The Father, the Son, and the Family of God

So, I'm going to continue on with the same title, basically, that we heard in the sermonette. And that is about the family of God. That's always a wonderful and inspiring topic to discuss. And so, we heard in the sermonette the plans that God has for his family. And so, my title is also very, very similar. The Father, the Son, and the Family of God. Now, it is a fact that God's very nature, his very essence in nature, is constantly under assault and attack. And people come up with all kinds of ideas, you know, about God and the relationship that God has with his dear son, you know, Jesus the Christ. And I'm not going to presume in one sermon or in a thousand sermons to plumb the depths of the greatness of God's majesty regarding who and what God is. But I do want to talk again, though, and again, the title is, God is in, as we heard again in the sermonette, God is in the process of building a family. And he wants you and I to be very much a part of that family. Ephesians chapter 3, Ephesians chapter 3, again, God is in the process of building a family. Verse 14, For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and in earth is named. So God is naming a family, the family of God. We're going to be a part of that family. Second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 16. Second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 16. And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Once again, God is in the process of building a family. People have pondered and puzzled about God and God and the relationship between God and Jesus Christ. There's a very interesting scripture in of all places, the book of Proverbs, that perhaps many overlook this particular scripture. It tells us so much, Proverbs chapter 30, about the essence of God, the nature of God. Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 4. And if people would but read this, they would realize that there are two beings in the family of God, two divine beings in the family of God. Every word of God is pure, he says. That's verse 5. Actually, I want to go to verse 4.

Proverbs 30 and verse 4. Who has ascended into heaven or descended, and who has gathered the wind in his fists? Speaking of various aspects of God's creation, who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name? And what is his son's name, if you know? So here we have a prediction of what would ultimately become father and son. Once Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, he became literally the Son of God. And so we see this in, of all places, the Old Testament. What is his name and what is his son's name? And when you think about it, it's talking about father and son creating the universe, creating the earth and the universe. So we can learn a lot of truth about the great God in this one verse. One aspect is there are two divine beings in the Godhead. The second is these two divine beings combined. As we just see it here, what is his name? What is his son's name? They combined in the creation of the universe. And they combined into creation, which of course included the earth as well.

Another thing which we learn here is that the father and son relationship is here mentioned, foreshadowing the literal father-son relationship that the New Testament speaks so much about.

So let's take this a little bit further. And how did father and son work together? Let's turn to John 1. I'm going to suggest, and I might be wrong on this, but I'm going to suggest that the first few verses of John are perhaps the most studied verses in the entire Bible. There are just so many books, so many articles, so many commentaries written about this. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. A lot of people think Christ was a created being, that somehow Christ came along later and is a created being. And that's totally false.

Verse 1 is saying, as far back as we can go, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word can correctly mean, it's from the Greek word logos, and it can correctly mean spokesman or spokesperson, the one who was willing to speak on behalf of the Father. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, that's the Word again, nothing was made that was made. He made everything.

And then verse 4, in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. We might think this is basic stuff, and certainly in many ways, you shouldn't use the word stuff, but basic material. But again, it's been studied again and again and again. And then it plainly says in chapter 1 and verse 14, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So the Word became Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and the Word, same being. And this Word was with God from eternity. And it's very, very sad that people come up with the idea that somehow Christ was some kind of a created being. They always worked together. They always worked in perfect harmony. And the Son was always under the authority of the Father. And he was always under the authority of the Father. He didn't have a church government problem. Not the Son, not the Word, not Jesus Christ. So I asked you all to read. I've got a printed copy of this article. It's a short little article, very well written, very succinct, and only like two and a half pages long. And again, I sent this to you by way of email last night. Does Acts 3.13 mean that God the Father alone was the patriarch's God? And I might just want to turn to that by way of reference. Acts 3 and verse 13. Acts 3 and verse 13. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. Well, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in this context, it could be no other than God the Father, because only God the Father glorified his servant Jesus Christ. But does this mean that the Father alone was the patriarch's God? And so I encourage you to read this article. It's a very, very good article. And the point being made here, they have a wonderful picture of the Bible, and we need to keep in mind, and here's the point that's being made, that there were two beings who together were the God of the patriarchs, the Word and the one he served who became the Father. The one he served who became the Father of the Word, and then the one he served who was the one who became the Father of Jesus Christ. So there were two beings who were together the God of the patriarchs. And we see this right here in chapter 3 and verse 13 as well. They always work together. Let's notice a couple of scriptures here. Genesis 1 and verse 1. Let's notice some scriptures here. Genesis 1 and verse 1. Now we might think, well, yeah, this is a doctoral sermon, and yes, it's, you know, we're all more, maybe more in the Christian living than we are in the doctrine. But the fundamental essence of God is constantly under assault. And there are so many incredible spin-offs, you know, from the truth, away from the truth, rather than people really being able to just read the scriptures and then realize what these scriptures say. But in Genesis 1 and verse 1, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And we understand that God consists of two beings, Father and Son. Genesis 1 and verse 26. Then God said, let us, not let me, but let us make man an hour image according to our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. The point I want to say here is that God says, let us make man in our image.

Let's go back to Proverbs 3. I shouldn't say not Proverbs, but Genesis 3. And now verse 22. And then the Lord God said, now it's the Lord God, another name for God. The Lord God said, behold, the man has become like one of us to know good and evil. And then he talks about putting Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. So again, I want to go back, and you don't need to turn back to Proverbs 34, but I want to read it again, talking about the creation. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. So Proverbs 30 in verse 4, who has ascended into heaven or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment or established all the ends of the earth? What is his name? And what is his son's name? If you know. Now, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what it was like way back into early eternity. If there's such a word as early eternity, God is without time. He goes way, way past. Now, in John chapter 17, Christ was praying to the Father. This was the real Lord's Prayer. And Christ was, if you will, reminiscing on the past and talking about things that only give us a glimpse of what it must have been like. John 17, 1, Jesus spoke these words and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that your Son may also glorify you. All God has to do is show himself or reveal himself, and there is glory there that is incomprehensible to humanity. You have given him authority over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. And this is verse 3, eternal life, Jesus said, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Eternal life depends on how well we know God the Father and how well we know Jesus Christ. There are some basic things about God and Christ that we must not be confused on.

I have glorified you on the earth, verse 4, I have finished the work which you gave me to do, and now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was. Jesus is looking way back in time, and he is remembering this incredible, indescribable, unbelievable glory that he shared with the Father before the world was, before the world came into existence. Now, let's go to verse 23 and read verse 23 of John 17. I and them and you and me, speaking again of the coming family, you and I, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me from before the foundation of the world, way, way back in time. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you sent me. And again, there's many things in here, many layers of understanding. One of the layers of understanding is the Father sent the Son. The Father sent the Son. The Son obeyed the Father's commandment, and I have declared to them your name, and will declare it, that the love which you had, with the love which you loved me may be in them, and I in them. Many times, Jesus Christ said, the Father sent me. This means that Jesus Christ said that the Father is in charge, and I always submit to the Father. That's what Jesus Christ said. The Father is in charge, and I always submit to the Father. And let's turn now here to Hebrews 13 and verse 8. Jesus didn't have a government problem. He didn't have an authority problem. Hebrews 13a. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, always in perfect submission to the Father. We need to know, brethren, that God the Father has always been the Supreme One. He has always been in charge. He has always been the Director of Operations. I'm putting it in human terms. I don't know how else to explain it. There's probably a better way of saying it. But God has been always the Director of Operations. And Jesus Christ has always been perfectly submissive to God's will, just like God expects everyone of us to be perfectly submissive to God's will. Now, earlier I read in Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth, and God the Father was always actively involved. He never went on vacation. Again, that's kind of putting it in worldly terms. But God the Father never went on vacation. He's always in charge, always knowing what's going on, always the Supreme One.

Now, God created the heavens and the earth. How did he go about this? Let's go back to John 1 and verse 3. And we will just read the Scriptures and see just exactly, just precisely how it was done. John 1 and verse 3. This is speaking of the Word, the Word who became flesh, the Word who was Jesus Christ. All things were made through Him. That's through the Word, through Jesus Christ. And without Him, nothing was made that was made. Christ made the elephants, He made the tigers, the lions, He made the whales.

My granddaughter sent me a picture of a whale, I'm sure the Alaskan granddaughter, and the whale had a smile on his face. A really cute little picture. But the one who made the great whales was Jesus Christ, you know, the Word of God. He made everything. Without Him, nothing was made that was made. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1. So, Jesus Christ is the one on the job, you might say. The Father is the supreme director of operations. Colossians chapter 1 and verse 13.

Colossians chapter 1 and verse 13.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness, that's He the Father, and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son and His love, in whom, that is, in the Son, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. So, Christ said, when you see Me, you've seen the Father. And He was the first one to die and be resurrected again by the Father, to be born into the very family of God. He died and then the Father resurrected Him. Verse 16. By Him all things were created, again, by Him, by Jesus Christ, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, or principalities or powers, in other words, the angelic host was created by Jesus Christ. All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. That's again Colossians 1, verses 13 through 16. Now, all things were created through Him and for Him. Ephesians adds something. Remember, I said earlier, it would be Ephesians here a couple of pages back, that God was the director of operations, Ephesians 3 and verse 9. And to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, God who created all things through Jesus Christ. This is not a contradiction. This is simply saying Jesus was the one on the job, heavenly Father was the overall director of operations. God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ. Now, did they discuss the creation as they went along? I don't know. Maybe they didn't need to. Maybe they did. It just says, you know, He spoke the Word and it was done. He spoke the Word and it was created. But here we see that God created all things through Jesus Christ. The Father, in other words, was the director of operations. And we see the same thing, the very same verse, the very same concept, Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 1.

God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. And I want to emphasize that through the Son, God made the world. Ephesians 3.9 and Hebrews 1.2 say the same thing. God the Father, through the Son, made the worlds. It's interesting. It says worlds, by the way. So this verse shows that God the Father was involved with creation and he was the creator who created all things through Jesus Christ.

Now when Jesus Christ came to the earth, Christ taught many things. I can't make a list of them because John said, as far as what Christ did, he said all the books in the world wouldn't hold all the things that Christ did. But here are just a few basic things. He taught us how to be a Christian, how to be Christians, Sermon on the Mount. He taught us the kingdom of God is coming to this earth. He taught us that he himself is God. He himself is God. He's not a lesser being or a giant angel or a lesser being. He himself is God. And then he also talked about the fatherhood of God over and over and over again. He pointed to the father again and again and again. One Bible dictionary says there's 150 places where he referred to God as the father. And there are, by my count, 17 times just in the Sermon on the Mount alone where Christ referred to the father. So he talked about the supreme fatherhood of God. And then another thing he taught is that he is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Those are just a few of the main things that Jesus Christ taught. He always exclaimed that he was in a subservient role to the Father and it never bugged him to say that. It never got under his skin to say he was in a subservient role to the Father. I'll read a couple of scriptures that are very clear. Maybe we can turn. Well, I'll just read them here. John 5 and verse 30. I can of my own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will but the will of the Father who sent me. The Father sent Jesus Christ and Christ did the will of the Father. John 14, 28. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I. Christ had no problem with that. The Father is greater than I. In John 14 and verse 9, Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father, and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Again, he simply said, you know, have you seen me? You've seen the Father. Let's turn now to John 10 and verse 30. The perfect harmony that Father and Son have, John 10 and verse 36. John 10 and verse 36. Do you say of him who the Father sanctified and sent into the world, you are blaspheming me because I said, you know, I am the Son of God. You know, I'm the Son of God, and you think I'm blaspheming me. Well, again, Jesus was just describing the way it really is. Now, let's go a little bit further. Who was the one, again, the Father was in charge of everything all the time. He didn't take a vacation. He was always aware and actually directing what was going on. But let me ask you this. Who was the one who led, and actually, as Corinthians says, followed Israel as Israel was in the wilderness? Well, the one who led and followed Israel was Yahweh, and Jesus was the Yahweh in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 9.

1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 9. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 9. 3. Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents. 4. But let us not tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents. If you want to hold your place, you have a place here, let's go back and look at the word serpent here. Let's go back to Numbers 21 and verse 6. Numbers 21 and verse 6.

We'll read this here as well. Numbers 21 and verse 6. So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and many of the people of Israel died. So the Lord here is explained in the New Testament as Jesus Christ. Now going back to 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 4. Let's go back to 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 4. And all drank of that same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. That rock was Christ, and they drank from that spiritual rock. Well, let's go to Exodus chapter 17 and look at verse 5. Exodus 17 and verse 5. And the Lord, again Yahweh, said to Moses, Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand your rod, and with which you struck the river, and go. And behold, I stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of Israel, and out came, of course, out came water. So he called the place, he called the name of the place Masah, and maraba, masah meaning tempted, and maraba meaning contention, because the children of Israel, because they tempted the Lord, they tempted Yahweh, and we just read where they tempted Christ. You know, they tempted Christ, and also God still provided water for them, and they were able to drink, you know, of the rock that followed them. Just another one about the names of Jesus Christ, 2 Samuel 22, 2 Samuel 22, and verse 2, 2 Samuel 22. And he said, the Lord is my rock, Yahweh is my rock, Christ is my rock, as the New Testament says, my fortress, my deliverer. He is the God of my strength, in whom I will trust, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, my Savior. You save me from violence. Another name of Jesus Christ is that he declared himself to be the I AM. There is a beautiful song, and we're all familiar with it, Who is the Great I AM? Beautiful, beautiful song. And whether or not the singer knows it or not, she's really singing of Jesus Christ. And let's look at John 8 and verse 54.

John 8 and verse 54. If I honor myself, my honor is nothing, it is my Father who honors me, of whom you say that he is your God, and yet you have not known him, but I know him. Well, the Jews, they had the Bible, but did they know God? The answer was no, they did not know him. If I say I do not know him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. And so the Jews said to him, we're not yet 50 years old. How have you seen Abraham? And then Jesus made this electrifying statement. He said to them, most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. Before Abraham was, I am. They knew what Christ was saying. That's why they took up stones to throw at him, because they thought he was blasting me. Jesus Christ identifies himself as the I am. Let's go to John chapter 8. I should say, pardon me, we're there. Exodus chapter 3.

Exodus the third chapter, and verses 1 through 6. Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the desert, and he came to Horeb, the mountain of God, and the angel of the Lord. Who is the angel of the Lord? In this case, the angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ. In this case, the Lord is Yahweh, God the Father. God and Christ share many of the same names. For example, they both share the name God, and they both share the name Lord, or Yahweh. In this case, the angel of the Lord, who is Jesus Christ, appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush, and so he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why this bush does not burn. And so when the Lord saw that he looked aside, he turned aside to look, God called to him again, Jesus the one who later became Christ, and called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, and he said, Here I am. He said, Do not draw near this place, take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. Moreover, he said, I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham, God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Verse 13, Exodus chapter 3, and verse 13, Then Moses said to God, in this case, the one who became Christ, Moses said to God, Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel, and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, What is his name? What shall I say to them? And what shall I say to them? And God, Jesus Christ, said to 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. That's why when Christ said, I am, they knew what he was referring to. And they didn't like the idea that Christ was saying that he was God. Now, the second one in command, I put it that way. They did not like that one bit. Let's turn to Genesis chapter 48. We'll back up a little bit where the word God and angel and God of the patriarchs is all used in one verse. It's all put together here in one verse.

We'll use two verses here. Genesis 48 and verse 15. And he blessed Joseph, this is Jacob blessing Joseph, and said, God, okay, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, okay, there was a God who walked amongst Abraham and Isaac. There was a God that Abraham had over for lunch.

Can you imagine? I mean, Abraham had a unique relationship with the God being. He said, can you stay for lunch? And they fixed him a big stake. So, the God whom before my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lands. So, here we have that same angel, that the angel of the Lord that Moses saw is now this same angel who's also God who walked before Abraham and Isaac as well.

So, let me ask another question. Who did the talking to the Israelites? Who did the talking to the Israelites? Well, the Word did, the spokesman, in John 1 and verse 1. I referred already to Genesis 18, but let's go to the 18th chapter of Genesis, and we'll look here in verse 1. Then the Lord appeared to him, that's the Lord appearing to Abraham, by the terebinth trees of Mamre, and as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat, in the very heat of the day, and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him. And when he saw them, of course, two were angels, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground and said, My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.

Please let a little water be brought to you, wash your feet, rest yourself under the tree, and I will bring a morsel of bread. Well, that morsel of bread was a young calf that was slaughtered, and he served Jesus Christ. The one who did the talking here, the one whom Abraham saw, was the one who later became Jesus Christ. Let's turn now to Genesis the 14th chapter, Genesis chapter 14, and we'll look at verse 18. And this is a very thrilling study of its own because this Melchizedek is also explained in Hebrew 7 as one who doesn't have father, doesn't have mother, doesn't have genealogy, doesn't have no history because he doesn't have a father, but he lived forever.

Melchizedek, a king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and he was the priest of God Most High. Later on, Jesus Christ Himself will be identified as the high priest serving you and I on behalf of God the Father. The New Testament makes it very plain in very many places. Jesus Christ is our supreme high priest, serving us on behalf of God the Father. And He blessed Him and said, blessed be a brahm of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.

This Melchizedek, and it's a whole study of its own, is the one who became Jesus the Christ. Now, I want to go back and read some scriptures that do demonstrate, do prove, that the one God that Abraham walked with, Isaac, Jacob, was the one that was Jesus Christ. Let's go back now to John 1 and let's take a look at verse 18. John 1 and verse 18. We've already read John 1, verses 1 through 4, and John 1 and verse 18.

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. No one has seen God at any time. John 5 and verse 37. John 5 and verse 37. And the Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. Now they saw in the flesh the Son of God, who was also God, but Christ is saying, you've never heard His voice, the Father's voice at any time, nor seen His form. The God that walked amongst them in the Old Testament times was the one who became Jesus Christ.

So that's John 5, 37. Let's look at John 6 and verse 46. Not that anyone has seen the Father. We've been talking about who was the Father, who was the Son, what is their name. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God, He has seen the Father. Nobody yet, brother, has seen the Father. And one more scripture. That's going to be 1 John chapter 4 and verse 12.

1 John chapter 4 and verse 12. Let's see what John, who was writing about 90 AD, what John is saying here. 1 John 4 and verse 12. No one has seen God at any time. Now, if you compare that scripture, just that verse, with 1 John 1 and verse 1, you can only draw one conclusion. John 1, 1. That which was from the beginning, that sound like not just 1 John 1, but John 1, 1.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the Word of Life. So here He's saying the Word is what we saw. You know, our hands have handled. Thomas was able to touch his side. I don't think he may have had to do that because he cried out, says, you are my Lord, you are my God.

But the one that they dealt with was the God called Jesus Christ. God the Father, though, He says you've never seen. No one has seen God at any time. 1 John 4 and verse 12. There is a great reward coming for the family of God. There is a great reward coming for the children of God. Listen, for the children of God. Let's look at Revelation 22. Revelation 22, and we'll look at a couple of verses here. And He showed me a pure river of water.

By the way, getting back and kind of interrupting myself here, but the Feast of Tabernacles, we're getting some of the, for Cincinnati, some of the sermon outlines and some of the sermonette outlines. It's interesting that there's going to be some topics discussed there on Revelation 21 and on Revelation 22. The great future yet ahead for all of us. Revelation 22.1, and He showed me a pure river of water, of life, as clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb.

And let's drop down to verse 3. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. His bondservants, you and I, shall serve Him. And then verse 4, this incredible reward coming. They shall see His face. No one has ever seen, except Jesus Christ, no one has ever seen the face of God. That day is coming. We're going to have to be spirit beings at that time. We're going to have to be the divine children of God, or just in His presence you would be blown away. They shall see His face and His name. Now the name of God shall be on, I'll just say, on our foreheads. Brother, this is the great reward that is coming to see the face of God.

I mentioned this before, but I want to mention again, Mr. Goodens and I were on an online Bible study going through the Pentateuch last couple of months, and Frank Dunkel was the one organizing it. And he pointed out scriptures in the Pentateuch where it was in effect saying, Yahweh wants to dwell with His people. And Yahweh wants to...can you imagine that? God wants to dwell with us, and that is a great reward that is coming. And what a reward it will be to be able to look into the face of God, our Heavenly Father. Revelation 21. Revelation 21, and I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and this is a cleansing process that is going to be taking place. And actually this cleansing process, brethren, is starting now with you and I. God is cleansing us now. He is cleansing our hearts now so that we can be with Him and serve Him for eternity. But we're going to have to be cleansed first, and this is just a part of it. I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. This is now God the Father. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and there will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. There is a great cleansing process starting. It's affecting Christians today. It's going to, tomorrow, it'll affect the world, the earth, and the sky, and the heavens, and the universe itself. I make all things new. And he said to me, write, for these words are true and faithful. He said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life, eternal life, freely to Him who thirsts. And he who will overcome shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. The Father is just looking forward to the time. He's going to call us sons and daughters. He's looking forward to the time. We're going to be in his family. Let's turn now to 2 Peter chapter 3. And again, Peter is saying in different words, but the same thing, only he's putting it a little differently. 2 Peter chapter 3, and we'll start in verse 7. But the heavens and the earth, which now exist, are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition or destruction of the ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. We can talk a lot about just that one verse. God can shrink time. He can expand time. Sometimes I think, how can God put up with what we're doing, what humanity is doing to itself? How can he handle it? How can he deal with it? Well, in one sense, the seven thousand year plan is seven days in God's, in that one seven days. So he's long suffering with humanity for a week, if he wants to look at it that way. On the other hand, a thousand years can be as a day. But going on, the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And now we see again the cleansing process. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. And therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be, ought I to be, ought we to be, in holy conduct and godliness? God is starting the cleansing process, and he's starting it with us.

I would have to say, brethren, that the whole purpose of the Son of God, okay, we have the Father, we have the Son, I would say that the whole purpose of the Son of God is to prepare the earth, to prepare the heavens, to prepare the human beings, to prepare us in a cleansing process, so that his Father can live with us, so that his Father can dwell with us. Looking for and hastening or eagerly anticipating the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. But it's not going to be, brethren, just a burnt-up empty hulk of ashes. That's not what it's going to be. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, the cleansing process to produce the new heavens, the new earth, in which righteousness dwells. The purpose of Jesus Christ is to bring us to the state of righteousness, so that God will feel welcome when he dwells with us. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in him in peace without spot and blameless. Christ has given his life, has given this great sacrifice of himself, so that we can become righteous, so we can become children, sons and daughters of our Father. Christ is preparing us in righteousness, so that the Father can come and dwell with us.

Now, in Corinthians, there is a scripture that, if you can find a scripture that beats this one, I want you to show it to me. I just think this is the top. This is really it. It was certainly hinted of or explained in Revelation 21 and 22, but Paul says something here that is absolutely amazing. He's talking about 1 Corinthians 15, 22, for as an Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits afterward those who are Christ's at his coming. There's the saints of God will be in the resurrection. And then, of course, we know the other scriptures talk about the thousand years and then the great white throne period. But Paul jumps ahead and says, then comes the end when he, that's Jesus Christ, the second in command, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father. This whole purpose is for Christ to cleanse the heavens, cleanse the earth, help bring about the new heavens, the new earth, but most of all dealing with us. When he puts an end to all rule and all authority and all power, in other words, he puts an end to rebellion. Christ putting an end to rebellion. For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. Verse 26, the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For he has put all things under his feet, but when he says all things are put under him, it is evident that he who put all things under him is accepted. In other words, everything is under Christ at this point, and then Christ is on top of everything. But that's not the whole story. And I say everything, that's not the whole story. Now when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be subject to him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all. What this is saying is Christ is working day and night as our high priest to bring us to to cleanse us through his sacrifice, to cleanse us through his blood sacrifice, so that we can repent and obey and exercise faith, so we will be cleansed in righteousness, so that the day will come when the Son will say to the Father, Father, here it is. This belongs to you. The new heavens belong to you. You know, the new earth belongs to you. The children of God belong to you. They live now in righteousness, and Jesus Christ will put all these things, including himself, in subjection to the Father. I can't really think of a verse in the whole Bible that describes the great plan of God better than this, making us, again, into the family of God. We will be subject to the Son and then to the Father. And even Christ himself says that he will be subject to God the Father.

So, everything will be turned over to the Father, and this is a ceremony that will be, that Christ will make sure that God the Father will be exalted as the Supreme One. So, that's a brief look at how Father and Son work. Many, many more scriptures that I could bring, and perhaps in time I will cover some other aspects. But I just wanted to give a brief introduction about how the Father and the Son work together and what their purpose is. And I would urge you again to go online, I sent this to you, and read this short little article about Acts 3, verses 13, and how these two divine beings work together as one God.