A View of God
Have you every viewed the stars through a telescope? The greater the magnification and the deeper you look, also, the narrower your focus. You see beauty. You see magnificence. You see any number of other attributes and characteristics. However, it would be easy to extrapolate and think the entire universe is exactly like the small slice that you are observing, when actually, each perspective is as unique as the last. It can be so much bigger and grander than we can even imagine and that is even from the singular perspective of earth-bound views. Imagine, even more so, if you consider all the perspectives from all the planets in the universe.
Yet, God is even bigger than the Universe. In each generation of man, since creation and throughout time we have had the opportunity to observe and get to know God. But, like the view through the telescope, God is so big that to take a deep view of God is to limit our focus to only on a small slice of the true majesty of God.
In the beginning, we see a slice or view of God as creator. Through the Old Testament we see a focus on God as provider, but also of God who provides the law and expects compliance with the law. With the New Testament, we see the love of God through the gift of His son, Jesus. In Revelation we see the wrath of God unleashed and we will see God on the great white throne of judgment.
All of these views and perspectives of God are true and accurate, but they are each just a single perspective of the unfathomably great God. However, John, in his gospel, letters and book of prophecy, helps present the overarching story of the bible, when seen from beginning to end. That perspective, or focus on God, is the view that God gave us as THE view-piece through which we are to see and be in a relationship with God. That focus/view is none other than Jesus Christ.
As John writes, Jesus, the Word, was in the beginning, everything created was created through Him. He was promised at the point that sin entered the garden. He was present with the grace shown in the law, which was nothing more than a foreshadowing of the insufficiency of these sacrifices, in anticipation of the all sufficient and complete price paid through Jesus’ death and resurrection. He is love. He is the one who walked on earth and cared for the forgotten and sinners. He was the one who healed the sick and fed the people. He also is the judge, the redeemer, the victor. He is the one shining in glory, striking the decisive blow to sin and death. He is the firstborn into the new heaven and new earth that is to come.
There is an old story about blind men trying to describe an elephant. Each bases his description on the part of the elephant he experiences. A leather ear. A leg. The tail. Each presents a true, but very different viewpoint of the elephant. As we study the book of Revelation as the climax and conclusion of the bible, we need to see the elephant in the room: Jesus.
My Answers:
6.
a.
He is the creator, the one is is was and is to come, Jesus Christ was present at all, the faithful witness, firstborn of the dead (more to come), the ruler of kings
b.
It provides a perspective by which any argument of any other reason than love for His people is removed. In an eternity, mankind has nothing to give to God.
7.
John: He was given to the world by God, in love, to save the world1Cor: He died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures
1Cor: He is raised from the dead, the firstfruits
Phil: He is exalted in heaven, name above all names, every knee will bow & tongue: He is glory of God
8.
I am saved. He gives the greatest gift – Love, His Son. He is risen and in control of everything.
9.
a.
i. All the peoples of the Earth
ii. All who have sinned – we condemned Him to the cross
iii. All, we will be humbled and mourn our own inadequacy in light of His glory. We as believers (if we are still on the Earth at that time) will also be mournful because the hope for those we have been praying and hoping for that they would turn and accept Jesus, will be at an end.
b.
We haven’t missed it. Even though we all have sinned – we are forgiven, our debt is cancelled: nailed to the cross
The Notes are Good 