Intimate Relationship
Good morning. 😊 It is Friday, August 13, 2021
On Wednesday I wrote about the many names of God, close to 1,000 names and titles to be exact.
I wrote that one of my favorite names is Abba. It translates Daddy. But I have another favorite: Husband.
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.” Isaiah 54:5
Jesus is constantly and consistently trying to show us what an intimate relationship He longs to have with us.
Isaiah, in that short verse, tells us a lot about Jesus! He is:
He is our Maker, He created us
He is the Holy One
He is our Redeemer
He is the God of the whole earth
He is the Lord of hosts
“The name “LORD of hosts” occurs some 261 times in the Old Testament Scriptures. God is first called the “LORD of hosts” in 1 Samuel 1:3. The word LORD, capitalized, refers to Yahweh, the self-existent, redemptive God. The word hosts is a translation of the Hebrew word sabaoth, meaning “armies”—a reference to the angelic armies of heaven. Thus, another way of saying “LORD of hosts” is “God of the armies of heaven.” The NIV translates YHWH saboath as “LORD Almighty.” Eventually, Yahweh of armies will put down all rebellion (Isaiah 24:21–23) and establish His Kingdom from Mt. Zion (Isaiah 31:4–5; 34:12). As the LORD of hosts, God is the all-powerful Ruler over the entire universe. All power and authority are His. He alone intervenes to provide victory for His people. He alone brings world peace. At the same time, He is available to hear the prayers of His people (Psalm 80:19). There is no other God like this.” (gotquestions.org/Lord-of-hosts)
Indeed no other God like this!
If you do an online search and ask “how many Hindu Gods are there? You will find there is said to be 330 million gods. You might also find 40-50 gods that have actually been named.
While you are doing a search, if you ask how many religions are in the world, you might find an estimated 4,200 all under the banner of five major worldviews: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and atheism.
Who is the one true God? This is an extremely important question. With so many different religions and gods, it is important to know the one true God.
Isaiah 44:9-10 says, “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?” NKJV
The one true God is full of glory and grace and truth. John 1:14 “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.”
It is that God that wants an intimate relationship with you. It is that God that will never betray you, cheat on you or leave you. It is that God that is faithful, loving and kind. It is that God that longs to take the role of husband in your life.
“I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” Hosea 2:19,20 NKJV
“You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted…for the Lord will take delight in you...As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:3-5 NIV