Jesus: Son of God

In this study we look at the individuals and groups referred to as the "sons of God" including Adam, the Nation of Israel and the fallen angels.   We then see how Jesus came and corrected all of their short fallings.

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Scriptures:

• Isaiah 42:6-7
• Isaiah 49:5-8
• John 1:6-9
• John 8:12
• Isaiah 5:3-7
• Jeremiah 2:21
• John 15:1-8
• Numbers 14:28-35
• Matthew 4:1-11
• Genesis 6:1-2
• 2 Peter 2:4-6
• Mark 1:12-25
• Acts 1:6-2
• Acts 2:1-10
• Acts 2:41

Jesus: Son of God

We’ve discussed 3 individuals and groups referred to as “sons of God”:

• Adam
• The “bene elohim” of Gen 6
• The Nation of Israel

We discussed that the ancient  Jews viewed there to be 3 events that caused the current sinful state of the world:  

• Garden of Eden
• The fall of the Sons of God  (Gen 6)
• Tower of Babel

Jesus Replaced Israel

Light to the Gentiles

We saw that Israel was tasked to proselytize to the Gentiles

• Proselytizing is the non-Christian term for evangelizing

Israel

Isaiah 42:6-7
6“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

• The Jews were supposed to be a “light” to the Gentiles
• Meaning they were to be a living example

Isaiah 49:5-8

5And now the Lord says—

he who formed me in the womb to be his servant

to bring Jacob back to him

and gather Israel to himself,

for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord

and my God has been my strength—

6he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

• God’s plan (even in the Old Testament) was that Israel bring salvation to the Gentiles and to the ends of earth

Jesus

John 1:6-9

6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

• Jesus was the true light
• He gives light to everyone in the world
• Jesus accomplished what the nation of Israel was supposed to do

John 8:12

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus fulfilled what the nation of Israel could not accomplish.

The True Vine

Israel

Isaiah 5:3-7

3“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

      Judge between Me and My vineyard.

4“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?

      Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

5“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:

      I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;

      I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.

6“I will lay it waste;

      It will not be pruned or hoed,

      But briars and thorns will come up.

      I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel

      And the men of Judah His delightful plant.

      Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;

      For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

• Israel was referred to as a vine of which God was displeased

Jeremiah 2:21

21I had planted you like a choice vine

of sound and reliable stock.

How then did you turn against me

into a corrupt, wild vine?

• Israel turned to other gods
• Israel had become a wild vine

Jesus

John 15:1-8

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

• Jesus became the vine that would bear fruit for God

When the nation of Israel was compared to a vine, it was usually in a negative manner.  Wild vines in a garden are not  fruit bearing and were only good to be thrown into the fire.

• Jesus is the “true vine”

Notice that it is not “The Church” that replaces Israel, but Jesus.  The church are branches that need Jesus in order to bear fruit.

The Wilderness

Israel

Numbers 14:28-35

32But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”

• They sent men to scout out the promised land for 40 days
• When they returned and gave a report the people were scared to enter the promised land
• Therefore they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years
• There was only supposed to be a 40 day period before they went to occupy the land
• Because of their doubt it turned into 40 years

3 of Israel’s failures while they were in the wilderness included:

• Hunger
• God gave them manna
• Testing God
• They asked Moses for signs
• Water from a rock
• Worshiping other gods (demons)

Jesus came to fulfill what Israel as a nation failed to do...

Jesus

Matthew 4:1-11

  1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

     5Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,

6and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

           ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’;

           and

           ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,

           SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’”

7Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”

     8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” 11Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Similarities to Israel

Jesus was also tested by:

• Hunger
• Rock to bread
• Testing God
• Prove that He was the Son of God by jumping off the mountain
• Worship the devil

He was in the wilderness 40 days - Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years

40 is the number of preparation

Bene Elohim

Genesis 6:1-2

1Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2that the sons of God [Bene Elohim] saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Bene Elohim - sons of Elohim (Genesis 6)

• We saw in the Jewish angelic hierarchy that “bene Elohim” are considered a class of angel
• Similar to if you say cherubim
• So it's viewed as a noun more so than a description
• The Hebrew boys
• It’s only used in 4 or 5 places in the bible
• sons of YHWH versus sons of Elohim
• It’s different than elohim

Their Current Situation

2 Peter 2:4-6

4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter

• The bene elohim are in bondage
• They had offspring referred to as Nephilim
• The spirits of the dead Nephilim are the demons of today

Reversing The Curse in the Garden

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Mark 1:12-25

12At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

• Jesus starts His ministry by gathering 12 disciples
• This is the same as the number of tribes of Israel
• Jesus too was going to use 12 to save the world

Casting out a demon

• The first time in the bible a demon was ever cast out of a person
• Never done in the Old Testament
• It never happened until Jesus came
• Announces that Jesus is taking back the dominion that was given to Satan in the garden of Eden
• It also that he has power over the spirits of the Nephilim

Reversing the Tower of Babel

The Disciples

Acts 1:6-8

6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

• The disciples were supposed to start spreading salvation to the remote parts of the earth
• When the Holy Spirit came upon them they also gained dominion over the demons
• The authority of Jesus was passed down to the disciples

Pentecost

Acts 2:1-10

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.
7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
9 "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

• Notice that it says both “Jews and proselytes” were present.
• So those of non-Jewish nationality heard it to and were converted

Acts 2:41

41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Pentecost was the reversal of the Tower of Babel

• The apostles could communicate with people from all languages
• They were given a universal tongue similar to what people had prior to the Tower of Babel
• All nations could now be part of God's kingdom therefore reversing the split

Conclusion

We’ve now studied those who were called the “son of God”:

• Adam (Luke 3:38)
• The nation of Israel
• Angels (referred to as Bene Elohim in Gen 6:1)

We know that Jesus is the only begotten son of God

Jesus’ resurrection reversed the mistakes of Adam, the fallen angels, and the nation of Israel.  

By

• Crushing the head of the serpent
• Restoring the connection between man and God that was lost in the Garden
• Allowed us to see God's character and nature more clearly
• Becoming the true light and the true vine and allowing the Gentiles to be saved

When the nation of Israel came out of Egypt, God called that nation “my son”

• Exodus 4:22.

When the baby Jesus came out of Egypt, God said, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

• Matthew 2:15.

• Israel had 12 tribes,

• Jesus had 12 disciples.
• Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness preparing to enter the promised land

• Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness preparing to start His ministry

In the Old Testament God introduced  Himself to the Jews, so they could introduce Him to the Gentiles.  

Since that didn’t work, He decided to come down and accomplish the job Himself as Jesus.  

Jesus was:

• The second Adam
• The true Son of God
• The light to the world
• The true vine

...and we are His branches

Jesus told His followers to go and make disciples of all nations.

We are the sons of God and  now we have that same mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ

Presenter: Michael Leadon

Extra Verses

From The Beginning

John 17:4-5

4I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

The Angel of the Lord

1 Kings 19:10-11

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Jude 1:5

5Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lordc at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

• Jesus delivered them out of Egypt

Prophecies of the Son of God

Psalms 2

   
1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed [Messiah], saying,
3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!"
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'"
10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Isaiah 9:6-10

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
8 The Lord sends a message against Jacob, And it falls on Israel.
9 And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:
10 "The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars."

Rider of the Clouds

Daniel 7:11-14

11 "Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.
12 "As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
13 "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
14 "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

• It says “all the people, nations and men of every language Might serve Him”, so we know it is talking about the future
• Baal was known as “The Rider of the Clouds”
• The Rider of the clouds was known by the ancient Jews to refer to a deity
• This is one of the few places where the Old Testament clearly states that there will be another deity figure who will be “with the clouds”
• So the Jews knew that there was another coming who was not just a prophet or king, but on the level of God

Matthew 26:57-66

57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.
59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward,
61 and said, "This man stated, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'"
62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?"
63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
66 what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"

• When the Jews said “the Christ, the Son of God” they were referring to The Messiah
• Jesus was referring to himself as the rider of the clouds in Daniel
• The High Priests knew that this meant He was calling Himself deity
• They High Priest claimed that Jesus blasphemed by claiming to be God
• This means that they understood the prophecy of the coming Messiah to be God

The Sons of God and the Daughters of Man

Matthew 24:36-38

36“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43

24Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25“But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26“But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27“The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28“And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29“But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

…

36Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40“So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43“Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

References

Jesus came to fulfill what Israel failed to achieve

https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/jesus-came-to-fulfill-what-israel-failed-to-achieve/