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Je, Unamjua Mungu Vizuri Vipi - How Well Do You Know God

Mungu Ni Nani? Somo la Mungu ni kubwa sana na la kustaajabisha na linapita ufahamu wa mwanadamu hivi kwamba akili ya mwanadamu inajikuta haiwezi kuelewa, sembuse kueleza Mungu Mweza Yote, Muumba wetu, ambaye kupitia Yesu aliumba ulimwengu wote mzima.

Je, unamjua Mungu wako kwa kiasi gani? Je, una uhusiano gani Naye? Katika maisha yetu ya sasa tunasongwa na matatizo na mikazo mingi sana, tunajishughulisha na shughuli nyingi sana hivi kwamba mara chache swali kama hilo linaingia akilini na mioyoni mwetu. Tumeridhika kumwacha Mungu na dini kwa makasisi na tumekwenda zetu, bila kumjali Mungu na kile anachopaswa kumaanisha kwetu. Kwenda kanisani siku za Jumapili na kuchangia utegemezo wake hutuliza dhamiri zetu na kutupeleka kwenye mkataa wa uwongo kwamba kwa kufanya hivyo tunatimiza wajibu wetu wa kimaadili kwa Mungu wetu. Lakini hii ni kweli? Mara nyingi tunafikia dhana ya uwongo na ya hatari kwamba Mungu anaweza kuhongwa, au kutulizwa. Tunaenda zetu bila kumjali au kile anachosimamia, na ni udhibiti gani anaotaka na anaopaswa kuutumia katika maisha yetu ya kibinafsi.

Dhana hii potofu imewazuia mamilioni ya watu kujigundua wao wenyewe-furaha ya kujua Mungu ni nani - kwa nini tuliumbwa - anachohitaji kwetu - mipango yake ni nini kwa maisha yetu - na tunapaswa kufanya nini ili kuishi kwa amani, furaha. na kupatana na Mungu wetu. Kusudi la kijitabu hiki ni kufundisha kila mtu mnyoofu njia ya kupata ujuzi huo, uelewaji, hekima, amani ya akili, na uradhi wa kweli, kwa kupata uhusiano wa karibu wa kibinafsi pamoja na Mungu akiwa Baba yetu na vilevile Muumba wetu.

Mungu Alifunuliwa Katika Asili - Je! umeona jinsi katika maumbile kila kitu kinakwenda kwa mpangilio kama kazi ya saa? Majira, miezi, siku, saa, mawio na machweo kila kimoja hufuatana kwa utaratibu bila mabadiliko. Majira ya baridi, kwa mfano, ni msimu wa kupumzika au kulala na ishara ya kifo. Spring ni msimu wa kuamsha maisha mapya na ishara ya Ufufuo. Majira ya joto huleta wakati wa nguvu na wingi na maisha bora zaidi. Autumn ni msimu wa kuvuna, mfano wa ukomavu na miaka ya dhahabu, maandalizi ya usingizi wa majira ya baridi, au kifo.Hivyo, misimu minne ni mfano wa maisha yenyewe. Hawabadiliki kamwe kwa sababu wameamriwa na kutawaliwa na sheria ya kimungu, isiyobadilika, isiyo ya kawaida (Mwanzo 8:22).

Mzunguko wa maisha ya mwanadamu ni sawa. Kuna mimba, kuzaliwa, utoto, utoto, ujana, utu uzima, umri wa kati, uzee, na kifo. Huu pia ni mzunguko usiobadilika wa maisha kwa sasa. Kila kitu katika dunia hii kinafuata muundo huu wa ulimwengu wote -- sheria hii isiyobadilika, iliyowekwa kwa mwendo, si kwa utu, asili isiyo na mpangilio, bali na Mungu, Muumba wa asili, na hakuna mwanadamu, mamlaka, au nguvu (isipokuwa Mungu Mwenyewe) anayeweza kuibadilisha. . Iite sheria ya kimungu au sheria ya asili, haijalishi. Mzunguko wa maisha hauwezi kubadilishwa na mwanadamu. Itaendelea hivyohivyo mpaka, kwa wakati ufaao, Mungu, aliyeianzisha hapo mwanzo, aibadilishe ili ipatane na mpango Wake aliokusudia kwa wanadamu. Hivyo Mungu anafunuliwa katika asili.

Kando na utaratibu katika asili, Mungu anafunuliwa katika uzuri wa asili. Fikiria uzuri wa jua au machweo; hakuna wawili wanaofanana. Wanamfunua Mungu kama Msanii Mkuu. Fikiria aina zisizo na kikomo za maua katika saizi zao zote, maumbo, harufu na rangi, kuona ambayo hufanya moyo ufurahi. Mungu ni wa ajabu kweli!

Kutoka vilele vya juu kabisa vya Himalaya hadi shimo la kina kirefu la bahari, mwanadamu huchunguza na kutafakari maajabu mbalimbali ya Mungu na uumbaji Wake. Milima, vilima, mabonde, tambarare na majangwa; miti, vichaka na vichaka; nafaka na mboga; matunda, karanga na matunda kulisha wanadamu na viumbe vyote vilivyo hai; chemchemi, vijito, vijito, mito, bahari na bahari ambayo hutoa maji ya kudumisha maisha; samaki, reptilia, ndege na mamalia; yote yaliyoumbwa awali kwa manufaa na starehe ya mwanadamu, na yote yakielekeza kwa Muumba Mkuu, Mwenye Hekima Yote, Mwenye Nguvu Zote na Mwenye Upendo Wote. Kisha, ikiwa tunatazama juu yetu, tunaona ukanda usio na mwisho wa bluu

ambayo tunaita anga. Mawingu huelea kwa kuendeshwa na mikondo ya upepo ili kutupa mvua na theluji. Wakati wa mchana tunaona jua likitawala katika utukufu wake wote na kumpa mwanadamu joto la asili, nishati na kudumisha maisha yenyewe. Usiku unapoingia tunatazama mwezi, sayari na maelfu ya nyota zikimiminika kwa ustadi kwenye Milky Way katika anga lenye giza lililo juu, zote zikisonga kwa kasi ya ajabu katika mzingo wao -- uthibitisho usiopingika wa uwezo Mkuu, ukuu na hekima ya Mungu wetu Mkuu. Soma Zaburi 19.

Kumtafuta kwetu Mungu hakuishii hapo. Kama ingefanya hivyo, bado hatungemjua Yeye kwa njia yoyote ya ndani au tabia Yake na mipango Yake kwa wanadamu na viumbe vyote. Je, tunaenda wapi kupata majibu ya kutueleza yote kuhusu Mungu wetu Mwenyezi? Je, wanatheolojia, wanasayansi, wanasiasa, wakuu wa serikali, wenye viwanda, waelimishaji, wafanyabiashara, matabibu au watu wengine wowote wenye taaluma wanaweza kutuambia? Hapana! Haiwezekani kwa akili yenye kikomo kuelewa, sembuse kueleza na kumwelezea Mungu asiye na kikomo. Hakuna mwanadamu, hata awe na elimu nzuri au mwenye hekima kiasi gani, angeweza kutuambia yale tunayohitaji kujua kumhusu Mungu.

Mungu alidhihirisha katika Neno lake - Kuna chanzo kimoja tu ambacho kinaweza kutufunulia Muumba zaidi na hicho ni Neno Takatifu la Mungu. Katika Biblia, Mungu anajidhihirisha kwa mwanadamu na kumpa ujuzi wa kweli, hekima, na ufahamu kupitia Roho Wake Mtakatifu.

Kitabu hiki Kitakatifu ni nini? Kwa ufupi, ni mkusanyo wa vitabu 66 vinavyojumuisha miaka 7,000 ya historia na uzoefu wa mwanadamu. Kipindi hiki cha wakati chaanzia kuumbwa kwa mwanadamu wa kwanza, Adamu, hadi mwisho wa Milenia. Inaanza na kitabu cha kwanza, Mwanzo, na kuishia na kitabu cha mwisho,

Ufunuo.

Ni nani waliokuwa waandikaji wa Biblia Takatifu waliopuliziwa? Walikuwa watu wa malezi, uzoefu, elimu, na imani tofauti-tofauti. Waliishi katika nyakati tofauti na katika vipindi tofauti katika historia, lakini maandishi yao yanapatana kwa sababu waliandika “kama walivyoongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu” (2 Petro 1:21). Mwandishi wa kweli wa vitabu hivi ni Mungu Mwenyewe, na kwa sababu hii mkusanyiko huu wa vitabu unaitwa kwa usahihi “Neno la Mungu” au “Maandiko Matakatifu.”

Ni Kitabu hiki ambacho Bwana wetu alitangaza kuwa ni KWELI (Yohana 17:17). Ndani yake tunapata ufunuo wa Mungu wa kazi Zake, sheria Zake, shughuli Zake na wanadamu, baraka Zake zilizoahidiwa na adhabu, mpango Wake kwa wanadamu wote, sifa Zake za kimungu na ufunuo wa Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo, kama Mwokozi, Masihi. , Mkombozi, na ajaye Bwana na Mfalme wa ulimwengu wote. Neno lote la Mungu linamzunguka Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, lililofichwa katika Agano la Kale na kufunuliwa katika Jipya.

Biblia inafunua mengi kumhusu Mungu ili tumjue Yeye vizuri zaidi na kumthamini, kumpenda, kumwabudu, kumtumikia, na kumtii kama tulivyoumbwa kufanya. Tukipitia kurasa zake, tunasoma juu ya mambo mengi ambayo Mungu anasema kumhusu Mwenyewe ambayo yanatusaidia kufikia mwisho huu. Kwa maelfu ya miaka vita vikali vimepiganwa duniani kati ya nguvu za wema na uovu, huku nguvu za uovu zikionekana kuwa na uwezo mkubwa wakati mwingi. Hata hivyo, Neno la kinabii linafichua kwamba hatimaye nguvu za Nuru na Uzima zitashinda uovu na giza. Ushindi wa mwisho wa ushindi utakuwa wa Mungu! Katika yote hayo, Mungu amekuwa akiruhusu uovu ili kuwapa wanadamu somo lenye maumivu lakini la milele kuhusu “dhambi yenye kupita kiasi” na matokeo ya kutotii.

“Njoni karibu, enyi mataifa, msikie, na sikilizeni... dunia na isikie na vyote vilivyomo, dunia na vyote viutokavyo. Kwa maana ghadhabu ya Bwana i juu ya mataifa yote, na ghadhabu yake juu ya majeshi yao yote; atawaangamiza kabisa, atawatoa wauawe.... Na jeshi lote la mbinguni (pepo, pepo wachafu, malaika walioanguka) litaharibiwa, na mbingu (za Shetani) zitakunjwa kama gombo na vyote. jeshi lao litaanguka, kama jani liangukavyo katika mzabibu, kama mtini uangukaovyo mtini” (Isaya 34:1-4). Hivyo utakuja mwisho na uharibifu wa uovu wote.

Kusudi la Mungu Lililofunuliwa - Biblia inafichua kwa nini Mungu alimuumba mwanadamu; kwa nini mwanadamu alianguka dhambini na kuhukumiwa kifo; na kwa nini hadi wakati huu Mungu hajatumia uwezo Wake mkuu kumkomboa mwanadamu kutoka katika hali yake ya kutisha na kumrejesha kwenye uhai, afya na furaha. Nguvu hizi anapanga kuzitumia kwa wakati Wake ufaao kwa ajili ya kuangamiza uovu wote na kwa manufaa ya ulimwengu mzima ya uumbaji Wake wa kibinadamu watiifu. Hii ilihakikishwa na kifo na ufufuo wa Bwana Yesu Kristo.

Ukweli huu muhimu unapaswa kupenya na kuchukua mizizi imara katika kila moyo. Mungu lazima atambuliwe na mwanadamu kama Chemchemi ya uzima. Kila kiumbe mwenye akili timamu, hata katika maumbile, anapenda zawadi ya uhai.

Kwa hiyo, ni jambo la maana zaidi kwa wote kumjua Mungu, ambaye peke yake hutoa uzima wa milele kupitia njia ambayo Ametoa, Kristo, kwa wote ambao watampenda, kumwabudu na kumtii.

Roho ya Unabii, kama uzi wa dhahabu, inapita katika Biblia kutoka Mwanzo hadi Ufunuo. Inamfunulia mtafutaji mwenye bidii Mungu ni nani, na Mpango Wake mkuu wa Ukombozi kwa ajili ya baraka za mwisho za familia zote za dunia (Mwa. 22:15-18).

Je, Mungu amewahi, katika nafasi Yake iliyotukuka, kuwasiliana na wanadamu? Ndiyo! Amefanya hivyo mara nyingi katika karne zilizopita. Hapa kuna mifano michache: Mungu alizungumza na Adamu - Mwanzo 2:15-17; 3:8-19.

Mungu alizungumza na Nuhu - Mwanzo 6:13-21; 9:1-17. Mungu alizungumza na Ibrahimu - Mwanzo 12:1-3; 15:1-16; 22:15-18. Mungu alisema na Isaka - Mwanzo 26:1-5. Mungu alizungumza na Yakobo - Mwanzo 28:10-15. Mungu alizungumza na Musa - Kut. 3:1-22; na kwa manabii wote. Leo, ingawa sauti yake haisikiki kwa masikio, Mungu husema nasi kwa Roho wake Mtakatifu kupitia Neno lake lililoandikwa.

Urefu wa Maisha ya Mungu - Kwa kuzingatia ufupi wa maisha, mwanadamu anaweza kujiuliza ni muda gani Mungu amekuwepo na ataishi kwa muda gani. Maelfu ya miaka? Mamilioni au mabilioni ya miaka? Musa, mtu wa Mungu na kiongozi mkuu wa Israeli, aliandika vitabu vitano vya kwanza vya Biblia. Haya pia ni maneno yake kutoka katika Zaburi 90:2 : “Kabla ya kuumbwa milima, kabla hujaiumba dunia, wewe ndiwe Mungu, huna mwanzo wala mwisho.”

Hapa, basi, tuna ufunuo wa Mungu wa kuwepo kwake mwenyewe. Amekuwa akiishi milele na ataendelea kufanya hivyo. Hakukuwa na mwanzo wa kuwepo kwake, na hakutakuwa na mwisho. Mungu daima amekuwa asiyeweza kufa. Ana uzima ndani Yake. Yeye hategemei vitu kama vile chakula, vinywaji, au hewa ili kuendeleza maisha Yake kama sisi. Yeye si chini ya kifo na hawezi kufa.

Jina la Mungu na Tabia - Baada ya kuthibiti umilele wa Mungu kwa sababu ya kutokufa Kwake, swali linalofuata linaweza kuwa: Jina la Mungu huyu mkuu, mwenye uwezo wote, asiyeweza kufa ni nini? Tena Biblia inatupa jibu. Katika Zaburi 83:18 (NLT) tunasoma hivi: “Hata watakapojua ya kuwa wewe peke yako unaitwa BWANA (Yehova), ya kuwa wewe peke yako ndiwe Uliye juu, uliye juu juu ya dunia yote.” Hili ndilo Jina takatifu la Mungu - Yehova. Itumie kwa heshima. Yehova anamaanisha “aliyekuwako mwenyewe.”

Biblia inatuambia kwamba Mungu ni Mtakatifu. Isaya alipata maono ambayo alisema, “Nilimwona Bwana. Alikuwa ameketi juu ya kiti cha enzi kilichoinuka sana, na upindo wa vazi lake ukajaza Hekalu. Maserafi wenye nguvu walikuwa wakipepea kumzunguka, kila mmoja akiwa na mabawa sita. Kwa mabawa mawili walifunika nyuso zao, kwa mawili walifunika miguu yao, na kwa mawili yaliyobaki wakaruka. Katika kwaya kuu waliimba, 'Mtakatifu, mtakatifu, mtakatifu ni BWANA

Mwenyezi! Dunia yote imejaa utukufu wake!’” ( Isa. 6:1-4 ). Tazama pia Isaya 57:15. Ukuu wa Mungu pia unaenea katika nyakati zote. Katika Mathayo 5:35, Bwana wetu Yesu anamwita Mungu “Mfalme Mkuu.” Ukuu wake mkuu ulimwongoza nabii Yeremia kuandika hivi: “Ni nani asiyekucha, Ee Mfalme wa mataifa? Kwa maana ufalme ni wako; kwa maana katika wenye hekima wote wa mataifa, na katika falme zao zote, hapana aliye kama wewe” (Yeremia 10:7 – Lamsa).

Mungu anajulikana kama Aliye Juu. Hii ina maana kwamba Yeye ni mkuu na mkuu kuliko wote. Anashikilia hatima za mataifa na vilevile watu binafsi katika Mikono Yake Mikuu, Ukuu, na Mitakatifu. Kina cha utajiri Wake wa hekima na akili, urefu wa uwezo Wake na upendo Wake ni zaidi ya ufahamu wa mwanadamu.

Sifa Nne Kuu za Mungu - Biblia inafunua kwamba tabia ya Mungu, kando na kuwa Mkuu, Mkuu na Mtakatifu, ina sifa nne tofauti, zote zikiwa na usawaziko moja na nyingine, zikifanya tabia Yake kamilifu na tukufu kikweli. Wao ni:

Haki - “Kiti chako cha enzi kimewekwa juu ya nguzo mbili zenye nguvu—haki na haki...” Zaburi 89:14. Kumb. 32:4 inatuambia, “Yeye ni Mwamba; Kazi yake ni kamilifu. Kila kitu Anachofanya ni haki na haki. Yeye ni Mungu mwaminifu asiyetenda uovu; jinsi Yeye alivyo mwadilifu na mnyoofu!” Daudi anatangaza, “Kwa kuwa BWANA ni mwenye haki, naye anapenda haki” (Zaburi 11:7), na Ufu. 15:3 inatangaza, “...njia zako ni za haki na za kweli, Ee Mfalme wa mataifa. Tunaweza kutegemea haki kamilifu ya Mungu ili kuwathawabisha wale wanaofanya mema na kuwaadhibu watenda maovu.

Hekima - Sifa nyingine ya Mungu inaonekana wazi katika uumbaji wake wote katika ulimwengu wote. Katika Isa. 40:12-15 tunasoma, “Ni nani mwingine aliyeshika bahari mkononi mwake? Ni nani aliyezipima mbingu kwa vidole vyake? Nani mwingine ajuaye uzito wa dunia au amepima milima na vilima? Ni nani awezaye kumshauri Roho wa BWANA? Nani anajua vya kutosha kuwa mwalimu au mshauri Wake? Je, BWANA amewahi kuhitaji ushauri wa mtu yeyote? Je, anahitaji maelekezo kuhusu lililo jema au lililo bora zaidi? La, kwa maana mataifa yote ya ulimwengu si kitu kwa kulinganishwa Naye. Wao ni tone tu kwenye ndoo, na vumbi kwenye mizani. Anavinyanyua visiwa kana kwamba havina uzito hata kidogo.”

Matendo 15:18 inatuambia, Kazi zake zote zinajulikana tangu mwanzo wa ulimwengu. Mtume Paulo aliandika juu ya “hekima ya Mungu katika siri, hekima iliyofichwa” ( 1Kor. 2:7 ) na juu ya hekima ya namna nyingi ya Mungu, kwa maana katika Waefeso 3:10 ( NLT ), anasema, “kusudi la Mungu. ili kuonyesha hekima yake katika utajiri wake wote kwa falme na mamlaka zote katika ulimwengu wa roho... Mpango huo ulikuwa ni mpango wake tangu milele, na sasa umetimizwa kwa njia ya Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu.”

Mtume huyuhuyu pia anapaza sauti kwa mshangao wa sifa kwa Mungu na hekima Yake katika Warumi 11:33 : “Oh, tunaye Mungu wa ajabu jinsi gani! Jinsi zilivyo kuu utajiri wake na hekima na maarifa! Haiwezekani jinsi gani kwetu kuelewa maamuzi yake na mbinu zake! Maana ni nani awezaye kujua anachowaza Bwana? Nani anajua vya kutosha kuwa mshauri wake? Na ni nani ambaye angeweza kumpa kiasi kwamba angelazimika kurudisha? Kwa maana kila kitu hutoka kwake; kila kitu kipo kwa uwezo wake na kimekusudiwa kwa utukufu wake. Utukufu una Yeye daima. Amina.”

Nguvu - Mamlaka na nguvu zote hutoka kwa Mungu. Aliita nuru kutoka gizani ... cosmos kutoka kwa machafuko ... ili kutoka kwa kuchanganyikiwa. Mataifa yote, serikali, na mamlaka katika dunia hii hayaonwi na Mungu kuwa si kitu.

Mungu anatawala ulimwengu mzima kwa uwezo wake Mkuu. Kila kitu kinatembea kwa utii kamili na upatanifu kwa mapenzi Yake kuu, kulingana na sheria Zake kamilifu na zisizobadilika zilizowekwa mwanzoni mwa uumbaji, kutia ndani sayari ya dunia na viumbe vyote vilivyo hai. Nguvu za Mungu ni kamilifu, hazina kikomo na za milele. Hakuna kinachoweza kupinga, kuizuia, au kuizuia bila Yeye kuiruhusu kwa manufaa ya milele ya wanadamu. Nabii aliandika katika Isaya 66:1 (NLT) - “BWANA asema hivi, Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi, na dunia ni mahali pa kuweka miguu yangu. Je, unaweza kunijengea hekalu zuri kama hilo? Je, unaweza kunijengea makao? Mikono yangu ndiyo iliyozifanya mbingu na nchi zote ni Zangu. Mimi, BWANA, nimesema!’” Katika Zaburi 103:19 tunasoma, “BWANA amezifanya mbingu kuwa kiti chake cha enzi; kutoka hapo anatawala kila kitu.” Tafadhali soma Zaburi 103 kwa ujumla wake.

Biblia inatuambia juu ya maajabu yake ambayo ni maonyesho yanayoonekana ya uweza wake Mkuu. Katika Mwanzo - soma hadithi ya uumbaji; Gharika Kuu; uharibifu wa Sodoma na Gomora; katika Kutoka - muujiza wa mapigo kumi; kugawanyika na kuvuka kwa Bahari ya Shamu; na katika Yoshua - kuanguka kwa kuta za Yeriko. Hii ni mifano michache ya nguvu kuu za Mungu.

Katika 1 Mambo ya Nyakati 29:10-13 ( NLT ), tunasoma kuhusu wimbo wa Daudi wa kusifu ukuu wa Mungu: “Ee BWANA, Mungu wa baba yetu Israeli, uhimidiwe milele na milele! Ee BWANA, ukuu ni wako, na nguvu, na utukufu, na ushindi, na enzi. Kila kilicho mbinguni na duniani ni Chako, Ee BWANA, na huu ni ufalme wako. Tunakuabudu wewe uliye juu ya kila kitu. Utajiri na heshima hutoka Kwako peke yako...Nguvu na uweza zimo mkononi Mwako, na ni kwa uamuzi wako watu wanafanywa wakuu na kupewa nguvu. Ee Mungu wetu, tunakushukuru na kulisifu Jina lako tukufu!”

Katika vipindi vilivyopangwa au vipindi vya wakati, Mungu amefunuliwa kwa viumbe Wake kwa udhihirisho mkuu wa uweza Wake mkuu, ambao kwa huo Ameonyesha kwamba wakati wowote anapochagua kutumia uwezo Wake dhidi ya mwanadamu au Shetani, mmoja au mwingine hana uwezo dhidi ya. Yeye. Tafadhali soma kuhusu nguvu za Mungu katika Zaburi 8, 19, 65, 66, 104, 148; Ayubu 37:23; Ayubu 38 na 39.

Upendo - "Mungu NI Upendo," asema Mtume Yohana. Upendo hapa ni kutoka kwa Agape ya Kigiriki. Mungu ni Upendo uliobinafsishwa. Anawapenda viumbe Wake wanaokosea na anataka kuwasaidia na kuwapa uzima wa milele. Upendo wa aina hii haujipendezi. Ni utoaji usio na ubinafsi zaidi, na ungeweza kuonyeshwa kwa kiwango kikubwa zaidi kuliko katika kutoa kwa Mungu zawadi kubwa zaidi ambayo inaweza kutolewa...Mwanawe wa Pekee! Hazina kuu ya moyo Wake ilitumwa katika ulimwengu huu ... "Aliondoka kwenye ulimwengu wa Nuru ... kuingia kwenye kina cha usiku!" Mwana huyu, ambaye alikuwa “furaha Yake kila siku,” alimtuma awe Mwokozi wetu na Mchukua-dhambi! Ndiyo, “Kwa maana MUNGU ALIUPENDA SANA ulimwengu hata AKATOA...Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele. Mungu hakumtuma Mwana ulimwenguni ili auhukumu, bali auokoe kupitia yeye” (Yohana 3:16,17). Mungu alishuka kutoka mbinguni, akinyoosha mkono wake wenye nguvu - Yesu - ili kumtoa mwenye dhambi anayezama kutoka kwa mawimbi ya kukamata ya kifo.

Mtume Paulo anasisitiza zaidi upendo mkuu wa Mungu kwa kusema kwamba “Mungu ni mwingi wa rehema naye alitupenda sana hata tulipokuwa wafu kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu, alituhuisha alipomfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu” (Efe. 2:4). Tena katika Tito 3:4-7 (NLT), anaandika, “Lakini Mungu, Mwokozi wetu alituonyesha wema wake na upendo wake. Alituokoa, si kwa sababu ya mambo mema tuliyofanya, bali kwa sababu ya rehema zake. Aliziosha dhambi zetu na kutupa maisha mapya kwa njia ya Roho Mtakatifu...akitutangaza ‘hatuna hatia’ kwa sababu ya fadhili zake kuu.”

Mtume Yohana anaonyesha jinsi upendo wa Mungu unavyofanya kazi kwa niaba yetu: “Tunajua upendo wa kweli ulivyo, kwa kuwa Kristo aliutoa uhai wake kwa ajili yetu; . Na katika 1 Yohana 4:9, 10 na 19 (NLT) anasema, “Mungu alionyesha jinsi alivyotupenda kwa kumtuma Mwanawe pekee ulimwenguni ili tuwe na uzima wa milele kwa yeye. Huu ni upendo wa kweli. Si kwamba sisi tulimpenda Mungu, bali kwamba yeye alitupenda sisi, akamtuma Mwanawe kuwa dhabihu ya kuziondoa dhambi zetu... Sisi tunapendana kwa upendo wake sisi kwanza.”

Sifa nne za Mungu za Haki, Hekima, Nguvu na Upendo zote hufanya kazi kwa upatano katika ulimwengu wote mzima na hasa kwa manufaa ya wanadamu. Loo, laiti wanadamu wangemgeukia Mungu na kuishi kupatana na sheria Zake, wangejua amani, furaha, na upendo wa kweli. Ni wachache wanaopata njia hii sasa—ni wale tu wanaochagua kuwa wanafunzi wa Bwana Yesu Kristo na ambao, ikiwa waaminifu hadi kifo, watakuwa “warithi pamoja” na Yesu, Bwana-arusi wao, katika Ufalme wa Mungu. wainue na kuwabariki wote walioshuka mautini. “Hukumu zako zikiwa duniani, watu wanaoikaa watajifunza haki” (Isaya 26:9).

“Siku hiyo mbwa-mwitu na mwana-kondoo wataishi pamoja...Ndama na watoto wa mwaka watakuwa salama kati ya simba na mtoto mdogo atawaongoza wote...simba watakula majani kama mifugo. Watoto watatambaa kwa usalama kati ya nyoka wenye sumu. Ndiyo, mtoto mdogo ataweka mkono wake katika kiota cha nyoka wauaji na kumtoa nje bila kujeruhiwa. Hakuna kitakachodhuru au kuharibu katika mlima Wangu wote mtakatifu. Na kama vile maji yanavyoijaza bahari, ndivyo dunia itakavyojazwa watu wanaomjua BWANA” (Isa. 11:6-9 NLT).

Mwaliko wa Mungu - Imedaiwa kwamba ni wanaume wachache tu wanaoweza kuithamini Biblia Takatifu. Hii si kweli. Biblia imetolewa na Mungu kwa wanadamu wote ili iweze kusomwa na kujifunza, na hivyo kuwasaidia na kuwafariji wale wote wanaopenda uadilifu na wanaotafuta kwa bidii kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu. Katika Zaburi 25:14 tunasoma, “Urafiki na BWANA ni akiba kwa wale wamchao. Anawashirikisha nao siri za agano lake."

Kutoka mbinguni Mwenyezi hufika chini duniani na kumwalika mwanadamu kuja na kujadiliana na Muumba wake (Isaya 1:18-20) na kujifunza njia zake. Mara tu dhambi yake inaposamehewa katika damu ya Mwana-Kondoo, mtu yeyote anaweza kujifunza kumjua na kumtii Mungu wao na kupata uzima wa milele. Biblia pekee ndiyo chemchemi ya kweli ya maarifa na hekima yote, ya kutosha kutosheleza njaa na kiu ya mtafutaji Ukweli, ikimpa kitulizo na pumziko (Mt. 11:28-30). Ni Kitabu pekee kinachoonyesha Njia ya uzima tele kupitia Yule aliyesema, “MIMI NDIMI njia, na kweli na uzima” (Yn 14:6).

Wale wanaomtafuta Mungu kwa bidii watajifunza njia ya uzima (Kum. 4:29; Mdo. 17:17; Ebr. 11:6). Kwa wakati ufaao hata maadui wa Mungu watakuja kukiri kuwa Yeye ni Mmoja, Mwenyezi, na Mungu wa Kweli. Kwa hiyo, funzo la Biblia Takatifu ndilo linalovutia zaidi na lenye kuthawabisha zaidi kati ya masomo yote. Yule anayefikia ufahamu wake anapata hazina isiyokadirika kubwa zaidi na ya thamani zaidi kuliko fedha na dhahabu zote za ulimwengu huu. Hutia nuru akili na kufanya upya moyo wa mwanadamu, na kumwongoza, kwa njia ya Bwana Yesu Kristo, kwenye uzima wa milele. Mtafutaji wa bidii ataona hivi karibuni kwamba Biblia ni kisima cha hekima kisichoisha, kwa sababu inamfunua Mungu katika nguvu na utukufu Wake wote. Soma na ujifunze kwa maombi Kitabu hiki na utapata baraka zisizoweza kusimuliwa.

Katika Mithali 1:7 tunaambiwa kwamba “Kumcha Mungu ni chanzo cha hekima.” Je, inamaanisha nini kumcha Mungu? Hofu, katika Biblia, inamaanisha kustahi, kustahi na kumtii Muumba. Ni namna ya juu zaidi ya uthamini kwa baraka zinazopokelewa kupitia fadhili zenye upendo za Mwenyezi, na hangaiko letu la kina la kuvunja sheria Zake za uadilifu. Haimaanishi kuwa na hofu ya msiba unaokuja, au kuwa na woga usiofaa juu ya Muumba wetu. Ingawa twahitaji hofu ifaayo yenye staha kwa Yehova, hatupaswi kamwe kuwaogopa wanadamu, kwa kuwa hilo huongoza tu kwenye mtego.

Wanyenyekevu na wapole ni wale wanaofundishika. Mwenye hekima ni yule anayetamani kufundishwa na kuongozwa na ukweli. Katika Zaburi 25:9 tunasoma, “Atawaongoza wenye upole katika hukumu, naye atawafundisha wapole njia yake.” Mtunga-zaburi pia alijua kwamba “Wenye upole watairithi nchi, watajifurahisha kwa wingi wa amani” (Zab. 37:11). Tazama pia Mt. 11:28, 29. Ili kupata uzima wa milele, ni lazima mwanadamu apate ujuzi wa Kweli ya Mungu. Ukweli wa msingi wa Ukristo uliambiwa katika Yohana 17:3 : “Na hii ndiyo njia ya kuwa na uzima wa milele—wakujue wewe, Mungu wa pekee wa kweli, na Yesu Kristo, uliyemtuma duniani.”

Mwana wa Mungu aliyethaminiwa - Tumetaja katika jambo lililotangulia kuhusu Yesu ni nani. Ili kukuza zaidi, Yeye ndiye ambaye, zaidi ya yote, alimfunua Mungu kwa wanadamu alipokuwa duniani. Alikuwa chombo cha Mungu katika uumbaji wa vitu vyote (Kol. 1:15-17). Yeye ndiye aliyekaa pamoja na Mungu hadi aliposhuka duniani ili kutoa uhai Wake uwe fidia kwa ajili ya Adamu na wote waliopotea kupitia yeye. Kufuatia ufufuo wa Yesu, alirudi mbinguni ambako angali ameketi mkono wa kuume wa Mungu. Hakuna aliyestahiki zaidi kutufunulia Mungu kuliko Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo. Anasemekana kuwa “mfano dhahiri wa nafsi ya Baba” (Kol. 1:15). Tazama pia Ufunuo 3:14; Yohana 8:42; Luka 1:26-38; Yohana 17:5; Mt. 20:28; Matendo 1:6-11; 7:55.

Bwana wetu Yesu alisema nini kuhusu Mungu na Baba yake kwa watu kwa ujumla na hasa kwa wanafunzi Wake? Ifuatayo ni orodha fupi ya baadhi ya yale ambayo Yesu alituambia.

Yesu alifundisha kwamba:

Mungu ni Mmoja - Marko 12:29

Mungu hawezi kufa - Yohana 5:26

Mungu ndiye mkuu kuliko wote - Yohana 10:29

Mungu ni mwenye rehema - Luka 6:32-36

Mungu ni Upendo - Yohana 3:16; 16:27

Mungu ni mwema kwa wenye haki na wasio haki - Mt. 5:45

Mungu anastahili kupendwa kuliko yote - Mt. 22:36-40

Who Is God? The subject of God is so vast and awesome and so far beyond human understanding that the human mind finds itself unable to comprehend, much less describe Almighty God, our Creator, who through Jesus created the entire universe.

How well do you know your God? What is your relationship to Him? In our present life we are pressed in by so many problems and stresses, we are engaged in so many pursuits and activities that such a question rarely enters our mind and heart. We have been satisfied to leave God and religion to the clergy and have gone our way, unmindful of God and what He really ought to mean to us. Going to church on Sundays and contributing to its support soothes our conscience and leads us to the false conclusion that by so doing we are fulfilling our moral responsibility to our God. But is this really so? Often we arrive at a false and dangerous assumption that God can be bribed, or appeased. We go our way without a care about Him or what He stands for, and what control He desires and should exercise in our personal lives.

This false concept has kept millions from discovering for them-selves the joy of knowing who God is - why we were created - what He requires of us - what His plans are for our lives - and what we should do to live in peace, joy and harmony with our God. The purpose of this booklet is to teach each sincere person the way to attain such knowledge, understanding, wisdom, peace of mind, and true contentment, by coming to a close personal relationship with God as our Father as well as our Creator.

God Revealed In Nature - Have you noticed how in nature everything moves in order like clock-work? The seasons, months, days, hours, sunrises, and sunsets each follow one another in orderly fashion without change. Winter, for instance, is a season of rest or sleep and symbolic of death. Spring is the season of awakening new life and symbolic of the Resurrection. Summer brings a time of strength and abundance with life at its best. Autumn is the season of harvesting, symbolic of maturity and the golden years, preparatory to the sleep of winter, or death.Thus, the four seasons are really symbolic of life itself. They never change because they have been ordered and ruled by a divine, immutable, supernatural law (Genesis 8:22).

The cycle of human life is the same. There is conception, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age, old age, and death. This is also the unchangeable cycle of life at present. Everything on this earth follows this universal pattern -- this immutable law, set in motion, not by impersonal, haphazard nature, but by God, the Creator of nature, and no man, authority, or power (except God Himself) can change it. Call it divine law or natural law, it doesn’t matter. The cycle of life cannot be changed by man. It will continue the same until, in due time, God, who set it in motion at the beginning, changes it to bring it into harmony with His purposed plan for mankind. Thus God is revealed in nature.

Besides order in nature, God is revealed in the beauty of nature. Consider the beauty of a sunrise or sunset; no two are alike. They reveal God as the Supreme Artist. Consider the infinite varieties of flowers in all their sizes, shapes, fragrance and colors, the sight of which makes the heart glad. God is indeed awesome!

From the highest peaks of the Himalayas to the deepest abyss of oceans, man explores and ponders the various wonders of God and His creation. Mountains, hills, valleys, plains and deserts; trees, shrubs and bushes; grains and vegetables; fruits, nuts and berries to feed mankind and all living creatures; springs, brooks, streams, rivers, seas and oceans which provide life-sustaining water; fish, reptiles, birds and mammals; all originally created for man’s benefit and enjoyment, and all pointing to a Great, All-Wise, All-Powerful and All-Loving Creator. Then, if we look above us, we see infinite stretch of blue

which we call sky. Clouds float by driven by wind currents to supply us with rain and snow. In the daytime we see the sun ruling in all its glory and providing man with nature’s heat, energy and sustaining life itself. As night falls we view the moon, the planets and myriad stars brilliantly thronging the Milky Way in the dark firmament above, all moving at incredible speed in their orbit -- incontestable proof of the Supreme power, majesty and wisdom of our Great God. Read Psalm 19.

Our search for God does not end there. If it did, we still would not know Him in any intimate way or His character and His plans for humanity and all creation. Where do we go for answers to tell us all about our Almighty God? Can theologians, scientists, politicians, statesmen, industrialists, educators, business men, physicians or any other professional men tell us? No! It is impossible for the finite mind to understand, much less explain and describe the Infinite God. No man, however well-educated or wise, could tell us what we need to know about God.

God revealed in His Word - There is only one source that can reveal the Creator to us further and that is God’s Holy Word. In the Bible, God reveals Himself to man and offers him true knowledge, wisdom, and understanding through His Holy Spirit.

Just what is this Holy Book? Briefly, it is a collection of 66 books encompassing 7,000 years of human history and experience. This period of time stretches from the creation of the first man, Adam, to the end of the Millennium. It begins with the first book, Genesis, and ends with the last book,

Revelation.

Who were the inspired writers of the Holy Bible? They were men of diverse background, experience, education, and faith. They lived in different ages and at different periods in history, yet their writings are harmonious because they wrote “as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The true Author of these books is God Himself, and for this reason this collection of books is correctly called “The Word of God” or “The Sacred Scriptures.”

It is this very Book that our Lord declared to be TRUTH (John 17:17). In it we find God’s revelation of His works, His laws, His dealings with men, His promised blessings and punishments, His plan for all mankind, His divine characteristics and the revelation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Savior, Messiah, Redeemer, and coming Lord and King of the whole world. The whole of God’s Word centers around our Lord Jesus Christ, concealed in the Old Testament and revealed in the New.

The Bible reveals much about God so that we may know Him better and appreciate, love, worship, serve, and obey Him as we were created to do. Going through its pages, we read of the many things God says about Himself which help us to this end. For thousands of years a bitter battle has been fought on earth between the forces of good and evil, with the forces of evil seeming to have the upper hand most of the time. However, the prophetic Word discloses that eventually the forces of Light and Life will overcome evil and darkness. The final triumphant victory will be God’s! In all of this, God has been permitting evil in order to give mankind a painful but eternal lesson in the “exceeding sinfulness of sin” and the consequences of disobedience.

“Come near, you nations, to hear, and hearken...let the earth hear and all therein: the world and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies; he will utterly destroy them, he will deliver them to the slaughter.... And all the host of heaven (demons, evil spirits, fallen angels) shall be dissolved, and (Satan’s) heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, as a falling fig from the fig tree” (Isaiah 34:1-4). Thus will come the end and the destruction of all evil.

God’s Revealed Purpose - The Bible reveals why God created man; why man fell into sin and was condemned to death; and why to this time God has not exercised His mighty power to free man from his awful condition and restore him to life, health and happiness. This power He plans to use in His due time for the destruction of all evil and for the universal benefit of His obedient human creation. This was guaranteed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This important truth should penetrate and take firm root in every heart. God must be recognized by man as the Fountain of life. Every creature of sound mind, even in nature, loves the gift of life.

Therefore, it is of greatest importance for all to know God, who alone grants eternal life through the means He has provided, Christ, to all who will love, worship and obey Him.

The Spirit of Prophecy, like a golden thread, runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It reveals to the earnest seeker who God is, and His grand Plan of Redemption for the eventual blessing of all the families of the earth (Gen. 22:15-18).

Has God ever, in His exalted position, communicated with men? Yes! He has done so many times through the past centuries. Here are a few instances: God spoke to Adam - Genesis 2:15-17; 3:8-19.

God spoke to Noah - Genesis 6:13-21; 9:1-17. God spoke to Abraham - Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-16; 22:15- 18. God spoke to Isaac - Genesis 26:1-5. God spoke to Jacob - Genesis 28:10-15. God spoke to Moses - Ex. 3:1-22; and to all the prophets. Today, though His voice is not heard with the ears, God speaks to us by His Holy Spirit through His written Word.

God’s Longevity - Considering the shortness of life, man may wonder how long God has existed and how long He will yet live. Thousands of years? Millions or billions of years? Moses, the man of God and great leader of Israel, wrote the first five books of the Bible. These also are his words from Psalm 90:2: “Before the mountains were created, before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end.”

Here, then, we have God’s revelation of His own existence. He has been living forever and will continue to do so. There was no beginning to His existence, and there shall be no end. God has always been immortal. He has life within Himself. He is not depen-dent on such things as food, drink, or air to sustain His life as we are. He is not subject to death and cannot die.

God’s Name and Character - Having thus established God’s eternity because of His immortality, the next question might be: What is the Name of this great, all-powerful, immortal God? Again the Bible provides us with the answer. In Psalm 83:18 (NLT) we read: “Until they learn that you alone are called the LORD (Jehovah), that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.” This is the sacred Name of God - Jehovah. Use it with reverence. Jehovah means “self-existing one.”

The Bible tells us that God is Holy. Isaiah had a vision in which he said, “I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. In a great chorus they sang, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD

Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!’” (Isa. 6:1-4). See also Isaiah 57:15.God’s Majesty also extends throughout all the ages. In Matthew 5:35, our Lord Jesus calls God “The Great King.” His sublime majesty inspired the prophet Jeremiah to write: “Who would not revere Thee, O King of nations? For to Thee belongs the kingdom; for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like Thee” (Jeremiah 10:7 - Lamsa).

God is known as The Most High. This means that He is supreme and superior to all. He holds the destinies of nations as well as individuals in His Mighty, Majestic, and Holy Hands. The depth of His riches of wisdom and intelligence, the height of His power and of His love are beyond human understanding.

God’s Four Main Attributes - The Bible reveals that God’s character, besides being Majestic, High and Holy, has four distinct attributes, all perfectly in balance with one another, making His a truly perfect and glorious character. They are:

Justice - “Your throne is founded on two strong pillars—righteousness and justice...” Psalms 89:14. Deut. 32:4 tells us, “He is the Rock; His work is perfect. Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is!” David declares, “For the LORD is righteous, and He loves justice” (Psalms 11:7), and Rev. 15:3 declares, “...just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations.” We can depend on God’s perfect justice to reward those who do good and punish the evildoers.

Wisdom - Another of God’s attributes is wonderfully evident in all His creation throughout the universe. In Isa. 40:12-15 we read, “Who else has held the oceans in His hand? Who has measured off the heavens with His fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed out the mountains and the hills? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to be His teacher or counselor? Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does He need instruction about what is good or what is best? No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with Him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all.”

Acts 15:18 tells us, Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” The Apostle Paul wrote of “the wisdom of God in a mystery, a hidden wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:7) and of the manifold wisdom of God, for in Ephesians 3:10 (NLT), he says, “God’s purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms...This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This same Apostle also bursts out in an exclamation of praise to God and His wisdom in Romans 11:33: “Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor? And who could ever give Him so much that He would have to pay it back? For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His glory. To Him be glory evermore. Amen.”

Power - All authority and power proceeds from God. He called light out of darkness...cosmos out of chaos...order out of confusion. All nations, governments, and authorities on this earth are considered as nothing by God.

God rules the whole universe by His Almighty power. Everything moves in full obedience and harmony to His supreme will, according to His perfect and immutable laws laid down at the beginning of creation, including the planet earth and all living creatures. God’s power is absolute, unlimited and eternal. Nothing can oppose, impede, or block it without His allowing it for mankind’s eternal good. The prophet wrote in Isaiah 66:1 (NLT) - “This is what the LORD says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you ever build Me a temple as good as that? Could you build a dwelling place for Me? My hands have made both heaven and earth and they are Mine. I, the LORD, have spoken!’” In Psalm 103:19 we read, “The LORD has made the heavens His throne; from there He rules over everything.” Please read Psalm 103 in its entirety.

The Bible tells us of His wonders which are the visible manifestations of His Almighty power. In Genesis - read the story of creation; the Great Flood; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; in Exodus - the miracle of the ten plagues; the parting and crossing of the Red Sea; and in Joshua - the fall of Jericho’s walls. These are a few examples of God’s mighty power.

In 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 (NLT), we read of David’s paean of praise to God’s greatness: “O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, may You be praised forever and ever! Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One who is over all things. Riches and honor come from You alone...Power and might are in Your hand, and it is at Your discretion that people are made great and given strength. O our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious Name!“

At determined intervals or periods of time, God has been revealed to His creation by a grand manifestation of His mighty power, by which He has demonstrated that whenever He chooses to exercise His power against man or Satan, either one or the other is helpless against Him. Please read about God’s power in Psalms 8, 19, 65, 66, 104, 148; Job 37:23; Job 38 and 39.

Love - “God IS Love,” says the Apostle John. Love here is from the Greek Agape. God is Love personified. He loves His erring creatures and wants to help and give them eternal life. This kind of love is self-disinterested. It is the most unselfish giving, and it could be exemplified in no greater degree than in God’s giving the greatest gift that could be given...His One and Only Begotten Son! The dearest treasure of His heart was sent into this world ... “He left the realms of Light...to enter the depths of night!” This Son, who was “daily His delight,” He sent to be our Savior and Sin-Bearer! Yes, “For God SO LOVED the world that He GAVE...His only begotten Son, that whoever should believe in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it through him” (John 3:16,17). God reached down from heaven, stretching His mighty arm – Jesus -- to pluck the sinking sinner from the grasping waves of death.

The Apostle Paul further emphasizes God’s great love by stating that “God is so rich in mercy and He loved us so very much that even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead” (Eph. 2:4). Again in Titus 3:4-7 (NLT), he writes, “But God our Savior showed us His kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit...declaring us ‘not guilty’ because of His great kindness.”

The Apostle John points out how God’s love works on our behalf: “We know what real love is because Christ gave up His life for us, and so we also ought to give up our lives for our brethren” (1 John 3:16). And in 1 John 4:9, 10 and 19 (NLT) he says, “God showed how much He loved us by sending His only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins...We love each other as a result of his loving us first.”

God’s four attributes of Justice, Wisdom, Power and Love all work harmoniously in the whole universe and specially for the benefit of mankind. Oh, if men only would turn to God and live in harmony with His laws, they would know true peace, joy, and love. There are few that find this way now -- only those who choose to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and who, if faithful unto death, will be “joint-heirs” with Jesus, their Bridegroom, in the Kingdom of God, to raise up and bless all who have gone down into death. “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants WILL learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9).

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together...Calves and yearlings will be safe among lions and a little child will lead them all...lions will eat grass as the livestock. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes and pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain. And as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD” (Isa. 11:6-9 NLT).

God’s Invitation - It has been claimed that only a few men can appreciate the Holy Bible. This is not true. The Bible has been given by God to all mankind so it can be read and studied, thereby helping and comforting all those who love righteousness and earnestly seek to do God’s will. In Psalm 25:14 we read, “Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear Him. With them He shares the secrets of His covenant.”

From heaven the Almighty reaches down to earth and invites man to come and reason with His Creator (Isaiah 1:18-20) and learn His ways. Once his sin is forgiven in the blood of the Lamb, anyone can learn to know and obey their God and have eternal life. Only the Bible is the true source of all knowledge and wisdom, sufficient to satisfy the hunger and thirst of the seeker after Truth, providing him with relief and rest (Matt. 11:28-30). It is the only Book pointing out The Way to abundant life through the One who said, “I AM the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).

Those who diligently seek for God will learn the way of life (Deut. 4:29; Acts 17:17; Heb. 11:6). In due time even God’s adversaries will come to admit He is the One, Almighty, and True God. Thus, the study of the Holy Bible is the most fascinating and most rewarding of all studies. He who reaches an understanding of it acquires a priceless treasure much greater and more precious than all the silver and gold of this world. It enlightens the mind and renews the heart of man, leading him, through the Lord Jesus Christ, to eternal life. The earnest seeker will soon find that the Bible is an inexhaustible well of wisdom, because it reveals God in all His power and glory. Read and prayerfully study this Book and you will receive blessings untold.

In Proverbs 1:7 we are told that “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” What does it mean to fear God? Fear, in the Bible, means to respect, to revere and be obedient to the Creator. It is the highest form of appreciation for blessings received through the lovingkindness of the Almighty, and our deep concern for transgressing His righteous laws. It does not mean to be in terror of impending catastrophe, or to have a morbid fear of our Creator. While we need the proper reverential fear of Jehovah, we should never have fear of man, for this only leads to a trap.

The humble and meek are those who are teachable. The wise man is the one who desires to be taught and guided by truth. In Psalm 25:9 we read, “He will guide the meek in judgment and He will teach the meek His way.” The Psalmist also knew that “The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psa. 37:11). See also Matt. 11:28, 29. To obtain eternal life, man must come to a knowledge of God’s Truth. The foundation truth of Christianity was told us in John 17:3: “And this is the way to have eternal life--to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one You sent to earth.”

God’s treasured Son - We have mentioned in the foregoing something of who Jesus is. To amplify further, He was the One who, above all else, revealed God to men while He was on earth. He was God’s instrument in the creation of all things (Col. 1:15-17). He it was who dwelled with God until He came down to earth to give His life as a ransom for Adam and all who were lost through him. Following Jesus’ resurrection, He returned to heaven where He still sits at the right hand of God. No one was ever better qualified to reveal God to us than His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is said to be “the express image of the Father’s person” (Col. 1:15). See also Revelation 3:14; John 8:42; Luke 1:26-38; John 17:5; Matt. 20:28; Acts 1:6-11; 7:55.

What did our Lord Jesus say concerning His God and Father to people in general and to His disciples in particular? The following is a brief list of some of what Jesus told us.

Jesus taught that:

God is One - Mark 12:29

God is immortal - John 5:26

God is the greatest of all - John 10:29

God is merciful - Luke 6:32-36

God is Love - John 3:16; 16:27

God is good to the just and unjust - Matt. 5:45

God is worthy to be loved above all - Matt. 22:36-40