Our Father in Heaven
Introduction: The phrase “our Father” is commonly associated with the Lord’s prayer and may often be used to open general prayers by those of many church denominations. There are some passages from the Bible that should be helpful for us to examine ourselves to see if we are really children of God, who can justifiably use that phrase to honor our Father in heaven. All those throughout history who have been born from above to eternal life have the LORD God as their everlasting father — but not simply by being born into a certain family line, or by becoming a member of any church.
NOTE: Bible passages are from the 1901 American Standard Version (ASV).
A — God Created Man and Placed a Continual Choice Before Him
Genesis 2 “7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Hebrews 11 “5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: 6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.”
Comments: From the creation of mankind in physical bodies and in the likeness (image) of God, God provided boundless blessings accompanied by a commandment complete with explicit consequences if not followed. When the commandment was broken, the consequences came into effect for all future generations. Cain and Abel were both direct offspring of Adam and Eve, but only Abel followed after God, while Cain rebelled even so much as to murder his own brother. God provided Seth through Adam and Eve to carry a line of ancestry eventually down to the Lord Christ Jesus. Enoch, six generations after Adam, had such a heart for the LORD that he became the first recorded man to be translated, without death, into God’s eternal kingdom.
B — The Line of God’s Grace Continued Through Noah, Leading to Abraham
Genesis 6 “5 And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah.”
Galatians 3 “7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. 9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.”
Comments: By the time of Noah, so many people were in rebellion against the LORD that only Noah and his immediate family survived the judgment of the global flood. For every individual in all succeeding generations after the global flood, obedience by faith in the Word of God has been the only way to receive God’s grace. When we consider the life of Abraham, we see that God saw into his heart and knew the abiding trust that made Abraham the father of faith that he represents to us. Even Abraham’s occasional doubt and weakness did not disqualify him as a child of faith. The line of Christ would come through Isaac, not through all of Abraham’s sons, making it clear that human ancestry alone was not the way of salvation for any individual.
C — The Children of Israel Descended Through Jacob After God Gave Him a New Name
Genesis 32 “28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
Hebrews 12 “16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17 For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.”
Comments: Looking at the complete scriptural records from a human perspective, we could find reasons why neither Jacob nor Esau seemed to be worthy of God’s blessing. However Jacob was chosen and blessed of God. Even before the birth of the twin boys, God had declared that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). Esau’s despising of his birthright is used in Hebrews as a warning for believers not to similarly forfeit the grace of God. At the end of Genesis, we see that Jacob’s body is returned to be placed within the burial plot with Isaac and Abraham in the land of promise. Even amidst the failings of our human nature, faith in the LORD can overcome obstacles that would otherwise keep us separated from God.
D — Moses Was Used to Bring Out God’s Chosen People from the Land of Bondage
Deuteronomy 7 “8 But because Jehovah loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath Jehovah brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. 9 Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
John 5 “24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.”
Comments: God continued His plan to bring into the world that special “seed of Abraham,” as He now established a covenant people that He would ransom out of a land of bondage. The nation of Israel was to be a witness to the world to call people to the LORD, until the Son of God would come to pay the ransom in full. Not for the righteousness of man, but “because Jehovah loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers,” and “Know therefore that Jehovah thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him.” It is only by seeking after the Lord and displaying obedience to your Word that anyone can have the righteousness of God that was lost in the Garden of Eden restored to them.
Reflections in Prayer
What can I say as I am overwhelmed about all that you have done LORD over the many centuries of time; as you have displayed from the very beginning, an unbounded grace to those who will call upon your name. By reviewing the sampling of scripture used in this study I am even more firmly convinced than ever before, that I and all others from the time of Adam are sinners, and our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is only by seeking after the Lord and displaying obedience to your Word that anyone can have the righteousness of God restored to them. How easy it is to become drawn by traditional practice to think that we have some merit before a Holy God by our heritage, by what we do, or by the associations we maintain. I praise you LORD, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness with those who love you and keep your commandments. You are my Savior and Lord. Amen and Hallelujah!
Published 25 August 2010