Exodus 3:14a And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:
Deuteronomy 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest?
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Psalm 11:4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
Psalm 113:5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
Psalm 123:1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
II Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
II Chronicles 30:27b . . .and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
Habakkuk 2:20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
MEMORY VERSE: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. —Hebrews 11:6
CENTRAL THOUGHT: When we come to the Father in prayer, we must believe that He is—He exists—and that He is high and lifted up, dwelling in the heaven of heavens. We must also believe that He condescends to look upon us, dwell with us, and hear and answer our prayer if we will exalt Him, reverence and live carefully before Him, and look to Him with an humble and contrite heart.
WORD DEFINITIONS
Exodus 3:14, “I AM THAT I AM”: “I am who am”—Vulgate. “I am he who exists”—Septuagint. “The Eternal, who passes not away”—Arabic.
Isaiah 66:2, “poor”: depressed in mind or circumstances; afflicted; humble; lowly; needy. “contrite”: smitten; maimed; dejected. “trembleth at my word”: in awe of and reverence to God’s Word.
Psalm 11:4, “try”: test; investigate; examine; prove.
Psalm 113:6, “humbleth”: to become low; to be abased; stoop.
Habakkuk 2:20, “Keep silence”: Hush! Keep silent!
Ecclesiastes 5:2, “Be not rash”: don’t be disturbed; dismayed; terrified; hasty.
LESSON BACKGROUND
Moses asked God, “What shall I say when the children of Israel ask Your name?” God answered him, “Tell them, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” He was establishing a right relationship with the children of Israel, who had been in Egypt for over 400 years and must have been greatly influenced by the many gods and goddesses there. Those gods were only myths; He really IS. This is the first thing God wanted to establish with the Israelites (Ex. 3:13, 14).
David accepted the reality of God without question. He constantly affirmed his belief, trust in, dependence upon, and allegiance, obligation, and reverence to God. He acknowledged God as being on high, yet very mindful and loving to humanity. His writings frequently exclaim of the wonder of the great and holy God condescending to visit and be attentive to his need.
Moses, David, Solomon, and Isaiah were all very mindful of the majesty, yet condescension, of the presence of God. Face to face, Moses talked with God, saw the pillar of cloud, the fire and the smoke of His presence in the sanctuary, and with the elders saw a vision of God on His throne (Ex. 24; Ex. 40). Solomon saw the indescribable and unapproachable glory of the Lord filling the temple (I Kings 8:10-11). Isaiah saw the vision of the Lord, high and lifted up, while His train of glory filled the temple (Isa. 6:1).
Solomon and Habakkuk remind us of what our response should be to the truth that God is reigning on His heavenly throne: reverence and quietness, with a marked carefulness to words spoken while in His presence.
Now Christ, having laid aside this unapproachable glory to be clothed upon with human flesh, while introducing us to this new relationship with Abba, reminds us first of all that God IS, and that He is LORD of heaven and earth, dwelling on high, and beholding, ruling and intervening in the hearts and affairs of mankind.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
DISCUSSION:
1. Divine Revelation: How did God reveal and prove His identity and reality to the children of Israel? Describe some examples and the particular names He ascribed to Himself through those experiences.
2. Divine Condescension: What awareness or emotion does it stir within you as you meditate upon the greatness and highness of God, yet knowing that He stoops to our level, listens to our prayers, and assists us in our needs?
3. Affirming our Faith: Is this an area where Satan attempts to plant doubt and unbelief even in Christians as they pray? How do we combat this attack upon our faith?
4. Our Response to His Presence: What attitudes and actions should accompany our private worship? Our public worship? Is there a danger that we might become too casual and irreverent in our desire to approach the Heavenly Father in a warm and childlike way?
COMMENTS AND APPLICATION
In our last lesson we learned, as we first come to God in prayer, to rejoice in the precious truth that God is our dear Father. Today, we remind ourselves that no matter what our emotions or feelings may be, He IS, and we confirm that belief by diligently seeking Him. It helps, as we begin our prayer, to state this belief, gratefully and worshipfully, before Him. “Lord, I KNOW that YOU ARE. I believe in You. I acknowledge You in all my ways. I put my full confidence and trust in You. I believe that You see, You know, You care, and You are able.”
We also remind ourselves, and the Lord, that He is in control over all; He rules in Heaven and in the kingdoms of men, He sees everything and knows our hearts, our thoughts and our words before we speak. We SLOW DOWN and quiet our raging minds before Him. We rest in the calm belief and acceptance of His love. We also admit our needs, remembering that He condescends only to those who are humble and contrite and reverential to His Word.
Whether singing, praying, preaching, testifying, or exhorting; let us maintain this reverence and quietness of spirit, not being hasty, proud, or pushing our own agendas. Neither should we turn the worship experience into a “free-for-all” of frivolity, entertainment, carnality, or discord.
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
REFLECTIONS
David mentioned many times the lifting up of the eyes: “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” “Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord.” “But mine eyes are unto thee, O God.” “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.” It is always a pleasure to look up into the physical sky and observe the beautiful clouds drifting across an azure horizon or stand beneath a night sky of velvet hue and watch the stars twinkle above us. But let us observe with our spiritual eyes the heavens that the Lord created and inhabits. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. . .” We should always be aware of heaven and the direction of our aim, our goals, our priorities, our thought patterns; even our very conversation.
Immediately after Jesus had ascended up into the heavens, the angels admonished those standing there to look for His coming in the same manner He had ascended. “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Notice the direction in which we should look: UP.
When the fiery serpents were sent to plague the children of Israel, the Lord commanded Moses to make a brazen serpent to set upon a pole. The people were then to look up to the brazen serpent and they lived. Notice that they had to look UP and away from the evil that was so close at hand and crawling up their legs. We live in a wicked generation where we find that vile spirits are all around us, but if we keep our eyes in a heavenly direction, we will live. Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
Our Father, which art in heaven, help us to look up and take courage.
—Sis. LaDawna Adams
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