The Almighty God who cannot be superseded by anybody or anything creates his masterpiece in the universe including all the galaxies, all existing beings, the earth, and all that is found on the earth. God rules with absolute power or He cannot be the Most High God. He also loves his masterpiece by protecting, directing, and correcting it. His masterpiece includes all of mankind, the crown of his creation on earth.
Such an awesome, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present God, whose love for his masterpiece cannot be surpassed by anybody or anything, chooses to reveal himself to mankind. His absolute power and his love for his creation leads to a revelation of his nature and expectations for creation, especially mankind. This revelation is complete. First as it was documented in contemporary events, which are now in the past or historical, and second in actions. His revelation is complete in words and actions.
His revelation could also be considered as first by the testimony of others who recognized supernatural intervention in the affairs of mankind, and second by the personal interaction with mankind. First, God intervened in the events of mankind and gave to man the insight to recognize that indeed these events, these words, were from the Almighty God. Second, He identified Himself as a man and walked among mankind on earth both living and teaching the revelation of Himself. What more could He do?
His first revelation of Himself shows the connectedness between the Most High God, the Creator, and His creation, especially mankind. Mankind is not on an ego trip by considering himself to be superior to the rest of creation. In practice it is obvious who is highest ranked of creation. Mankind exercises his power and influence upon the rest of creation both animate and inanimate. However, mankind’s supremacy stops with that which was created on earth. Mankind explores and seeks knowledge of creation beyond the earth, but exercises no dominion over it. First, the Most High God reveals his relationship to all that He created. This revelation comes after the fact, is historical, and must somehow be accurately given to mankind. Therefore, it is preserved in words.
The Almighty God intervenes in the affairs of mankind. Somehow He must protect, direct, and correct that which He loves. Involvement, intervention is the only way. The Most High God cannot affect mankind by is love an other way. Here again, the presence of a rebellious super power comes into play. Satan must be thwarted. His rebellious influence requires God to protect, to direct, and to correct the affairs of mankind. To neglect Satan’s destructive influence in the universe would allow Satan to be supreme. If Satan could destroy all of God’s creation, he could claim, at least, equality with the Most High God. The Almighty God cannot allow Satan to go unrestricted. (If evil was not, could there be love?)
The intervention of Almighty God in the affairs of mankind could be recognized as such by mankind or revealed as such by God to man so that a permanent record could be made of it. Either the record is the testimony of what mankind witnessed or the revelation by God recorded by man. Both ways attests to the Most High God’s intervention. However, if it is the mere testimony of man, there could be no assured accuracy. Man can lie. Man can create fabulous stories based on deceit. On the other hand, Almighty God cannot allow Himself to negate any part of His authority nor put it in doubt. Such would contradict his absolute rule. Therefore, Almighty God cannot lie. If the intervention is revealed by God and given to man to be recorded, it is completely trustworthy.
The Almighty, Most High God disclosed his nature by intervening in the affairs of man as witnessed by others and as recorded with words. He also revealed Himself by actions as He identified with mankind. In both cases, the written word records these past events. ( As such, there is no way of comprehending an event without using words to describe it after the fact. Can there be a thought without words?)
Words and occasional interventions help mankind understand the nature of Almighty God. Mankind knows in part what God is like although he will never fully comprehend God’s nature. For mankind to better grasp what the Almighty God is like, God can come and live among mankind under the conditions faced by them and still live a life totally conforming to God’s absolute rule and love for his creation. He needs to totally identify with mankind and yet remain true to himself. How would Almighty God deal with the issues and temptations faced by mankind? Consequently, God sends a part of himself to dwell among mankind and to be tempted and tried as a human. This is the action phase of His revelation or it may be called the personal phase. It is when God himself becomes personally involved with mankind on earth and actually becomes a human being.
He identifies with mankind from the womb to the tomb walking his talk daily. He is born in such a manner as not to inherit the spiritual DNA of rebellion. He must remain true to himself although he lives on earth with mankind. His absolute rule cannot allow him to inherit a rebellious spirit. His life will be perfectly in tune with Almighty God to the extent that it is even synonymous with the Most High God. At the same time, he will fully experience the joys and woes of life on earth among mankind without yielding to the spirit of rebellion which dominates creation on earth. This is a personal, total involvement, of the Almighty God to reveal himself more fully to mankind.
It goes beyond that. The Most High God, the Almighty protects, directs, and corrects his creation as an expression of His love. He protects and directs through revealing his laws and expectations. But mankind born with the spiritual DNA of rebellion resists Almighty God’s expressions of love. The law by which God rules, the standards of His expectations, must be satisfied. They cannot be ignored thereby scorning God. The rebellious spirit must be overcome with a spirit of honor and respect willingly complying to God’s rule. Thus, man would be able to be corrected. But, the consequences of mankind’s rebellion must be experienced. All that mankind can do, or might cannot erase the consequences of one lie. Sacrifices, good deeds, sorrow, apologies, torture, etc. do not erase the results of one lie. Mankind is incapable, in spite of his knowledge of the lie, to walk correctly in the eyes of Almighty God.
God’s love demands restoration of his connection with mankind. Although he protects mankind by revealing the boundaries of acceptable living; although he directs mankind by showing mankind what is pleasing to himself; He cannot correct man until the price is paid for mankind’s rebellion. Since mankind is unable to do this, the Almighty God must pay the price himself.
God’s chief characteristic is love for his creation. He becomes personally identified with mankind while he is living on earth yet he remains true to his nature. There is no spirit of rebellion in him. He is perfect. On the other hand, mankind’s rebellious nature is rewarded with physical death. The Almighty God, while identifying with mankind, will overcome death. He will die like all mankind must. But, true to his nature he cannot be overcome by death. If death can hold Almighty God lifeless in the grave, then death is the most high. Almighty God will accept the penalty of mankind’s spirit of rebellion, that is death, and overcome it with life that cannot be destroyed. (In whose power then, is death, the Almighty God’s or Satan’s? Once again, the Almighty, Most High God cannot be if anybody or anything is greater than He. Death was created by Almighty God as the punishment for the spirit of rebellion.)
The second part of Almighty God revealing himself to his creation, especially to mankind, is more than words, more than occasional interventions. It is personal action totally identifying Himself with mankind while remaining true to Himself. Would it be unlike Almighty God to reveal Himself one more time by personal intervention in the affairs of mankind in such a manner that the whole world will witness his absolute rule and love? Will the spirit of rebellion continue to dominate mankind?
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And Joe fell on his knees and worshiped the Supreme God.
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