Matthew 28:11-20 Part 9
We’ve ventured “deep” into the Scriptures to find the concepts and meanings of the words that our Lord used in His “commission” to His disciples. And we still have some work to do before we’re through. It seems that the more we do, the more we have to do! But that’s the way it always is.
Jesus our Lord is O Logos – the Word. And He is the Fullness of the Word. He is “Express Image” of Father. He is Alpha (Beginning) and Omega (End), which means that all things begin with Him… and end with Him. What is – originated in Him. And what will be – is decreed by Him and finds its completion in Him.
Therefore if any find origin and substance elsewhere, it is delusion. If any see structure and completion elsewhere, it is delusion… for “light” and “sight” also come from Him – as do history… and future!
We “know”, because “to know” was given by Him. And “that which is known” was created by Him. And therein is revealed the terrible “folly” of seeking knowledge of “what is” – elsewhere! It is revolt against Him Who is prior, and against Him Who is origin of all else.
(Now, I’m not going to be tempted to a long dissertation here; but I’ve often spoken to you about Darwinism. And I’ve done that because) Darwin (in his Origin of the Species) provided the structure and the motivation for a full-scale rebellion against all that the creation proclaims and all that the Scriptures reveal!
I call it a “complete cosmology”, because, in it, mankind finds everything upon which to base revolutionary thought! Darwinism addresses origins, and universe and change and history and purpose and science and mathematics and government and epistemology… and every other issue with regard to existence.
And fallen man “delights” in it because it gives foundation and structure to his rebellion. Darwin is important because he gave rebels the parameters within which they could move around and give “vent” to their rebellion!
(If you would permit me the use of an architectural metaphor here) sociologically speaking, Darwinism is the largest “mall” in the world. Sprawling over hundreds of thousands of acres, and layered in many stories, the little shops and big stores advertise their “wares” in a sparkling array of illumination. Every space is filled, and the whole structure seems to fit together.
And the whole American society, transported in escalators and trams and automated sidewalks, buys and sells its produce. And “The Mall” is the place to be in this society! If you’re not at “The Mall”, you’re an ignorant throw-back to the past; and you can’t have any “relevance”; because “The Mall” is where it all “happens”!
Darwinism is the structure in which science is done. Most of the history books now written and taught presume Darwinism to be a fact. Educational philosophy and the methodology of teaching and the pedagogical “system” now rest upon Darwin.
The philosophy of government and how government functions is now pure Darwinism. Environmentalism; exploration of the last “frontiers” (of space and deep oceanography); archeology; geology… all irrevocably connected to Darwinian thought. The practices of law (and the court system – the penal system) and psychology, and physical medicine are all entrenched in the system.
And it all “fits” into the spaces in the big structure. And now the society just takes it for granted. It all “hangs together”, and no one even thinks about it any more. Those who question it (all of it or even a little piece of it) are, as I said, “out of sync” with what’s going on! (And who wants to be on “the outside”? Who wants to be a “non-participant”? Who wants to be seen as a little “strange”?)
The killing of pre-born babies is society merely ridding itself of an inconvenient “litter”. Euthanasia is modern, enlightened “herd control”. Enlightenment is the necessary “conduit” to the advanced, more perfect society… therefore mind-enhancing drugs must become more acceptable.
Higher thought “releases” the more advanced species from most sexual restriction… (those old “mores” arose out of fear; and they became cultural axioms. But they are really only stupidity… ignorance; they are anachronistic.)
All of nature is “one”; and a proliferation of law (designed to promote harmony in the “whole”) will usher in a utopian existence. It is the “hope and destiny” of the higher and brighter and stronger to accomplish that for the rest.
And, therefore, it is the mandate of government to promote and install, for the world, and by whatever means, an atmosphere of egalitarianism so that all can share alike in this life. After all, this one, great “chance event” is ours to preserve or destroy.
And it goes on.
Darwinism, at its very core, denies the existence of the One Creator/God Who brought the universe into existence by the Word of His Power; and Who providentially cares for all His creation.
The apostle John says, in the beginning of his Gospel, that Jesus Christ is O Logos, the One without Whom nothing was made that was made. In our text Jesus says to His disciples, “all authority in heaven and upon earth has been given to Me.” And, at the end of the commission (verse twenty) He says, “I with you Am, even until the end of the age.” I (with you) Am.
Now, the Lord God of all has many names by which He describes Himself (for “names”, in Hebrew, are descriptive of attributes). For example we find, early on in Scripture, that God is called (by His Own Revelation) Elohim. It’s a plural name, denoting the one and the many – the One, Triune God. And it means the Mighty and Faithful One Who creates and covenants. He has an unbroken covenantal relationship with regard to His creation; and He loves it and rules it and orders it providentially.
On many other occasions God is revealed by His Name El Shaddai. The root of the Hebrew word means “the breasted one”. As the “breasts” of a mother pour out nourishment to a baby, God describes Himself as the Mighty One Who pours out from His great bounty. In our helplessness we are graciously filled by Him. He says, “Open your mouths wide and I will fill them.” By covenant, He poured out His Own life’s blood; and He sheds forth His Spirit to nourish and strengthen us in our ignorance and weakness.
And, by grace, through faith, we eat and drink the body and blood of the Son of God, Who was “poured out” for us.
God also makes Himself known by the Name El Elyon – Most High God. By this Name He reveals His relationship with all the world, for He is its High Ruler. His is the authority over thrones and dominions and principalities. He is “King” over kings, and Possessor of all – even over all non-elect men and angels. He has authority and power to do with it all as He wishes.
And then we see the Name Adonai in the Scriptures. And it is translated “Lord”. But God calls Himself that when there are rights of possession! He is Master (that’s the correct translation). Those in great need go to their “Master” for help, for He is their possessor and Lord. Sarah called Abraham “adonai”. The slave addresses his owner as “adonai”. Moses called upon “Adonai” for help and encouragement in his great time of need. And so did the timid Jeremiah. Adonai acknowledges absolute possession and ownership.
The first two verses of Psalm two read like this:
“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
The Hebrew word used there, which is translated “God”, is El Olam. He is “everlasting”. It indicates His “eternality”. He is God of time and of ages; and He deals with His creation and with His people in progressive time. He brings His will to pass in successive ages, and in progressive Revelation; and He, Himself, is eternal… unbeginning and unending.
In the most troubled of times, especially in Isaiah and in the Minor Prophets (where the terrible condition of Israel is prophesied), men cried out to God in desperation for His salvation. And the Name to Whom these desperate cries were addressed was Jahveh Sabbaoth – Lord of Hosts. He is Lord of the hosts of the heavens; and He is Lord of the hosts of His people. When there is a ruined nation, or a ruined world, or a ruined Church, and the people cry out to God, Sabbaoth remains! No matter how it looks to us, He will perfectly fulfill all His purpose! In Isaiah chapter nine, after having desperately described the deep sin and imminent destruction of Israel, we read this:
“For unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts (Jahveh Sabbaoth) will perform this.”
The Lord Jesus Christ came to His people in their greatest need; for He is Lord of the hosts of God’s covenant people.
As you have seen so far, Jesus Christ, the express Image of the Father, is the very Epitome of the Revelation of all these names of God! But there’s another one… Jahveh. The Scriptures are full of the Name – Jahveh. It is Jahveh Who is the very Presence with men. He it is Who judges with righteousness; Who is opposed to all evil; Who loves His people.
It is Jahveh Who put man under law (Genesis two, and Exodus twenty-one). It is Jahveh Who said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” And He made the woman of the man and established marriage. It is Jahveh Who condemned Satan and judged the man (and all mankind – two in one). And it is Jahveh Who made His abode in the temple over the Mercy Seat (our Propitiation).
Jahveh is the Revelation of God concerning Himself “in covenant” with men. And it is He Who executes the terms of that covenant – both positive and negative. God is “with” men – judging and condemning and justifying and forgiving! He is Immanuel – God With Us – our Lord Jesus Christ!
One of the most spectacular (and most memorable) events in Scripture, in connection with this Name of God, is Moses at the Burning Bush in Exodus chapter three. God spoke to Moses from the bush and told him that he (Moses) was chosen to lead the people out of Egypt.
After his excuses and reasons why he shouldn’t be the one to do that, God said,
“Certainly I will be with you; and this shall be a token unto you, that I have sent you, when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.”
Then Moses asked God what His Name was so he could tell the people who sent him! And here’s what God said:
“And God said unto Moses (verse fourteen), ‘I AM THAT I AM. Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.’ And moreover God said unto Moses, ‘You shall say unto the children of Israel, Jahveh Elohei (The Lord God) of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me unto you. This is My Name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.’”
The apostle John, in Revelation chapter one, invokes grace and peace from “the One Who is and Who was, and Who is to come”. That’s an exposition of the Name of God here in Exodus chapter three. “I AM” (Ehyeh) comes from the same Hebrew root as Jahveh. In fact, the letters are almost identical. And “Jahveh” means the One Who is underived, eternal and unchangeable!
Since God had announced His Name before, and had used the Name El Shaddai (to Abraham) and El Elyon and Jahveh Sabbaoth, Moses could have suspected that there would be a very descriptive Name by which God would reveal Himself to the children of Israel. And so he was not disappointed. God revealed Himself as Ehyeh – “I AM”. Ehyeh asher Ehyeh – “I AM THAT I AM.” Or, “I WILL BE THAT I WILL BE.” That is His Name!
The implication is that He, in distinction from all others, is the One, only true God, the God Who IS. He IS because HE IS. While all the pretended deities of the nations were a nonentity – a lie. There is no existence in them.
Further, it also implies (as He said earlier to Moses… “I will be with you”) the certain and faithful performance of every promise which He had uttered, so that whatever He had bound himself by covenant to do for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, He will make good for their seed – their children!!!
Moses, tell them that you are commissioned by “I AM”! The eternal, self-existent, self-determining God is the only One Who can say that He will always be what He has always been! “I Am will be with you!”
We can’t help but be reminded of the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in John chapter eight at verse fifty-eight. The Pharisees had shown up while He was teaching; and they began to accuse Him and entrap Him saying that they, themselves, were the seed of Abraham. They said to Him,
“Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
And Jesus answered them,
“If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father Who honors Me, of Whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him; but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him’, I shall be a liar like you are; but I do know Him and keep His Word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he was glad.”
Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly I say to you, ‘Before Abraham was, (Ego Eimi) I AM.’”
The Pharisees then accused Jesus of blasphemy… connecting Himself with “I AM THAT I AM” Who spoke to Moses in the burning bush, and appropriating to Himself the incommunicable Name of God – JAHVEH.
The Jews in Egypt may have forgotten the covenant promises to their forefathers – being in bondage for four hundred years; but they had not forgotten the Name. And having heard it from Moses, it did, indeed, become a Memorial to them. They remembered. And they followed Moses out of Egypt at the direction of the Great I AM.
But now we have an even greater commission. Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the mountain in Galilee, speaks to His disciples and commissions them to disciple the nations, teaching them to keep all that He commanded them.
And then He said to them, “And, lo, I with you AM – Ego Eimi. “Ego meth humon Eimi” – “I with you AM.” He is God, Who spoke to Moses in the bush! He is I AM who covenanted with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob! He is EHYEH ASHER EHYEH, I AM THAT I AM, Who parted the sea. He is Jahveh Who protected them front and rear in the pillar of fire and the pillar of smoke. He is Jahveh Who descended to Sinai to speak with Moses. He is Jahveh Who inhabited the temple with clouds of angels from His Judgment Seat above the firmament!
And His disciples hear Him say, I AM will be with you – even to the end of the age! Elohim; El Shaddai; El Elyon; Jahveh Sabbaoth; El Olam; Adonai… Ehyeh – I AM – with you even to the end of the age.
Jesus has reference to this so-very-difficult period of time up until His Parousia, during which period the apostles are preaching the Gospel in all the known, civilized world, and establishing Christ’s Church. And remember, during this time the Roman government destroyed the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem; killed millions of Jews all over the world; and instituted a world-wide persecution of the new Christian Church.
As you read the Acts of the Apostles you see Jesus’ promise to His disciples fulfilled in every way. I AM was “with them”.
This Darwinian cosmology, upon which our present society is built, is a “house of cards”. It will fall. The whole “super-mall” will come tumbling down. It can’t stand, because its very foundation is “sand”. It’s all a pernicious lie. And the nation, by its delight in the lie, has proven itself blind to the obvious – that Jesus Christ is JAHVEH – I AM THAT I AM – Judge of all. He is Lord and King of all the nations of the earth.
Darwinism seeks origins and completion. Darwinism seeks to replace the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, therefore it is antichrist. And like all other antichrists, it is doomed. Like all other false and misleading representatives of sovereignty and divinity, it will come under the feet of the crucified and Risen Lord.
Next Lord’s Day we will put all of this together; and then deal with some of the implications of the Great Commission for us individually and as families and as the Church.