Jay D Weaver's Thought for the Week - A Biblical View of God

A Biblical View of God

This paper was inspired by an anthem entitled Resurrection Day written by Z. Randall Stroope and published by Morningstar Music Publishers. The text of the anthem includes a whole list of characteristics of the Risen Christ. My choir director, Emery DeWitt asked me to write a little paper to enlighten the choir members as to the meanings of the many biblical references found in the text of the anthem. All of the following represent aspects of God. In fact in the text of the anthem itself, the writer makes clear that God is all of these. In each case I have given a scriptural quote followed by a short explanation of the meaning. Each aspect of God is in bold type. Together all of them are characteristics of the man of Galilee known as Jesus of Nazareth. (All references are from the New Revised Standard Version of the bible. Nb. The name Yahweh for God is given in the NRSV as LORD.)

· Fire of Elijah - Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. - I Kings 18:38 In the contest on Mt. Carmel between Yahweh and Baal, the fire called down by Elijah consumes everything, establishing Yahweh as the One True God.

· Strength of David’s Arm - David said, “The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you!” - I Samuel 17:37 It was the Mighty Arm of Yahweh who had given David the strength to kill the lion and the bear and who would give David’s Arm the strength to defeat Goliath.

· Lion of Judah - Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches down, he stretches out like a lion, like a lioness—who dares rouse him up? - Genesis 49:9 Jacob was dying and gave a blessing to each of his sons. This quote is part of the blessing of Judah. The lion is known as the king of the beasts. The image here is of Judah as a kingdom. Yahweh is really the Lion King and Judah is the whelp (pup).

· Promise of Abraham - He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness. - Genesis 15:5,6 Yahweh promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Although it seemed impossible at the time, God’s Promise to Abraham was realized.

· Wisdom of Solomon - God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. - I Kings 4:29, 30 The name of Solomon came to be associated with Wisdom. Yahweh himself gave Solomon the Wisdom for which he is famous.

· Rod of Moses - The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail”—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand—“ so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” - Exodus 4:2-6 Time and again Moses used the staff to perform miracles and wonders. Yahweh had turned Moses’ staff into a Rod of Divination.

· Song of Miriam - Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”- Exodus 15:20,21 God had just allowed the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea on dry land and then allowed the water to return and Pharaoh’s army was drowned. Miriam is singing the praise of Yahweh as the deliverer or Savior of her people.

· Tears of Jeremiah - O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people! - Jeremiah 9:1 Jeremiah receives word from Yahweh that the nation of Israel will be destroyed and taken captive. Jeremiah like Yahweh Weeps for his people.

· Faith of Joshua - I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 God here is telling Joshua to take the people across the swollen Jordan into the land of Canaan. Again God dried up the river and allowed them to cross. The faith of Joshua in carrying out this order reflects the Faithfulness of Yahweh in his continued presence.

· Lamb of God - The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! - John 1:29 John recognized Jesus as the Pascal Lamb. At the time of the Passover, the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the doorpost to save those inside from the death angel. Likewise the Risen Christ, who had shed his blood, joins God in protecting his children from the angel of death. Having become one with God, he becomes the King of all Ages.

It is appropriate that we sing of the nature of our God and of his Christ as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord this Easter Sunday.