Day 1: Greater Works (Part 4)

Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is

designed to uplift and strengthen you in your

walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until

the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. From the scriptures we've studied so

far, we have sufficient evidence to conclude

that the works that Jesus did were contained

from the scriptures, that is, from the Old Testament

scriptures. And the apostles also did exactly

what Jesus did. The context of their ministry,

the things they did, the things they taught,

were from the Old Testament scriptures. So we're

trying to examine the writings of the prophets,

And we asked, we said, do the New Testament writers

ask the same questions that we are trying to

answer today? And we were able to establish some

certain things that, you know, they had a context

to what they were writing, right? They had a

context to what they are writing. We say that

one of the challenges we face today is our desire

to answer today's questions. using the writings

in the New Testament. But we must be careful

not to move into error because in our bid to

apply these scriptures, we tend to negate or

forget the context and the questions that these

writers were trying to answer. So it is necessary

for us to rightly interpret the scriptures in

their context so that in our application we can

rightly apply the word of God. Hallelujah. So

as men that God has called to continue the work

of the Apostles, we are obligated by virtue of,

you know, the ministry we've received that is

of the Lord to rightly divide the word of truth

so that we would not teach what is an error.

So one of the most important principles we've

established that in biblical interpretation of

the New Testament particularly we must consider

or We must allow the New Testament writers to

answer the questions they were actually addressing,

rather than forcing our own ideas into what they

were writing. So we say that every episode was

written to real audience with a specific historical

context and to address a particular issue facing

the early church. So our responsibility is to

first understand their questions. What are they

trying to answer? What was the situation? For

example, now if you read the context of the Corinthian

church, there were several things that were happening

in that church. So the epistles were written

specifically to address some of the horrendous

practices in that church. And even though that

church is a church of Jesus Christ, even that

church had a sense of God, but there were some

malpractices happening in the conduct of the

believers. So we see how Paul will write to correct

some of those things happening in that particular

church. We say that the things that were written

were written not to us, but for us. That from

them we will learn we can edify ourselves from

what we were written, but we must understand

the context of things that were written. And

also, you know, we talk about some things that

the writers of the New Testament, We're not focusing

on, we talk about the issue of women ministry,

which we didn't go into details. The issue of

salvation, which we say that the New Testament

writers, you know, did not actually, their intent

was not to address the issue of whether people

can lose salvation or not, because in our careful

study of the New Testament scriptures, we will

realize that there is an assumption that salvation

is eternal. And there is no any hint of whether,

the believer is losing salvation or not but does

that mean that we can answer those questions

from scriptures when we look at the whole context

of gospel we can answer those questions hallelujah

so but then we must appropriate scriptures in

the context to which they were given so that

we will remain within the authority to which

the scriptures has been given so one of the things

that was assumed in scripture was marriage Hallelujah.

When I mean marriage, I mean marriage practices

in the epistles, right? Marriage practices. For

example now, in the New Testament, consistently

assume the reality of marriage between a man

and a woman. Are we together? But gives very

little information about how marriage ceremonies

were conducted. You know, for example, the scripture

never tells us how Priscilla and Aquila were

married. They didn't tell us the pastor that

joined them together, but we know that they were

a couple who were married and they were serving

the Lord. Hallelujah. So if you're going to the

Bible to answer whether it's a church marriage

you want to do, or it's a court wedding you want

to do, or it's a traditional whatever it is,

the Bible is not there to answer such kind of

questions because it was not written in that

way, to answer such questions. But does that

mean that we will not be able to address such

kind of issues? within the scriptures. Yes, we

can address such issues, but we must be able

to look at God's Word in a totality in order

to arrive at a conclusion concerning issues that

face us today, because contemporary questions

must be answered within the authority of God's

Word of the entire scriptures. So likewise, as

we said, the New Testament never prescribed a

church within Or exchange of rings or anything,

but we know that customary we see this and happen

and we've mistaken to adopt those things as scriptural

They may not necessarily be scripture, but they

are practices that may not in themselves be sinful

right so The text cannot legitimately answer

a question. It was never intended to address

Faithful interpretation begins by asking what

question was the Bible offers answering? What

question we do answer only after understanding

the original context should we apply its timeless

principles? To the contemporary issues we face

in our lives today So Paul will tell Timothy

once again in second Timothy 2 verse 15 be diligent

2 Timothy 2:15

to present yourself a proof of God Rightly handling

the word of truth. So likewise, Jesus Christ

will see He himself modeled this method by rightly

interpreting the word of truth for us. Hallelujah.

So what are the questions we are facing today?

Today we are faced with diverse questions today.

In our contemporary world today, we are faced

with issues the New Testament writers did not

address directly. All right? such as, as I've

mentioned earlier in my example, the idea of

transgenderism, whatever it is, was never a matter

of discourse in scriptures. Issues of abortion

was not a topic of discussion in the scriptures.

So how do we answer such kind of questions? Issues

about surrogacy, issues about capitalism, issues

about democracy, was not the questions that were

answered or asked in scriptures. Issues concerning

socialism, communism, in fact, even slavery and

colonialism were not, you know, the issues that

the Bible writers were attempting to answer,

whether it is good or it is bad. That was not

their intention. You know, sometimes we'll face

people that will come to us with very confrontational

issues and questions. they will tell you that

the bible is encouraging colonialism or is encouraging

slavery the bible is written to enslave people

is written to control slaves but when you look

critically contextually the scriptures were not

written with the intent of executing these kind

of you know practices so we cannot appropriate

source interpretation to scriptures because that

was never the intent of the writers from the

beginning So we must be able to know the truth

about the world's work understand the purpose

for these scriptures understand the reason or

the inspirations of those scriptures the questions

that they were answering at that moment in order

for us to address the contemporary issues we

are facing with today hallelujah and in the process

of addressing our contemporary questions today

we must uphold the entirety of scripture in that

attempt to answer that from Genesis to revelation

because when we pick a passage it will not be

adequate because the word of God is the entirety

of the word that enables us to look at we can

look at God's plan in entirety and they will

be able to give answers to every issue so the

Bible writers never wrote about online church

because they will not even understand what is

online church I believe that when Paul was saying

never neglect the the gathering of the brethren

he was very specific And he didn't say that that

garden of rebellion can be online. All right?

But we cannot even condemn online church from

reading the epistles. But from the entire council

of gods, we will know the plan of God. And when

we read the entire council of God, we will know

that church actually cannot be online. Because

there are some certain things we can see with

evidence of the entire scriptures that indeed

will not benefit powerfully and well from what?

From that kind of process. or system. So the

entertainment -driven worship of today were not

some of the things that were exposed in scriptures

or attempted to explain to us. Feminism, you

know, is one of the issues that today we are

faced every day. I confronted someone that is

very close to us from this church, the person

I've left. The person wrote a whole lot of things

about the issue of feminism, the issue of patriarchy,

something, something. And I have to take the

person back to the plan of God to see what is

God's original intention for creating man and

woman. So when we navigated through the plan

of God, I will look at the whole council of God

concerning these issues, the person realized

that the scriptures, well not properly interpreted,

will allude what it has never been intended to

say. Hallelujah. So outside Christ, outside the

plan and the purpose of God, the scripture can

mean anything. But that is not the intent of

it. That's not the intention of the scriptures.

So we must understand how to rightly handle this

Bible. This scriptures has been given to us as

a guide to the exercising of the authority that

we have to do greater works. So I said, yes,

are the scriptures, especially the New Testament,

sufficient to answer our contemporary questions,

the scriptures and the New Testament? The answer

is yes. The scriptures meaning the entirety of

God's word is sufficient enough. The New Testament

may not address these issues directly, but it

provides the biblical principle and the interpretative

framework for us in order to answer some of these

questions. So we answer today's questions not

by forcing modern issues into the Bible, but

by understanding how the Bible authors address

the issues of their day. And then we faithfully

apply those same God -inspired principle. to

our contemporary challenges that we face today.

Hallelujah. So I want us to look at an issue

that was raised during Jesus' time. Then we will

just follow a little bit of his pattern. Then

we will have a clue of how we can address some

of the issues that we face today. For example

now, when Jesus Christ was confronted with the

question of divorce, when Jesus was confronted

with the controversial issue of divorce in his

time, it was controversial. He did not begin

with contemporary opinions of cultural practices.

All right? He didn't begin to tell them, oh,

you know, in the case of so and so and so, this

was what happened. No. He went straight to the

scriptures. He returned to God's original design

revealed in the scriptures. Hallelujah. Now,

let's go back to the text we read in Matthew

19 verse three to nine and see an examine and

see a model on how we can address even the question

that we face today. Okay? Matthew 19 verse 3,

Matthew 19:3

Matthew chapter 19 verse 3. The Pharisees also

Matthew 19:3

came to Jesus, to him, testing him, and saying

to him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his

wife for just any reason? For just any reason?

And he answered and said to them, have you not

read that he who made them at the beginning,

made them male and female? And said, For this

reason a man shall leave his father and mother

and be joined to his wife and a two shall become

one flesh So then they are no longer two but

one flesh therefore what God has joined together

Let no man what let no one separate verse 7 they

say to you why then did Moses Command to give

a certificate of divorce and to put our way He

said to the Moses because of the hardness of

your heart Because of your hardness because of

your hardness of heart permitted you to divorce

your wives but from the beginning It was not

so from the beginning girls never intended for

divorce In fact, we'll read some scriptures in

the Old Testament. We'll see where Jesus the

Bible is written that you know, he had got he

had divorce, right? Yes, he hates divorce. I

think I've forgotten the text. Yeah Malachi,

right? So if God was a head divorce, then why

would Moses give a certificate of divorcement?

So and he said to them Whoever divorces his wife

except for sexual immorality and marries another

commits adultery and whoever marries her who

is divorced commit adultery so The Pharisee acts

in verse 3 is it lawful is it lawful that a man

divorces his wife for any reason So Jesus answered

by taking them back to Genesis, all right? Back

to Genesis, not to the current debate, but he

went back to the original plan of God, the intention

of God, the counsel of God from the beginning.

And what is the counsel of God? He said to them,

have you not read that he, that is God, who created

them from the beginning, make them male and female.

Therefore, what God has joined together let no

man separate. So when they appeal Moses's permission

of divorcement in Deuteronomy 24 verse 1 to 4,

Deuteronomy 24:1–4

Jesus clarified, they get clarity to what happened.

Hallelujah. So we as well are to give clarity

to questions that will arise from some of the

things we see in scriptures. Someone has once

asked the question that why is it that, you know,

why is the Bible so bloody? That will see a scripture

where God will give them command to go and wipe

a generation. Why is the Bible so genocidal?

And I asked him a question. I said even did in

the scriptures the children of Israel went and

they wiped a generation completely. Let's say

for example now which tribe was always they have

always fighting? The Amalekite, right? First

instance, they said and you hear the report that

they He saw the entire Amalekite and none was

left. And after 203 -05 he heard that the Amalekite

came and overcome. Where did the Amalekite come

from? Even did they were erased from the face

of the earth. How comes we see after 203 kings,

in fact the Amalekite will still be coming to

fight them. So it doesn't mean that they were

not really erased. Yes, you must understand biblical

language. When you write reports about war, especially

in their time, in their context, right? For example,

Nani, if I say Arsenal demolish Man U, five goals

to zero, we kill them completely. We ensure that

none of them was alive in the game. Am I literally

saying that we kill the entire players on the

pitch? No. But you must understand that it's

a way of communicating our victory of demolishing

them. He's laughing. Hallelujah. So you must

understand the way the scripture is written,

the way they narrate these issues in scriptures.

They're not saying that they're erased because

we see them several times. In many, many years

we'll see their existence on the face of the

earth, hallelujah. So we must be able to understand

scriptures properly, contextually, understand

the background and the context, the historical

context, the cultural context of those people.

in order for us to arrive at a better understanding

of scriptures. So we see Jesus Christ giving

clarity to an issue, right? It says, Moses permitted

you to divorce your wives, verse eight, because

your hearts were hard, but it was not this way

from the beginning. So let's notice Jesus' method.

He acknowledged the present question. Did he

dismiss the question? He acknowledged the question

that they were asking. And then he returned to

scriptures. Where did he return to? He went back

to the scriptures. He distinguished between God's

original intention and the temporary concession

made because of human sin, because of human inability.

Hallelujah. So we see the techniques he used.

He interpreted the alt -estimate in the light

of God's redemptive purpose. He interpreted that

question or he interpreted that scripture in

the light of God's redemptive purpose. Therefore

giving clarity to God's plan and God's purpose.

Why did God give, why did Moses give him the

permission to divorce? It's because of their

stubbornness. Because some of them as passers

-by told us that if we allow them with the wife

they may even do domestic violence will be so

high. Because those who were so stubborn that

they can do anything. Somebody can just walk

up and say he does not like his wife and he will

divorce her. At least he should let her go alive

to her parents house, it's better. All right,

so because of the wickedness that is in the heart

of men, Moses permitted, so but in the beginning

that was not God's intention. In the redemptive

plan of God, That was not the intention, because

the idea of marriage was to communicate God's

eternal purpose. And in God's communication of

his eternal purpose, there is no idea of separation.

In God's idea, there is no separation. So Moses'

permission for divorce was not God's ideal. It

was a concession because of Israel's hardness

of heart. God's original design for marriage

established in creation remain his true intention.

So the framework for today's issue is that from

this issue, the way Jesus handled this matter,

it provides us a biblical framework for addressing

every contemporary issues. We must begin from

God's original purpose as revealed in the scriptures.

Hallelujah. That must be the genesis of every

question that we have that pertains to scriptures.

To distinguish between God's eternal design and

what is seen in a falling world. And then we

apply the timeless principle of scripture faithfully

to our modern questions. What are the issues

about abortion? For example now, is it right

for you to do abortion? And we have to go to

scriptures. Because when you go to the epistles,

you will not see, they don't even have an idea.

It will be strange to them to think that somebody

will be pregnant and go to a physician and say,

I want to remove the etes. That will be the highest

level of witchcraft in their time. They will

not understand it. But today, it has been coined

at women's rights in our contemporary world.

It has been coined as a fundamental human right.

The right to eliminate another person's right

is a fundamental right in today's world. But

when we go to scriptures, we discover that we

look at what is God's intention for creating

a life. Life is safe. Do you have dominion over

another life as a man or as a woman? Do you have

authority over the existence of another person?

Then we will begin to come along and we'll see

in God's eternal plan. questions about gender,

about sexuality, about biotech, biotech, technology,

economics, worship, or any contemporary challenge,

the task of a biblical teacher is to ask, what

is God's original intention from the beginning?

What is God's counsel? What is God's intention

right from the beginning of the creation of the

world and humanity? Okay? How did the biblical

authors address issues in their context? If the

issues were addressed specifically in scriptures,

we have to look at contextually, how did they

address these matters? What timeless theological

principle can emerge from the text that will

express the scriptures? And then how we should

faithfully apply those things today. So the Bible

remains sufficient for every generation. The

Bible remains sufficient for every generation.

In fact, the truth of scripture is eternal. The

truth of scripture is eternal. No matter the

level of advancement in technology, the eternal

truth of the scriptures cannot be outdated. The

principle enshrined in the entire council of

God's word are eternal principles. So, Our responsibility

is to make the scripture fit our culture, all

right? To ensure that the scripture is our culture.

Right, I said our responsibility is not to make

the scripture fit our culture, but to understand

God's revealed will, okay? His revealed will

will be found within the pages of the scriptures,

the entirety of the council of God's word. So

our duty is to find and to understand his revealed

in the scriptures and apply its enduring principle

to the questions of our time today. So this is

the interpretation framework that we can see

from, we can believe there are several instances

in scriptures where Jesus Christ was confronted

with issues and then in answering those issues

he has to go back from the beginning and even

the apostles sometimes when they are faced with

issues they have to go back from the genesis

of the creation of mankind. And then through

scriptures, they are able to skim through scriptures

and show a straight line around, you know, the

things that God has as a plan and a purpose for

humanity, thereby reaching a conclusion concerning,

you know, the issues that affect their time.

So therefore, we must study the scriptures carefully.

We must study the scriptures carefully and then

rightly interpret God's Word to understand his

whole counsel, his original intention, especially

when it comes to creation and his redemptive

purpose. Only then we can faithfully apply his

word. We can fulfill the work of ministry and

also work in the greater works to which Jesus

Christ has called us to do. So we have a big

obligation. Now, what is our duty? Our duty is

to go back to the Word of God, the entirety of

the Word of God, and not treat some above others,

but uphold the entirety of God's Word in order

to arrive at the understanding of God's plan

for us. So we've looked at the essence of the

synoptic gospels in our bid to look at the context

of what Jesus did, the works Jesus did. We've

looked at the reason or the importance of the

epistles. What were the epistles for? Now, what

about the Old Testament scriptures, the Old Testament

scriptures? Since we've emphasized that they

are crucial, right, for the works that we do,

then it becomes necessary for us to understand,

even though we may not... Go through the entirety

of it, but it's important for us to understand

the basic foundational truth that we found in

scriptures. The moment you open the scriptures,

what is the first thing you see about God? The

first thing we will see about God is creation.

Hallelujah. So the common misconception, or the

view of the Old Testament. When I say the Old

Testament, understand what we are saying. Genesis

to Malachi. is that it is merely a collection

of prophecies pointing to the New Testament.

If we just look at it as just prophecies, there

are prophecies pointing to the New, actually,

to Jesus Christ and his fulfillment and all that

will happen. There are prophecies. But when we

just look at it as only prophecies pointing to

the New, then we will not be honest or we will

not be fair to the characters that are found

in those Old Testament scriptures. because they

had a dealing with God. They had experiences

with God. They had a relationship with God. Are

we now saying that all that happened in their

time was pointing to what is new? That they never

had an understanding of what they were doing

until when the New Testament writers arrived,

they now told us, or they explained to us what

happened in the Old Testament? Then we will be

in that dangerous position to assume that, you

know, God was not really honest with some of

the things we see we deal with in the alt -estement.

So, we must understand that why the alt -estement

certainly anticipates Christ. It first served

as God's revelation to its original audience,

okay? We must understand that the alt -estement

scriptures first and foremost served as God's

revelation to its original audience. and must

be understood within its own historical and literary

context. All right? Removing the context of any

biblical passage will mean that we remove the

message of it. Amen? So I don't want to go into

my pastor's handouts to go into his notes. Yeah.

So the Autism Enlays the Theological Foundation

for God's Identity Plan. All right? Whatever

God will do or whatever God has done, the foundation

of it, the intention and the foundation of everything

was laid right from the beginning. Among its

most important themes is what we call the creation

theology. As we've seen from Genesis chapter

Genesis 1:1

1 verse 1, we will see the story of creation.

All right? The story of creation. And of course,

we'll see the concept of sin in Genesis 3. Both

of which are essential for understanding the

rest of scripture if we don't establish an understanding

of what is creation Genesis 1 and we don't establish

an understanding of the scene that happened in

Genesis 3 then it becomes difficult for us to

navigate through the entire scriptures and Find

a better understanding of the character of God

and what God is doing If our understanding of

creation is wrong, our understanding of seeing

how Adam failed is wrong, then I don't think

we'll be able to know God's will and God's plan.

Hallelujah. So what I'm going to be attempting

to do is to maybe pick one of the teams and then

discuss and then we will interpret it together

and then see how it goes. So these foundational

teams are further developed through doctrinal

messages or themes that we will see. We'll see

salvation, walk of the Spirit, and then the Church,

and many, many other things that will come up

later. So a proper understanding of this will

enable us to know the purpose of God. Hallelujah.

So now let's go to Genesis chapter one and try

to walk through gently in the next few minutes

that we have. Wherever we stop, we'll just stop

there. Okay? Now, let's look at Genesis chapter

one, especially from verse one. It says, in the

beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.

All right? Now, let me say this. If we don't

understand this first verse of scripture, then

understanding the will and the purpose of God

will be difficult for us. So this is what has

been termed as creation theology. Creation theology.

So this creation theology is a foundational theme

of biblical theology. and the starting point

of understanding the message of the entire Bible.

All right? In case you are writing this already,

you can just write the creation theology. It

is the starting point of understanding the message

of the entire Bible. The first two chapters of

Genesis provides the theological framework upon

which every major biblical doctrine, salvation,

including salvation is built. So without a proper

understanding of creation, we cannot understand

the rest of scripture. The key biblical concepts

such as heaven and earth, humanity, God's purpose,

and his relationship with creation are the first

thing we can see with the moment we open the

Bible in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. And they serve

to us as the foundation for the narrative we

see in Soskem passages of scripture. So to interpret

Genesis 1 and 2 correctly, we must first ask

the same question that his original audience

will have asked, okay? For us to understand Genesis,

then it becomes necessary that we today should

ask probably the questions that will be in the

heart of the hearers of that teaching at that

moment. Now the primary concern of these chapters

or these books especially Genesis is not to explain

to us the scientific origin of the material universe

or to resolve modern debates such as evolution

because one of the biggest mistakes we make is

that we try to carry the Bible and we try to

prove evolution theory wrong or right or we try

to prove how old the world is You know, Pastor

says, I've taught us that Moses, the writer of

this scripture was not an, he was not an archaeologist.

He was not a historian. He was a prophet. So

what he will write must be the message concerning

God. So the Bible, especially Genesis, is a book

concerning God. is not about history knowing

the history of the world so when we try to carry

the bible or especially the book of genesis and

we try to say okay let's interpret let's try

to know let's try to bring scientific things

into it we will not be able to answer scientific

questions with the scriptures hallelujah because

the bible in its essence was not given for scientific

research it was not given for scientific purposes

it was given for spiritual purpose Was given

for spiritual edification. We say that all scripture

is given by inspiration of God and it's forfeitable

for what? For doctrine for teaching and in the

end we say that the man of God will be what?

Will be complete for every good work. That is

the essence of scripture So when it becomes a

tool for debating scientific research, you know

the history of the world then we will miss the

intent of the scriptures Who means the intent

of the scriptures So rather the Bible revealed

God, okay, especially this Genesis 1 and 2 reveal

who God is It reveals his purpose for creation

It reveals the purpose for creation, okay and

humanity's role within creation It reveals God's

purpose for creation and the role of man within

God's creation. So biblical theology therefore

seeks to understand the text in its original

context and cause believers not to only interpret

scriptures accurately, but also live out his

truth in the daily life. So we must understand

how to appropriate scriptures by interpreting

scriptures contextually, especially within the

purpose to which they were written so that our

lives will be edified by scriptures. Hallelujah.

No one that Paul would tell Timothy, don't engage

in so much arguments and, you know, debates that

only will lead into what? It will lead into more

offenses and other things. There is a focus for

scripture. It's not for all those kind of debates.

So let's go back to Genesis 1 and try to understand

God's word. The essence is that we will know

the will of God. All right We've seen it as the

council the whole council of God. We've prayed

some scriptures that our eyes will be open to

understand What are we understand? We're understanding

the old council of God's what inefficiency and

any coercions of the one Who will be praying

that we may understand what? We understand the

way the will of God. Hallelujah But the wheel

of God begins as a story. There's a storyline

of God's purpose and his plan and his purpose

from the beginning to the end. It's a plan and

it's a story that begins from Genesis 1. So Genesis

of the 1 verse 1 says in the beginning God created

the heavens and the earth. Now it is vital to

understand again that the concept of heaven and

earth in the communication of Moses and his immediate

audience in their world. It is important for

us to understand the concept of heaven and earth

as communicated in Moses' communication, all

right, and his audience. The word heaven, from

the Hebrew word, is from the Hebrew word shamayim,

S -H -A -M -A -Y -I -M. And it's often referred

to in relation to God's activities, or the supernatural.

Okay? This word heaven in the Hebrew, Shamaim,

was often referred, referenced in relations to

God's activities, or the supernatural. That is,

the unseen activities in the, the unseen activities

in the natural. So to the context of his audience,

when you talk about heavens they're talking about

the supernatural all right they're talking about

the supernatural in the eastern culture the word

heaven that is the eastern culture has to do

with the culture of those in whom Moses was writing

to the children of Israel all right so in their

culture heaven would refer to where God is where

God dwells or in literal form God's activities

in the earth that is found within men Hallelujah

Heaven would refer to God's dwelling place or

a literal form God's activities in the earth

I will see another word again The earth in that

verse one in the beginning God created the heavens

and then we will see and the earth So the earth

was referred or referenced to man's dwelling

place and activities. Man's dwelling place and

activities. So there are two, you know, I would

say complementary ideas presented in Genesis

Genesis 1:1

1 verse 1. The heavens and the earth. The heavens

and the earth. The earth was created for man

to dwell. while heaven relates to the unseen

part of the earth where God dwells the sphere

of God's authority over man on the earth the

realm of influence of God over man on the earth

right and in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 let's

Genesis 1:2

look at verse 2 it says the earth that is where

man is the earth was without form and void darkness

was on the face of the deep and the spirit of

God was hovering over the face of the waters.

What does it mean? Without form and void and

we see darkness. Now the word darkness was derived

from the Hebrew word chashek which implies obscurity.

So what we see on the earth was obscurity. It

further implies that what darkness implies without

light or absence of light, that what Chachak,

S -H -O -S -H -E -K is derived from the verb

Chachak. So from Chachak we now have Chachak.

Chachak, C -H -A -S -H -A -K. which implies to

make dark, to make dark. So darkness, you know,

here implies obscurity on the earth. We see another

phrase in that same verse too, without form.

It says, the earth was without form and void

and darkness was on the face of the deep and

the spirit of God was moving over the face of

the waters. So what does the phrase without form

mean? It was derived from the word, the Hebrew

word tohu, T -O -H -U, which implies emptiness,

or I would say desolation, emptiness. So what

we see on the Earth is obscurity and emptiness,

all right? Obscurity and emptiness. In essence,

the time without form and void and the word darkness

seems to be synonymous in the application in

this verse. Void and without form and darkness

seems to be synonymous in the application in

this verse. Now let's observe verse two carefully.

It says upon the face of the deep. Upon the face

of the deep. Now by just looking at the use of

the word face upon the face upon the face of

the deep Darkness does that man has a face. Let's

read and see it says the ad was void What would

I form and void and darkness was upon the face

of the deep? Attributing you know a Character

of something that is intimate something to something

is it shows that is a figure of speech you see

it So, in saying that upon the face of the deep

and the spirit of God moves upon the face of

the waters, that word face will see appear twice

in that same verse two. Yes, it appears twice

in that verse two. And that word is derived from

the Hebrew word panin, P -A -N -Y -M. And it

implies appearance, appearance before the presence

of. So, the uses of the word face needs to be

examined what does it mean for darkness to be

upon the face of the deep and the spirit of god

was hovering over the face of the waters we see

face in relation to the the darkness on the face

of the deep our see face in relation to the spirit

of god hovering over the waters so it means that

we need to examine and see what is this face

the uses of the word face need to be examined

Firstly says darkness upon the face of the deep

and also the spirit of God moving on the waters

Now watch without form and void and darkness

in this one to a describe They describe the state

of the man that is the earth away from God's

creation That is God's plan. They they show the

time to describe, you know the state of man the

earth refers to man Let's just say it this way.

The Earth refers to man. And then the idea of

without form and void and darkness describe the

status of man, the Earth, apart from goals, own

plan, and its purpose. So let's study some more

about the phrase. We'll look at the phrase later.

Without form and the idea of without form and

also darkness. Without form was derived from

the Hebrew word to who, as we saw. And we can

see the same word also was used in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 32:10

chapter 32 verse 10. Let's look at Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 32:10

chapter 32 verse 10 to see the uses of that word.

Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 10. Are we there?

Deuteronomy 32:10

Yes. So he says he found him a desert. A desert

land and with the Westland, that Westland speaks

about, without form, that Westland. A holding

wilderness, he encircled him, he instructed him,

he kept him as the apple of his eye. So the word

to who is used to imply West in this text, contextually,

okay? Confusion in this text, nothingness, desolate,

vanity. What is vast, what is empty, right? Wilderness.

So this can be associated with chaos contextually

to this text as seen here. So what does Moses

means by darkness in Genesis chapter one verse

two? Based on how we see him using it again in

another text. He explains what he implied by

darkness. in the subsequent verses in Genesis

chapter one, especially verse two, verse three

and verse four, as the absence of light on the

face of the earth. Let's look at verse three,

Genesis chapter one, verse three. Then God said,

let there be light, and there was light. So this

is, you know, the implied meaning of darkness.

It says, let there be light, And there was light,

verse four. And God saw the light that it was

good. And God divided the light from darkness.

So there was a division that God made between

the light and the darkness. The prophets also

presented this idea in the scriptures, in their

writings, because the prophets, their writings

has a context. And the context of their writings

is from the writings of Moses. They all found

their genesis and their inspirations from the

writing of Moses. Now let's see how they themselves

used this concept. Jeremiah chapter four verse

23. Jeremiah chapter four verse 23. So Jeremiah

four 23 will say, I beheld the earth, okay, and

indeed it was without form. and void. Jeremiah

speaking from Genesis. And the heavens, they

have no light. Let's look at Isaiah 60 verse

Isaiah 60:1

1. Another prophet. Isaiah 60 verse 1. Isaiah

Isaiah 60:1 Isaiah 60:1

60 verse 1. Arise, shine, for your light has

come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon

you. Specifically talking about light, shine,

and is a context of Genesis chapter one. So in

essence, darkness clearly is Moses' explanation

of the state of humanity without the Spirit of

God, which is that light. So the time without

form and void, and of course darkness, were employed

by Moses to explain this to his audience, okay?

So these are terminologies that Moses will employ

in revealing the state of man's condition to

his audience and his time. This has nothing to

do with physical creation of the earth so far

till now because there are a lot of figures used

here, figures of speech used here that needs

to be considered and interpreted properly to

arrive at the intention of the writer. So let's

look further into Genesis 1 verse 2. The phrase

Genesis 1:2

without form and void is further substantiated

by the darkness, by the word darkness. This implies

that the without form and void, Elia described

as chaos, can be inferred as the word darkness,

okay? So remember, as we said, the word earth

was figurative. was figuratively employed to

explain humanity or mankind. Now, some of the

allusions I've made, I've not given proof yet,

but we're going to see how the writers of scripture

will refer to earth as humanity, okay? We'll

see how it was used in scriptures. So, let's

see Jeremiah once again, Jeremiah 422. Jeremiah

422, the scripture we read earlier on, to see

his writing concerning this concept, Jeremiah

422 to 27. For my people are foolish. They have

not known me. They are silly children, and they

have no understanding. They are wise to do evil,

but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld

the earth, where we read earlier on. So he's

talking about the children of Israel, right?

And he's bringing the conversation of Genesis,

he's talking about the earth. So when Moses,

when Jeremiah was speaking about the children

of Israel, was he referring to people on the

earth? He was referring to people on the earth,

right? And he says, I beheld the earth. Don't

get out of context here. And indeed, it was without

form and void. Is he referring to their conduct?

Right? Without form and void, and the heavens,

they had no light. Verse 24, I beheld the mountains,

and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved

back and forth. So there's a chaos here. The

mountains and the earth, there's a chaos here.

I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all

the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld,

and indeed the fruitful land, you see, concept

of land the concept of earth the land which is

the earth was a wilderness wilderness has to

do with you know dissolution desolation rather

and all the cities were broken down at the presence

of the lord by his face anger verse 27 the last

verse here 27 for thus says the lord the whole

land shall be what So from the above text that

we just read, it can clearly be inferred that

the word darkness depicts the state of the disobedience

or the rebellion of man towards God as we see

in the expression of the prophet in his use of

language. in his use of the same concept as Moses

presented in Genesis. While the word light will

depict God's response to this anomaly, okay,

the solution to the chaos is actually the light

that has been alluded here has been absent. So

let's see also Genesis chapter five verse six.

To have a clear understanding of this darkness

that was upon the earth Genesis of the six verse

five Genesis of the six verse five to see how

this concept has been expressed entirely in scriptures

Genesis of the six verse five to six then they

all saw That the wickedness of man was great

in the earth So you see the idea is about what

is happening on the earth and what we are seeing

as a darkness upon the earth was wickedness and

that every intent of the thoughts of his heart

was continually evil and the Lord was sorry that

he had made man on the earth so man on earth

and wickedness the chaos that was happening on

the earth and he was grieving his heart now let's

move to verse 11 verse 11 to verse 13 the end

also was corrupt so we see darkness we see corruption

we see evil all talking about the state of the

earth. the earth was corrupt before God and the

earth was filled with violence. so you see violence,

chaos, violence verse 13. and God said to Noah

the end of all flesh has come before me for the

earth is filled with violence through them and

behold I will destroy them with the earth. so

here also emphasizing the state of the earth,

the wickedness that is increasing upon the face

of the earth. These are the expressions of the

darkness that is in the heart of men. These are

different expressions, Moses in his writing expressing

the darkness that is on the face of the earth.

And we see it from the beginning, we see it even

during the time of Noah here. giving us a clear

scenario of darkness upon the earth. Hence, this

would be seen in the physical disposition and

the action of men without the light of God. So

we see the darkness upon the earth in the activity

of men that don't have the light of God in them.

We see wickedness on the increase. We see violence.

We see disobedience. We see contrary lifestyle.

that does not align to God's will and his purpose.

Again, we see another employed word in the text,

corrupted, that is the act was corrupted. The

act was corrupted before God, was corrupt before

God as a description of mankind in rebellion

towards God, okay? The word F can be seen in

the letter writings as the word world. So the

word F and the words have been used interchangeably

in scriptures, let's see. For example, in John's

explanation, 1 John chapter 5 verse 19. 1 John

1 John 5:19 1 John 5:19

chapter 5 verse 19. We see John also writing

from the inspiration of scriptures. He says we

know that we are of God and the whole world lies

in what? It lies sway of the wicked one, okay?

so the word earth here is used interchangeably

to the world without God it lies in the sway

of the wicked one wicked one wickedness in this

context can be interchangeably applied to the

word darkness here also all right so Paul also

allude to this similar fact in Galatians of the

one verse four talks about this world has been

evil Galatians of the one verse four who gave

himself for our sins that he may deliver us from

this present evil age. The word age day is world,

all right? The word age day is talking about

the world according to the will of our God and

father. So interchangeably here we see the F

also used as what? As the world by Bible writers,

okay? By Bible writers. And of course, as I said,

this echo the description of the state of the

art, as we have seen in the time of Noah, Genesis

chapter six was five to six, and Genesis chapter

six was 11 to 13. So therefore, the word light

and darkness in scripture were not always applied

literally. When we see light and darkness in

scripture, especially from Genesis one, they

are not always applied literally. but were often

figuratively used to depict the state of being

of man. That is this world, okay? Man, the F.

John continues with the same narrative in his

account. We'll read his epist, I mean the John

chapter one verse four to five, we'll see. Let's

look at his writing in John chapter one. verse

four, to see how he carried this narrative from

Genesis and expounded on it in explaining to

his audience. He said in the hymn, John chapter

one, verse four, says in the hymn was life and

the life was the light of men. So the light is

in relation to men. The light is meant to be

for men, okay? Verse five, and the light shines

in a darkness. where will the darkness be from

we'll see it later and the darkness did not comprehend

it okay so john describes the word as having

life and contrast that light and darkness this

echoes strongly genesis 1 verse 2 and 3 so as

Genesis 1:2

we've seen before in what we are trying to look

at the creation story the creation theology creation

you know story of scripture It borders around

God putting order to disorder because we will

see God will say, let there be light and there

was light. Okay? So God introducing light to

darkness. That is what we're going to see in

the entire story of creation. That God putting

order to disorder and putting light to darkness.

The four gospel writers. In giving an account

of Jesus' teachings, spoke several times of this

concept. What concept? The concept of God making

light to shine in darkness. Particularly John,

give us an express, you know, explanation of

Genesis 1. In John chapter 1 verse 5, let's go

John 1:5

back to that John that we read, we stop at, okay,

chapter 5, let's go from verse 5 to 9, and see

the continuation of his explanation. He says,

and the light shines in the darkness, and the

darkness did not comprehend it, verse 6. There

was a man sent from God whose name was John.

Now this John is not the one writing, he's talking

about this particular John, he's talking about

John the Baptist, okay? This man came for a witness

to bear witness of the light. Now the light here,

okay, if you read contextually here, is used

as a figure referring to a personality, to an

individual. This man came for a witness to bear

witness of the light that all through him might

believe so the essence of the light coming is

that men may believe in that light he was not

that light who was not that light john was not

that light okay but was sent to bear witness

of that particular light he was sent as a witness

as as a witness to that particular light So we

see verse 7 that the light was applied as a personality,

as an individual here, okay? To bear witness

of the light that all men through him might believe.

So this implies that the word the light was personified

in the writing of scriptures, was used figuratively,

particularly personified as a person. as a message

the light lightens all men that believe verse

9 from here what's not give me verse 9 says that

that was a true light which gives light to every

man coming into the world so this light illuminates

men that believe okay John the Baptist a prophet

was described as one who came to be a witness

of that light Now let's look at how Luke used

that concept of light and darkness. Luke presents

the fact that the light was a message preached

by the prophets across ages. Luke chapter 2 verse

Luke 2:32

32. Luke chapter 2 verse 32. Look at how Luke

Luke 2:32

put it. He says a light to bring revelation to

the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.

That is to say this light was meant to bring

revelation not only to the nation of Israel,

but also to the Gentiles Okay, so he's presenting

the light as a message that brings revelation

And he's alluding the context say is that that

is what the prophets all over scriptures has

been talking about So this key facts are also

explored when we look at Jesus's teaching in

the four gospel How did Jesus use the concept

of light the idea of light when we see how the

Apostles the epistles Interpret that concept

of light and scriptures how the prophet explained

the idea of light. Let's look at Jesus's teaching

concerning that idea of light Matthew chapter

Matthew 4:16

4 verse 16 Matthew chapter 4 verse 16 The people

Matthew 4:16

who sat in darkness Have seen a great light And

upon those who sat in the region and shadow of

death, light has done, light has done, talking

about light coming to people who are in darkness.

Matthew 6, 23, Matthew 6, 23, we're looking at

Jesus's word, he's teaching in his teaching how

he used that word light. But if your eye is bad,

your whole body will be full of what? Of darkness.

If therefore the light, that is in you is darkness.

How great is that darkness? So he's talking about

a light that should be in a man. Okay? The essence

of the light is to illuminate and to dwell in

a man. In this context of research in this scripture.

Matthew 10 verse 23. Matthew 10 verse 23. Matthew

Matthew 10:23 Matthew 10:23 Matthew 10:23

10 verse 23. When they persecute you in this

city, flee to another. Marry in the right text,

Matthew 10, 27, sorry, 27. Matthew 10, 27. Whatever

I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. And

what you hear in the air, preach on the house

top, okay? And then Luke 1 verse 79, Luke 1,

Luke 1:79

79. Luke 1 verse 79. We're looking at how Jesus

Luke 1:79

used this word, okay? was it literal or it was

figurative was it literal up until now we've

not seen Jesus speaking about this light as a

literal light but he was using it figuratively

to express express concept that has to do with

with humanity with men to give light to those

who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to

guide our feet into the way of peace so here

light is also used figurative okay Because I

wonder how light, if it's literal light, can

save people from death. So this is applied figuratively.

John chapter three, verse 19. John chapter three,

verse 19. John chapter three, verse 19. And this

is a condemnation that the light has come into

the world. And men love darkness. rather than

light, because their deeds were evil. So we see

consistently in his teaching, he is contrasting

between light and darkness. And in the contrasting

between light and darkness, he is using the light

and the darkness figuratively, especially in

dealing with humanity on the earth. Hallelujah.

So we must keep in mind that the word light and

darkness are majorly employed figuratively within

the scriptures. to depict spiritual realities

and personalities. In all the texts we read so

far, we'll see that the users of the word light

or darkness is used to explain either personalities

or spiritual realities. Also, this will find

expressions through the heart, okay? Oftentimes,

when we see what Jesus will say, that this light

will find expressions through the heart of heart

or what we call the mind or the conduct of men

as seen in Genesis chapter 6 as seen in Genesis

Genesis 6 · chapter mention Genesis 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 narrative about the wickedness that

was on the face of the earth how men became wicked

you know so this concept is further explained

through the scriptures especially let's look

at the epistles Acts chapter 26 verse 18 Let's

Acts 26:18

look at Acts 26 verse 18. Acts 26 verse 18. To

Acts 26:18 Acts 26:18

open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness

to light and from power of Satan to God that

they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance

among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

So the quotation here, is making a contrasting

of two issues here. Firstly, the idea is that

the personality here, okay, will turn them from

darkness to light. And this darkness to light

is meaning from the power of Satan to God. So

darkness and light is used figuratively to explain

the power of Satan and of course God in this

context here. So it's not used literally across

scriptures, but it's used figuratively for spiritual

realities and for personalities. Romans 2 verse

Romans 2:19

19. Romans 2 verse 19. Romans 2 verse 19. Let's

Romans 2:19 Romans 2:19

look at what Paul will say about this. And are

confident that you yourself are guide to the

blind. Okay? a light to those who are in darkness.

So he's talking about the people here as guide

to the blind and people becoming light to those

who are in darkness, all right? Use figuratively

for individuals, for personalities here, okay?

So again, observe the application of the word

darkness in the first Corinthians of the four

verse 15, light and darkness in first Corinthians

of the four verse, see? My goal is to give an

overwhelming evidence Beyond reasonable doubt.

Okay that this is how this idea is expressed

in scriptures Now first Corinthians chapter 4

1 Corinthians 4:5

verse 5 First Corinthians to the 4 verse 5 therefore

judge nothing before the time until the Lord

comes who will but bring to light the hidden

things of darkness and reveal the counsels of

the heart when each one's praise will come from

God. So the word light was employed to describe

revelation and the word darkness to describe

that which is hidden, okay? So also is applied

figuratively here. Jesus referring himself as

a light of the world. John chapter 3 verse 19.

John 3:19

Jesus referred to himself as a light of the world.

And this is the condemnation that the light has

come into the world, and men love darkness rather

than light because they are due to evil. So he

is talking about himself here, that he is the

one that has come into the world. John chapter

John 8:12

8 verse 12. John chapter 8 verse 12. John. it

John 8:12

verse 12 then Jesus spoke to them again saying

I am the light of what of the world he who follows

me shall not walk in darkness but have the light

of life I am the light of the world so he is

a light that the world what is the world here

talking about the earth thinking about men okay

jesus is a light of men who are those who follow

him those who believe in him they will no longer

work under the influence of darkness darkness

here is an expression of what a spiritual reality

while jesus is using the light as a symbolic

expression of himself or a figurative expression

of himself john chapter 9 verse 5 john chapter

John 9:5 John 9:5

9 verse 5 John chapter 9 verse 5. As long as

John 9:5

I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

I am the light of the world. John chapter 12

John 12:35

verse 35. John chapter 12 verse 35. He says,

John 12:35

then Jesus said to them, a little while longer

the light is with you, referring to himself.

Walk while you have the light. Let darkness overtake

you. He who walks in darkness does not know where

he is going, referring to himself as the light

of the world. So this clearly shows that the

phrase light and darkness will refer to spiritual

entities or attributes or the state found in

man, okay? Now let's examine that John chapter

John 8:12

8 verse 12 again. He says, he that follows me,

not John chapter 8 verse 12, he that follows

John 8:12

me. How do you follow him? I am the light of

all he who follows me shall not walk in darkness

with half light He that follows many face to

faith in the light While the first walk in darkness

implies being in unbelief So when you walk when

you follow him when you believe him You will

not walk in the darkness Okay, so Jesus here

describes himself as a light of the world the

world I am as we see all over later in the book

of john was translated from the from a greek

word ego in my ego in my e g o e m i he says

i am the light so is from that greek word ego

in my which was transliteration of the hebrew

word higher okay i am from the old testament

From the Hebrew writings So he is saying he is

God. He is the I am that is a light of the world

That has come to the world Let's say Jesus control

description of himself in John's account. You

see you say I am the light I am the way I Am

the truth. I am divine. I am the life. I'm the

bread of life One vital description that is that

he described in safe is that among all these

that he is the light. Okay? But keep in mind,

the light that we've been talking about in Genesis

of the one verse three, the essence of going

around is to see how biblical writers employ

the usage of this word light and darkness so

that we can comprehend the communication of Moses

in Genesis of the one verse two, verse three,

down in the context of the creation story. Because

all the biblical writers were not inventing their

concepts. They were writing from the inspirations

of the scriptures. They were writing from the

verbiage of the scriptures. They were using terminologies.

They were associated with the writings found

within the borders of the scriptures. So John

equally records seven declarations of Jesus about

himself. as the I Am in what we call the Septuagint

Bible. The Septuagint has to do with the Greek

Old Testament, okay? So in the Septuagint, the

term I Am was translated from two words, ego

and imai. Now let's look at them, some of them.

John chapter 14 verse six. John chapter 14 verse

John 14 · chapter mention John 14 · chapter mention

six. Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth

and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through me. So that I am there is a transliteration

of the word I am that is found in Hebrew, which

is higher. Okay? So, John chapter six verse 35

also, verse 35, verse 35, John six, 35. John

chapter six verse 35. And Jesus said to them,

I am the bread of life. So Jesus is not bread.

He's not physical bread. So if he's not physical

bread, then he cannot be physical light. Because

that is the context of the usage of this word.

That is how the writer has been writing. He who

comes to me shall never hunger. And he who believes

in me shall never thirst. So believing in Him

and never fasting is actually drinking of Him,

okay? Eating of Him that you may not be hungry

and you may not fast. Look at verse 41 and verse

45, you know, same text. Verse 41 and verse 45

of that same text. Yes, the Jews then complain

about Him because He said to them, I am the bread

which came down from heaven. Let's read down.

42. quickly it is written in the prophets that

the son of joseph whose father okay let me read

again and they said is it not jesus is not this

this jesus son of joseph whose father and mother

we know how is that then he says i have come

down from heaven 43 just therefore answer and

say to them do not mourn among yourselves verse

44 no one can come to me unless the father who

sent me draws him and i will raise him Up at

the last day was 45. It is written in the prophets

and They shall be taught about taught by God.

She is making a bold claim here It is written

in the scriptures That they shall be taught by

God Therefore everyone who has heard and learned

from the father comes to me 46 Not that everyone

has seen the father except the he who is from

God He who has seen the father verse 47 Once

I surely I say to you he who believes in me has

everlasting life 48 I am the bread of life 49

Your father's at the manner in the wilderness

and are dead This is a bread which comes down

from heaven that one may eat of and not die 51

the last verse I am the bread the living bread

which come down from heaven if anyone eats of

this you will live forever and the bread that

i shall give is my flesh which i shall give for

the lie of the world so we will see clearly that

you know he keeps saying i am i am i am so in

john 8 jesus employed that phrase ego in my several

times you know speaking of himself speaking of

himself. So John understood that the Old Testament

writers wrote concerning that I Am that is in

the Old Testament. That is the background of

his writing about Jesus. He wrote with that understanding

of that I Am. They were writing concerning Jesus.

And this was because Jesus revealed himself as

the I Am of the Scriptures. Okay? Let's see that

John chapter 17 verse 6. We'll see how he linked

John 17:6

himself to the Eternal Father. John chapter 17

John 17:6

verse 6. I have manifested your name. What name

has he manifested? What name did Moses make in

the wilderness? He made a God that is called

I Am, right? And Jesus here is saying, I have

manifested your name to the men whom you have

given me out of the world. They were yours, you

gave them to me and they have kept your word.

Verse 26, jump to verse 26. Verse 26. And I have

declared to them your name and will declare it

that a love which you love me may be in them

and I in them. So he's alluding an eternal union

with the father here. So the word manifested

here, okay, him manifesting the name, the word

manifested here is the Greek word feneru, feneru,

P -H -A -N -E -R -O, P -H -A -N -E -R -O, which

implies to reveal or to unveil, to reveal or

to unveil. So Jesus says he is a manifestation

of the name of God. He is a revelation of that

I am. By his use of the phrase ego in my, Jesus

reveals himself as the I am. John was actually

explaining from the Old Testament scriptures.

He was writing his story of Jesus. with the Old

Testament scriptures in mind. Okay? Especially

Exodus chapter one, chapter 20, verse one to

three. Let's look at the Exodus chapter one,

verse three. Exodus chapter one, chapter 20,

sorry, chapter 20. Exodus 20, verse one to three.

Is it one to three? Yes. And God spoke all these

words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought

you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house

of Bandajor. It sounds similar to what Jesus

was claiming. You shall have no other gods before

me. Shall have no other gods before me. All right,

let's look at the same conversation that Moses

later was speaking to the same nation, Hebrews,

Deuteronomy 5 verse 6 and 7. You know, the phrase,

Deuteronomy 5:6

the Lord thy God, was referenced in the Torah

to describe a singularity of the entity. We're

trying to see the union of Jesus and God, okay?

In his expression of that particular light, I

am that he's been expressing. So I am the Lord

your God. who brought you out of the land of

Egypt out of the house of bondage all right so

in his expression and saying the Lord thy God

he was referring to a unity that word the Lord

thy God is is a unity is a word that describes

a singular entity okay Deuteronomy 6 verse 4

Deuteronomy 6:4

also betrays is that So the author presents God

using two Hebrew words, Yahweh, that is Jehovah,

and Elohim, which is God. Earlier in Exodus 3,

we had referenced the same word, Yahweh, we saw

it. Exodus 3 verse 10 to tattoo, we see it there.

Exodus 3:10

So the context of the author's discussion in

Exodus 3. of the word name was derived from the

name name because Moses was asking for the name

of God all right what should I tell them Exodus

3 please what should I tell them is your name

let's say Exodus 3 let's say verse 14 verse 14

yes and also to them three Moses I am who I am

And he said thus you shall say to the children

of Israel, I am has sent me to you Okay, so in

the context of the conversation here the word

name Of course is derived from the Hebrew word

shame a word used to describe a person's character

and The use and also used for an office also

has been teaching us about the name of Jesus

the name of God the name of Jesus Okay, so the

use of the phrase I am in verse 14 Was derived

from the Hebrew word higher as we saw player

on higher Previously which implies to exist to

become or to exist or to become So the first

I am in today's language or we translated to

today's English language Will be written this

way. I am what I am and I will be what I will

be Okay, I Am what I am and I will be what I

will be. So Moses was revealed a God that is

called Ayam. And in his revelation of the Ayam

was towards the goal that that Ayam will exist

and follow him through the redemption of the

children of Israel from Egypt. I wanted to see

what I'm trying to draw the line I'm trying to

draw here. Moses had a revelation of God, that

is, I Am, that will work together with Moses

for the redemption of the children of Israel

from Egypt. And when Jesus came in the flesh,

also for the work of redemption, he revealed

himself as the I Am for what purpose? For the

purpose of redemption. So we can see the unification

of this concept of God being one in purpose,

okay? God being one. So in other words, the name

Yahweh will be interpreted to imply redemption

in Exodus 6 verse 1 to 6 to 8 in all the contextual

Exodus 6:1–6

application to the children of Israel. We see

that it is implied to redemption to save and

to deliver. However, In the context of Israel,

the salvation of the nation of Israel. So God

revealed what he will become to Israel, that

is in salvation. However, however, Moses was

the one who led the congregation of Israel out

of Egypt. So Moses used the phrase, thy Lord,

thy God, was in view of him working in partnership

with God to bring the children of Israel out

of Egypt. So in scriptures apart from the word

Yahweh, we see the word Elohim meaning unification.

The word Elohim is generic term used for God.

It is also referred to deities and for angels.

I wouldn't want to go deeper into this because

it is crucial but it is important in helping

us understand the conversation at hand. Now let's

look at what Jesus said in Matthew 28 Okay, and

I want you to unify this thought to Moses He

was the I am the work with Moses for the redemption

of the nation of Israel When he arrived on earth

for the work of redemption he revealed himself

as that I am to redeem humanity. Matthew 28 verse

Matthew 28:20

20, we'll see that in relation to the work of

ministry, okay, Jesus established that same concept

of I am. Matthew 28 verse 20, it says, teaching

Matthew 28:20

them to observe all things that I have commanded

you and know what I am with you always, even

to the end of the age. And this is contextual

in the work of ministry that we also will do

on the earth. So he pointed out that the God

of Israel, the I Am was there with them. Okay,

we'll see similarly in John chapter 12, verse

John 12:46

46, you know, the expression of that. So again,

as we conclude this session, for us to put a

stop. Let's observe the order of creation in

Genesis chapter 1 verse 4 and 5. After going

Genesis 1:4

around to establish that Jesus is that light,

and seeing how he connects himself to God, he

connects himself to the Father for the purpose

of redemption, and the light itself shines in

the darkness, talking about redemption. Okay?

Now Genesis 1 verse 4, and God saw the light,

Genesis 1:4

and it was good, and God divided the light from

the darkness. and god called the light day and

the darkness he called night so the evening and

the morning were the first day okay the evening

and the morning were the first day that is god's

plan god's plan is to create order okay and this

order his intention is to bring about a separation

between the darkness and the light That would

be that is what would be good that is saying

it is good. Okay I'm also the light that it was

good. So God intention is to see that that light

Distinct or seen in its effect on the earth that

is in men Separating them from the darkness That

is what is good. That is what is fitting. This

was a middle theme Now when we look through scriptures,

we'll observe, you know, the contrast, the contrasting

theme of the gospels in the book of, in the gospel,

we'll see how, you know, the emphasis were laid

concerning the light and darkness. And similarly,

we'll see in the writings of the apostles, many

times, especially, let's see one contrasting

fact in 2 Corinthians 6 verse 14, where Paul

2 Corinthians 6:14

uses this same idea. Let's see it briefly, and

then we run off for today. 2 Corinthians 6 verse

2 Corinthians 6:14

14. Yes, 2 Corinthians 6 verse 14 He says do

2 Corinthians 6:14

not be unequally yoke together with unbelievers.

All right for what fellowship has righteousness

and lawlessness and What communion has lied with

darkness? So Paul was writing here with a concept

of God's plan and God's course from the beginning

that God in God's plan He was intending to bring

about a separation between light and darkness

And remember how we've been defining darkness

as chaos. Remember how we've been defining darkness

as what? As lawlessness. And God's desire is

a righteousness will be separated from what?

From lawlessness. So he describes the believers

as righteousness. He described the believers

as light in Christ. He described Christ, you

know, the believers as what? As righteousness,

light, as Christ, and as a temple of God. This

description are qualified terminologies or pointers

to narratives in the Hebrew text because as I

keep on saying, the writers of the New Testament

scriptures are now writing a different story

from what we found in the Old Testament scriptures.

So this shows a clear division between light

and darkness as pointed out in creation theology,

which is an important thing for us to understand,

okay? It's an important thing for us to understand.

Finally, for now, for now, as we rest, let's

take this last text, 2 Corinthians 4 verse 1.

2 Corinthians 4:1

2 Corinthians 4 verse 1. Tomorrow when we come,

2 Corinthians 4:1

we'll just try to conclude on this idea of creation,

looking at what was the plan as expressed in

scripture. As we view the divination of the terminology

so far, We'll be able to tie it together and

see okay. What was God's plan? Understanding

God's plan from the beginning as a separation

between light and darkness and how God will implement

this Especially in his salvation work will help

settle many many of the ambiguity we have about

the scriptures So when we begin to read the scriptures

with that background in mind We will not deviate

from the initial plan of God from the beginning

And consistently we will see how the story unfolds

until the time of Jesus Christ and how we ourselves

are brought into the matter. Because we're going

to see how this was communicated in the time

of Abraham. We're going to see how this was communicated

in the time of the nation of Israel when they

were coming out of Egypt. We're going to see

how, you know, this was tied down to the church

era and how you and I have brought into this

conversation and how we partner with God. Who

is the I Am? and bringing about the manifestation

of his plans and his purpose on the earth says

therefore since we have this ministry as we have

received mercy do not lose heart but we have

renounced the hidden things of shame what are

these hidden things of shame that we've renounced

not working in craftiness or handling the word

of god deceitfully But by manifestation of truth,

commanding ourselves to every man's conscience

in the sight of God was three. But even if our

gospel is veiled, who is it veiled to? It is

veiled to those who are perishing. How are they

perishing? They are perishing fundamentally because

their minds, okay, whose minds the God of this

age has blinded who do not believe Less what

the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ

who is the image of God should shine on them

Okay So to shine on them. Yes So we do not preach

ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves

once I run for Jesus Christ For it is that it

is the God who commanded where did he command?

He commanded that in what in Genesis of the one

right? For it is the God who commanded light

to shine out of darkness who has shone in our

hearts So we see the operation of that light

in the heart of men. All right to give the light

Who has shone in our hearts? To give the light

of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face

of Jesus Christ Hallelujah So what I want to

bring to our notice, before we put the pause

and continue tomorrow, is that the conversation

in Genesis was actually the communication of

God's plan, especially the plan of redemption.

And in that redemption is communicated in figures

of speech, is communicated in what? In terminologies

that when we go through scriptures we will see

consistency in the communication of God. there's

clarity in God's communication right from the

beginning and we will discover that Genesis 1

Genesis 1:1

verse 1 verse 2 verse 3 and all the conversation

in creation story when we tie it up together

we will discover that the creation story was

actually redemption story hallelujah we appreciate

you being here today we hope you carried this

word with you throughout your week Don't forget

to check the show notes for additional insights.

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Until next time, stay blessed.