God wants a relationship with us

To be with our children and grandchildren is always a joy. Which one of you do not love every moment you spend with your children or grandchildren? It surely all do. You all love that. So that is a wonderful blessing that God has given us of family. And being able to have lasting relationships, starting in a family and taking it from there. It really is a blessing from God. Now, God always wanted and wants a relationship with us as His children.

We read in Genesis chapter 1 verse 26 and 27, it says, God made us in His image, in His similarity. And we have, in a sense, a type of a mind that is like His mind with feelings and emotions, because He gave us some of the attributes that are in Him. And even more so, when you and I receive God's Holy Spirit, God wants that relationship with us. So think about it carefully.

God is creating us as His children. That is His goal. That is His motivation.

He is our Father. And that's why we pray our Father who art in heaven. God wants that relationship with us as His children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just a wonderful blessing. And that is part of us being together. That's why it's so important. The Bible says, don't neglect the assembling of one another together. It really is building that relationship. That is very important. We're going to be together forever in eternity. We need to have that relationship. We need to enjoy each other's presence. And God wants to enjoy being with us. That's why His presence is with us through the power of His Spirit. In Genesis, in chapter 2, verse 8, we read that God planted a garden. And then God woked with Adam and Eve as friends. They had a relationship, a relationship developed. There was no barrier. There was a simple and plain and honest relationship where one could talk with the other and discuss whatever frustrations, fears, whatever it is, without any judgment. Just an open relationship.

So they talked together, and there was a mutual trust, a mutual respect, and an outgoing love for one another. Then we know, in chapter 3 of Genesis, Satan leads man to sin. Not saying that man and Eve would have not sinned sooner or later. Of course, we know they would, but he kind of pushed, you know, enticed it.

And man and Adam and Eve, they end up disobeying God. In other words, rebelling against God. And they chose the wrong tree. Basically, they chose to trust in their own human reasoning of identifying what is right and wrong, instead of choosing to trust God in defining for us what is right and wrong. That's basically what it is. They chose to trust in their own human abilities of deciding rather than trusting God. So you know the outcome of that, because Adam and Eve immediately felt embarrassed. They felt ashamed. They started hiding. You read that in Genesis 3, verse 8. And they start hiding from the presence of God.

You see, God wanted a relationship of trust, respect, and love, and that relationship was broken. God wanted to dwell with man, but sin separated them. You can read about that in Isaiah 59. Our sins separate us from God. And so, you know the story. They were driven out of the garden. God then didn't give up with mankind. There are one or other that we read in the Bible, like Methuselah for one and others, that are ashamed, that try to build a relationship. But then later we see that Noah tried to build a relationship. But at that time, mankind was just so far out that God, through Noah, saved mankind and wiped out the rest of humanity. A very sad case, because God wanted really to have a special relationship with mankind. And so he started again. But again, mankind went wrong, and we know the story about the Tower of Babel. And from there, even today, we have Babylon the Great, which some of those concepts have filtered back through the ages, through false religion, to our society today. And then we know later there were others like Job. But then we know of others like Abram, which then became Abraham. And we know in Genesis 17, God made a covenant with Abraham. And that was the covenant through circumcision, as you're aware.

And then we read in Genesis 22, verse 16, and that's where I'm going to turn now to Genesis 22, verse 16. Genesis 22, verse 16, because Abraham was prepared to look after, to prepare, I'll be a part of two, for the sake of that relationship, to even sacrifice his own son, Isaac. Now, obviously, God had promised, so he had to trust God, because God had promised that through Isaac there would be a blessing. So he was puzzling how God would do that. Maybe it would resurrect him. Maybe what? But he was being tested. And we read in Genesis 22, verse 16, it says, and he said, that's God, says, the Lord says, by myself I've sworn, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son.

Blessing, I will bless you, and I'll multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gate of the enemies, and in your seed, pointing it to Christ, shall all nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. So we see that because of Abraham's faithfulness of holding on and trusting God in this relationship, this promise became unconditional to Abraham. And now we see God working through a family, because then it goes down to Isaac and to Jacob, as you know the story. And Jacob, you know, changed his name to Israel. Then we know the story, but further down, that they ended up in Egypt, and then God liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

And we know that when it liberated them, he instructed Moses for them to build a sanctuary. Turn with me to Exodus 25. Exodus 25.

And in Exodus 25, we just read there in verse 1, then the Lord God spoke to Moses, and then in verse 8 says, and let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

What was the purpose? To dwell among them, to have a relationship with the nation.

You see, God has always striven, or strived or striven, for a relationship.

And God wants a relationship, and God wanted a relationship. Like a loving father wants a relationship with children.

I think sometimes children don't understand how much their parents and grandparents want a relationship. I think it takes children to become parents for them to realize that the parents really, all they want is a relationship, a loving relationship. And how many times children do things wrong, but you just forgive them because you want a relationship. You want them to come to a point to trust you, and that's what God wants. It is difficult for people to reach a point of understanding that, but that's what God wants. He wants a relationship with all of us.

A little bit further in that relationship, look at Yah in Exodus 28 verse 30. It's something quite often we don't talk about, but look at Yah in Exodus 28 verse 30. It says, And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the Lord.

You see, God wanted so much a relationship that He was prepared to even answer them with a yay or nay when they had questions directly. They could go to Aaron, and these two stones somehow indicated God's answer at that time. So the answer could be yes or no, but at least they had an answer. How many times we go to God and ask for an answer, and sometimes we just have to wait, because maybe God is telling us not now. Wait! But God wanted a relationship, and they could consult with the Urim and the Thummim and get an answer. It just shows how much God wants a relationship with His children. A little further in Exodus 29 verse 38, Exodus 29 verse 38, we read, Now this is what you shall offer on the altar, two lambs of the first year day by day continually. So Yah is an offering, which is a daily to build up a relationship, a daily continuous relationship with God. And then you look a little bit further in verse 44.

And it says, So I shall consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to me as priests, and I'll dwell among the children of Israel, and I'll be their God. God wanted to dwell with them, to be with them. He wanted a relationship with them. And so we can see it's this relationship. Now again, we can start thinking about duality, because that was at that time.

But isn't that what God wants to do with us through Christ, by him giving us his Holy Spirit, and us being able to have a relationship with God through his Spirit, which he poured upon his apostles on Pentecost, and he's given it to us after baptism. Look at Exodus chapter 40, Exodus chapter 40 verse 34. Exodus chapter 40 verse 34. Now, Yah's talking, then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

The presence of God, amongst the Jews they call it the Shekinah glory, the presence of God was in that tabernacle. You see, God's presence was there. God wanted a relationship with the Israelites. He wanted to be near his people. Again, you and I can think in duality, because that's what God wants with us now, and God will strive for in the millennium and beyond. There is a duality there as well. Now, you know the story, because later on a temple is built. Right? You know, it goes through all the time of Judges, and then there's Saul, and then there's David, and there's still no temple. Right?

And then a temple is built at the time of Solomon. So let's look at 2 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, chapter 5. 2 Chronicles, chapter 5. And we're going to read verse 2 and 3 in first place. 2 Chronicles, chapter 5, verse 2 and 3. Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes and the chief fathers of the children of Israel in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, which symbolizes God's throne.

Right? From the city of David, which is Zion, therefore all the men of Israel assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. So what we have is the ark is brought at the seventh month, at the period of the feast. Right? Which is the feast of Tabernacles. So all the elders of Israel came and the Levites took up the ark. So we see they brought the ark at the feast, which you and I can also see a duality of pointing to the wonderful world tomorrow, the millennium, where Christ will be present with us and he will be ruling with us.

And it will be that relationship. And then we read a little later in verse seven. Then the Israelites brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place into the inner sanctuary of the temple to the most holy place under the wings of the carobim. So they had built this carobim there and they brought the ark of the covenant under, because it represents God's throne symbolically, right? And it was under the wings of the carobim.

And then we read a little bit further in verse 13 and 14. Indeed it came to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord.

And when they had lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, they praised the Lord saying, for his good, for his mercy and yours forever, that the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud. So that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house. That Shekinah glory filled the house. God's presence was there in the temple. It must have been an awesome day when those Israelites experienced and saw that. God's presence was there. You see, God wants a relationship with us. He wants to be present with us. He wants to build that relationship.

But you and I unfortunately know the story, right? What did Israel do? They disobeyed. And you know what they did. They broke that relationship of trust, of respect, and love once again. And the result? First, they became divided. You know, after Solomon became divided into a north and south kingdom.

The vision is an outcome, is a fruit of sin.

Secondly, the northern tribe got dispersed. Yes, they went to Assyria and then they actually got dispersed. The ten tribes of Israel got dispersed. And today is stated as the ten lost tribes of Israel. Obviously, we have understanding in the church where they are up to some degree, but Israel got dispersed. And thirdly, some 120-odd years later, Judah went to captivity into Babylon. Yes, some of them returned to fulfill some of the continued promises, which are unconditional, to be fulfilled. But we can see that sin caused division, caused dispersion, and caused suffering through captivity. You see, sin has caused great problems.

In the prophecy of Ezekiel, we read an example of the type of sin that we're doing. So let's turn to Ezekiel chapter 8. Ezekiel chapter 8.

And we're going to start reading in verse 6. So we're just going to pick up a few points, Yah. Ezekiel chapter 8 verse 6.

Furthermore, it said to me, Son of Man, do you see what they are doing? In other words, Yah is God talking to Ezekiel and saying, do you see the sin that people are doing?

The great abominations that the house of Israel commits Yah to make me go far away from my sanctuary. God wants a relationship, but their sin was so abominable that God had to walk away from it.

He had to separate. God hates divorce, but God had to, in a sense, divorce from Israel.

Sin causes separation, causes division.

Now turn again and you'll see greater abominations. And then look at verse 10. So I'm just touching a few highlights here. So I went in and saw, and in every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed all around the walls. In my mind, I can just think graffiti all over the temple. Horrible, filthy graffiti all over the temple. You go to some countries and some areas now in this country where there's graffiti all over and it is not pleasing to the highest, much less it's not pleasing to God. Particularly what the things that were explained.

To me, in a sense, people nowadays do graffiti in their own bodies. I'd call that tattoos, which is against God's law very clearly. Don't do that. And the unfortunate thing is, once you do it, you can't take it out. It is sad and it is a fruit of a corrupt mind that is in the world today. But let's continue reading. I'm reading now in verse 11.

And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel. So this was like the leadership of the nation. And in their midst stood Niah, the son of Safan. And each man had a censoring in his hand and a thick cloud of incense went up. You know, they were being quote unquote very religious, very religious. And they said, then he said to me, son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark?

Every man in the room of his idols. For they say, the Lord doesn't see us. Oh, God doesn't care. I'll just do it. It's kind of an attitude that happens today. God doesn't care. I'll just do it. But God doesn't see it. And the Lord has forsaken the land. And he said to me, verse 13, turn again and you'll see greater abominations that you are doing. And so he brought me to the door of the north gate of the Lord's house. That's the temple. And to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. Women were weeping for Tammuz. Now Tammuz is the husband of Ishta.

Ishta is where we get to name Easter today. So Tammuz, the husband, and they were weeping for that. In other words, it's like what we have today, Lent before Easter, pagan to the roots.

And then he said to me, have you seen this of Son of Man? Turn again and you'll see even more in a greater abomination. So he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house. And there at the door of the temple, at the door of God's temple, between the porch and the altar, there were about 25 men with their backs towards the temple of the Lord, and their faces towards the east. And they were worshiping the sun towards the east. When the sun is towards the east, it's a sunrise. And there it was, is what we call an Easter sunrise worship. They were already there doing so-called Easter Sunday, Easter Sunday sunrise worship right there in God's temple, an abomination to God.

And let's just continue reading in verse 17. And he said to me, have you seen the Son of Man? Is it trivial, what the house of Judah, to commit abominations that they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence.

Let me ask you, is the land today filled with violence?

Brethren, it's just not in this country.

Because it's a spirit in the world. In Brazil, they've been killings of people, of students at schools.

They are killing children at schools in Brazil.

But because they don't have guns, they're killing them with machetes. So it's not the gun.

It's the spirit that is going around in this world, which is satanic.

And they've provoked, they've returned to provoke me to anger.

Indeed, they put the branch to the nose. In other words, it's like adding fuel to the fire, and it's just stinking, stinking this horrible smell stench in God's face.

Therefore, I also will act in fury. Brethren, this is going to happen in this country soon.

I will act in fury.

My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity.

And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, they cry and pray to God with a loud voice, they go to churches and pray to God with a loud voice, I will not hear them.

Brethren, we are looking for trouble in this society. God wants a relationship with us, but we as a nation, and not just this nation, many people around the world, even of other nations, have turned their back on God.

And the result? Well, let's look at the result in Ezekiel 11. Let's look at verse 22.

And so the caribim lifted up their wings, so Yahweh see a scene of caribim, these angelic beings, with the wheels beside them. It's like having some sort of a spiritual transport vehicle. And the glory of the God of Israel was high above them. So it is as if, from what we can see, God's glory that was in the temple is now being taken to this spiritual transport vehicle guided by caribim. That's maybe the simplest way, maybe I can explain it. Maybe my explanation is not exactly right, but it's just a possibility that could be an explanation to that. Then we continue. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on a mountain which is on the east side of the city. So basically what it means, from what I can see, and I might be wrong, but I can see is it left the temple, left a holy of holies, through this, on top of this, spiritual transport with some angels over Jerusalem and then to the east mount which is the Mount of Olives. And then it left planet earth.

The glory of God left the temple, left Judah. And so what happened afterwards?

The temple was destroyed. When the temple was destroyed, God's glory wasn't there. And then Judah went into captivity.

God is removing his blessings from this country. And then there will be serious punishment. And we can see the blessings being removed unless we are closing our eyes. You know the story that some 70 years later, the temple was rebuilt, the Jews returned, not all, some returned. And we read in Haggai. So let's go to Haggai. When they returned, and we know they rebuilt the temple, in Haggai chapter 2, and this was required to fulfill some of God's promises, they needed a temple there so that Christ could come back. So in Haggai chapter 2 verse 3, he says, Who's left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? Now 70 years or so, some were pretty old now, but they could remember what the temple looked like.

And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, ease this knot in your eyes as nothing.

Yet now be strong, Zerababal, says the Lord, and be strong, Joshua, son of Joel Zadak, the high priest, and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work, for I am with you, says the Lord. Yeah, the temple was not what it was before.

And then he continues, According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear. God, through his Spirit, inspired them to rebuild the temple. It was not the same glory, and the Shekinah glory was never in that second temple.

We don't see it coming back. It's not described. But God's Spirit was with them. In a sense, it's like what is happening today. With some of us, the few of us that are in the church, God's Spirit was with us, and we spiritually speaking, we are building the spiritual temple.

And he says, My Spirit will dwell with you. So again, we see that duality in prophecy. You see, the Shekinah glory was never in the second temple, nor was it the ark of the covenant.

The ark of the covenant in the second temple was never there. It was missing since Jeremiah, since the time of Jeremiah. It lacked the glory of God. But it was present on a few people individually. As the analogy is God's presence in you and I, in a few of us in the world individually. So let's continue in verse 6. For thus says the Lord of hosts, once more it is a little while, and I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land.

Now, it's looking at the prophetic time in the future.

I think it is referring to the sixth seal, when there will be those heavenly signs, and it says heaven and earth and the sea and dry land, and I'll shake all nations. Because then it also, I'm speculating, yeah, but it's probably pointing to the day of trumpets, when Christ will come, he'll shake the nations, and Christ is going to come. Because it says, and they shall come to the desire of all nations. Who's the desire of all nations that will come at that time, prophetically, is Christ's coming?

And the nations, the surviving people, then go to Jerusalem to the desire of all nations. And I will fill this temple with glory. Which temple? That third temple that will be built in a millennium. It says the Lord of hosts. And look at verse 9, the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, because Christ himself will be there in a millennium.

And in this place, I'll give peace, peace to the world, because there will be peace to the world from the millennium onwards. It says the Lord of hosts.

You see, again, we can see there's some duality.

Because that temple, second temple, does not have the glory of God, but it says, I'll shake the nations. It could well be also, symbolically, be referring to Christ's first coming. And Christ being present at the temple would be a far greater glory than the previous one, because it was Christ himself. So, yeah, we can see a possibility of a duality.

And also, could also be pointing to the diapentecost, when there was a mighty wind that shook that temple. When you go into Acts chapter 2, Acts chapter 2, in verse 1 and verse 2, Acts chapter 2, verse 1 and 2, it says, Then when the diapentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing, mighty wind. You know, when there's a rushing, mighty wind, it shakes things, you know? Think of it like a storm. It shakes things. It's a mighty wind. And it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And obviously, the house was the house of God. That was the temple. And God's Holy Spirit was given or poured on that day in the apostles. And God's Holy Spirit is poured on us because it says, you know, in Peter's sermon, as we read a little later in Acts chapter 2, verse 38, it says, Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit will be given to you. And it's a promise to them and to us.

So you and I today are the temple of God. In other words, you and I are where God's presence is.

You see, because God had a sanctuary for them to, for God to be present. Where is God present today? In you and I. So you and I are the temple of God. You can read that in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 16. Verse 16. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

And if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy them. So if you or anybody causes you to be defiled, God will destroy because we are the temple of God. And what makes us holy? It says, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. What makes you and I holy? God's presence, He is Spirit. You see, God's Spirit is in us. God wants a relationship. He always wanted a relationship with mankind and is building that relationship now with us. So when you and I receive God's Holy Spirit, we read in 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 3. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that's God the Father, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again. Has begotten us again. You and I were begotten the first time when our physical dad, through the seed, the physical seed, you and I were conceived in our physical mother's womb. We are now begotten again through the power of God's Holy Spirit to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Yes, Christ was resurrected. He sent us the Holy Spirit, and now we can be begotten again to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that does not fade away. And that inheritance for us is waiting for us. A new body, which is waiting for us, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed when?

At the last time. And so at Christ's coming, at the last time, you and I are now begotten again, but we're not yet incorruptible. We're not yet undefiled. But you read in 1 Corinthians 15 that corruptibility does not inherit incorruptible. Incorruption does not...

Okay, I'm sorry. I got it the wrong way around. But incorruptibility does not inherit through corruption. And basically, we have to be changed. We have to be transformed at Christ's coming. And so at Pentecost, we receive God's early Spirit. At Christ's coming, after we have overcome, we will then be born again as true Spirit beings. Read also in verse 23. That's 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 23. Having been begotten again, as it should more clearly state, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible. We have been begotten again, not of human seed, but of God's early Spirit.

Through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever, because that was the promise of the Father. The promise of the Father is that we would receive God's early Spirit, and because of that, we received it. So we are the first fruits. We are not yet what we shall be. We can read that in 1 John chapter 3, verse 1 and 2. We are the early harvest. We are in the field maturing, but we're not reaped yet. The harvest is ripe. You and I are in a process of ripening. It also says, pray, that God will send laborers into the harvest. And so we will be reaped at Christ's coming, which is the first resurrection. The latter great harvest, which will then come later, will be after the first resurrection. So, yeah, there will be a first resurrection. That will be the early harvest at Christ's coming. And the latter harvest will be during the millennium and at the second resurrection after the millennium. You and I are the temple of God.

In Ephesians chapter 2, verse 20 and 22, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 20 and 22, it says, having rebelled on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitly together, grows into a holy temple. We are growing. We are maturing that ultimately will be that holy temple. We are now God's temple, but that holy temple will be in the future. He, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. We are being built together.

You see, God wants a relationship with you and I, and through his Spirit is building that relationship. We now, because we have the church and apostles and ministers as we read in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 11, and he gave some to be apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers, we are now growing in the unity of the faith as we read in verse 13, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, so that we then ultimately become a perfect man to the measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ. We're not there yet. We're not there yet, but we're growing. And then a little later, in verse 16, it says, from whom the whole body joined and knitted together by what every joint supplies, according to the effect of working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the defying of itself in love. We all play a share, play a part. We come to church, we encourage one another, we have fellowship with one another, we have a relationship with one another, we care for one another.

You encourage me.

By different things you say, by encouragement that you give to the ministry, you're unencouraging to me. My responsibility is to be a helper of your joy, by pointing to you, to the plain, simple, milk of the word. And that's what we do. We help one another. We are helping one another. We are in a stage of growing to the fullness and the stature of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, you and I know there'll be a new heaven and a new earth in which God himself will come to earth and we all will be together because God wants a relationship with you and I. We are striving now to build a relationship with one another and with God.

That's what God, our Father, desires with us, to have a relationship with you and I.

He wants a relationship with his children and grandchildren like any parent wants that with his children. He wants to be with us and we need to be in his presence. He is now spiritually, by his only spirit, in our hearts and minds, in us, in a very personal relationship. And that's why you and I are Istanbul now. Let's continue working on that because God wants a perfect family relationship with you and I all the way into eternity.