Appendix: The Father in the Tanakh (Old Testament)

Appendix:

The Father in the Tanakh (Old Testament)

In these 5 meditations, we look at the things God first revealed to the people of Israel about his being their Father—truths that are foundational for knowing him, but are also limited. Even so, they also contain hints about a new level of relationship with him that people of all nations would one day enjoy… in the Messiah. And when he came, Jesus was building on this biblical foundation when he began speaking to his disciples and the crowds about 'YOUR Father' in the Sermon on the Mount.

(A) God is our Father because He Wanted Us and Made Us in His Image

God is not only called our ‘Father’ because he created each human being, but also because he wants to ‘establish’ each one of us.

(B) 'Like a Loving, Compassionate Father'

As in the New Testament, some passages in the Old Testament also teach us about our heavenly Father by comparing him to a human father.

(C) A Father to Israel before the Coming of the Messiah

In a number of direct and indirect references, God elaborates on what it means for him to be ‘Father’ to Israel as a nation.

(D) Fathering the Messiah-King of a Worldwide Kingdom

One-third of the OT references to the Father are prophecies about his future relationship with a royal descendant of David.

(E) The Father of Israel, with the Messiah, is about to do Something New

Prophecies about the family-redemption and the new family-kingdom—both of which will be for all nations as well as for Israel.

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Bible translation reminders

The word 'YOU' in capitals in the Scripture passage indicates that the second person in the Greek text is plural. A group of people is being addressed. When you see a 'you' in lower case, you know that the Greek is singular, and a single individual is being addressed.

The translations being used are indicated with an abbreviation. If you don't recognize one of these abbreviations, see the list of all the abbreviations in Bible Translations Used.

Bible References in Italics

When chapter and verse numbers appear in italics in the Meditation portion of the lesson (in parentheses), it means that the text being identified can be found above, in the Scripture passage for that same Meditation.

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