Apostle Axel Sippach, www.impactnetwork.

net

GOD'S RAW EMOTION

Stories found in the Book of Genesis had been written down by various cultures of the ancient world at that time, and were most likely known to Moses who had the privilege to study as a young man with Egypt's finest teachers during his time in Pharaohs court. Although there are many differing opinions concerning it, many Biblical scholars believe it was Moses who had written the Pentateuch - the first 5 books of the Bible. Even though he already had a great amount of this knowledge, much of what he wrote was most likely received from God directly during his powerful encounters with the Lord on Mt. Sinai and in the Tent of Meeting.

In reading Genesis 6:5-7, one cannot help but be taken back by the raw emotion God reveals that He experienced when man's wickedness had become so great on the earth, with every inclination of his heart being evil. In verse 6 it says that His heart was grieved and filled with pain that He had made man on the earth. How could we know this intimate detail of God's emotions, unless the Lord had revealed it to Moses in one of those close encounters where He spoke with Moses as a man speaks with His close friend? Can you imagine the friendship here with God sharing this with Moses?

Genesis 6:6 is not just an anthropopathism (the ascription of human feelings to something not human). No, it reveals GOD'S RAW EMOTION - the enormous pain in His heart when He beholds our sin. His heart is filled with pain when He sees in us a complete betrayal of everything we were created for: love for God, and love for each other. Knowing God relates emotionally to our sin should help us better relate emotionally to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

THE GOSPEL IS NOT JUST A HEARTLESS MECHANICAL TRANSACTION - IT REPRESENTS RAW EMOTION!!

Out of the enormous cosmic pain in His heart when He beholds our sin - out of that pain, He loves us even more by immersing His own Son in the flood-waters of judgment to restore us to what we were created for - love for God and love for each other - sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven. Theological Speculation: is it possible that God purposely created a need in Himself for us when He made us? Did He purposely make Himself open to experience both the pain and the joy of a relationship? When God saw that it wasn't good for Adam to be alone, could that have mirrored His own need? Did God purpose in Himself at creation to become vulnerable and experience emotion? HOW MUCH DOES GOD FEEL? The Bible is full of passages revealing His emotions. Two in the NT that come to mind are when Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, and then at the cross when He cries out "My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?" Can you imagine not only the pain Christ was experiencing at that moment of separation from His heavenly Father, but the pain the Father was experiencing as they both went forward with the plan prepared from eternity? But in the midst of that pain, Hebrews 12:2 says that it was for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM that He endured the cross and suffered its shame. What was that joy set before Christ? In the midst of His pain and suffering, He saw the joy the Father would experience for each lost soul that would become a son or daughter of God through the blood of the New Covenant - the blood of the cross - the obedience of the Son, the last Adam. Why do the angels rejoice and celebrate in heaven when one sinner repents? Because of the incredible joy it brings God the Father. Now that's also RAW EMOTION! The raw emotion of joy God experiences when another sinner walks through the gates of the City having become a son or daughter of God that will be in fellowship with Him for all eternity. Now that's incredibly awesome to think about. HOW IS GOD FEELING ABOUT YOU TODAY?