The Bible is an amazing book, we can read it, memorize it, even believe we understand it and then one day God opens our eyes and old things pass away, the word becomes new.  Suddenly we begin to understand and see things in a different light.

For most of my Christian life the Old Testament has been the Father Gods domain.

I thought of the God of the Old Testament as Father God, Lord God or just Lord or God.  They were all interchangeable names for the same member of the Trinity, who ruled the Old Testament. He and the Spirit were active,  where was Jesus?

The Father God wrote the book of the law and He was the book and the law. Whatever we called Him, He was one member of the Trinity.  When He spoke the earth moved, things got done, He was to be feared and obeyed.

Jesus was there somewhere but silent, invisible, waiting for his cue to enter center stage. The Spirit also, was quietly hovering, ready to explode on to the scene.

In the New Testament it was easy to see the Trinity.  The Son, Jesus is the main character, God speaks from heaven and Jesus promises to send the Spirit, the comforter to those who believe.  It is easy to compartmentalize, the Father in the Old Testament, Jesus in the New Testament and the Spirit for today.

Many believe that the Lord God of the Old Testament is no longer relevant.  The Law has been replaced by grace.  Jesus did it all.  It is now the Spirits turn.  The Old Testament is full of interesting stories, or maybe old wives tails, at best it is ancient history. The New Testament is all we really need to understand.

When we believe this, I think we fail to comprehend just how great the sacrifice,  Jesus made when He left the heavens to save us.   Jesus and the Spirit were more than silent observers, they were active participants of the Trinity.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

King James Version (KJV)

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Do we understand who they were and what they did?  Is the Godhead active today?

When I read the Bible, I have to wonder is the Spirit still hovering?  Yes, people are getting saved, sanctified, holy ghost filled and water baptized but is that all there is?

The question is this:  Where is the God of the Bible? The Lord who preformed miracles, healed the sick, walked on water.  Where are the signs that are supposed to follow those who believe?

Where is the God of Elijah?

Has the Lord God changed?  Where is the power that Jesus has promised?   Is the Holy Spirit that lives within us the weak link? Or is it possible that we don’t know what to do with what we have.

The answer to these questions is in the Word. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to understand, to believe that God is and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

The Lord God in the Old Testament, is not one member of the Trinity with interchangeable names but rather two separate, individual, distinct members of the Godhead.

The Lord (Jehovah) in the Hebrew means The Eternal One.

God (Elohim) in the Hebrew means Creator/ Ruler of all. So when Moses met the Lord God,  he was meeting not one but two members of the Trinity. This is the passage that opened my eyes.

Moses meets the Lord God: (Jehovah Elohim)

Exodus 3

King James Version (KJV)

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

When the Lord (Jehovah) saw that Moses was paying attention, God (Elohim) called.  The Lord (Jehovah) saw and God (Elohim) called.  That was the first indication, that I’d been looking at the Old Testament wrong. The Lord (Jehovah) and God (Elohim) are two different, separate members of the Trinity.  Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. He recognized the distinct differences and the oneness of the Trinity. He knew them as one and as individuals.

God said:

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.  Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

When people meet God (Elohim) something happens. Moses hid his face, afraid.

Getting to know God (Elohim):

Genesis 1:1

King James Version (KJV)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The word we use, God, is translated from the Hebrew, Elohim.  It means creator, ruler of all. As we look through the Bible we begin to see what God (Elohim) is all about.  He is the operations manager.  He is the power of the spoken word. The Word became flesh in the New Testament.  Jesus is the Word.

If we look at the life of Daniel and the three Hebrew children, we find that God gives them wisdom and understanding, the ability to understand literature and Daniel could also discern dreams. Like Joseph before him he needed to explain the dream as well as the interpretation.

They were promoted to places of power in the land.  Their God  was proclaimed God of the kingdom. They were blessed by God, because they dedicated their lives to Him.

They served three different rulers and had to stand fast with God to survive. The three Hebrew children were thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not bow down to a statue.  They said:  The God we serve is able to save us, willing to save us, and if not we will serve Him anyway.

All four were children of the tribe of Judah, they understood the power of praise. They prayed together and sought God, together.   At The start they were with Daniel in deciding to purpose in their hearts not to defile themselves with the kings abundance.

Daniel prayed after it was illegal to pray to God and was thrown into the lion’s den. Delivered safely because he trusted God. Daniel prayed to the Lord (Jehovah) but Gabriel told him God (Elohim) heard him from the first day he humbled himself to learn.

The Lord when ready to destroy the earth said this about three saints to Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 14:20

King James Version (KJV)

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

The Lord was speaking to Ezekiel, the whole world was wicked, if Israel didn’t repent, the Lord would destroy the earth. These three people are really special.  Noah had saved his family by walking with God.

When we study the lives of these three men, we find that they had more interactions with God (Elohim), then the Lord (Jehovah).

I believe that the key to this in Daniels life, is in this verse:

Daniel 1:8-9

King James Version (KJV)

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

God gives him favor, he gives God, himself…undefiled. How could we today purpose, in our hearts to become clean,  holy, sanctified, undefiled.   We could make rules and restrictions, laws and regulations but we would fail. The only way we can be acceptable to the Lord (Jehovah) is to know God (Jesus).

Daniel knows God (Elohim),  is a faithful servant and is blessed and protected because of it.

From the lion’s den to standing before the king to explain dreams. Knowing the blessing of God, can make you fearless.

How about Noah?

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Jehovah).  He was just and perfect in his generation, Noah walked with God (Elohim) and God took him. The reason he is just and perfect is because he walked with God. The only way to find salvation is to walk with Jesus.   We must come to the Father (Jehovah) thru the Son.

Job is much the same.

Job 1:8

King James Version (KJV)

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Notice the Lord (Jehovah), didn’t say fears me but God. God (Elohim) gives blessing, wisdom, understanding and skill to teach and do, to build His kingdom.

God (Elohim) said it, it was so, it was good. God created the heavens and earth with His spoken word.  He created man and blessed him.   God gave Eve, Seth to replace Cain and Able.

Later God walked with Enoch. Enoch is with the Trinity today in heaven.  God warned Noah of the flood.  Noah was just and perfect in his generation, because Noah walked with God.

God instructed Noah on building the ark.  God remembered Noah, floating helpless upon the water.  God sent the wind to dry the earth.  Made the covenant, a rainbow, He would not flood the earth again.