| The people of Israel believed in one Supreme Being called YHWH (Yahweh), Jehovah, or in our translation, God. They believed Yahweh was the creator of everything; that He watched over them; that He loved and cherished them above all other nations; and that He would one day send a messiah to them. The God of Israel was different from the gods of other nations. He was one God and did not allow for others to be recognized by His people (You shall have no other gods before Me). He did not allow them to worship anything but Him (You shall not make for yourself an idol). He told them how to relate to each other (Love your neighbor as yourself). He gave them rules for living that were so profound that they’re still recognized for the truths they hold by even those who would deny His existence (the Ten Commandments). The Judges and Kings of Israel were judged as great if they held fast to the commandments of their God, not for their conquests or riches. And deity was never bestowed on their leader. As for evidence of their God, the Israelites had direct experience of His leading through the miracles they witnessed and the prophecies fulfilled. And…their number one prophecy was about the coming of the Messiah. Which now brings us to Jesus of Nazareth: Undeniably, no name has ever had stirred up the emotions of men as has the name of Jesus Christ. He’s either adored or despised, respected or mocked, because He’s all or nothing. Some say He was just a prophet, like Elijah, Isaiah, or Ezekiel. No way! Some say He was just a great man that said and did a lot of good things. Not a chance! There are only three possible things Jesus could be and you must choose one: 1. God incarnate. 2. The best liar of all time. 3. An incredibly charismatic lunatic. |
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