The name Adonai
appears in the Old Testament four hundred and thirty-four times. It is considered
to be one of the names of God, but it is actually more of a title than a name. For
Adonai is a relationship defining term, in much the same way as “mother” or “friend”.
The word mother not only conveys the concept of a role that is played by a
woman, it also infers that there is a corresponding role to be played. Which
would be that of a child. Thus, the role of a woman as a mother is defined within
the relationship she has with her child. You cannot have a mother without
having a child. Likewise, when someone is referred to as a friend the statement
indicates that they have a friend in someone else. To be called a friend, you
must have a friend. The name Adonai means Lord or Master and in the same way as
the title mother infers that someone else plays the role of a child, the title Lord
or Master demands the corresponding role of a slave. Thus, when God calls
Himself Adonai He is simultaneously calling you and I slaves. His slaves.
In a world
that was predominantly Roman, Hebrew, and Greek this name revealed more than
just the position of God over men. These groups of people had countless
differences but there were a few things that they had in common, including two
laws that dealt with slaves and masters. The first was a law that allowed for
slaves who were disobedient to be put to death. By this law the slave was
legally bound to obey. If they did not, they could be legally killed. The
second law corresponded to this, it legally bound slave masters to provide
their slaves with everything that was required for obedience. Which was defined
to be sustenance, instruction, and protection. Therefore, while the slave was
legally bound to obey, the master was legally bound to provide all the things
that slave needed to obey and the second law also was on pain of death.
The role of men and women is to obey God. That
obligation did not disappear with Ancient Rome, nor is it only for those in the
Hebrew culture. On pain of death, you and I are legally bound to obey God as
our Lord and Master. Those who do not obey will die. It is an uncomfortable
fact for a world full of ‘disobedient slaves’ to accept. However, the name
Adonai was not only given to remind us that we have a legal obligation to obey
God and that we will be put to death for not obeying Him. It also reveals that
He has bound Himself to provide for us. To provide everything we need to obey
Him. To provide our daily sustenance, to give us instruction on what to do and
how to do it, and to protect us from anything that might rise up against us to
do us harm or to prevent us from carrying out the task He has assigned. 2 Peter
i.3-4, tells us that “His divine
power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of
Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust.”
God has more
then fulfilled His obligations to us. For all the way back in the garden of
Eden, Adam and Eve had everything they needed to obey God.
“And the Lord God
commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in
the day that you eat of it you shall
surely die.” (Genesis ii. 16-17)
God told
Adam and Eve what they could and could not do and He informed them of the
consequences of disobeying. He gave them instruction. They could eat of any
tree in the garden besides the one He had commanded them not to touch, thus
they had their needs provided for. They had sustenance. Lastly, God Himself
walked with them in the garden and was with them and they knew Him. He was not
distant nor distracted, had they called for help He would have heard them. They
had protection. In all this God had fully satisfied the requirements by which He
was legally bound. So, when Adam and Eve did not obey, they were legally to die
and God was legally freed from His obligation towards them.
Instead
accepting this freedom, however, He continued to fulfil His role towards us.
He continued to bind Himself to provide for us all that was needed for
obedience, which was now a much greater requirement. For in order for us to
walk in obedience again He had to die in our place. This He did of His own free
will. He was no longer legally bound. In His own free will He went to the cross
and through it purchased all that is needed for sinful men to walk in obedience
again. We are legally required to obey but He has provided us with every thing
that is necessary to do so. Including the example of fulfilling our role out of
love rather than legal duty. Let’s obey God not only because we are legally
required to do it, not only because we have been given all that we need to do
so, but primarily because we love Him and because He first loved us!
In Christ
quiana
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