God as the Father
Building Blocks Week 8 “God as the Father”
Last class we talked about the Trinity. In previous classes we have talked about the Holy Spirit and Jesus. I encourage you if you haven’t to go back to the previous classes and do a deep dive into the roles, natures, and functions of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Today we are going to look at God, the Father. We are going to look at two different aspects. God as Father in the hierarchy of the Bible, think positional authority, function, and nature. The two aspects need to be delineated. What are they and in the body of the lesson when do you shift from the first to the second?
Fatherhood sets the stage for two things:
1. The Passing on of Life
2. The Passing on of the Inheritance.
Elohim- Is a Hebrew word that is grammatically plural for “gods” or “deities.”
Though Elohim is plural in form it is traditionally used throughout the Torah as singular in nature.
In the beginning, God (ELOHIM) created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit (Ruach) of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
- Genesis 1:1
ELOHIM traditionally in the Torah is referencing the one true God of Israel, also known as Yahweh. You will also see the Hebrew article accompany ELOHIM, to specify “the God.” It can also include other Hebrew articles to specify even further, such as ELOHIM chayyim, which means “the living God.”
In order to not profane God’s Name, even though Elohim isn’t actually His name. Jewish sages will often encourage people to pronounce ELOHIM as Elochim (El-oh-Cheem”) which mushes together Elohim + Chaim into one word, Elochim. This is done because ELOHIM is not a name but a title. While it can refer to Yahweh it also can refer to other spiritual beings. No different than the word THEOS which is the Greek word used in the New Testament similar in nature to ELOHIM.
Monotheistic- relating to or characterized by the belief that there is only one God.
Polytheistic- relating to or characterized by belief in or worship of more than one God.
The two terms represent differing thoughts on the Godhead and roles. ELOHIM is monotheistic in connotation, though its grammatical structuring seems polytheistic.
ELOHIM is stating there is one God in literal meaning, though the grammatical structuring seems to indicate there is more than one God.
But the plural ending “eem” is also in other Hebrew words such as mayim. which means water. (mayeem) But you can’t really have plural or singular water. Water is water. How do you have singular water? How do you have plural water. Water is just water. And Elohim is Elohim. God is God. One and plural all at the same time.
Remember also from the previous class the concept of 3 becoming 1, or multiple becoming one is not a Christian concept in origin but action a Jewish. We can see this in the very complexity of the term ELOHIM.
Think of it this way, God the Father has attributes, we some of those listed as wisdom, glory, and yet they are described in Proverbs less as attributes and more in the terminology of a person. This doesn’t mean these attributes are separate people, they are God’s attributes, yet also distinct from God. This type of imagery is all throughout the Bible starting in the opening verse of Genesis. God created the Heavens and the Earth. Then the Spirit, also a part of God hoovered over the water. The Spirit is distinct and yet not separate.
Am I making your brain hurt yet?
We also see this in the various names used by Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible.
• El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
• El Elyon (The Highest God)
• Adonai (Lord, Master)
• Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
• Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
• Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
• Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
• Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
• Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
• Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
• El Olam (The Everlasting God)
• Elohim (God)
• Qanna (Jealous)
• Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
• Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
• Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
These are not separate God’s, they are all apart of God the Father, yet they are distinct attributes of how God is manifesting and revealing Himself.
These different titles, functions and attributes immediately dispel the Sacred Name Movement and theology. God Himself spells out the multiple titles and reasons for those titles. The power comes from the character and nature of Yahweh not because you pronounce it correctly. All power, all authority is delegated from Yahweh. There is no power, outside of Him. Remember, even the Satan needs God the Father’s permission.
God the Father of Abraham-
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty;[a] walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram,[b] but your name shall be Abraham,[c] for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to
you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourning’s, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
- Genesis 17: 1-8
You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from old is your name
- Isaiah 63: 16-17
God says He wants to make a covenant with Abrahm and multiply you greatly. Think about birth. How do you multiply, you need the seed to multiply. The parable of seeds falling on fertile soil. The Father provides the seed to multiply.
God the Father of Israel-
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”
- Exodus 4:22-23
The nation of Israel, the Hebrew people were God’s firstborn son, and he was willing to take Pharoah’s firstborn to prove the severity of His desire to protect and lead His son. We relate to God as Father, and through Jesus God’s Son, we share in His sonship through adoption through the atoning work of the cross.
God the Father to All-
God is the Father to Abraham and Abraham is the father to MANY nations. We also see this reference in Apostle Paul’s writings to the Galatians to confirm such:
just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify[c] the Gentiles by faith, preached
the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
- Galatians 3: 6-9
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
- Hebrews 11: 39-40
It says earlier in Hebrews 11 that Moses, David, Abraham, all who came first got them commendation, reward, gift from God the Father, through Christ, there is no other way. It isn’t like God the Father set different metrics, or pathways towards getting to Him. It was always through Jesus. These different attributes and functions are all the original power delegated to the distinct natures and person of God the Father.
We have a perfect Father who delegates, nurtures, and loves in perfection. If you struggle with what a healthy Father might be I encourage you to go back on YouTube to watch our Orphan Spirit series. God is the Father, Jesus is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the helper to understand all things.
