Phone Line Transcript 2001

66 Books You Should NOT Read If You Want To Remain a Jehovah's Witness No.2 Genesis : Is Anything Impossible for Jehovah? (Phone Series) Last week we examined the difference between 2 of the names of God in the Hebrew -- Elohim, God revealed indirectly, as it were, through his power in creation; Yahweh, God revealing Himself in person, whether through Word or by appearing. This God Yahweh was the God of Abram. And as the life of Abram proceeds through the decades, Yahweh continues to lead him. From Babylonia to Syria to Canaan to Egypt and back to Canaan. Despite Abram's unfaithfulness to Him, Yahweh continues faithful. Abram lies to Pharaoh, God guides him and protects him still. Abram and Sarah conspire to bring about Yahweh's promises their own way, Yahweh corrects them and continues His covenant relationship nevertheless. For in the name Yahweh God is supremely revealed as the God of faithfulness. His covenant with Abram and his offspring depends not on Abram's faithfulness, but strictly on Yahweh's own unconditional promises of Genesis 12. I will make of you a great nation ... I will bless you ... Through you all nations will be blessed. Even sin and disloyalty cannot change this God's plan. In Genesis 17:1 we read again Jehovah appeared to Abram. This AFTER Abram and Sarah's presumptuous sin in trying to bring about Yahweh's promise without consulting Yahweh. Nevertheless, not only does God reiterate His promises to Abram, He makes them even more specific: in changing Abram and Sarai's names to Abraham and Sarah, Yahweh makes it plain that it will be by means of a miracle that the long-postponed fulfilment of His promise will be realized. The barren Sarah will bear a child, and they will become parents of not one seed, but nations. God seals the certainty of this coming miracle with another miracle. We read in Genesis18:1 Yahweh appeared to [Abraham] among the big trees of Mamre. Abraham, recognizing immediately his visitor, invites Yahweh and his 2 companions, as yet unidentified, to enjoy his hospitality. Yet despite the intimacy of this self-revelation, Yahweh/Jehovah does not overcome completely -- yet -- the rationalizing resistance of Abraham and Sarah. The latter, upon overhearing Yahweh's promise that He will return next year and she will bear a son, laughs in doubt. But Yahweh hears her, and asks the immortal question, Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah? Jehovah, who had by now proved Himself God to both of them from Babylon to Canaan to Egypt, has every justification in breaking off his relationship with them. Yet the God who called the pagan Abram, who forgave his self-serving lie to Pharaoh, who gave Abram victory even over invading armies, does not waver in His faithfulness now. We thank God that Jehovah's Witnesses have the faith to believe that the God who can create heaven and earth can also resurrect the womb of a barren woman. Why, listener, can you not believe that Yahweh can appear when your own Bible says so? Sarah whose womb is dead gives birth. Yahweh, who is also Elohim, the invisible God beyond the universe, appears. Is anything impossible for Jehovah?   Next week: Jehovah - God of Grace

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