[First posted in 2012. Has God ever described Himself ? Would not the Source of LIGHT and spiritual illumination, the Creator, reveal what He is like and what is His will for the only creature made in “our image” and “likeness”? He has done so to the custodians of His revelation, whose scriptures are used as prequel to another later reconfiguration of the God of Israel. Without God’s actual revelation about Himself, man can only guess and in fact create a god after man’s image. . . so let us go back to those foundational scriptures, the Hebrew Bible, the TNK , but please, not the Christian ‘Old Testament’ which is used as “prooftext” for the transformation of an “OT” Unity to an “NT” Trinity.
Image from amazon.com
The book— Restoring Abrahamic Faith—of all books in our Sinai 6000 library, is the first we recommend to anyone in transition or staying within his faith but would like to expand his knowledge of the God Who revealed Himself to Israel and Whose words are recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. It should be in everyone’s library; you may order your copy from www.genesis2000.org as well as in amazon.com.
Abraham trail-blazed the WAY to YHVH. The Israelites have walked that WAY. From the ancient days to these modern days, YHVH’s WAY has been all but trodden by modern religions which have taught another way, in fact just the opposite way. To us, Dr. James Tabor through this book helps us retrace our steps back to the ancient path journeyed through by Abraham, Israel’s Patriarchs, Israelites and the Torah-observant remnant among today’s secular Jews. That WAY leads back to the original revelation on Mt. Sinai, so if you’ve been convicted that you’ve been walking the wrong path, then it’s time to change direction, take the first step and keep going all the way back to the roots of your faith . . . that would be the Hebrew Scriptures and specifically the first five books of Moses. Reformatting and highlights added. —Admin1.]
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This is the third of a 3-part series; if you have not read the first two posts, please check out:
Continuing from Part 2:
There is a further important aspect of this revelation of God at Sinai, beyond these theophanic displays of glory and power. It took place the second time Moses ascended the mountain after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32).
According to the account in Exodus God literally identified Himself to Moses and offered him a remarkable description of His Divine character. God had told Moses that he would send his “angel” or messenger to accompany them further, but would not personally go in their midst because of their rebellion (Exodus 23:20-22; 33:2-3).
Moses had an extraordinary personal relationship with YHVH. He used to go into a special tent, called the “Tent of Meeting,” that had been pitched just for this purpose (Exodus 33:7-11). Moses would go in alone, and the cloudy Pillar would stand at the entrance. Inside this Tent,
“YHVH would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11).
The actual visible Presence (literally “Face”) of YHVH, in an audible voice, was manifested during this time in the wilderness (see Numbers 12:8 where YHVH spoke with Moses “pe ‘el pe,” or “mouth to mouth”; compare Numbers 14:14). In one of these “conversations” Moses pled with YHVH to accompany them personally rather than through the agency of an “angel” or messenger. YHVH was persuaded and agreed (Exodus 33:12-17).
Moses in the cleft of th rock; Image from www.theartisans.us
Then Moses asked something more––“Oh, let me behold Your Glory (kaved/)” he pled. He was told that no human can see God face to face, but that he will be allowed to experience some measure of God’s Glory (or direct Presence) as it passes by him—he will behold God’s “back” (Exodus 33:18-23).
Moses went up the mountain and what follows is surely the most significant self-revelation of God in the entire Hebrew Bible. I will quote the full account:
Now YHVH descended in the cloud and stood with him there,
and proclaimed the NAME יהוה .
YHWH passed before him and proclaimed:
“YHVH, YHVH God
merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
by no means clearing the guilty . . . “ (Exodus 34:5-7).
This is an incredible scene! Not only does Moses experience the Glory of the Eternal God to the extent that his face glows thereafter, but God personally proclaims His awesome Name, YHVH, and describes His basic nature and character;
merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
This self-revelation is so significant that it occurs repeatedly in various forms throughout the Hebrew Bible (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). It becomes a divinely revealed character sketch for YHVH Himself. Moses refers back to it specifically in Numbers 14:18.
What is so remarkable about this whole Sinai revelation is its absolute concreteness. When one reads through Exodus and Deuteronomy, our two accounts of these awesome events, there is an unmistakable sense that the texts carry, reflect, and convey.
The notion of God breaking into the normal events of history and actually introducing Himself, in the most objective sense imaginable, comes through so strongly. One has the sense that God encounters Moses and the people of Israel in a manner quite similar to the way we encounter and come to know our fellow human beings. The power of these narratives is quite extraordinary in its effect. They are not simply accounts of a deity acting with miraculous power, but they seem to carry within their content and structure a consistent sense of God’s nature and purposes.
Image from studyinghisword.blogspot.com
This revelation of the NAME of God, which includes an understanding of His character, also carries with it a unique stamp of divine authority. Constantly in the TORAH, or the Five Books of Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy) we encounter the phrase,
“And YHVH spoke to Moses, saying . . .”
–followed by entire sections of text in which God speaks directly, in the first person. Likewise in the Prophets, hundreds of times we encounter the key phrase: “Thus says YHVH . . . ” In Hebrew the phrase is most distinct–-koh ‘amar YHVH. These phrases, followed by the first person declarations of YHVH Himself reflect a style that no pious Jew would ever dare to fabricate.
Neither the writers of the New Testament nor the Rabbis of the MIshnah and Talmud adopt such a mode of speaking. Given this unique form of discourse it is clear that the Torah and the Prophets must be the fundamental foundation of any restoration of Biblical Faith. Other sacred texts offer commentary and elaboration, but they should be evaluated in the light of these primary and direct Words of YHVH Himself.
As Isaiah said,
“To the TORAH and the TESTIMONY,
if they speak not according to this Word
there is no light in them”
(Isaiah 8:20).
To begin to grasp the concept of the Creator God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who called Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand, who revealed Himself at Sinai, speaking face to face to Moses and the people, the God whose Name is יהוה, and whose WAY is summed up in the TORAH—is to begin to understand just who God is.
Image from mymorningmeditations.com
Fearing, Loving, and Obeying
The Great Commandment, summed up in the Shema, tells us we must love YHVH our God with all our heart, soul, and might.
How is it that God would command us to love Him? Is love something that can be demanded? When one begins to grasp the greatness and goodness of God, fear and love are the response. In other words, to truly know YHVH is to fear and love Him.
Psalm 145 puts it well:
Great is YHVH, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable . . . YHVH is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works (vv 3,9).
In this Psalm the precise description of YHVH’s character as revealed to Moses in Exodus 34 is repeated, namely that YHVH is
“gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy” (145:8).
Our love for YHVH arises from our deep realization of His goodness, as expressed toward us and to all creation, and in keeping with His revealed character. In other words this is what He is like! To know God, as so revealed, is to love Him. As we truly come to experience and understand God’s nature, we are drawn in love toward Him.
Notice how Moses puts all of these concepts together in his great farewell address to the people of ancient Israel:
And now, Israel
what does YHVH your God require of you,
but to fear YHVH your God,
to walk in all His WAYS,
and to love Him,
to serve YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
and to keep the commandments of YHVH and His statutes
which I command you today
for your good?
(Deuteronomy 19:12-13)
Here is a very definite, unfolding sequence of responses in coming to truly know YHVH, the Eternal God—as the verbs indicate. First, and absolutely vital is the fear of YHVH. Without this fear of God, there is no possible relationship, and certainly no love, Moses goes on to say:
For YHVH your God
is the God of gods
and the Lord of lords,
the great, the mighty,
and the awesome God!
(Deuteronomy 10:17)
These three terms are, in the final analysis, the only legitimate terms we can really use to talk about God. All other descriptions of God are anthropomorphic, that is they are merely analogies (i.e., God as Father, King, Lord, Warrior, etc.). The “fear of YHVH” is the beginning, that is, the absolute foundation, of everything else (Psalm 111:10). To fear God is to have a deep and awesome reverence for Who and What He is. This fear, or absolute awe, is based on the majestic nature of God that is ultimately indescribable and comparable to nothing else. As David said, His greatness is unsearchable, past finding out.
- First and foremost, YHVH is the Creator. The Scriptures declare,
“By the word of YHVH the heavens were made” (Psalm 33:6).
- YHVH is the ONE who spoke order and life into existence on this planet. He gives us our very life and breath.
- Through this awesome creative Force, that is grounded in God our Creator, our planet Earth is a lovely garden rather than a vast empty wasteland, like Mars or Venus.
- Likewise the “fear” of YHVH rests upon His great and mighty acts in history, particularly at the Exodus from Egypt and at Sinai (see Psalm 136).
This fear of YHVH necessarily results in a concrete response, that is, walking in all His WAYS. Moses tells the Israelites that the awesome display of power and glory at the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai was intended so that
“the fear of Him may remain before you, so that you may not sin.”
This idea of fear or awe involves a profound sense of the righteous power of YHVH, to punish transgression. As Moses reminds the people of Israel:
“For YHVH your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
By walking in the WAYS of YHVH, which involves the most specific and concrete knowledge, understanding and action, one comes to know, and accordingly, love YHVH—analogous to the way one comes to know and love a fellow human being.
There is no separation between these elements: fearing, loving, and obeying God. These are the foundation of an intimate relationship, or “friendship,” with YHVH.
Recall that the Shema begins by speaking of loving God with heart, soul, and might, but immediately adds,
“and these words,
which I am commanding today,
shall be on your heart”
Ultimately, the way in which a deep fear of YHWH, coupled with a heartfelt following of the WAY of YHVH, results in a profound and total love of God Himself, is something that can be experienced. Such a relationship is only found as one learns to walk in all His WAYs.
But one has then to ask, just how could a person possibly come to know what the Bible calls the “WAY” of God?
- The WAY of YHVH – 5 – TORAH FAITH for Non-Jews?
- The WAY of YHVH – 5b -TORAH Faith for Non-Jews – Conclusion
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