‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation’ (2)
“He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation’.” (Psalm 89:26)
This prophetic word which was spoken through David testifies about the Messiah and about all who are called the descendants of David - the people of God born in Christ. The subsequent verses confirm this: “Also I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Psalm 89:27-29).
When speaking to David, the Lord was talking about His Son, the Firstborn, the King of kings: “Also I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth…” (Psalm 89:27). He was the first to bring the knowledge and perception of God as a Father to everyone who comes to God through the Blood of Jesus. Before Jesus Christ, the people of God as a whole were called the son of God and the firstborn of God among the nations. However, the spirit did not testify within them that they were to address God as a Father. Such a relationship with God, as that between a father and son, was not had by anyone before the coming of Jesus Christ. Reconciliation and adoption took place in Christ and through Him: “…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…” (Ephesians 1:4,5).
We accept adoption by receiving the Spirit of adoption, which bears witness to our spirit, as Paul explained: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:4-7). So, when one turns to God as to a Father, it is the evidence of the Spirit of Christ in that person. All the Old Testament prophets referred to God as a great power: the Lord, the Most High, the Almighty, Omnipotent, the Lord God, etc. From this knowledge of God, as majestic power and strength, their attitude towards Him was one of reverence. They trembled before His name and His face, they worshiped with honour. It was a deep understanding of His unapproachable holiness and greatness. But when the gift of grace was given to the world through Jesus Christ and God revealed Himself to mankind as a Father, the prayers and attitudes of the people of God were somewhat simplified. But this does not mean that at the arrival of grace and mercy, holiness has been abolished. In Jesus we now have access to the unapproachable God, we have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, and so with that comes an even greater responsibility to keep in holiness our relationship with God and to God. Paul warns about this too. He wrote that if, when approaching the physical mountain, the people and Moses himself stood in fear and trembling, then with how much more reverence should one approach Mount Zion?
“..and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am exceedingly afraid and trembling’.” (Hebrews 12:21), “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven…” (Hebrews 12:25). When drawing His people closer to Himself, God did not abolish the principles of holiness but, on the contrary, deepened the understanding of them. In many, however, the new relationship of adoption slightly weakened the understanding of God's holiness, His absolute greatness, the understanding that He was, is and forever will be the same Master, Almighty, Most High, Holy, I AM. Mankind’s approach towards the Heavenly Father has been simplified. Together with this, there has been an increase of evil on earth, which has manifested in both ethics and morality, distorting the norms of behaviour and attitude towards the older generation, towards authorities and towards parents. The fulfilment of the commandment: “Honour your father and your mother...” (Exodus 20:12) has been so distorted that it is hard to say that it is observed. Consequently, the true understanding of what it means to honour the Heavenly Father has also been distorted which has led to the modern understanding of this commandment: “Honour your father ...” As a result, the approach to witnessing about God and a person’s attitude towards Him is often reduced to an earthly standard. Some, even when preaching, present a downgraded form of the word to the level of fallen man. When doing this, people are not raised up to the level of God's word in order to bring them closer to God's holiness, but instead God is lowered to the level of fallen man, so depriving them of the opportunity to know the holiness of the God Who said: “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2). Some may say that these words are recorded in the Old Testament, it was before Jesus Christ, before grace - now grace does not require such holiness in relationship, God is our Daddy. In response to this, let us turn to the New Testament to see what is written about the holiness of God and about what mankind’s approach to His holiness should be: “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15,16). Jesus was not sent to destroy the commandments, but to fulfil them. They are the law of God and will never change, just as God Himself will not change.
Today, God reaches hearts through the Holy Spirit. Let us consider: it was not just a Spirit of God that was sent to earth, but it was the Holy Spirit. Everyone is called specifically to the holy God, and it is the Holy Spirit who ministers at the services in the churches. If a messenger from God is preaching, then the Holy Spirit through that person preaches about the Holy God. Can the Holy Spirit minister in the place where the holiness of God is degraded? Anyone who departs from reverent worship before God's holiness departs from the truth, because both God is holy and the truth is holy. In that case, the Holy Spirit does not accompany such a ministry. Even if the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue, the Holy Spirit Himself will depart both from such a service and from such a person. For example, the gift of tongues may continue to manifest in a person who has stepped away from worship in holiness, but the prayers in tongues will no longer glorify God, they will instead be used as intercession for the person themselves to return to the truth. This person receives a warning from God, feeling it with their spirit, even without their mind understanding it. An attentive and sincere person, paying attention to the sorrow of their own spirit, will correct their lamp. The reverence and fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, should not leave a person but remain throughout one’s entire life path, regardless of the height to which one has ascended. Moreover, the higher a person rises in the knowledge of the truth, the more one knows the holiness of God and the more reverent one becomes. One who does not stand in awe of God and does not honour holiness has become great in one’s own eyes, but has fallen low in God’s view.
The fear of God is manifested in those who know the truth and draw near to God. It manifests itself in reverence for His Holiness, His Majestic Purity and His Royal Sovereignty. He is God! And He is the Father! When coming to Him, and addressing Him, and speaking about Him, it is necessary to remember this, giving Him all the glory and honour. God teaches this and creates within us reverent hearts, even in earthly situations. He teaches us to honour parental authority, to honour government authorities, to honour older age and, finally, to honour each other.
To honour means one should live honouring those around them with respect, by speaking with honour and acting honourably. Depravity, on the other hand, is a quality of the spirit of disobedience. Depravity creates anarchy, but in God there is order. He who is honourable, he himself is honoured before God. When God gave the commandment to honour one’s father and mother, He highlighted blessings that await the person who fulfils it: “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12). If the Lord teaches us to honour our earthly parents, is it not even more necessary to honour the Heavenly Father - God the Father, who is the King of all kings, the Highest authority of all that exists? If we are the children of such a Father, then we must both live worthy of our calling and speak about our Father with honour and reverence, worthy of His dominion and glory. With honour we must also affirm His authority on earth, as it is in heaven, and not humiliate His worthiness with our negligence, because in doing so we teach those who do not know God. The Lord has brought us freedom, but it is not freedom from the commandments in order not to fulfil them, but freedom from sin and the slavery of the flesh.
One who knows God, having received adoption by the Holy Spirit, honours His holiness and seeks to achieve His holiness in oneself, since God is holy. Both the life and the testimony of God in such a person will call others to the holiness of relationship with God and to reverence before Him. The Holy Spirit in this person will bear witness to a Holy God and a holy relationship with Him.
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and trembling reverence and deep honour in worship is abiding in wisdom. Where this is absent, there is madness, recklessness and complete ignorance of God Himself. Therefore, the Spirit of God testified through David that they will call Him Father, but at the same time the knowledge of Him as God would not be abolished: “He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation’.” (Psalm 89:26).
Pastor Taysa Kotov
279