNOTES
1 Romans 1:20-21 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
2 Is. 46:9,10, LB
3 Is. 48:3, LB
4 Is. 41:22,23 LB
5 Gen. 1:26 And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.
6 Psalm 11:4 His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men."
7 Ex. 33:20 But you may not see the glory of my face, for man may not see me and live
8 Ex. 33:23 Then I will remove my hand and you shall see my back, but not my face."
9 Ex. 33:23 And I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face shall not be seen.
10 John 14:9
11 Is. 6:1-4 LB
12 Ez. 1
13 Daniel 7:9-10
14 Rev. 1:12-16
15 Psalm 45:8 In your inlaid palaces of ivory, lovely music is being played for your enjoyment.
16 Rev. 4:3 Great bursts of light flashed forth from him as from a glittering diamond, or from a shining ruby, and a rainbow glowing like an emerald encircled his throne.
17 Gen. 1:24 And God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind (implied here, his kind in heaven: and it was so.
18 Cor. 12:4 Fourteen years ago I was taken up to heaven for a visit. Don't ask me whether my body was there or just my spirit, for I don't know; only God can answer that. But anyway, there I was in paradise, and heard things so astounding that they are beyond a man's power to describe or put in words.
19 John 14:9 LB
20 Is. 46:4 "And even to your old age I am He: and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."
21 Mark 14:36
22 Rom. 8:15, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'"
23 Gal. 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father.'"
24 Gen. 22:14
25 Ex. 15:26
26 Ex. 17:15
27 Ex. 31:13
28 Jud. 6:24
29 1 Sam. 1:3
30 Jer. 23:6
31 Ez. 48:35
32 Psalm 7:17
33 Psalm 23:1
34 Psalm 45:8 ". . . lovely music is being played for your enjoyment."
35 Matt. 26:29 "Mark my words -- I will not drink this wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom." LB
36 Matt. 10:29 "Not one sparrow (What do they cost? Two for a penny?
37 Matt. 10:30 "And the very hairs of your head are numbered" LB
38 John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
39 2 Peter 3:8
40 Rev. 21:1-3 "Then I saw a new earth (with no oceans!) and a new sky, for the present earth and sky had disappeared. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. It was a glorious sight, beautiful as a bride at her wedding. I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, 'Look, the home of God is now among men, and he will live with them and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them.'"




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Thursday March 28 2024 CHICAGO Last modified: Friday February 19 2016
After Armageddon © 1983, 1996 John A. Sarkett All rights reserved. Portions may be quoted with proper attribution and credit.