GOD IS TRUTH

    Jesus is the way the truth and the life. I want to focus on something that amazes me everyday. I think you and I can agree that there are many things that are blatant lies in the world today. Many lies that we have to accept knowing that it is a lie. It is the way of the world. Yet, 2,000 years ago Jesus declared He is the truth.

Today there are lies that people celebrate and make into a religion. Today a religious group is celebrating the sacrifice of Abraham's son. His willingness to obey God. It sounds good but they celebrate the sacrifice of Ishmael not Isaac. Yet many times in the Bible it says, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. How did God know that this would be the lie to cover the earth today? 

The repetition of the declaration The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a motif in the Bible. It is a unifying symbol used among the many writers. Today it identifies a people. Jews and Christians identify with this declaration.

In Acts 3:1-11, Peter and John heal a lame man and says it is the presence of the power of The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is responsible for the healing miracle. A testimony of Jesus whom they follow as the true and living God, the Prince of Life. He has the power over life and death;

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts 3:12-15

In Genesis 12 we learn that Abram (he became Abraham after), would be blessed and would be a blessing to others. 

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you

And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. Genesis 12:2

God speaks of the promise in Genesis 13

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.  Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” Genesis 13:14-17

This was passed on to his son Isaac, Genesis 17:7. 

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

In Genesis 22 Abraham's obedience in being willing to sacrifice his son as commanded, proves God is sufficient. All he asks of us is obedience and trust. Isaac was obedient to his father as well. Trusting him in his faith in God. Isaac responds the same as his father to God and he too is favoured. 

God stays true to the terms of his covenant with Abraham, and his son Isaac. However, we learn that it is because Abraham obeyed Him. Obedience is putting to action the instructions given. It is a noun for compliance to the terms. 

Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; ...; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26: 3-5

God became the God of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob the son of Isaac, had an intimate relationship with God in Genesis 35. His name was changed and he became Israel. Right after God did that, He renews the covenant with Israel who was Jacob. 

The Abrahamic Covenant is associated with the formulaic pattern. When God declares Himself to Moses, He reminds Moses of the Abrahamic Covenant and He says I AM THAT I AM. Hallelujah! I cannot hold it in I have to exclaim it, glory to God in the Highest! 

In one way God is saying he was the same in Abraham's time, the same in Isaac's time and the same in Israel's time. In context it was at the time when God was about to deliver the people from slavery. 

God is saying He is a promise keeper. God identifies Himself as The I AM. God is specific He says the children of Israel. This is very significant. Not everyone can claim to be the children of Israel.

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Exodus 3:14-15

Moses was pumped up and reassured. Despite the stammer and shyness, Moses would have a show down with the Pharaoh and his sorcerers. The people did not understand that God as The Lord had specific meaning. 

The Lord was used 162 times in Genesis but the people did not grasp what the name meant until this point. With The Lord, the power of God would be used through Moses.

Jesus as The Lord, enables the indwelling of God, The Holy Spirit in us. God comes even closer in relationship with us. He becomes more intimate with us. He authorises us to use the power of God. He is still keeping His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. 

According to Peter by denying Jesus, you deny the power of God as a testimony in your life. You deny God being able to identify with you as your Saviour and Deliverer. 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, ... But you denied the Holy One and the Just, ..., and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts 3: 13-15

In Luke it is explained how Abraham received God's favour. Here is how the formula works out. 

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. James 2:18-24 

I have to point out that when the rebuke against the Jews for denying Christ is made in the Bible it is in translation to mean the leaders in Jerusalem, who would be the Sadducees, Scribes and the Pharisees. What we see here is that God has faith in Himself to keep His promise. God is self sufficient. 

God shows us time and time again that He has kept His promise. We as believers have to have faith in who God is as He has identified Himself to us. This way we prove Him to be true. 

By doing works in faith we prove Him real and truthful as a covenant keeping God. Our life must be a witness to whom God is. The devil is the liar master of deception. God is true and Jesus is truth, the existence of Jesus His Son proves God is true. 

I pray God is real in your life. I pray that in your relationship with Him you learn many truths. I pray that the Abrahamic Covenant is extended to you in faith and works in Jesus name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.