Knowing the God Who Has Revealed Himself

Key Series Theme:

The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are not different in character. He is the same holy, loving, faithful, just, and gracious God, fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

Week 1 – God Is Holy

Title: The God Who Is High and Lifted Up

Main Texts

• Isaiah 6:1–7
• 1 Peter 1:15–16
• Revelation 4:8

Introduction

One of the great needs in the church today is not simply better methods, bigger programmes, or more activity. Our greatest need is a clearer vision of God. So much weakness in Christian living comes from small thoughts about God. When our view of God is low, our worship becomes shallow, our obedience becomes casual, and our understanding of sin becomes weak.

The Bible begins not with man, but with God. It directs our attention away from ourselves and onto the One who created all things, sustains all things, and rules over all things. And among the great truths Scripture gives us about God, one of the most central is this: God is holy.

The holiness of God is not a minor part of who He is. It is central to His being. Holiness means that God is utterly pure, morally perfect, and completely set apart from all that is sinful, corrupt, common, or defiled. He is not like us. He is above us, beyond us, and infinitely pure in all His ways.

Some people speak as if the God of the Old Testament is holy and fearful, while the God of the New Testament is soft and welcoming. But that is not what Scripture teaches. The God of Isaiah 6 is the same God worshipped in Revelation 4. The God who says in Leviticus, “Be holy, for I am holy,” is the same God whose apostle Peter repeats those very words to the church. His holiness has not changed.

1. God’s Holiness Means He Is Utterly Set Apart

Isaiah 6:1–3

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne… And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’”

Isaiah did not see a God who was merely impressive. He saw a God who was altogether other. The seraphim did not cry, “Love, love, love,” or “Power, power, power,” though God is both loving and powerful. They cried, “Holy, holy, holy.”

This repetition is not accidental. It is emphasis. God is not just holy; He is holy, holy, holy. His holiness is supreme. It colours everything else about Him. His love is holy love. His justice is holy justice. His mercy is holy mercy. His wrath is holy wrath.

Holiness means God is separate from sin in every sense. Habakkuk 1:13 says,

“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.”

This does not mean God is unaware of evil. It means He is morally pure and never participates in evil, excuses evil, or is stained by evil.

The New Testament gives the same picture. In Revelation 4:8, the living creatures around the throne say day and night:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

The God of heaven has not changed. The atmosphere around His throne is still holiness. The worship of heaven is still centred upon the holiness of God.

Application

• We must never reduce God to a manageable figure.
• God is not our equal, our mate, or a slightly improved version of ourselves.
• He is infinitely above us in purity, glory, and majesty.

A low view of God produces a loose Christian life. But when we see Him as He is, our hearts are humbled.

2. God’s Holiness Exposes Human Sin

Isaiah 6:5

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…”

When Isaiah saw God, he did not congratulate himself. He did not talk about his calling, his gifting, or his ministry potential. He cried out in conviction. In the presence of holiness, he became aware of his uncleanness.

That is always the effect of a true vision of God. When God is seen rightly, man is seen rightly. We begin to understand that sin is not merely a mistake, a weakness, or an unfortunate tendency. Sin is defilement before a holy God.

This same reality is seen in the New Testament. In Luke 5:8, after the miraculous catch of fish, Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said:

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Why? Because holiness exposes us. A real encounter with God does not first make us feel impressive. It makes us aware of our need.

One reason modern Christianity often treats sin lightly is because it speaks lightly about God. If God is only thought of as kind in a sentimental sense, then sin will be treated as minor. But if God is holy, then sin becomes serious.

Application

• The problem in many lives is not that God has become less holy, but that we have become less aware.
• We excuse what God condemns.
• We tolerate what God hates.
• We laugh at what nailed Christ to the cross.

Revival never begins with man feeling strong. It begins with man seeing God and then seeing himself honestly.

3. God’s Holiness Does Not Only Condemn; It Also Cleanses

Isaiah 6:6–7

“Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand… With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’”

This is one of the most beautiful truths in Scripture. The holy God who exposes sin is also the God who provides cleansing for sin.

Isaiah was ruined, but he was not left ruined. He was convicted, but he was also cleansed.

In the Old Testament this cleansing is pictured through the altar. In the New Testament it is fulfilled in Christ. 1 John 1:7 says:

“The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

Hebrews 10:22 says:

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience…”

The holiness of God does not mean there is no hope for sinners. It means sinners cannot save themselves. Hope comes only through God’s provision.

At the cross, holiness and mercy meet. God does not ignore sin, and He does not compromise His holiness. He judges sin fully in the person of His Son, so that those who trust in Christ may be forgiven and made clean.

Application

• Do not run from conviction if it leads you to Christ.
• God wounds in order to heal.
• He exposes so that He may cleanse.
• He brings us low so that He may lift us up in grace.

4. God’s Holiness Calls His People to Holy Living

1 Peter 1:15–16

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

The New Testament does not lower the standard of holiness. It brings it home to the church. God’s holiness is not merely something to admire; it is something that shapes the life of His people.

We are not called to become divine, but we are called to reflect the character of the God who saved us. Holiness in the Christian life means separation from sin and devotion to God. It means clean speech, clean thoughts, clean relationships, clean motives, and clean habits.

Holiness is not legalism. It is likeness to God.

It is possible to sing loudly, preach well, serve faithfully, and still tolerate sin in the hidden parts of life. But God is holy. He calls His church to be a holy people.

Application

• Holiness is not old-fashioned.
• It is not optional.
• It is not just for the especially committed.
• It is God’s will for every believer.

Conclusion

The holiness of God is not meant to push us into despair if we are willing to come His way. It is meant to humble us, awaken us, and drive us to Christ.

The same God revealed in Isaiah is the God revealed in Revelation. The same God who called Israel to holiness calls the church to holiness. The same God who exposed Isaiah’s sin provides cleansing through Jesus Christ.

So let us ask:

• Have I become too casual with God?
• Have I lost my sense of His majesty?
• Have I treated sin lightly?
• Have I received the cleansing only Christ can give?

Closing Challenge

The church does not need a softer God. It needs a clearer vision of the holy God. And when we see Him rightly, we will worship more deeply, repent more sincerely, and live more carefully.

Week 2 – God Is Love and Mercy

Title: The God Who Delights to Show Compassion

Main Texts

• Exodus 34:6–7
• Psalm 103:8–13
• John 3:16
• 1 John 4:8–10

Introduction

There are many people who imagine that the Old Testament presents a severe God, while the New Testament introduces a loving God through Jesus. But that idea does not come from Scripture. It comes from poor reading of Scripture.

The God of the Bible has always been a God of mercy. He has always been compassionate, gracious, patient, and abounding in steadfast love. The New Testament does not invent the love of God. It reveals its fullest expression in Jesus Christ.

Some think love means God never confronts sin. Others think mercy means God lowers His standards. But biblical love is not sentimental softness, and biblical mercy is not moral weakness. God’s love is holy love. His mercy is righteous mercy. He loves in truth, and He shows compassion without compromising His holiness.

1. God Reveals Himself as Compassionate and Gracious

Exodus 34:6–7

“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…”

This is one of the clearest self-revelations of God in the whole Bible. God describes Himself. And when He does, He does not begin with raw power or strict judgment. He begins with compassion, grace, patience, love, and faithfulness.

This matters. We are not left to invent our own ideas about God. He tells us what He is like.

And notice when this revelation comes. It comes after Israel’s sin with the golden calf. They had rebelled badly. Yet in that context, God reveals Himself as compassionate and gracious. That does not mean He ignores sin, but it does mean mercy is deeply rooted in His character.

The New Testament speaks the same way. Ephesians 2:4–5 says:

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…”

God is not barely merciful. He is rich in mercy. Mercy is not rare with Him. It is abundant.

Application

• Some people live as though God is always annoyed with them.
• Some think His default position is irritation.
• But Scripture says He is compassionate and gracious.

That does not mean God is indulgent. It means He is full of holy compassion toward the undeserving.

2. God’s Love Is Covenant Love, Not Mere Emotion

Psalm 103:8

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

The Old Testament word often translated “love” carries the idea of covenant loyalty, steadfast love, faithful love. This is not a passing emotion. It is committed, enduring, determined love.

God does not love His people because they are lovely. He sets His love upon them according to His own gracious purpose. His love is not based on our performance. It is based on His character.

This is seen powerfully in Hosea, where God’s love for wayward Israel is portrayed in deeply moving language. Even in their unfaithfulness, God speaks of compassion.

The New Testament brings this to its highest point in Christ. Romans 5:8 says:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God did not wait for us to improve before loving us. He loved us in our sin, not to leave us in it, but to rescue us from it.

Application

• The love of God is not permissive.
• It does not say sin does not matter.
• It says sinners matter enough for God to act.

This strengthens the Christian heart. When we fail, we do not need to wonder whether God’s love has evaporated. His love is not flimsy. It is steadfast.

3. God’s Mercy Is Personal and Fatherly

Psalm 103:13

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.”

God is not merely merciful in a legal sense. He is compassionate in a personal sense. He does not deal with His people as a cold official. He deals with them as a caring Father.

This same reality appears in the New Testament in the teaching of Jesus. In Luke 15, the father of the prodigal son runs to meet the returning son, embraces him, and restores him.

That story is not teaching that sin is unimportant. The son had sinned seriously. But it does teach that God receives the repentant with compassion.

Many people know how to speak about God’s power, but they struggle to believe in His tenderness. Yet both are true. He is mighty, and He is merciful. He is exalted, and He is compassionate.

Application

• Some in the church know they are forgiven in theory, but do not feel that God welcomes them.
• They think He has accepted them reluctantly.
• But God is not a reluctant Saviour.

Those who come to Him through Christ are not barely tolerated. They are received.

4. God’s Love Is Most Clearly Seen at the Cross

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

1 John 4:9–10

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world… This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

If we want to understand God’s love, we must look at the cross. Love is not defined by our feelings, culture, or preferences. Love is defined by God’s action in giving His Son.

The cross tells us two things at once:

• God’s love is deeper than we imagine.
• Our sin is worse than we admit.

If sin were a small matter, Christ would not have had to die. If God were not loving, Christ would never have come.

The cross is not God relaxing His standards. It is God meeting His own righteous standard through the sacrifice of His Son, so that mercy can be extended to guilty people.

Application

• When in doubt, interpret God’s heart through Calvary.
• The cross says He is not against those who come by faith.
• The cross says His mercy is costly.
• The cross says His love is not talk, but action.

Conclusion

The God of the Old Testament is compassionate and gracious. The God of the New Testament is rich in mercy and love. There is no contradiction. There is one God, and His character is consistent throughout Scripture.

He is not soft on sin, but He is full of compassion toward sinners who repent and believe. He is not sentimental, but He is loving. He is not indulgent, but He is merciful.

Closing Challenge

• Do you know God only as Judge, but not as merciful Father?
• Or do you speak of His love while ignoring His holiness?
• Have you received His mercy in Christ?
• Are you showing to others the mercy God has shown to you?

The church must not preach a reduced God. We must preach the God who is both holy and loving, both righteous and merciful, both exalted and compassionate.

Week 3 – God Is Faithful and Unchanging

Title: The God Who Keeps His Word

Main Texts

• Numbers 23:19
• Lamentations 3:22–23
• Malachi 3:6
• James 1:17
• Hebrews 13:8

Introduction

We live in a world of constant change. Circumstances change. Governments change. Health changes. Emotions change. Friendships change. Economies change. Even churches can drift and people can disappoint. In a world like this, one of the most comforting truths in all the Bible is this: God does not change.

That does not mean God is inactive or lifeless. It means His character, His truth, His promises, and His purposes remain constant. He does not improve because He was never deficient. He does not decline because He is eternally perfect. He is not moody, unstable, or unpredictable in the way fallen people are.

This is wonderful news for the believer. If God could change in character, how could we trust Him? If His love could cool without cause, if His truth could shift, if His promises could expire, then we would have no solid ground beneath our feet. But Scripture teaches that God is faithful and unchanging.

1. God Does Not Change in His Nature

Malachi 3:6

“I the LORD do not change.”

James 1:17

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

God is not like us. We are affected by tiredness, mood, pressure, temptation, and limited knowledge. God is perfect in wisdom, perfect in righteousness, and perfect in goodness. Therefore, there is nothing in Him that needs correcting, and nothing in Him that can deteriorate.

Numbers 23:19 says:

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

This is not saying God never responds personally in history. It means God is not fickle, deceptive, unstable, or unreliable like fallen men can be.

His character is fixed in perfection. His holiness does not weaken. His mercy does not become corrupt. His justice does not fade. His truth does not shift with the times.

The New Testament strengthens this truth by declaring that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This is a powerful witness to the deity of Christ and to the constancy of God revealed in Him.

Application

• Your circumstances may change, but God has not changed.
• Your emotions may rise and fall, but God has not changed.
• Public opinion may shift, but God has not changed.

This means our confidence must rest in Him, not in what is happening around us.

2. God Is Faithful to His Promises

Deuteronomy 7:9

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love…”

The history of Israel is a testimony both to human failure and divine faithfulness. Again and again, God’s people drifted, complained, rebelled, and broke covenant. Yet God remained committed to His redemptive purposes.

That does not mean He overlooked sin. He disciplined His people. But His larger purposes did not fail. He remained faithful to His word.

The New Testament shows that all the promises of God find their fulfilment in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says:

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”

God is not careless with His words. He keeps what He says.

This is why we can trust every promise connected to salvation:

• the forgiveness of sins,
• justification by faith,
• the gift of the Spirit,
• the resurrection of the body,
• the return of Christ,
• eternal life for those who believe.

Application

• God’s promises are not fragile.
• They are not strengthened by your feelings or weakened by your fear.
• They stand because He stands.

When God says He will forgive the repentant, He means it.
When God says He will never leave His people, He means it.
When God says Christ will return, He means it.

3. God’s Faithfulness Sustains Us in Dark Seasons

Lamentations 3:22–23

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed… great is your faithfulness.”

These words were not written in easy times. They came out of devastation, grief, judgment, and sorrow. Yet right in the middle of pain, the writer declares the faithfulness of God.

This is where the doctrine becomes deeply practical. God’s faithfulness is not merely a theological concept for quiet days. It is a lifeline in suffering.

When life is painful, people are tempted to think God has changed. They assume hardship means abandonment. But hardship does not mean His character has shifted. He may discipline, test, refine, humble, and train His people, but He does not cease being faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

This verse is not an excuse for careless living. It is a comfort that God’s ultimate faithfulness does not rest on the perfection of our performance. If it did, all of us would be lost.

Application

• In confusion, God is faithful.
• In grief, God is faithful.
• In unanswered prayer, God is faithful.
• In the long wait, God is faithful.

He is not absent simply because He is silent for a season.

4. God’s Unchanging Nature Calls Us to Stable Faith

Because God is steady, His people should become steady. A faithful God should produce faithful believers.

One of the tragedies of modern Christianity is that many believers are governed more by mood than by truth. We feel near to God one week and far from Him the next. We decide whether He is good by reading our circumstances instead of reading Scripture.

But faith does not rest on a shifting emotional climate. It rests on the unchanging character of God.

Application

• We must learn to interpret life through God’s Word, not God through our circumstances.
• We must anchor ourselves in truth, not impulse.
• We must become a people who keep going because God keeps being God.

Conclusion

The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is the faithful and unchanging God. He keeps covenant. He keeps His word. He remains what He has always been.

This means:

• you can trust Him,
• you can rest in Him,
• you can obey Him,
• and you can endure with Him.

Closing Challenge

• What in your life is shaking right now?
• Where have you been tempted to doubt the faithfulness of God?
• Are you reading your circumstances more than you are reading His promises?
• Are you anchored in the unchanging Christ?

Great is His faithfulness. Not sometimes. Not occasionally. Great is His faithfulness.

Week 4 – God Is Just and Righteous

Title: The God Who Always Does What Is Right

Main Texts

• Deuteronomy 32:4
• Genesis 18:25
• Psalm 89:14
• Romans 3:23–26
• Revelation 15:3

Introduction

In an age that often confuses love with approval and tolerance with goodness, the justice of God can sound uncomfortable. Yet if God were not just, He would not be good. If He did not hate evil, He would not be holy. If He did not judge sin, He would not be righteous.

The justice of God is not a harsh defect in His character. It is part of His glory. God always does what is right. He never perverts justice. He never calls evil good. He never ignores wickedness. He never acts unfairly.

This matters deeply for two reasons. First, it means sinners cannot treat sin lightly. Second, it means the oppressed, the wronged, and the broken can know that evil does not have the final word.

1. God Is Perfectly Just in All His Ways

Deuteronomy 32:4

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

This is one of the clearest declarations in all Scripture. All His ways are just. Not some. All.

God never needs to apologise. He never misjudges a case. He never overreacts. He never acts out of selfishness, prejudice, ignorance, or confusion. Human judges may fail. Earthly systems may fail. But the Judge of all the earth does right.

That is the point Abraham makes in Genesis 18:25:

“Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

That is not a question of doubt. It is a question of confidence. Abraham knows the answer.

The New Testament agrees completely. In Revelation 15:3, heaven sings:

“Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.”

Application

• Sometimes we do not understand God’s ways.
• Sometimes His dealings are beyond our grasp.
• But mystery is not injustice.

We may not understand everything God does, but we can know that whatever He does is right.

2. God’s Justice Means Sin Must Be Dealt With

One of the clearest themes in the whole Bible is that sin is not a small matter. Because God is righteous, He cannot simply shrug at evil.

The Old Testament sacrificial system taught this powerfully. Sin required atonement. Blood had to be shed. Judgment was not imaginary.

But the sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed forward to something greater. They anticipated the true atoning work of Christ.

Romans 3:23–26

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement… so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

This is one of the richest passages in the New Testament. It teaches that at the cross, God remains just while also justifying sinners.

How can God forgive guilty people without becoming unjust? The answer is the cross. Christ bears the penalty of sin. God does not ignore sin. He judges it in the person of His Son.

This means grace is not God forgetting justice. Grace is justice satisfied in Christ.

Application

• We must never speak of forgiveness cheaply.
• Salvation cost the blood of the Son of God.
• The cross tells us that sin is dreadful, justice is real, and mercy is glorious.

3. God’s Justice Is Good News for the Oppressed

The justice of God is not only a warning to the guilty. It is a comfort to the wounded. All through the Old Testament, God reveals His concern for the poor, the widow, the fatherless, and the oppressed. He sees what men overlook. He hears what men ignore.

In the New Testament, this remains true. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 says:

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.”

This is not encouraging personal revenge. It is teaching that wrong will not reign forever. God will judge rightly.

For believers who have been slandered, mistreated, abused, overlooked, or harmed, the justice of God is a refuge. It means there is a righteous Judge above every earthly failure.

Application

• You do not need to live as though evil has won.
• You do not need to carry ultimate vengeance.
• You can entrust yourself to the One who judges justly.

4. God’s Justice Calls His People to Righteous Living

Because God is righteous, His people are to love righteousness. We cannot claim to know God while embracing injustice, dishonesty, partiality, corruption, or hypocrisy.

The prophets repeatedly rebuked Israel for religious activity without righteous living. God was not impressed by outward worship combined with inward corruption.

The same principle holds in the New Testament. God’s people are called to truthfulness, fairness, purity, and integrity.

Application

• We must be just in our dealings.
• We must be honest in speech.
• We must be fair in judgment.
• We must not excuse sin in ourselves while condemning it in others.

A just God calls for a just people.

Conclusion

The God of both Testaments is the God who always does what is right. His justice is not a problem to solve. It is part of His perfection.

At the cross we see that God is both:

• just,
• and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

That means the justice of God is both a warning and a comfort:

• a warning to the unrepentant,
• a comfort to the trusting,
• and a call to holy living for the church.

Closing Challenge

• Have you treated sin lightly?
• Have you assumed God’s patience means indifference?
• Are you grateful that justice was satisfied in Christ?
• Are you living righteously before a righteous God?

The God who loves is also the God who judges rightly. And because He is just, He can be trusted completely.

Week 5 – God Is Gracious, Present, and Fatherly

Title: The God Who Comes Near

Main Texts

• Exodus 33:14
• Psalm 46:1
• Isaiah 57:15
• Matthew 1:23
• John 1:14
• Romans 8:15–16

Introduction

When many people think about God, they think first of distance. They imagine Him as remote, detached, uninvolved, unreachable. Yet the Bible reveals something altogether different. The God of Scripture is exalted beyond all creation, yet He is also the God who draws near.

He is transcendent, yet present. He is enthroned in heaven, yet active among His people. He is high and holy, yet willing to dwell with the humble and contrite. This truth runs through both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

And in Jesus Christ, this nearness of God is revealed in the fullest way. God has not remained distant. He has come near.

1. God Has Always Desired to Dwell with His People

From the opening pages of Scripture, we see a God who is not merely to be known about, but to be known. In Eden, God walked with man. Later, He dwelt among Israel through the tabernacle and temple.

Exodus 33:14

“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

That was the promise of God to Moses. His presence was not a minor blessing. It was everything. Moses even said that if God’s presence did not go with them, there was no point going onward.

Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

This is not the language of distance. It is the language of nearness.

And yet the Old Testament is careful to preserve the majesty of God. He is near, but not common. Present, but still holy. Accessible, but not trivial.

Application

• The Christian faith is not just about correct doctrine, though doctrine matters deeply.
• It is about living in fellowship with the living God.
• His presence is not a bonus extra for advanced believers. It is central.

2. God Draws Near by Grace, Not by Human Merit

Isaiah 57:15

“For this is what the high and exalted One says… ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit…’”

This verse is glorious. God is high and holy, yet He dwells with the humble. He is not drawn by pride, performance, or human impressiveness. He comes near to the contrite.

This means the nearness of God is not earned. It is given. It is an act of grace.

In the New Testament this becomes even clearer. Ephesians 2:13 says:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

We were not naturally close to God. Sin had alienated us. But Christ has brought us near.

Application

• You do not achieve God’s nearness by religious performance.
• You receive it through Christ.
• The door is opened by grace, not by boasting.

This humbles the proud and comforts the broken.

3. In Jesus, God Comes Near in the Fullest Sense

Matthew 1:23

“They will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”

John 1:14

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

The New Testament does not replace the God of the Old Testament. It reveals Him in His Son. The God who once dwelt in the tabernacle now comes personally in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is not merely a messenger from God. He is God with us. In Him, the nearness of God is not symbolic but personal, visible, and redemptive.

To see Jesus is to see the Father’s heart, the Father’s holiness, the Father’s compassion, the Father’s truth.

This means Christianity is not simply belief in a set of principles. It is relationship with God through Christ.

Application

• If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.
• If you want to know whether God welcomes sinners, look at Jesus.
• If you want to know whether God is both truthful and compassionate, look at Jesus.

4. Through Christ, God Is Known as Father

The Old Testament occasionally speaks of God as Father, but in the New Testament this becomes wonderfully central.

Romans 8:15–16

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”

Through Christ, believers are not merely pardoned criminals. They are adopted children. This is astonishing grace.

God is still holy. Still sovereign. Still majestic. But through Christ we are brought into the intimacy of sonship.

This does not make God less glorious. It makes grace more glorious.

Application

• The Christian does not approach God as a stranger hoping for toleration.
• He approaches as a child welcomed by the Father through Christ.
• This should shape prayer, worship, confidence, and obedience.

We do not serve God merely to stay out of trouble. We walk with Him as children who belong to Him.

5. The Presence of God Is Meant to Shape Daily Living

If God is present, then the Christian life cannot be lived as though He is far away.

His presence means:

• we are never alone,
• never abandoned,
• never unseen,
• never outside His care.

It also means we are always called to live consciously before Him.

A church may have structure, activity, music, and programmes, but if the presence of God is absent in practice, it becomes hollow. We need more than religious motion. We need God Himself.

Application

• In sorrow, His presence comforts.
• In temptation, His presence restrains.
• In service, His presence strengthens.
• In prayer, His presence assures.
• In suffering, His presence sustains.

Conclusion

The God of the Old Testament is the God who was with His people. The God of the New Testament is the same God, now revealed in Jesus Christ and known through the Holy Spirit as Father.

He is high and holy, yet near.
He is mighty, yet merciful.
He is exalted, yet present.

Closing Challenge

• Are you living as though God is distant?
• Have you mistaken familiarity with church for true fellowship with God?
• Have you come near through Christ?
• Are you living daily in the awareness of His presence?

The end goal of salvation is not merely forgiveness, though forgiveness is glorious. The end goal is fellowship with God. He has not only saved us from wrath. He has brought us near.

Final Series Conclusion

The Character of God Across Both Testaments

Over these five weeks we have seen that God is:

• Holy – therefore we must fear and revere Him.
• Loving and Merciful – therefore we must run to Him.
• Faithful and Unchanging – therefore we must trust Him.
• Just and Righteous – therefore we must obey Him.
• Gracious, Present, and Fatherly – therefore we must walk with Him.

The God of the Bible is not divided between Old and New Testaments. He is one God with one unchanging character, one redemptive purpose, and one perfect revelation in Jesus Christ.