My Bible Recap plan has taken me into the beginnings of the New Testament. So far, my readings have been from Matthew 1 & 2, Luke 1 & 2, and John 1, where we read of everything from prophecies, to genealogies, to birth accounts, to theological treatises. It’s a bit strange to be reading these Advent and Christmas scriptures in August, but an “off season” reading every so often might propel us to places that the routine (and chaos) of the Christmas season can’t.
So, this morning, these were the descriptions of Jesus that leapt out at me:
– was in the Beginning
-was with and is God
-through him all things were made
-in him was Life that is the Light for all mankind
-is the shining Light that will not be overcome by darkness
-is the true Light gives light to everyone, but not everyone will recognize him
-is the Word who became flesh and made his dwelling among us
-through him we have seen the glory of the Father
-is full of Grace and Truth
-is in the closest relationship possible with God the Father
-is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
-is God’s Chosen One
-is Messiah and Christ
-is Rabbi/Teacher
-is Son of God
I expect that if you’ve read the Bible before you’ve probably noticed some or all of these descriptions and you know there are many more. But one caught my attention differently when I read this verse and its footnote:
“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18 NIV). The Son has made God known.
“‘has made him known’. Sometimes in the [Old Testament] people are said to have seen God…But we are also told that no one can see God and live (Ex. 33:20)…Therefore, since no human being can see God as he really is, those who saw God saw him in a form he took upon himself temporarily for the occasion. Now however, Christ ‘has made him known’)…” (NIV Study Bible, Zondervan: 2011, p. 1762)
When I looked up Exodus 33:19-20, I found a conversation between Moses and God that intrigued me.
“Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’” (NIV)
God told Moses he would cause ALL his goodness to pass in front of Moses, would proclaim his name in Moses’ presence, and will have mercy and compassion on whom he chooses. All these things seem to show us the loving, grace-filled, kind side of God. Yet, “no one can see me and live,” shows us God’s holiness and complete “other-ness.” If we cannot even just see him and live, how terrible is this God?
Terrible enough to guard his holiness from any and all sin. Holy enough to know not to let sinful creatures near. Fully steadfast in his nature to know that sinful humanity has no hope of being with him. Yet, good, merciful and compassionate enough to send Jesus so we could be in relationship with God and could know him.
Praise be to you, Lord, who came to rescue your people from sin and our enemies who hate us, and to enable us to serve you without fear, in holiness and righteousness. Because of your tender mercy, our Rising Son – Jesus – has come to us from heaven to shine on us who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and he will guide our feet into the path of peace. Attune our hearts, minds, and spirits to your Voice and the wonder of your presence within, around, and among us, we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN.
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” (Luke 1:68-75 NIV)
“[B]ecause of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 78-79 NIV)