TEACHING NOTES Introduction Throughout this series we have been learning about some of the other gods mentioned in the Bible. Learning about these other gods can help us to understand why various forms of immorality exists. This study also helps us to avoid worldly behaviors and learn to be faithful to our God. Today, we’re going to learn about YHWH or Yahweh, who is the God of gods. ‌ Psalm 96:4–5 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are demons, but the LORD made the heavens. ‌ The other gods are real spirits created by Yahweh who rebelled, became counterfeit gods, and seek to lead humanity into destruction. ‌ The other gods and what they represent: Ba’al = Unrestrained Immorality Asherah = Gender Confusion Molech = Child Sacrifice Mammon = Materialism/Greed The Satan = Deception/Destruction YHWH = God of the gods ‌ The LORD our God: God = Heb. elohim - spiritual being(s) Most High = Heb. El Elyon - the highest God LORD = Heb. YHWH (Yahweh) - the one who causes to be Holy One = Heb. qadosh - unique, set apart ‌ Yahweh is an elohim (spirit), but no elohim is like Yahweh. ‌ Deuteronomy 10:17–20 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. 19 Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. ‌ God of gods = Heb. elohe ha elohim - God of the gods. Yahweh is a Spirit (elohim), but He is the creator and God of all other spirits. This is why ancient Jews also refer to Yahweh as the Lord of spirits. ‌ Lord of lords = Heb. adoni ha adonim - Lord of the lords or Ruler of rulers or King of kings. In the ancient world, human kings believed they were inhabited by their gods and were descendants of their gods. In other words, human kings believed they were gods. But Yahweh is clear that He is Lord and all other lords submit to Him. ‌ Who is not partial = Heb. lo yissa panim - God shows no partiality to the powerful or those who the world gives honor. God deals with humans according to their actions, no matter who they are. ‌ Takes no bribe = Heb. yiqqah lo shohad - Pagans gave sacrifices and offerings to their gods in hopes that the gods would give them what they desired or at least to appease the anger of the gods. In paganism, the gods were always annoyed with humans, so offerings were made to keep the gods happy. Unlike the other gods, our God cannot be manipulated by gifts or offerings. Rather than giving offerings as a bribe, we give offerings as an expression of gratitude for Yahweh’s goodness to us. ‌ For the fatherless and the widow = The other gods favored the rulers and kings of humanity. Our God loves those who are lowly and unloved by others. God loves and works for the good of orphans and widows. This is why James says in James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” ‌ Loves the sojourner = Heb. oheb ger - loves the stranger or foreigner. This phrase is clearly connected to Israel’s time in Egypt as slaves (Deut. 10:19). The idea that a god would be god of slaves was shameful and ridiculous to the ancient world. This is why Pharaoh doesn’t respect Moses’ God, because Pharaoh considers a God of slaves to have no power. ‌ Fear the LORD your God = Heb. tira et YHWH ka elohe - In the Bible, fear and honor are connected and synonomous. We honor God and fear what He can do if we dishonor Him. ‌ Serve him, hold fast to him = Heb. abod hu dabaq - serve/worship him and cling/be faithful to him. In the Bible, the word for worship and the word for serve is the same word (abod). Serving God in obedience is how we “hold fast” or be faithful to Him. ‌ By his name you shall swear = Heb. bi hu shem tish shabe - It was common in the ancient world to swear by the name of one’s god to show which god you worshiped. Swearing an oath by the name of Yahweh was an expression of loyalty to Yahweh as your God. ‌ Exodus 34:6–7 6 The LORD passed before Moses and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers and the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” ‌ Merciful = Heb. rahum - compassionate, sympathetic. ‌ Gracious = Heb. hannun - kind, merciful, favorable to the repentant. ‌ Slow to anger = Heb. erek appayim - Literally “long of nose” which is an ancient figure of speech meaning “slow to become angry.” ‌ Abounding = Heb. rab - numerous, rich, very great. ‌ Steadfast love = Heb. hesed - faithful goodness, loyal love, gracious. ‌ Faithfulness = Heb. emet - trustworthy, constant, truthful. ‌ New Testament Connection: The phrase “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” can also be translated “full of grace and truth” which is the exact phrase John uses of Jesus in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” ‌ Forgiving = Heb. nasa - to carry, lift up, carry away. This word is important for correctly understanding biblical forgiveness. When God forgives, He takes away or carries away our sins. ‌ Iniquity, transgression, sin = Heb. avon, pesha, hattah - Iniquity (avon) is premeditated evil. Transgression (pesha) is a relational violation or trespass. Sin (hattah) is missing the target. ‌ Will not clear the guilty = Heb. lo naqqeh yenaqqeh - God will not let the guilty go free without consequences. The guilty here refers to those who are unrepentant. The repentant are forgiven, but the unrepentant are choosing sin and destruction that effects others. A good God judges evil in order to protect those who are trying to do good. ‌ Visiting iniquity = Heb. poqed avon - inspect, look closely at iniquity. This last line “visiting the iniquity of the fathers and the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” is often thought to be teaching the concept of generational curses. This is completely false and ignored the preceeding context. God is saying that He will be active and present in every generation in the ways He has already described. He will be the same merciful, gracious, patient, loving, faithful, forgiving, and just God to every generation. ‌ Hebrews 1:1–2 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ‌ Long ago, God spoke by the prophets = Before Jesus came, God spoke through the prophets. God spoke through those prophets “at many times and in many ways” as we see throughout the Old Testament. ‌ In these last days = Notice that this author (likely Paul) believes that he is already in the “last days” back in the first century AD. The apostles believed that the coming of the Messiah, along with His death and resurrection, had begun the last age of time. We have been in the last days since the resurrection of Jesus. The next age or “the age to come” is the new creation. ‌ He has spoken by his Son = The major prophet of the Old Testament was Moses and the old covenant was given through Moses. But now a new Moses has come and delivered the new covenant. God has spoken directly to us through His own Son. ‌ Whom he appointed heir of all things = That the Messiah and Son of God would inherit all things was prophesied in Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” This is why Jesus is called “the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15). Jesus even stated this in Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” ‌ Through whom he created the world = John says the Word of God is the one who made all things in John 1:1–3 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” ‌ Hebrews 1:3–4 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ‌ Radiance of the glory of God = Glory (Grk. doxa) refers to splendor, brightness, or radiance. Jesus is the glory of God in human form. Just as the Israelites followed the pillar of fire (the glory of God), we follow Jesus as the glory of God. ‌ Exact imprint of his nature = Grk. charakter - exact representation. Jesus is the exact representation of Yahweh God the Father. This means that all of the character traits listed in Ex. 34:6-7 (see notes above) are displayed in the life, teaching, actions, death, and resurrection of Christ. If you want to know what the characteristics of God look like, you need to look at Jesus. Jesus not only displays the character of God, He also displays the meaning and practical application of those characteristics. ‌ Upholds the universe by the word = Not only was the universe created by the Word, He also “upholds” (Grk. pheron - bring, carry) the universe. Paul says the same in Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” ‌ Purification for sins = Purification for sins is the purpose of the cross. Jesus sacrificed Himself as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice to the Father. Why? So that humanity, the earth, and heaven could be purified. Why do we need to be purified? Because God wants to live in us. Why does the earth need to be purified? Because God wants to fill the earth with His presence (Rev. 21:22-27; 22:3-5). Why did heaven need to be purified? Because there had been rebellion in heaven among the heavenly hosts (Rev. 12). ‌ Sat down at the right hand = In the ancient world, the one who is seated is the one in authority. For example, a king sits on his throne while everyone else in the room stands. A king would only stand to welcome someone. Jesus as the King of kings is seated at the Father’s right hand on the throne. Jesus stands to welcome and announce saints on their arrival in heaven (Acts 7:55-56; Heb. 2:11-12). ‌ Superior to angels = In the New Testament, “angels” is often used as a general term for the heavenly hosts or spiritual beings, much like elohim in the Old Testament is a general term for spiritual beings. Therefore, to be superior to angels is to be God over all gods. ‌ The name he inherited = “The name” refers to Yahweh, the one who causes all things to be. Jesus’ name also includes the name Yahweh as Yeshua means “Yahweh saves” or “salvation of Yahweh.” ‌ The other gods deceive us into immorality for our own self-destruction so we will be separated from God forever. ‌ Our God loves us and wants to be gracious, merciful, patient, loving, kind, forgiving, faithful, and good to us so we can live with Him forever. ‌ How to Respond Prayer: Ask God to reveal what needs to change. Repentance: Agree with God and repent of sin. Worship: Thank God for what He is doing in you. Communion: Take Christ in and renew faithfulness.