The other day I was laying in the bathtub and thinking about the Lord when my mind went to epistemology and ontology. They are branches of philosophy that address knowledge and existence. I know, those may not be your first thoughts in the tub! It is however how my mind works. The Spirit has spoken to me many times in the bathtub when I am relaxed and not focused on some particular purpose. Now, on to why this is important, we will focus on ontology, more particularly that of Yahweh.
We begin with some definitions. Ontology is about nature or being, the essence of something and epistemology is about knowing or how we acquire knowledge. For example, ontologically a tree is a tree, a rock is a rock, the nature of a predator is predation. Each simply does what it does or is what it is. When we turn to Yahweh our understanding of His ontological status is obviously more nuanced. We will examine it, but perhaps not in the way one would expect. As a brief interjection, being (ontology) must precede knowing (epistemology), which is why for example, Darwinian and neo-Darwinian beliefs are built on sand, not substance. They assume being with no explanation.
Now back to Yahweh. First, we need to understand His character, which means we must turn to His self revelation, scripture. We begin with a long passage from Exodus 33.
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” 17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” 18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:12–19 (NKJV)
Here Moses is interceding with Yahweh to know His way, that is His character. Eventually he asks to see Yahweh’s glory and Yahweh responds with a yes and says He will unveil His character to Moses. This takes place later in Exodus 34:6-7. Through these two chapters we can see that Yahweh’s glory is His character and it is expressed in a unique way. It is after his encounter with Yahweh’s character/glory that Mose’s faces is shining when he comes down the mountain.
Paul addressed this in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 and says that the more we behold His glory the more we reflect it. He is more explicit in chapter 4.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV)
We see here the association between light and God’s glory/character. Which takes us back to ontology. Yahweh’s nature is light.
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 (NKJV)
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23 (NKJV)
Which takes us to the transfiguration. In His incarnation Jesus kept His nature/glory/character veiled. When He unveiled it, Matthew described it as follows.
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Matthew 17:1–3 (NKJV)
Here we have Jesus’ ontology revealed. Which tells us something about what is in us. Once more, we have wisdom from Paul.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
This is now, and Paul reveals to us what will happen in the future.
41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:41–44 (NKJV)
Paul says that when we receive a spiritual body like Jesus what now has, we will shine with His glory that has been worked into our character here. What we have ontologically become in our Christian journey will shine forth. This is worth meditating on and pursuing.
PS – enjoy your next bath!
NOTE – my book is nearing completion and should be ready in the next 2-3 weeks. The subject areas are below and it is set up with reflective questions and can be used as a learning tool or approached as a devotional book.
- Reflective Leadership: Thinking About
- Steps on our Journey: Walking with Abraham
- Prayer and Spiritual Warfare: Standing our Ground
- A Prophetic Perspective: Seeing Differently
- Discernment: The Church’s Great Need
- Understanding the Kingdom: His Perspective
- Intimacy with Jesus: The Capstone
