The Killing of God!

 

 

Have you heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly, "I seek God! I seek God!" As many of those who do not believe in God were standing around just then, he provoked much laughter...  Whither is God," he cried. "I shall tell you.  We have killed him - you and I. All of us are murderers.... God is dead. God remains dead.  And we have killed him... 

 

"La Gaya Scienza" (The Gay Science), is a book written by Friedrich Nietzsche first published in 1882.

 

These are the words of Friedrich Nietzsche the son of Carl Ludwig, a Lutheran pastor in Saxony Germany. Nietzsche’s writings offered grounds for the reprehensible Nazi ideology of a superior race. Nietzsche’s writings influenced Adolf Hitler as he lived out what Nietzsche had envisioned, trying to prove himself to be the Übermensch (Superman) and the precursor of the Master race.  Unfortunately this same ideology in a very mild manner still permeates the halls of our learning, political and sadly to say religious institutions.

 

Ironically Friedrich Nietzsche obliviously spoke the truth of the Gospel as he uttered… " We have killed him you and I,  all of us are murderers.” 

 

When was God ever dead one might ask? Let us explore God’s Word to unearth the mystery of this enigma.

 

During the Apostle John’s banishment on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (Rev 1:9) The Lord revealed to him a very profound depiction of God’s love towards mankind.

 

The Apostle John penned several profound words in the book of Revelation, "Do not be afraid. I AM the First and the Last. I AM the Living One; I was dead, and behold I AM alive for ever and ever!”   Revelation 1:17-18  

 

Who is the Great I AM, the First and the Last revealed in Holy Scripture. The Prophet Isaiah gives us a clear illustration to His identity “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me."  Isaiah 44:6

 

When was Jehovah God of the Old Testament ever dead? Unless the Jehovah God the Great I AM of the Old Testament and Christ are one of the same!  Jesus confirms His deity by His signature in chapter 22 of Revelation: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Rev 22:13) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.  (Rev 22:16)

Early one morning on the Mount of Olive the Pharisees (teachers of the law) challenged Jesus authority and Christ applies the Eternal Name of God “The Great I AM” found in their revered Torah to Himself.  Exodus 3:14 states: “And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM And He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”

Jesus stated “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was I AM. Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”  John 8:56-59

Jesus furthermore illustrates his unity with the Father during a conversation one winter day in Jerusalem. “Then came the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

 

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." 

 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."  (John 10:22-33) These Jewish people clearly understood the claim of Christ Deity and demonstrated it by their reaction.

 

The Apostle Paul proclaimed… "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ."   Colossians 1:15-17

 

A love story of great significance begins to unfold as we contemplate that the Eternal Master of the Universe loved you and I enough to become a man and die in our place.

 

Friedrich Nietzsche indeed spoke the truth of the Gospel as he uttered… " We have killed him you and I, all of us are murderers.”   It was the sin of mankind that nailed God’s Son to the cross on Calvary.

The trail of sin from the Garden of Eden to the present time is a bloody and tragic one. 

Sin separates men from God, just as it drove the first pair from the garden. Sin brings shame. Adam and Eve sought to hide from God. Sinners are still ashamed, and try to hide their sins - therefore, men love darkness rather than light. Sin brings sorrow. See it for yourself. The life of sin will end in sorrow. The home of sin will end in sorrow. Sin brings suffering. All of the world’s suffering came about because of sin. Mental anguish, physical suffering, all come from sin.

But the ultimate act of sin’s reprehensible career came in the death of Christ. But let us not stand back and say, "Shame on you, sin, for crucifying the Saviour.  Let us remember it was our sins which nailed Him and held Him to the cross.

"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed".  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53 :5,6

Jesus bore our sins to satisfy the law of God. God’s law says, "The soul that sinneth it shall die." "The wages of sin is death." Because of our sins, we deserve the penalty of death and Hell, but Christ came and died in our place. Jesus satisfied the law of God. God the Father accepted His death as payment for our sins. "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed."

Jesus took our sins that He might bear them away from us. John announced the ministry of Jesus by saying, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Just as the priest in Leviticus could lay his hands upon the head of a live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, and send him away into the wilderness, so did Jesus bear our sins that He might bear them away from us.

The picture is also given in the Passover scene of the Lamb slain, and the blood put upon the door posts. Jesus is our sacrificial Lamb. His blood covers our sins, and releases us from the penalty of hell. John writes, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sin, and in him is no sin." 1 John 3 :5.

Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree that He might bring us unto God. The redemptive work of Jesus is to take out of this world a people for His name. The whole world will not be saved, but some will be saved, and with them God is going to abide forever.

Yes, your sins and mine bound Him to the cross. Christ was fully conscious that only His death could satisfy the law of God, bear away our sins, and bring us unto the Heavenly Father. Therefore, though men scoffed at Him and accused Him of lying and hypocrisy, He stayed on the cross, bound by our sins, on the tree that He created by the people of His creation. Yes Friedrich Nietzsche indeed was right " We have killed him you and I, all of us are murderers.”

There is but one way open to the reasonable minded person who realizes that his sins nailed Jesus to the cross, and that is to receive Jesus as Saviour. He died that you might live.

Come to Jesus today and live. Let Him plunge all your sins in the fountain filled with blood. Let Him write your name upon the Lamb’s book of life. Let Him keep you in the hollow of His hand. Receive Him as Saviour, and know the blessedness of salvation.

Peace,