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God – He’s Big & He Loves Us

The “Omnis”

Omnipresent
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnitemporal

Holy
Loving
Wrathful
Just
Gracious

God has many attributes
Some of them seemingly contradictory

Love vs. Wrath
Justice vs. Mercy

God is infinite

God exists on a different plane than humanity

God operates beyond our comprehension

Limited list of attributes of God

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The Infinitude Challenge

How does an infinite God explain who He is to finite people?

How do you explain quantum mechanics to a turkey?

General Revelation: Nature/Created World

Special Revelation: The Bible

Themes, motifs, symbols

These break down different facets of who God is and helps us understand Him

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Theme, Motif, Symbol

Theme

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

Rule/Control/Authority

Motif

Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Kingship/Royalty

Symbol

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Crowns, Thrones, Armies, Court/Throne Room, Scepter

God uses these three devices to help us understand who He is throughout the Bible

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Discussion Question

What are some themes, motifs, and symbols that occur in the Bible?

�Themes?

�Motifs?

Symbol?

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Theme of Control/Authority

Fact: Creation Exists

Big Questions:

Who is the ultimate authority over creation?
Who gets to set the rules?
Who determines what is right or wrong?
Why does this person get the final say? What right do they have to rule?
What if someone disagrees?

The theme of control is not warm and fuzzy.

Involves force, war, & violence

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Creator vs. Ruler

God created the universe.

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:26A – “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.”

Difference between creator and ruler

Intertwined, but different
Creator builds something
Rulers sets the rules for use

Jack Dorsey & Twitter

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Heavenly War & Heavenly Rule

Question: Who is the ultimate authority over heaven?

Answer: The Triune God

Why?

Because of who God is (attributes of God, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnitemporal)
Because when challenged, He won the war for control

Revelation 12:7-9

7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, 8 but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.

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A Kingly Motif

Theme: Control/Authority over the universe

How does God communicate his authority over the universe?

Through the motif of Kingship/Royalty

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Revelation 19:11-16 (CSB)

¹¹Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. ¹²His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. ¹³He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵A sharpsword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rulethem with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh:

King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

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Political Science Definitions

State

A state is a political division of a body of people with shared values that occupies a territory defined by frontiers. The state is sovereign in its territory and has the authority to enforce a system of rules over the people living inside it (Cornell Law School).
Monopoly of Violence over a defined territory – Max Weber

Nation

A group of people with a common identity (culture, language, religion, history, etc.)*

A nation is not necessarily a state, and a state is not necessarily made up of only one nation
Japan is a nation-state
The Kurds are a nation without a state

*https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-nation-and-nation-state/

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Political Science Definitions

Regime

a regime (also "régime") is the form of government or the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of a government or institution and its interactions with society.*

Monarchy, Authoritarian, Totalitarian, Socialist, Communist, Republic, Democracy
US Constitution

Government

the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it**

Each US President is its own government
Local examples: Village of Deerfield, Lake County, State of Illinois

*Wikipedia **Merriam-Webster

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What is a King?

Political Designation

Deals with state, regime, and government
Head of government

Making laws, executing laws, judging laws, most authority within a state

Head of state

Highest office within a state, representative of the state, ceremonial position & power (ribbon cutting, welcoming foreign visitors)

Absolute Monarch vs. Constitutional Monarch

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Constitutional Monarch vs. Absolute Monarch

Constitutional Monarch

Most familiar post WWI

England, Sweden, Japan, Denmark

A monarch’s power is formally limited by written law
Monarch is Head of State
True power resides in legislative body
Head of Government is Prime Minister

Absolute Monarch

Historically most common

Current: Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Oman

Monarch has complete power
Monarch is Head of State AND Head of Government
Monarch makes laws, executes laws, judges laws

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Absolute Monarch

State

Exists for the benefit of the monarch

Louis XIV (Sun King) - “I am the state”

Regime

Laws are made by the monarch without consent from anyone else

Government

Monarch is above the rule of law
Monarch can change the laws

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United States of America vs. Kings

Complicated relationship with monarchies

See: War, Revolutionary

US state and regime oppose the idea of one person being superior to all others

Constitutional Republic form of government

“All men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights”
Declaration of Independence
Constitution, Bill of Rights, 14-16 Amendments all deal with equality before the law

There is always a higher authority to appeal to
Leaders are accountable to the general public via elections

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Responsibilities of a King

Ensure the prosperity of the state

Protection

Outside threats – wage war, defend the territory/people
Inside threats – end dissent/threats to rule, squash rebellion

Make & Enforce Laws

Create rules for the thriving of the state (politically, economically, socially, etc.)
Enforce the rules and punish rule breakers

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Absolute-est of the Absolute Monarchs

Jesus is the Absolute Monarch of the Universe

He does not need the consent of the people to govern
He does not work with anyone to pass laws

Isaiah 40:22-23

God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;�its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.�He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth�and spreads them out like a tent to live in.� He reduces princes to nothing�and makes judges of the earth like a wasteland.

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Jesus: Absolute King

Jesus’s State

Understand that Jesus is the state and the state exists for His glory

Jesus’s Regime

Understand His current and future kingdom (state)

Current: Spiritual state
Future: Spiritual & Political & Physical state
Open to anyone (not a nation)

Jesus’s Government

Jesus makes the rules and laws according to His purposes

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