THE NATURE OF OUR GOD

 

“There is no inconsistency in the nature of God. He is always perfectly merciful and loving, but He is also perfectly just and will not “look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (D&C 1:31). As he said to Joseph Smith: “God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left,….his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round” (D&C 3:2).

“In the Old Testament is the same perfectly consistent God found in all scripture. In the Old Testament great richness is added to the understanding of God and how He deals with His children, blessing them according to their obedience and receptivity, or punishing them for rebellion and wickedness.

“If one would get to know Christ better, one must study the Old Testament, for in His role as Jehovah He permeates the whole record. Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament just as He is the God of the earth today. Keeping this important fact constantly in mind is one of the keys to understanding both the Old Testament and the nature of God.”

-          Old Testament Student Manual Book 1, p 48

 

The mighty power of His creation,

The tenderness that never parts,

The perfect balance of His glory,

The God of heaven in our hearts.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus of Nazareth by Greg Olsen)

THE GREAT I AM

 

When God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, He identified himself as “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” and commanded him to deliver the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:6-10).

But Moses was not content to go to Israel telling them ‘the God of your fathers sent me’ so he asked God to identify himself by His name which he would take to the Israelites (v 13). God answered: “I am that I Am. Tell them I AM sent me” (v 14).

I AM is the name that identifies Jehovah. It is the equivalent of “Yahveh” or “Jahveh” now rendered “Jehovah” and signifies “The Self-existent One”, “The Eternal”, “The First and the Last”. So sacred was the name regarded by the Jews that their traditionalism forbade the utterance of it. (see James Talmage, “Jesus the Christ”, p 412)

Hence the Lord was not saying “I AM THAT I AM” but rather, “I am ‘that’ I AM”. I am Jehovah.

During His earthly ministry, the Saviour identified himself as seven main I AM’s as contained in the Gospel of John:

-          I am the bread of life (6:31,51)

-          I am the light of the world (8:12)

-          I am the door of the sheep (10:7,9)

-          I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)

-          I am the resurrection and life (11:25)

-          I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6)

-          I am the true vine (15:1,5)

As I look at these seven proclamations I could summarise them in this one scripture: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

As we approach this Christmas season and yet again celebrate the Saviour’s birth, may we reflect on who He really is and more importantly, who He is to each of us individually. We should know that. May we think about everything we know of Him and what particular name of His means the most to us.

My favourite name for the Saviour is “The Great I Am” (D&C 39:1) and surely He is. There is no greater.

I marvel at His willingness

To descend from the regions of bliss

That was His heavenly home

To pay the ransom for my soul.

 

He is my greatest gift,

My love and my all,

I bow in reverence

before the foot of His throne.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)