The “Image Of God”!?

WED., APR. 26, 2000, 8:48 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

Your Bible Study focus for today (and on) is the Book of Numbers, which has Me, the Yahweh God, dealing with Moses and the displaced Hebrew people. Your reaction – that in this “rendition” I am quite a different God than the Me of Jesus time… and also different from Me, Holy Spirit, Who comes to you in this early 21st century. Care to hear what I have to say about this?

As you would surely expect, I’ll start with – “I love diversity”… and I can be the Supreme Example of diversity “personified.” You know the truth: “Humans were… and are… created in the image of God.” As you observe and read about diversity in humans that must mean that I must show forth the fullness of diversity.

Let’s consider one facet of earth life on which I’ve often commented in these Teachings. There must be more concern for the earth’s environment, which means a decrease in the human population and less focus on transforming non-human energy, which produces waste of several kinds. If I were still “the God” of this “time” in Numbers I would proclaim that there must be fewer births and more deaths AND human life must be lived in a simpler mode, with quite a dampening of the “desire for more.” AND then I would act to bring about such changes in natural and mystical ways. Many of you would not accept conditions that helped to restore “balance” as initiated by Me. “A good God wouldn’t do that… or cause that… or even allow that.” The Numbers story tells that I have been such in the past, and, I say now, I could be thus yet again.

As evidenced in this story of the Jews in an era way before you Americans ever evolved they have been a “people” that have felt My displeasure… even wrath. In your lifetime they suffered, as a people, through the Nazi dislike of them, which “earned” them the homeland of Israel. You, as the nation of the United States, have never suffered such humiliation, fear, and pain. Your Civil War came close, over the rights of the South to uphold slavery as a way of life and of secession from the young Union. After the war that worked out, and your oldest son and family now live in the heart of the Old South, with some ease. ( 9:24 / 9:27 ) Was I involved in this dispute? Of course.

But this did bring about a United States, which now has become the Power of the earth at this time. You like both the “image” of your nation as One and Under God AND as a land of the Free, which includes the right to reject Me, as God… My Church and My Presence as Jesus and Holy Spirit… and even symbols of such allegiance and commitment to a Higher Power.

It wasn’t easy for Me to “zap” the Jews, in this story, for they were My Chosen People, but they, too, in their “day,” paid homage to “other Gods” and only recognized Me when I benefited them.

The “Image of God” I suggest to you is one that can be described, but not completely or eternally. Oh, I Am Everlasting and Eternal, but these Old Testament stories just confirm that I can deal differently with peoples whom I love.

I tell you that I am most pleased with and committed to Christians, even as We both see quite a range of people, beliefs, and practices in such a “designation.” Yet it is more difficult to love you American Christians who just accept your high standard of living as a “gift from Me” OR a way of life which is irrelevant to their faith.

If I Am not pleased with your secular practices do I just wring My Hands and do nothing, or do I give you, in some combination of “ways,” an experience like unto that of the Jews. Does your image of God include the possibility (even probability) of some economic downturn, with great “unrest” in the population. Would I be blamed for causing such… or not intervening so that it wouldn’t happen? Or would I be called on for some positive intervention… or just for strength to get through this natural downturn?