KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES – Lesson Fourteen
KNOWING THE GOD OF MIRACLES AS THE FATHER OF LIGHTS:
James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The Father of the heavenly lights – Genesis 1:3-5, 14-18 – 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16God made two great lights–the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.
V.3 – And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. New Testament parallel: 2 Corinthians 4:6 – For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Note what the FATHER OF LIGHTS said to Job on the subject of light: Job 38:12-15, 19-20, 31-33 – 12“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, 13that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? 14The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. 15The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.
[(NLT) 12“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? 13Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? 14As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors. 15The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.]
19“What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? 20Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
31“Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? 32Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? 33Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up [God’s] dominion over the earth?
The GOD OF MIRACLES is not only the FATHER OF LIGHTS; He is LIGHT, as was manifested by the Shekinah (the supernatural light or cloud which appeared to the Israelites):
Exodus 40:34-38 – 34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out–until the day it lifted. 38So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.
V.34 – The cloud – (AMP) Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle!
The glory of the LORD – (GNT) Then the cloud covered the Tent and the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence filled it. [Compare Matthew 17:1-9 – 1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”]
Leviticus 16:2 – The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
The Amplified Bible notes: “Since the priests have been warned by the death of Nadab and Abihu to approach God with reverence and godly fear, directions are here given how the nearest approach might be made … Within the veil none must ever come but the high priest only, and he but one day in the year. But see what a blessed change is made by the Gospel of Christ; all good Christians now have boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies, through the veil, every day (Heb. 10:19, 20); and we now come boldly (not as Aaron must, with fear and trembling) to the throne of grace, or mercy seat (Heb. 4:16) … Now therefore we are welcome to come at all times into the Holy Place “not made with hands.” In the past Aaron could not come near “at all times,” lest he die; we now must come near “at all times,” that we may live. It is [keeping our] distance only that is our death (Matthew Henry, A Commentary).”
1 Kings 8:10-11 – 10When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. [Compare Acts 2:1-4 – 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.]
Note: Psalm 104:1-2 – 1Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent
1 Timothy 6:16 – who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
Who lives in unapproachable light – Paul had personal experience of this: Acts 26:13 – About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
The GOD OF MIRACLES is LIGHT, as was manifested by Jesus: John 9:5 – While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Colossians 1:15-16 – 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Benefits to the children of the FATHER OF LIGHTS: Matthew 5:14-16 – 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Note Ephesians 5:13-14 – 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
For it is light that makes everything visible – NIV (2) – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
James 1:17-18 – 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Application: [What, then, shall we say in response to this? (Romans 8:31a)] – Colossians 1:12-14 – 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.