THE FATHER'S VIEW OF THE SON...contined

I Will Be A Father To Him

A UNIQUE STATEMENT

The Father has never said to an angel--any angel--"I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son." Here, again, is a remarkable use of Scripture. As we sit at the feet of Jesus, and hear words spoken by the Holy Spirit, we begin to sense there is a MESSAGE in Scripture that transcends its historical setting and circumstance. This quotation is taken from 2 Samuel 7:14. "I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men" (NIV). The immediate reference of this text is to Solomon, David's son (2 Sam 7:12- 13; 1 Chron 17:13; 22:10; 28:6). The prophecy, however, reached further than Solomon, who was only an introductory fulfillment--a shadow of the Substance. Psalms 89:26-27, a contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite, confirms this to be the case. "He will cry to Me, 'Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation. I also shall make him My first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth" (NASB).

A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP

The Father did beget the Son, and Jesus was born "the Son of God." More is involved in this expression, however, than that. It is possible for a father to be unrecognized by his son, or for the son to be a disgrace to the father (Cain, Ham, Ishmael, Esau, Absalom, etc.). It is also possible for a son to leave his father (prodigal), or for it to be "better" that a son was never born (Judas). But this is not the case with Jesus! The relationship of the Father and His "only begotten Son" continued without a single interruption until His vicarious death upon the cross. Then, and only then, He was "forsaken" by God in order that He might be again received, together with all of the children God had given Him (Matt 27:46; Heb 2:13).

THE SON ALWAYS PLEASED THE FATHER

Who but Jesus could say, "I always do the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8:29). Their relationship is so close that only Jesus can "explain" the Father (John 1:18, NASB). In fact, "Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." (Matt 11:27). When it comes to the Son, "no one knows the Son except the Father" (Matt 11:27). This is something of the involvements of God being a "Father" to the Son, and our Savior being His "Son."

NOT A MERE LEGAL ARRANGEMENT

But this is not a mere legal arrangement--something that is correct because of how Jesus was born, or due to the the filial relationship between the Father and the Son while He tabernacled with us. The Spirit is speaking of this relationship in association with our salvation! With Jesus in the capacity of a Savior, God was a Father to Him, and Jesus was His Son. That is to say--glory to God--the Father upheld the Son in His mission! Prophetically, it was stated this way. "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold . . . The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me . . . I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth . . . He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD" (Isa 42:1; 49:6; 61:1; Micah 5:4, NASB).

THE CLOSENESS OF THE FATHER AND THE SON

The confessions of Jesus during His earthly ministry also reveal the closeness of the Father to the Son. Those with eyes to see can behold Divine purpose in these statements. "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing . . . And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness of Me . . . it is My Father who glorifies Me" (John 5:19, 37; 8:54 NASB).

THE SON RESORTED TO THE FATHER FOR STRENGTH

Jesus constantly resorted to the Father for strength. At the threshold of His ministry He did this (Matt 4:1-4), and at the conclusion as well (Matt 26:39). During His ministry, He spoke to and relied upon the Father (Matt 11:25,26; 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 9:18,28; John 12:28-29; John 17). Jesus did not pray out of formality. He was being sustained in His mission! This was a Father/Son relationship, requisite to the salvation of the world! What angel was ever so sustained? Angels have been sent on many missions, but none of them were upheld by the Father like the Son was! Their missions were minuscule next to His! They were sent to destroy a city (Gen 19:13), overthrow an army (2 Kgs 19:35), appear in a bush (Ex 3:2), and deliver the Law (Acts 7:53). But their ministries were never underwritten like that of the Son.

-- More on this tomorrow --