Who is HE to you? Part 2 by Carrie Forman

This blog is the 2nd part of “Who is He to you?” where we are identifying the roles of YHWH the Father and His Son in our lives.  If you’ve not yet read Part One, I encourage you to do so as it lays the foundation of His critical roles as our Master and Teacher.  Who is HE to you? Part 1

Allowing Him to occupy the roles of Master and Teacher gives us guidance through this life, positions us to be His children and fortifies our walk with Him toward attaining entry into His coming Kingdom.  Salvation is a journey and I believe my friend and sister in Yah, Stacey wrote an excellent blog discussing that subject in “Discipleship, the process of salvation” featured on our website.

Our Master and Teacher is also described in Scripture as a Friend, Husband, and Protector.  In the eyes of most believers, these three seem to be more accepted and viewed as endearing and intimate roles of love, although Master and Teacher also represent love for the one being guided on His righteous path.  However, it seems there is less resistance in allocating the roles of Friend, Husband, and Protector to Him and I assume they are more fervently embraced for two reasons: One - human beings desire love, companionship, and safety.  Two - most believe there is no effort on our part to allow Him to fill these roles. 

In allowing Him to function as a Master and Teacher in our lives, there is undoubtedly action required on our part – trust, submission, and obedience.  Sadly, growing up in a society that promotes independence, pride, and self-assurance - submission and obedience can be viewed as foreign and detrimental to self.  Yet, submitting is quite the opposite of detrimental, as it frees us from the curse of sin, and allows us to be guided by His loving instructions which then sets us on the path we were created to be on.

Through my earlier faith, I confidently felt I had a successful intimate relationship with my King.  I assumed I knew Him, and I truly loved the One I thought I knew.  I felt that admiration towards Him most in times of worship.  I had a heart of gratitude toward the One who sacrificed His life for mine.  And I believe it was this mixture of heartfelt belief, appreciation and diligently seeking Him which opened the door to who He really is. 

I thought I knew Him, however I discovered I knew an “idea of Him” that had been taught through my faith.  Just as allocating the roles of Master and Teacher to Him requires action from us - a Friend, Husband and Protector also requires activity on our part.  Let’s explore these 3 roles in more detail through Scripture. 

Friend 

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  Yohanan (John) 15:14

I was not a popular kid growing up, in fact I was somewhat of an outcast and didn’t belong in any group or cliques.  I was shy and unconfident and didn’t overcome my in-secureness until my mid 20’s.  While I do consider myself outgoing and an extravert now, through the years I still held on to the idea of keeping a few friends close, where trust and love are unwavering.  Most importantly, friendship is mutual, it is not a one-way street. 

If you are like me, you’ve experienced relationships that were one sided.  This person becomes a “no-show” too many times and you finally realize their heart is not in it as yours is.  They do not value the friendship as you do and through time and circumstances the relationship deadens. 

Friendship is a big and hefty word to me, and I do not take it lightly.  I value those in my life who desire a meaningful companionship .  However, in today’s world the word “friend” has become so fluid and meaningless.  Facebook and social media are probably some of the biggest culprits.  Most of us who have a Facebook page have “friends” that aren’t really friends.  The majority of these “friends” really know nothing about us except maybe some basic facts of where we work, where we live and if we have kids.  The most common topics are either political opinions or what we ate for dinner last night. 

Interestingly, a friend is defined as - a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard – and the word regard is defined as – to show respect and to pay attention.

Yahushua is desiring friendship with those who proclaim Him as their Savior.  He is wanting us to show respect (do what He commands us – Yohanan/John 15:14) and to pay attention (follow His lead – Mattithyahu/Matthew 4:19; 16:24).  Doing what He says shows that we are wanting Him to be our friend, and that we want to be His true friend as well. 

Sadly, most “believers” have made Yahushua like a Facebook friend.  While He knows every innermost detail about us, can we confidently say (according to John 15:14) that we truly know Him if we do not do what He commands of us?  Have we become guilty of being “no shows” too many times which has resulted in a deadened relationship with Him? 

“And by this we know that we know Him IF we guard His Commands.  The one who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not guard His Commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him.  By this we know that we are in Him.  The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.”  1 Yohanan (John) 2:3-6

This friendship is more than “scrolling” through Scripture or checking in occasionally.  This is an intimate relationship where we honor and respect His lead, thus being His friend.  This companionship should be a tight knit bond like none other. 

In our relationships with our close friends, we can proudly rattle off their likes and dislikes – their favorite foods, movies, and songs.  I’m sure we know what makes them happy as well as what upsets them.  Can we do the same about our Father YHWH and our Messiah, Yahushua?  Do we know Him well enough to identify what pleases Him and what doesn’t?  Sadly, I didn’t even know His Name for most of my life.  “What’s in a Name” 

To personally know Him we need to know who He is, what He commands and why He commands it.  These answers will be clearly seen as we discuss the next role.

Husband

“For your Maker is your husband, YHWH of hosts is His Name, and the Qadosh One of Yisra’el is your Redeemer.  He is called the Elohim of all the earth.”  Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 54:5

When thinking of a husband and marriage, the first words that come to mind are love and devotion.  This is someone we have an intimate connection with, more than anyone else on this earth.  This is someone we trust and who we decide we want to spend the rest of our lives with.  We choose this person to walk hand in hand with through all the twists and turns of life.  This a significant relationship that should be filled with love, trust and devotion.  

Devotion is defined as: profound dedication, earnest attachment to a cause or person marked by dedicated loyalty, an assignment or appropriation to any purpose or cause.

It is no coincidence that YHWH describes Himself as a Husband to those who love Him.  He too longs for a relationship with us that encompasses profound dedication, earnest attachment and dedicated loyalty.  To give Him a life-long commitment that unlike an earthly husband, does not end at “till death do us part” but rather a magnificent promise of life eternal in His presence.

After studying deeper the events at Mt. Sinai, I realized that YHWH’s loving instructions (Commands) were presented as marriage vows from a Husband to a bride. 

When we read the story of Yisra’el being released from slavery and bondage from Mitsrayim (Egypt), it is important to understand the whole purpose of their impending freedom.  It was not only to make YHWH’s Name known to the world (side note: Did you know the English word “Exodus” was translated from the Hebrew word “Shemot” which means Names?) and to free His people from the grips of the Egyptians, but also so they could be united with YHWH as their Elohim. He would be their husband and they would be His bride. 

As they arrived at Mt Sinai, YHWH was preparing to meet His bride and He gave instructions to Mosheh that His bride needed to also be ready.  They needed to get cleaned up and stay clean as on the third day the “ceremony” would take place. (Exodus 19:10,11)

As the day approached and YHWH arrived with His powerful, tremendous, and glorious presence, they were overwhelmed to the point of unbearableness.  Here is the event described in Exodus: 

“And it came to be, on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain.  And the sound of the ram’s horn (shofar) was very loud, and all the people who were in the camp trembled.  And Mosheh brought the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  And Mt Sinai was in smoke, all of it, because YHWH descended upon it in fire.  And its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled exceedingly.  And when the blast of the shofar sounded long and became very strong, Mosheh spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.” Exodus 19:15-19

Then YHWH spoke “all these words, saying…” and the 10 Words (sayings) popularly known as the 10 Commandments were proclaimed to His bride (Exodus 20:1-17).  After declaring the 10 Words to His bride, Yisra’el responded as follows:

“And the people saw the thunders, the lightning flashes, the sound of the shofar and the mountain smoking.  And the people saw it and they trembled and stood at a distance and said to Mosheh, ‘You speak with us, and we hear, but let not Elohim speak with us, lest we die.” Exodus 20:18,19

Because of their tremendous fear of YHWH’s presence, they requested a mediator to convey the rest of the marriage contract.  While they did agree to the vows (the 10 Words), it was through Mosheh that they received the remaining instructions (Torah) on how to be a faithful bride.  Let’s read their “I do” –

“Mosheh came and related to the people all the Words of YHWH and all the Right-Rulings.  And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which YHWH has spoken we will do.”  Shemot (Exodus) 24:3

For those of us who have read and studied the history of Yisra’el, we know that sadly they ended up being an unfaithful bride.  Surprisingly, not long after receiving the 10 Words their unfaithfulness continued off and on throughout the years.  In fact, we see YHWH’s broken heart and disappointment through the writings of the prophets.

“But indeed, as a wife betrays her husband, so have you betrayed Me, O house of Yisra’el, declares YHWH.”  Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 3:20

“…for she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her whorings from her face, and her adulteries from between her breasts..” Hosea 2:2b

“Then the children of Yisra’el did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and served the Ba’als, and forsook YHWH their Elohim of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Mitsrayim, and went after other mighty ones, of the mighty ones of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them, and provoked YHWH.  So they forsook YHWH and served Ba’al and the Ashtoreths.”  Shophetim (Judges) 2:11-13

“But you have committed whoring with many lovers.  And would you return to Me?”  Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 3:1b

This pattern of an unfaithful bride is throughout the documented history of Yisra’el.  Because of her unfaithfulness, YHWH needed to separate Himself (divorce) from His her until the prophesied time when He would send His Son to renew this Covenant that the bride severed.

“And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’el had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Yahudah did not reverence but went and committed whoring too.”  Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 3:8

Thankfully we can learn a tremendous amount from the examples of the past.  They had lost the very thing marriage should be about: loyalty and devotion.  Through these examples we can also pay close attention to what YHWH (our husband) desires from us.  Here are a handful of verses giving clear instruction on renewing our marriage vows.

“If you do return, O Yisra’el, declares YHWH, return to Me.  And if you remove your abominations from My presence, and cease straying, and shall swear, ‘As YHWH lives,’ in truth, in right-ruling, and in righteousness – then nations shall bless themselves in Him, and they shall boast in Him!”  Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 4:1,2

“Return, O backsliding Yisra’el,” declares YHWH, “I shall not look on you in displeasure, for I am kind,” declares YHWH, “and I do not bear a grudge forever.” Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 3:12

“See, the days are coming,” declares YHWH, “when I shall make a new Covenant with the house of Yisra’el and with the house of Yahudah, not like the Covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My Covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares YHWH.  “For this is the Covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’el after those days, declares YHWH: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”  Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 31:31-33

We see clear instruction that we need to “return” which in Hebrew is “shub” (shoob) – it means to stop and go the other direction from where you are going – to get off the dark path and get on the righteous path toward Him.  We then see the beautiful connection of this renewal with Yahushua, our Messiah.

“Him, a Prince and a Saviour, Elohim has exalted to His right hand, to give repentance to Yisra’el and forgiveness of sins, and we are His witnesses to these matters, and so also is the Ruach ha’Qodesh whom Elohim has given to those who obey Him.”  Acts 5:31,32

Our Savior plays a critical role in renewing this broken marriage covenant.  Yahushua is described as our Bridegroom –

“Husbands, love your wives, as Mashiach (Messiah) also loved the assembly and gave Himself for it, in order to qadosh (sanctify) it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be qodesh (set-apart/special) and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27

For those who return (repent), trust and believe in Yahushua as our Messiah and walk in His Light (Torah) - we are wiped clean and made ready for the future marriage supper with the Lamb.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.”  And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the qodeshim (set-apart/ special ones).  And he said to me, “Write, ‘Baruk (blessed) are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”  Revelation 19:7-9

If you are like me, you long for that day.  Until then, we are instructed to endure and remain steadfast (be prepared) in His instructions for living righteous lives.  This is an intimate relationship that should involve the sentiment of love and devotion.  Yahushua clearly describes how to show our love for Him.
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“If you love Me, keep my Commands.”  Yohanan (John) 14:15

“As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you.  Stay in My love.  If you guard My Commands, you shall stay in My love, even as I have guarded My Father’s Commands and stay in His love.”  Yohanan (John) 15:9,10

Protector/Deliverer

“The messenger of YHWH encamps all around those who revere Him and rescues them.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 34:7

What a wonderful promise for those who revere Him.  Since He desires to fill the role of Friend and Husband – a Protector and Deliverer naturally is included.  Even as humans, we have the instinctive act of protecting those we love, so how much more on a divine level?  The very One who created us and gave us the breath of life undoubtedly wants to protect and deliver us.

If we dig a bit deeper into this promise of Protector and Deliverer, it leads me to two questions – 1. Who does He promise to protect/deliver?  2. Are those individuals trusting His covering?

When reading Scripture, I often emphasize specific words that seem to carry the weight of a verse - meaning, these special words clear away any confusion and make statements more specific.  You can see what I am referring to when reading again the verse previously mentioned. “The messenger of YHWH encamps all around those who revere Him and rescues them.”  The messenger of YHWH encamps around who? “Those that revere Him” – it does not include everyone, in fact it is specific to whom that protection is designated. 

Notice further in the same chapter of Psalms, the specificity of “who” the promise is directed to.  “The eyes of YHWH are on the righteous, and His ears unto their cry.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 34:15 
 
Often, we hear verses that are half-quoted.  We hear the promises and the blessings, but the majority seem to leave out who those promises are specifically committed to.  Could this be similar to the one-sided relationship we discussed previously?  They accept the promises of blessings and protection while failing to understand that this relationship needs to be mutual.

One famously half-quoted verse is found in the book of Isaiah… “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…” Isaiah 54:17a   Here is a prime example that we need to understand who the “you” is.  We can easily identify those YHWH is addressing when we read the whole chapter of Isaiah 54.  This promise of hope and deliverance is for those in Covenant with Him, Yisra’el.  Additionally, in the last verse of Chapter 54, YHWH is more specific by stating “This is the inheritance of the servants of YHWH, and their righteousness from Me.” Isaiah 54:17b

Let’s examine other verses in the Psalms that confirm this theme.

“Deliverance belongs to YHWH, Your berakah (blessing) is on Your people.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 3:8

“But know that YHWH has separated a kind one for Himself; YHWH hears when I call to Him.  Tremble, and do not sin”  Tehillim (Pslams) 4:3,4

“But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy, because You shelter them; and let those who love Your Name exult in You.  For You barak (bless) the righteous, O YHWH; You surround him with favour as with a shield.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 5:11,12

“And YHWH is a refuge for the crushed one, a refuge in times of distress. And those who know Your Name trust in You, for You have not forsaken those who seek You, O YHWH.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 9:9,10

YHWH will protect those who revere Him.  Those who are humble, seek His Ways and decide to live their lives for Him.  He desires every sinner to repent (2 Peter/Kepha 3:9) so He can cover us, and we may take refuge under His wings (Tehillim/Psalms 91:4). 

However, there is action required on our part.  Can we do what we want, live as we see fit yet still be protected?  Our Maker gives us free will.  He puts “the ball is in our court” so that what we give or what we take is of our doing.  He wants to receive a genuine love towards Him, He does not force it.  If love was forced then we would be like robots, and it would not be sincere, authentic, and true. 

“Because he clings to Me in love, therefore I deliver him; I exalt him, because he has known My Name.  When he calls on Me, I answer him; I am with him in distress; I deliver him and esteem him.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 91:14,15

It must be noted that YHWH rescue those who take refuge in Him in this life, but ultimately His protection and salvation is from the second death.  This does not mean that He completely takes away mortal death as some will fall asleep until the time established and then to awake – “some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”  Daniel 12:2; Yohanan (John) 5:28,29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13,14; Revelation 14:13

Yahushua confirms this in the book of Matthew.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the being.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both being and body in Gey-Hinnom.”  Mattithyahu (Matthew) 10:28

Yahushua is explaining that man may be able to take this life from us (if YHWH allows it) however he cannot take the next.  “IF” we belong to Him and walk in His Light then we are in YHWH’s Hands and we either trust Him or we don’t.

We would be living under a rock if we didn’t notice that tough times are ahead.  Many believe we are in the final days with the abundance of sin and abominations being praised rather than condemned, the impending wars between nations, the imminent total collapse of the world economy and currencies, the destruction of our food supplies, the experimental DNA altering shots - all these things leading the world in the reliance of the beast system (NWO) - I could go on and on.  But, these are all prime examples of why we need to look up and not trust in man or appointed leader, but rather to trust only in Him.

“YHWH is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He does the desire of those who revere Him; And He hears their cry and saves them.  YHWH preserves all those loving Him, but all the wicked he destroys.”  Tehillim (Psalms) 145:18-20

As convenient as it sounds, we will not be “raptured into heaven” as so many believe.  This is a false hope and is set in place to deceive and weaken those who should be enduring until the end.  Yahushua is clear when He proclaims “after the distress in those days” (Matthew 24:29-31) and “First, gather the tares/darnel and bind them in bundles and burn them” (Matthew 13:30) and “they shall gather out those doing lawlessness… then, the righteous shall shine forth” (Matthew 13:41-43) and “I do not pray that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the wicked one” (John 17:15).  See also 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Rev 7:2b,3; Rev 8:6, 1 Enoch 1:1,2

If you’d like to study further into the subject of the end times, like where we will be gathered, who will be gathered, when will it take place and how it will happen then I strongly recommend an excellent book by Todd D Bennett entitled The Final Shofar.

We will be tried and tested just as the Yisra’elites were in the wilderness (Debarim/Deuteronomy 8:1-10).  When it all comes down to it, will we stay devoted and have unwavering trust in Him?

YHWH fits into so many more roles described in His Word.  Through this 2-part blog we have only covered five:  Master, Teacher, Friend, Husband and Protector/Deliverer. As we continue to dig deep in His Word, may we all embrace every role that He desires to fill.  May we submit our whole beings to Him, trusting that He loves us and allow Him to rule and reign in our lives.

I will conclude with something I read months ago…

“Satan thought he had taken everything from Job, but to Job, YHWH was his everything.”
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May He be our everything.