HoHum:
Lars Wilhelmsson says, “We are all in process. We are being made.” Yes, we are but not God.
WBTU:
A. Exegesis on Isaiah 46
Vs. 1
Bel and Nebo were names of two false gods the idol-worshipping nations served. It is as if now God gets personal, “naming names” when it comes to idols. These specifically are names of Babylonian gods. The names of the pagan gods Bel and Nebo are familiar to us in the names Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar.
In chapter 45 Isaiah declared that every knee will bow to the Lord, and here he pictures the gods of the great Babylon nation stooping low in humiliation.
Vs. 3-4
The false gods represented by dumb dead idols must be carried; but God carries His people. He carried them from before their birth, and He promises to continue to carry them (even to gray hairs I will carry you!)
When we understand that God made us, and we are valuable to Him, then we can trust Him to carry us. It’s a worthy question: do we have to carry our gods, or does our God carry us?
Vs. 5- This verse sounds like “To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?” Isaiah 40:18, NIV. And ““To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.” Isaiah 40:25, NIV.
Vs. 6-7 take up the theme as in Isaiah 44 of how dumb it is to make an idol and worship it.
Vs. 8-9
Former things sounds like “See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”” Isaiah 42:9, NIV.
I am God and there is no other like many verses in Isaiah 45
Vs. 10
This echos many thoughts in Isaiah 40-45
My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please. This proves:
That God has a purpose or plan in regard to the human race.
That God's plan will not be frustrated.
Vs. 11- This is another reference to Cyrus. God’s people need to remember that God always has a deliverer for His people, even if He has to find one among pagan kings!
Vs. 13- Isaiah 45:24. Again we go from the downfall of Babylon, the reign of Cyrus who releases the Israelites to go back to the Promised Land, to Jesus Christ who brings righteousness to His people. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son” Galatians 4:4.
Again, the repetitions of these themes seems to indicate that this important.
Last week we talked about the extremes that the open theists rightly object to when talking about God does not change. We talked about how God acts with the world, especially with mankind, and how He has emotions, feelings both good and bad.
Change gears a little to see that we don’t need to go to far away from the concept that God does not change. The ideas that are contrary to Scripture need to be thrown out but don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. Malachi 3:6: I the LORD do not change.
Let’s say that we have a friend who is very intellectual. We have been friends for a while and one day he says, “I’d love to have what you have.” Begin to talk about the Christian faith. Learn that the only exposure to Christianity he has had is from public school and from his studies at the state university. Also, for a while he attended a Uniterian Universalist Church and he became interested in Process Theology. After some study of Process Theology we start to have lengthy discussions about the faith of Jesus Christ. Where do we begin?
1. Need to talk about the authority of Scripture. A process theologian does not believe that Scripture is authoritiative. The basic idea is that God is in process, He is developing, and the Bible was written at a specific point and time and now things have changed. Therefore, this idea is that the Bible is old and outdated. Process theology is position that God is changing, as is the universe. Need to emphasize the authority of the Word. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16.
2. If we get over that hurdle, we need to go to Genesis 1-11, need to establish this as truth. Process theologians believe that creation of entire universe from nothingness ( ex nihilo) is not possible. Science and the Theory of Evolution has proven the account in Genesis wrong say Process theologians.
3. If we get over that hurdle, we need to cover rest of OT. Should not be difficult until we come to Jesus Christ. Process theologians deny that Jesus Christ is God in flesh and mankind has no need for salvation. We just need to keep developing, learning and changing along with God.
What does this have to do with those who deny that God has true foreknowledge, open theism? Well, open theism is often accused of taking many of their thoughts from process theology. Open theists are offended by this because they do start with Scripture, they do believe in Genesis 1-11, and they have a correct understanding of Jesus Christ. These two views differ greatly in these areas. However, many accuse them of adopting this idea that God is learning, developing, and changing from Process Theology.
God is not growing or developing along with the world. Process theology says that God is changing even in his very Being, like in His holiness, His moral character, His omniscience, His omnipresence, His omnipotence, etc. God is becoming better through the world.
Process theology believes that God and the universe together are involved in an endless process of evolution. Trying to meld into the theory of evolution God. Many try this today.
It is necessary to understand that creation was a “free act of God”. To say that God had to create because of some need within God implies that there was some deficiency within God. God does not need anything or has to do anything. Without this teaching, our understanding of God is affected. Along with this, other aspects of God are also affected. From the sign: “God lacks nothing and is limited by nothing.”
The creation was God’s free choice, a choice motived by desire and not by need. God did not have to create, but He wanted to create. It was God’s freely willed choice to create rather than not to create. Whatever God does, he does because He wants to and not because He must.
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalms 115:3, NIV.
Because God does not change we know that God speaks truth. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?” Numbers 23:19, NIV.
Because God does not change we know that God keeps His promises. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23, NIV.
Because God does not change we know that God will fulfil His purposes. Isaiah 46:10
Thesis: What difference should the doctrine of God not changing make in our lives?
For instances:
1. Should give us peace of mind.
“In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.” Psalms 22:4, NIV.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7, NIV.
Barbara Hershey’s character in the movie Hoosiers said, “You know, during all those years away, there are a few things I missed, not being here. I missed knowin' nothing changes, people never change. It makes you feel real solid. I also missed knowing that people's private affairs stay pretty much their own.” People do change but God doesn’t. This should make us feel real solid.
2. Should give us courage to be strong in the Lord even when things look bleek
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV.
“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1 Peter 4:19, NIV.
3. Should imitate His faithfulness in our message and lives
“But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No”.” 2 Corinthians 1:18, NIV. Need to stick to the message as presented in the Scriptures.
We should be faithful in our lives especially in our relationships to one another. We should set our minds firmly upon one course of action and stick to it, namely, that course marked by righteousness and truth. A course that is not wishy washy. So many are uncommitted in their relationships at the church. We should not vacillate back and forth in uncertainty.
4. Should give us a foundation for our worship
How could we be comfortable worshipping a changing God? An unchanging God is truly worthy of worship and can be praised.
“I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Deuteronomy 32:3, 4, NIV.
5. Should give us a feeling of security and hope for the future
A. “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12, NIV.
