Written on October 16th, 2004 - 2:57AM Last Updated: January 20th, 2007 - 4:09PM
When coming to know God, it is very important to understand what it means when it is said that He is "Lord."
The word "Lord" is an English word which originally meant one who watched over the loaf (of bread). He guarded that which was vital to the life of the people.
As it has come down through the ages, this English word has a meaning now of one in charge.
This meaning is very close to that of the original Hebrew. "Lord" in Hebrew is from the same root from which their word for "foundation" comes. It carries with it the idea of stability.
God, indeed, is stable—He holds the universe together. He works all things after his own will. He truly is Lord.
Lord, hear; Lord, forgive; Lord, listen and do; don't defer, for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name. (Daniel 9:19)
Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord: Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger at the head of every street. (Lamentations 2:19)
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming. (Psalms 37:12, 13)
He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision. (Psalms 2:4)
Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! (Psalms 35:23)
For in you, Yahweh, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God. (Psalms 38:15)
Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. (Psalms 39:7)
Lord, open my lips. My mouth shall declare your praise. (Psalms 51:15)
I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)
For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn't regard persons, nor takes reward. (Deuteronomy 10:17)
The Father as Lord
Yahweh the Father is referred to as the Lord. Being the font of the Deity, from Whom the Son is begotten and from Whom the HolySpirit emanates, He is the source of all the attributes of Deity.
His Son specifically refers to the Father as "Lord of heaven and earth."
At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. (Matthew 11:25)
In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the HolySpirit, and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight." (Luke 10:21)
God the Father is protector and ruler of both heaven and earth. Being the Creator of all things, He rightly has rule over them.
The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. (Acts 17:24, 25)
The Son as Lord
Being the perfect representation of the Father, the Son likewise holds the title of Lord. Jesus, both as the Son of God, and the risen and glorified Son of Man, rules over all the affairs of creation, both in heaven and in earth.
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18)
"Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." (Acts 2:36)
Repeatedly throughout the writings of the New Covenant, Christ is called "Lord." He is the Master of heaven and earth, and the Master of all those who trust in Him. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess this truth (Philippians 2:8-11), but until then those who confess Him as Lord in this life will reap the harvest of a new and glorified body at His Return from heaven.
The Spirit of Yahweh is called Lord, just as are the Father and Son.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17, 18)
It is possible that Paul originally had "Yahweh" in mind here, where "Lord" stands in our copies of the Greek manuscripts (i.e., "now Yahweh is the Spirit and where the Spirit of Yahweh is...").
But it is also possible it specifically refers to Christ, as He is the One who stands between us and the Father. So when an Israeli turns to the ChristJesus, the veil that has been covering his eyes will be removed. He will be able to see Him for Who He is.
Or, this could simply refer to the soverignty of the HolySpirit; wherever He is, there is freedom. He is all-powerful and has control over the hearts of men. He is the One who transforms the children of God into the image they see in the mirror, that of Love incarnate: the Lord JesusChrist.
As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.
But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.
This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, ChristJesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.
You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.
God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.
That Son, JesusChrist, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.
His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.
The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.
So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.
Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!
Email the Author
I welcome your questions, testimonies, suggestions and fellowship. Please contact me by using the form below.
If you are using this form on the same page as material I've written, the form will automatically let me know what material this is.
I am using this form rather than posting my email address because of spammers who harvest addresses from websites.
Scripture Quotes: World English Bible Translation.
Site designed and written by J. Solomon Kostelnik. Please do not distribute without credit.
Thank you to the free open-source projects PHP/MySQL.
