Christmas 2017 (Part II)

Christmas 2017 (Part II) Introduction Matthew 1:18 21 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his NAME Jesus, for he himself will save his people from their sins. In his play Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare has made famous the question, What s in a name? Of course, Juliet s point is that regardless of Romeo s name, he would still be the same person. Therefore, a name ultimately means nothing. That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. We can agree with the point in Shakespeare s play, but when we come to the Bible and to the name of God the answer to the question What s in a name is altogether different. The angel said to Joseph, She will bear a son, and you shall call his NAME Jesus. But what did that really mean? The Bible begins with these words: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God is not God s name. God is the one that everyone in the world knows deep down is there. When we say God, we re talking about the supreme being, the one who created the world and everything in it. If God is our word for the supreme being, the Hebrews also had their word, Elohim, and the Greeks had theirs, Theos. So, if you re an a-theist, what do you believe? You believe there s no God. If you re a theist, on the other hand, you believe that there is a God. Do you feel how impersonal all of this could be? Can you feel how empty and inadequate it is to just be a theist just to be someone who believes there is a God? What we long to know, and need to know, is who is this supreme being that the Hebrews call Elohim, and the Greeks call Theos, and we call God? Who is He, not just as a supreme being somewhere out there, but as a personal being in relationship with us. In the Bible, this is ultimately the very same thing as asking this simple question, What is God s name? What is the name of that Supreme being, the one who has created the heavens and the earth? You see, IF God has a name, the point can t be to separate Himself from other gods with different names because, after all, He s the only God. So, think about it, why should God have any name at all? For what reason would God ever want to take to Himself a name? There s only one answer; it s so that we might know Him personally. Why would God take to Himself a name? It s so that we might know who He is as a personal being in relationship with us. This is an amazing thing. Have you come to know God by name because He has first of all revealed Himself to us by name? We read in Exodus chapter three: 1

I. Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God [to Elohim], If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? Moses isn t worried about making sure Israel knows which God he s talking about. They already know that. This is the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (3:6) the God who created the world and everything in it. The real question for the Israelites suffering in slavery is this: What does this God have to do with them? Who is God, really? If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? What a staggering question and a wonderful question. II. Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. If we want to truly understand what God is saying, we have to remember just a little bit of grammar. Remember the verbs of being in English? This is the being verb in Hebrew: eh- YEH. In English, we can say, I was (past); I am (present); I will be (future). But in Hebrew, the be verb is only in one form it s always ehyeh. So if we re going to figure out whether the point is past, present, or future ( I was, I am, or I will be ), we have to look at the context. Only, here, there s nothing in the context to help us decide! Which is exactly the point. God cannot be contained by any of the rules of grammar. So apparently, the idea is that we could translate with all the words with every tense all at the same time. I was, and I am, and I will be who I was, and who I am, and who I will be. Say this to the people of Israel [when they ask about my name], I was, and I am, and I will be has sent me to you Does this remind you of what the angels in heaven cry out day and night without ever ceasing? Revelation 4:8 Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! Just like in English, the Greek in Revelation has a different form for each tense. But here in Exodus, the Hebrew doesn t. And so, in the end, it seems best to understand God s ehyeh as a timeless present: I am Say this to the people of Israel, I am has sent me to you. We come face to face with mysteries, here, far too great for us. How big, and how awesome, and how incomprehensible is God! God doesn t depend for His existence on anything or anyone that came before Him. God doesn t depend for His existence on anything or anyone outside of Himself. God Himself is the source of His own existence if that can make any sense to us at all. He is self-existent. And so He simply is from all eternity to all eternity. Our minds begin to swim. He cannot not be because He is God, the self-existent one. But as amazing and awesome as this is, do we dare ask: Is that all? God sums up in one simple word (ehyeh) His whole essence and being all of who He is as God. But are we really any closer to an answer to our question: What is His name? What does this great and awesome God out there who IS have to do with me with us? 2

When we see the be verb, ehyeh, not only is the context supposed to tell us whether it s past, present, or future, but we also need the context to finish the thought. Only, once again, the context doesn t seem to give us anything. I am who? I am what? Is the point here really just that God is? Brothers and sisters, here is a wonderful, beautiful thing. In Exodus, we find the word, ehyeh, only four times. Exodus 3:11 12 Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? He said, But I will be [I am] with you. Exodus 4:12 (cf. 4:15) Now therefore go, and I will be [I am] with your mouth and [will] teach you what you shall speak. In Genesis, we find the word, ehyeh, only two times. And here they are: Genesis 26:3 The LORD appeared to [Isaac] and said Sojourn in this land, and I will be [I am] with you and will bless you... Genesis 31:3 The LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be [I am] with you. In the first six books of the Bible, the only other places where we find the word, ehyeh are once in Deuteronomy and twice in Joshua, where each time God says the same thing to Joshua. Joshua 1:5 (cf. Deut. 31:23; Josh. 3:7) Just as I was with Moses, so I will be [I am] with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. In Judges, we hear God use the word, ehyeh, only one time. Judges 6:16 The LORD said to [Gideon], But I will be [I am] with you In Samuel and Chronicles, God says to David: 2 Samuel 7:9 (cf. 1 Chron. 17:8) I have been [I am] with you wherever you went So far, we see that whenever God uses the word, ehyeh, the point is always the same it s all the fullness of Himself (of the whole being of God) present with us to help, and to bless, and to save. Ehyeh I am. with you. Twelve times in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah we hear God speak these words (or some variation of them): Jeremiah 11:4 (cf. 24:7; 30:22; 31:1; 32:38; Ezek. 11:20; 14:11; 34:24; 36:28; 37:23; Zech. 8:8) So [you shall] be my people, and I will be [I am] YOUR God Are there any other ways that God uses the word ehyeh?!? In 2 Samuel God speaks to David about his son: 2 Samuel 7:14 (cf. 1 Chron. 17:13; 28:6) I will be TO HIM a father 3

Hosea 11:4 (NRSV) I was TO THEM like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them. Hosea 14:5 I will be like the dew TO ISRAEL; he shall blossom like the lily. Zechariah 2:5 I will be TO HER a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory IN HER midst. Can you see it? All throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, God s ehyeh God s I AM is always the promise of Himself to US and for US, His people. It s the promise of all the fullness of HIMSELF, present with us to help, and to bless, and to save. So what about Exodus 3:14 the only place in all of Scripture where God apparently never finishes His sentence? God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. III. Exodus 3:15 God also said to Moses, Say this to the people of Israel, YAHWEH, the 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 thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. With ehyeh (I AM), who s speaking? God is speaking and revealing something about himself. But YAHWEH means HE IS. 1 And so now, who s speaking? Low and behold, we are the ones speaking; we are the ones confessing something about God in response to His revelation to us; we are the ones who have the awesome privilege of saying: Yahweh He is. And so we see that the whole point of this name of God s name revealed to God s people is that it s a name He has gifted to us for us to use. It s a name that He has gifted to us so that by that name we might call on Him and know Him personally the one who is present with us. Listen again to what GOD says: This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. What does it mean for God to be remembered? The point here is to be trusted, and adored, and praised, and worshiped, and obeyed. And so the people who remember God BY THIS NAME are not just any people. They are God s very own, special, chosen people they are the people to whom He has revealed Himself BY NAME. You see, God is God over all the earth, but, brothers and sisters, He is Yahweh only to His people. (cf. Exod. 6:7) When God says, I AM(!), and then turns this into a name by which His special, chosen people can call upon him and know him, what do you think is the point? It s this: Yahweh is all the undiminished fullness of deity (of God) giving Himself to save and to bless his people, and so also to be by them trusted, worshipped, loved, and obeyed. Throughout the Old Testament, all that God was to His people could always be summed up most truly and most beautifully in His name. So we read in the book of Numbers: Numbers 6:22 27 (cf. Exodus 33:19; 34:6-8) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, YAHWEH bless you and keep you; YAHWEH make his face to shine upon you and be 1 Yahweh is almost certainly related to the 3 rd person form of ehyeh. It may even be the 3 rd pers. imperfect form of ehyeh (cf. Fretheim; NIDOTTE) 4

gracious to you; YAHWEH lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them. It was this name that the people of Israel called upon and proclaimed. Isaiah 12:4 Give thanks to YAHWEH, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. It was this name that they feared and obeyed. Deuteronomy 28:58 (Ps. 86:11; 102:15) [Be] careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, YAHWEH your God. It was in this name that they trusted. Psalm 33:21 Our soul waits for YAHWEH our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. It was this name that they praised. Psalm 18:49 I will praise you, O YAHWEH, among the nations, and sing to your name. It was this name that they adored. Psalm 135:3 (NASB) Praise YAHWEH, for YAHWEH is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely. It was before this name that they bowed down and worshiped. Psalm 29:2 (cf. 86:9) Ascribe to YAHWEH the glory due his name; worship YAHWEH in the splendor of holiness. Conclusion When God gifted to His people His name, He was giving to them Himself ALL of Himself(!) as their Savior and Redeemer, their Lawgiver and Judge, their Keeper and Protector, and their great Reward. If that s the case, what happens when we come to the New Testament? Where is this God in the New Testament, coming to us in all the fullness of His being to be with us, and for us, to save us and redeem us, to be our God and to make us His people? When we come to the New Testament, in other words, where is YAHWEH? Do you know the answer? Do we know the answer not just here (in our head), but here (in our heart)? Isn t this what Christmas is all about? Remember the passage we began with this morning: 5

Matthew 1:18 21 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his NAME Jesus, for he himself will save his people from their sins. You shall call His name JESUS. It s no sentimental, mushy gushy name. Not at all. It s not a Greek name, but a Hebrew name, Joshua, just spelled with Greek letters and pronounced in the Greek language. So if you want to know what the name Jesus means that wonderful NAME(!) that we celebrate this Christmas, then we have to understand what the name Joshua means. Joshua; Ya-hoshua; Yahweh saves. There were many Jews in Palestine who were called Jesus. But only of this Jesus, the virgin-born son of Mary, could the angel say: you shall call his NAME Jesus [Yahweh saves], for HE HIMSELF will save his people from their sins. (cf. Ps. 130:7-8) Where is Yahweh in the New Testament? He s the baby in the manger. Here is infinite mystery and infinite joy. He s the young boy asking questions in the temple. He s the man healing in the streets of Capernaum and teaching the people from a boat in the Sea. And he s the one hanging on a cross, suffering and dying in our place and for our sins. And now, he s the one sitting in heaven, victorious over sin and death and reigning over us enthroned at the Father s right hand. In Jesus, we really and truly do have our Immanuel GOD(!) with us. How can it be? When Jesus walked this earth as a flesh and blood human being just like you and me, He said one day to the Jews: John 8:58 Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. Here is infinite mystery but, brothers and sisters, may this also be to you, and to me infinite joy. In Jesus, we have YAHWEH incarnate YAHWEH in the flesh. In Jesus we have all the undiminished fullness of deity (of God) giving Himself to be with us to be our Savior and Redeemer, our Lawgiver and King, our Keeper and Protector, and our great Reward. Therefore, can we also see this Christmas season that Jesus is all the undiminished fullness of deity (of God) GIVING HIMSELF to be wholeheartedly trusted, and loved, and worshiped, and obeyed. We read in Isaiah, chapter 45: Isaiah 45:18, 22 24 Thus says YAHWEH Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me [YAHWEH] every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance. Seven hundred years later, the Apostle Paul quotes from these verses, seeing them fulfilled in Jesus: 6

Philippians 2:9 11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For what reason would God ever want to take to Himself a name? So that you and I might know Him as the one who is with us to save us from all our sin to redeem us for His very own. Have you come to know God by name? Listen to what Jesus said: John 17:6, 26 I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. 7