Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "amos-4"
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 1
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Dad, with his course and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Dad, with his course and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 2
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 1
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Dad, with his course and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Dad, with his course and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 2
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 1
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Mean Guy Dad, with his coarse and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Once upon a time when I had a couple of teeny tiny tots to rear, I discovered a spiritual truth by means of experience. Sometimes I was Mr. Mean Guy Dad, with his coarse and stern voice and disciplinary disposition. At other times I was Nice Guy Dad, who took his kids to the recreation center and coached their basketball teams.
And you know what? Neither of my rug rats was ever confused by the split personality involved in proper parenting. Not once did we enjoy a time of play and relaxation at the rec center, and then come home to become discombobulated by the switch from Nice Guy Dad to Mr. Dad the rules enforcer. It just didn’t happen.
Do you know why? Well, it’s like this. Kids want to have fun with their parents, yes, they most certainly do. But if that’s all they get—if Dad and Mom are simply one of the gang of kids from the neighborhood—kids cannot help but feel insecure. They need guidance and protection from their parents. It’s why the Lord gave them parents!
In the quoted text which commenced this study, Amos acknowledged these two simultaneous attributes of God. God has them, which explains where we got them! We share with God these same two attributes. I believe it’s part of what the Bible labels “the image of God”.
There is a qualification to this as it applies to God, however. Amos identified God as “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The two attributes don’t stand out in the case of “God”, at least as the Bible employs the identifier. In order for both attributes to receive honorable mention at the same time, the terminology for deity requires both the words “Lord” and “God”.
Allow me to explain. The word “God” is a term which identifies deity or the divine being. It is used in much the same way the word “human” or “human being” is used to identify humanity or man. Such is not the case with the word “Lord” in Scripture. The word “Lord” (written in the Bible as all capital letters, LORD) is the actual name of God.
Let me present an equivalent as applied to myself. I am a human being and my name is Randy. The word usage “the Lord God” as applied to me would be “Randy the human being”. God’s actual name is YHWH (aka Yahweh or Jehovah). In the English Bible His name is written as “LORD”. When you see those four capital letters used together in the Bible, recognize it as the actual name of God.
At times I have been addressed as “Pastor” or “Teacher” or “Reverend”. At other times I’ve been addressed as “Randy” or “Mr. Green”. What’s the difference? Well, the words “pastor”, “teacher” and “reverend” are not names. The words are impersonal, formal, stiff, and not necessarily friendly.
On the other hand the word “Randy” is my personal name. By using it another person is being personal with me. Perhaps he’s even taking undue liberties because he doesn’t know me and shouldn’t speak to me in such a personal way. But the word “Randy” when employed appropriately toward me is personal. It implies a relationship between the speaker and myself.
When both these aspects express themselves in a parent, a scary teddy bear materializes. But let us pause here and continue on the morrow. Enjoy your time with the Lord Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Scary Teddy Bears – Part 2
For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is His name [Amos 4:13].
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We paused our last study by noting I am a human and my name is Randy. The “human” part is impersonal, the “Randy” part is quite otherwise. Let’s now see how this applies to the Divine Being.
The words “God” and “LORD” when used to identify the Deity, the Supreme Being, accomplishes the same function as the words “Randy the human” in identifying me. In the Bible when the Divine Being is referred to as “God”, the emphasis is upon His being the Creator, the high and mighty One Who is far above His creation, including mankind. It is impersonal, evoking dread in man and prompting us to draw back and move away from Him.
On the other hand when His name “LORD” is used, the emphasis is personal. It denotes man as having a personal relationship with the Supreme Being, as knowing Him personally and being involved with Him. It is a pleasant blessing, not an atmosphere of awkward and uneasy formality.
Such is the intimation presented by Amos’ usage of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts is His name”. The high and mighty Creator, the all-powerful and intimidating Supreme Being is inseparably bound together with the loving and personable Deity Who wants to have a relationship with man.
So how does this express itself in the remainder of the quoted text? Let’s assay Amos’ words and see for ourselves. First let’s hear the words which express personal relationship: He who…declares to man what are His thoughts.
Those words don’t leave the impression of the almighty Supreme Being calling into existence the heavens and the earth. They express the concept of the Divine One speaking to man and explaining Himself and His plans. It is personal. It is relationship. It is personal relationship. In theology textbooks this personal aspect of God’s character wears the appellation “immanence”.
Now for Amos’ words which express God as way up there in the sky and impersonal, far removed from man and unapproachable. Since there are considerable more words used to express this concept, we will employ a bulleted list:
• He who forms mountains and creates the wind
• He who makes dawn into darkness
• He who…treads on the high places of the earth
It should be readily evident to you how suchlike depictions of God differ drastically from the words “He who…declares to man what are His thoughts”. In the case of the bulleted list the Supreme Being is behaving as, well, a supreme being! He isn’t talking with man and explaining His purposes. He is creating mountains and wind and darkness, and He is walking around on the high places, far above man’s habitations. In theology textbooks this aspect of God’s character goes by the jargon “transcendence”.
The two aspects of God, the personal and impersonal, are true simultaneously. However, they only display themselves simultaneously to those humans who accept Him as their God, as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With such folks He is indeed personal. At the blink of an eye He also marches into battle on their behalf as the mighty and invincible God.
Alas, but for those humans who reject Him as their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He only appears to them as the impersonal and not so friendly Judge of all the earth. They don’t win His favor or garner His blessings. They are under a curse for sin and, after the Millennium will stand before His tribunal, the great white throne, to be condemned eternally (cf., Revelation 20:5, 11-15).
This is not a topic which wins friends and influences people, dear souls. It is the Word of God nonetheless. We determine by our response to the Lord Jesus whether or not we know Him personally. My heart’s desire is that all men will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
