When I was younger and got into trouble, I remember my fear increasing as 5:00pm approached–this is when my dad returned from work. A strict ruler of his home, my father prided himself on punishing unrulyness. When he was around, I was conscious of anything that might cause him to get upset.
Because my dad worked long hours, he couldn’t closely monitor my behavior. In my mind, his absence intensified the gauzy, mythical, intimidating figure that was hard to relate to.
My youthful optimism lent to my “out of sight out of mind” mentality. While dad was away, I didn’t bother thinking about the consequences of my actions…until I was faced with the reality of seeing his station wagon parked in the driveway. I can recall a few instances where I fell to my knees, pleading for mercy and swearing I’d never screw up again. My father never budged. I learned the hard way that not honoring his rules came with a price. I believe the respect I have for authority today was an unexpected gift from his commitment to disciplining me.
This personal story illustrates (on a much smaller scale) how the Israelites saw God. They cowered behind their prophet Moses and were fearful of dealing directly with God:
Exodus 20:18-21
When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Much in the way my dad knew what was best for me, God knew what was best for the Israelites-
Deuteronomy 5:29 “If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.”
You may be wondering how all of this ties together…
God gave the 10 commandments to clarify what He expected from the lives of His creation. These rules have stood the test of time and are followed instinctively by people all around the world. One can see (just by glancing at the daily news) how chaotic life can be when rebellious people do unthinkable acts towards each other. Breaking God’s rules results in disorder, pain, sorrow and consequence. Throughout the Old Testament the Israelites continually rebelled. In Numbers 14: 9-11, we see both God and Moses voice their frustrations:
Moses said to the Israelites:
9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” 10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?
When God made Himself known, His people fell to their knees in great fear and intimidation. They knew punishment was coming and it was well deserved. But, this didn’t change the fact that the Israelites were God’s chosen people. Despite their heart breaking rebellion of worshipping idols and breaking God’s rules, He continued loving and pursing a relationship with them.
Let’s revisit the example of my relationship with my father. As time progressed, dad and I spent more quality time together. Our yearly fishing trips are my most treasured memories. During these excursions, we would discuss life and I enjoyed listening to his wise counsel. During one of those long drives home, I remember looking over at the man I’d known my whole life…yet, this time I saw someone very…different. Gone was the domineering, overbearing, punishing ruler of the home. I was now able to see how my father’s discipline was an act of love; He truly had my future and best interest in mind! Realizing this changed everything. It motivated me to please him and bask proudly in his approval.
This brings us back to the original question-
Why would God have a son and how is Jesus God?
It’s pretty simple. God desires a relationship with us and in order for His creation to understand Him and really ‘get’ how He wanted them to live, He decided to walk amongst us as our living example. There’s no better way for The Creator to relate to His creation! By allowing humanity free will, the relationship is never forced. It’s always a choice on our part.
Satan works by tempting humanity into his way (with trappings like greed and lust and power). God wants our love for Him to be our choice, not something coerced out of fear, manipulation or seduction. Think about it: Would you enjoy a friendship if you knew you’d have to pay someone to hang out with you? We are made in the image of God and it gives God no pleasure if He has to ‘pay for’ our devotion.
What loving father wouldn’t want that for His very own? The whole world needed a savior. Humanity could never atone for of our continual, habitual sin and rebellion. So the Almighty came down and related to His creation on our level—this was Jesus! Jesus, the living example, showed us how to live and enter into the fullness of God’s divine inheritance. Because Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary, He was literally the Son of God. This made Him God in the flesh, which was a fulfillment of a Jewish prophecy about the coming Messiah. The prophet Isaiah mentioned this hundreds of years before Christ:
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Immanuel is the Hebrew word for “God is with us”)
Jesus, the Son of God, was placed on earth to not only show us how to live but to reveal God’s love for us and His desire for a relationship. Because Jesus was sinless, He was the only acceptable (perfect sacrificial lamb) to atone for the sins of humanity. Christ’s crucifixion gives those who accept Him a restored relationship with God. It’s no coincidence that Jesus was killed during Passover, a time of sacrificial atonement for sin.
A special thanks to my friend Michael, for asking this great question!