“…pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9)

(…continues from part one…)

2)            The first obvious Scripture, proving Jehovah’s Fatherhood of humanity is found in Exodus 4:22-23 “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23) And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.”  ‘Son’ is ben (bane): ‘(used widely) a son (as a builder of the family name).’

Firstborn is bekôr (bek-ore’): ‘1. firstborn. 2. (hence) chief.’ Jeremiah 31:9 “They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”  ‘Father’ is ‘ab (awɓ): ‘father {in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application}.’

                Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” and at another time, Jesus taught, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). ‘Father’ is the Greek pater (pa-teer’): ‘a “father” {literally or figuratively, near or more remote}.’ Luke 20:34-36 “And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35) But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36) Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”  ‘Children’ is huios (hwiy-yos’): ‘1. a son. 2. (of animals) a colt, etc. 3. (broadly) a descendant.’ How categorical can one put it other than the asseverative “and they are the children of God”, of Jesus’ teaching?

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14).

                Romans 8:14-16 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” ‘Adoption’ of Romans 8:15 is huiothesia (hwiy-yo-the-siy’-a): ‘1. the placing as a son. 2. (concretely) adoption. 3. (figuratively) Christian sonship in respect to God.’ ‘Abba’ is Abba (ab-ba’): ‘(vocatively) Abba, father; {referring to or addressing one’s father}.’  ‘Children’ of verse 16 is teknon (tek’-non): ‘a child (as produced).’ Evidently not led by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (totally alien to Allah’s prophet), Muhammad suffered from the poverty of the heart that was devoid of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a filial existence which did ostracize Muhammad from the family of Jehovah of the Christian Bible, therefore, he could not, pathetically, have said, “Abba, Father.”

                The Book of John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If Jesus Christ is not the Personage of divine Sonship the Bible will not say so in John 3:16. His Sonship is the Greek monogenes huios. Monogenes (mo-no-ǰe-nees’) – only begotten – means: ‘only-born (i.e. sole)’; huios (hwiy-yos’) means: ‘1. a son. 2. (of animals) a colt, etc. 3. (broadly) a descendant.’ Huios happens to be the highest form of sonship; the traditional huios is equal in status to his father; and that is the reason why the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for calling God His Father. The uniqueness of the Sonship of Jesus truly translates to the Lord’s asseveration of John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”  

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17).

                Muhammad’s denial of Divine Sonship of Jesus should not surprise me. Judas followed the Lord for years but he decided to betray his Lord and Master for filthy lucre. The faithful disciples went round the world, however, to preach the kerygma. One of them wrote, 1) “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4) Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5) While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.” Matthew 17:1-6).

Disciples fell in awe of Jesus

                It was not the disciples alone who fell in awe of the LORD, Moses did on Mount Sinai (when God honoured his prayer of, “Shew me thy glory”); Joshua did before the Angel of the LORD – the epiphany of Jehovah. Later on, Saul of Tarsus, knowing when he is before the LORD the God of Israel, fell down in bowing worship, when Jesus appeared to him on his nefarious, Damascus mission. The disciples, on the Mount of Transfiguration, being Israelites, knew when in the presence of the LORD God, therefore, fell on their faces they did, in absolute latria. Like the Jordan baptism, the same loving voice of the Father came to their hearing, “This is my beloved Son.” The Book of Mark reported the same occurrence in chapter 9 verses two to nine where the ninth verse reads, “And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.” The Divinity always hides Himself; Jesus, being Divine, must be hidden.

                Getting born again is a conscious effort on the part of an individual. Get born again. You were born in sin. Say this sinner’s prayer.

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!” 

(…to be continued…)

Read part 1 here

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