SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON
By John C. Carpenter
Writing probably to Jewish Christians who were likely knowledgeable in the
Hebrew scriptures and Jewish traditions , the unknown author of the book of Hebrew wrote, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir
of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being
made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels
said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a
Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of
the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God,
is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast
laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all
shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy
years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool (Hebrews
1:1-13).
GOD SPOKE IN THE BEGINNING
In everything He does, in every action He takes, God the Father speaks. God accomplishes
His entire will by speaking. God spoke in the very beginning to bring about His own creation. In Genesis, we read, In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (Genesis 1:1-3). ThenGod said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Genesis 1:6). God [also] said,
Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the
dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:9-10). Then,God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is
in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding
fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:11-12). We also read, And God said,
Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and
for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God
made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also (Genesis
1:14-16).
Also, God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above
the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought
forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were
the fifth day (Genesis 1:20-23). Furthermore, God said, Let us make man in our image, (Genesis 1:26-28), and God saw every thing that
he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day (Genesis 1:29-31). Thus the heavens
and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Genesis 2:1).
As the scriptures clearly teach, God the Fathers' creation
was accomplished in one way – He brought everything to pass by the movement, operation, and speaking of His Holy Spirit. Through the
Holy Spirit, God spoke His creative will, and, in every instance, exactly what He said came to pass.
GOD SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS
According
to the author of the book of Hebrews, in the old covenant, God also communicated to men by speaking to and through His holy prophets. For example, in establishing His covenant with Abram, we read, Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless,
and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born
in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall
come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell
the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be (Genesis 15:2-5). God spoke to and through
the prophet Samuel: Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he
is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night (1
Samuel 15:10-11). God also spoke to the mighty prophet, Elijah, it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came
to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. And Elijah went to shew himself
unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria (1 Kings 18:1-2).
God the Father clearly spoke to Jeremiah on several other
occasions: The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word
of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days
of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto
the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in
the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jeremiah
1:1-5). And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the
face thereof is toward the north (Jeremiah 1:13). God also spoke to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 24:3-4, Jeremiah 28:12, and Jeremiah
37:6. God also spoke to Ezekiel.
The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of
the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him (Ezekiel 1:3). God the Father also spoke to Ezekiel
in Ezekiel 7:1, Ezekiel 15:1, Ezekiel 25:1, and Ezekiel 28:1). God also spoke this chilling warniing to Ezekiel: Again the word of
the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land,
if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land,
he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come,
and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head (Ezekiel 33:1-4). Additionally, God spoke this warning to the prophet: Andthe word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus
saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the
flocks? (Ezekiel 34:1-2). God also spoke to and through the prophet Hosea, The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son
of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of
Israel. The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children
of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD (Hosea 1:1-2).
God spoke to Jonah, and instructed
him to go to Nenevah: Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city,
and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me (Jonah 1:1-2). God speaking, also referred to as the word of the
Lord, not only came to to Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1), but also to Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1-3) and Haggai (Haggai 1:1-11).
As Peter
teaches, no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were [spoken to and] moved [driven to bring forth what has been spoken] by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter
1:20-21). We could review many more examples of where God spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, but the point is clearly
made.
IN THESE LAST DAYS, GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST
God clearly spoke His creation into existence, as well
as to and through the prophets of the old covenant. As the scriptures tell us, in the new covenant and since the advent of Christ,
however, God the Father speaks to men through His Son, whose words are nothing less than the operation and speaking of the Holy Spirit.
Everything God the Father does is by speaking, and the Holy Spirit is intricately involved in that speaking.
The author of the
letter to the Hebrews verifies this: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who
being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he
had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he
hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they (Hebrews 1:1-4).
In contrasting Himself as the true shepherd of
the sheep, Christ told the Jewish Pharisees that they were thieves and robbers, and that His true sheep would would not only hear
His voice but would follow only Him: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth
up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the [true] shepherd of the sheep. To him
the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth
forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice (John 10:1-4). The true sheep will listen
only for and hear the voice of the true shepherd.
Jesus later referred to other sheep He has who will also hear only His voice:And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd (John 10:16). Speaking to His disciples, Jesus clearly taught that His words were the speaking and operation
of the Holy Spirit: Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When
Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son
of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words [Greek, rhema, the
speaking of the Holy Spirit] that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are [the source of] life (John 6:60-63).
Last to
be mentioned, Jesus explained to some Jews that because they did not believe He was the Son of God and the Christ, they were obviously
not His sheep, they would not hear His voice or know Him, nor would they follow Him. We read, Then came the Jews round about him,
and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and
ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep,
as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one (John 10:24-30). The true sheep of Christ will know Him, follow only
Him, and hear only His voice. Although it sounds rather harsh, Christ bluntly taught that if a believer does not hear the literal
voice of Christ, he or she is not a true sheep of the Lord. Again, He adamantly told them, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me (John 10:27). If you have never heard the voice of God speaking through Christ, you should seriourly consider re-evaluating
your own salvation.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE RHEMA OF GOD
In these latter, new testamant times, God speaks
to man through Christ, and Christ speaks to man via the Holy Spirit. The holy scriptures teach us that when Christ speaks, what comes
out of His mouth is a sword – a sharp two-edged sword [which is not the bible as many believe], which is simply the moving, expression,
operation, and speaking of the Holy Spirit, which Christ came to provide and reveal.
Christ described the Holy Spirit as another
Comforter, referring to a second comforter other than Himself, which He was destined to send to believers after His ascension. He
said, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter [Greek, parakletos, an intercessor, consoler, or comforter],
that he may abide with you for ever; Even [specifically] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:16-17). That comforter was, indeed,
the sword of Christ's mouth, none other than the Holy Spirit. Referring to the sword of His mouth, or the operation of the Holy
Spirit, which He was prophesied and destined to bring, Jesus instructed twelve of His own disciples, Think not that I am come to send
peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance [Greek, dichazo, to make apart, divide,
sunder, alienate, or to set as variance] against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household (Matthew 10:34-36). As Christ warned, the sword of Jesus' mouth
can and will bring variance and division for those who accept and embrace that sword – your foes may even turn out to be your own
co-workers, friends, and household.
Paul also clearly referred to the operation, movement, and speaking of the Holy Spirit when
he instructed the church in Ephesus with these words: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on
the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of
faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word [Greek, rhema, speaking of the Holy Spirit, and not referring to the bible] of God (Ephesians 6:11-17).
The
author of the book of Hebrews wrote, Through faith we understand that the worlds [Greek, aion, age, perpetuity, ages, duration, eternity,
world without end, or creation] were framed [Greek, katartizo, complete thoroughly, fit, make perfect, or prepare] by the word [Greek,rhema, the speaking and operation of the Holy Spirit, and not a reference to the bible or scriptures] of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:3), God did not create the world and ages by the bible, or word as many
refer to it, but by His rhema, which is the powerful operation and speaking of His Holy Spirit.
John, traditionally identified
as John the apostle, while exiled on the island of Patmos, wrote, I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned,
I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down
to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his
eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many
waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the
sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear
not; I am the first and the last (Revelation 1:12-17).
Referring to the church in Pergamos, Christ referred to the sword that
comes out of His mouth, And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two
edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my
faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few
things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before
the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine
of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword
of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat
of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth
it (Revelation 2:12-17).
Referring to the beast, kings, and armies of the end times, the apostle John later adds, And I saw the
beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against
his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that
had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all
the fowls were filled with their flesh (Revelation 19:19-21). Slaying of remnants occurs only by the powerful operation and speaking
of the Holy Spirit.
There is considerable teaching in the new testament church that Christ speaks to believers in Christ only
through the scriptures, or as they say in error, through the word of God. Semanticallyi, this is inaccurate. God may use the bible
to teach us, move us, alert us, correct us, or guide us, but this is completely different from God literally speaking to the believer
with His own voice.
Technically, the scriptures do not speak to us, but serve different, clear functions. The scriptures came
not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved [spoken to] by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:21). All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2
Timothy 3:16). The Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15). Additionally,the Scriptures do not bring life, but testify of Christ and the life available only through faith in Christ (John 5:39-40), were writtenthat ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name (John 20:31).
Also, The scriptures were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans
15:4), and for our admonition (warning), upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Corinthians 10:11). Last, The scriptures were
written that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13). The scriptures
do all of these things, but it is the Holy Spirit which speaks to us.
IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE
Again, many believe that
the holy scriptures speak to them, and some believe that this is the only way God speaks to us. When we think the scriptures are speaking
to us, this speaking may take the form of a strong, persistent unction or feeling about something, or the thought that God may have
comunicated to us by placing a clear and repetitive thought into our mind. Sometimes in our need to have answers and be comforted
in our pain, we might turn a page of the bible and see something that we think speaks to us and provides an answer to our need. Clearly,
God can use the scriptures to guide us, encourage us, or answer our needs, but is this really God speaking to us?
What about
the times in which the believer [or unbeliever] hears a literal voice in his or her mind or ears? What can we say about this? Is this
also God speaking to us? It absoloutely is, and is more accurately God speaking to us than the other ways we think He is speaking
to us. When we hear a literal voice spoken into our ears, we possibly [because the devil can also speak to us as well] have heard
and been guided by the voice of Christ, and not the bible. Believers can and should be hearing God speaking to them through the voice
of Christ and the Holy Spirit. As Jesus pointedly taught, His true sheep will hear His voice. Individuals periodically hear the voice
of Christ, even though they may not be initially sure what or how they are hearing, as happened to Saul. When we think about it, the
scriptures do many things for us, but, technically, semantically, and biblically, they do not speak to us. Speaking a voice to us
is the function of God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, not the bible.
Unbelievers can also hear the voice of Christ,
even though many do not think this is possible. Regarding the conversion of the unbeliever, Saul, we read, Saul, yet breathing out
threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to
the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as
he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and
heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks [Greek, kentron, a point, or a sting with poison; symbolizing the
poisonous and deadly bite of the serpent]. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood
speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man (Acts 9:1-7). Before hearing the voice of Christ, both Saul [later Paul] and his companions,
who were Jewish and did not believe in Christ, clearly heard the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to them. In John chapter 4, Jesus
addressed a Samaritan woman who was an unbeliever, and invited her to believe in Him and drink from the well of water that will never
run out. In Exodus, on several occasions, God spoke, through Aaron and Moses, to Pharoah, who was an unbeliever. Also, Jesus spoke
to a Roman centurion who was an unbeliever, praising his faith and healing his servant, showing God’s acceptance of faith from Gentiles
(Matthew 8:5-13). As in times past, God then and now periodically speaks to unbelivers in order to accomplish His will and purposes.
Isaiah
reminds us that the LORD shall [through His voice] guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not (Isaiah 58:11). And thine ears shall hear
a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21).Even after his testing and suffering, Job confessed to God the Father, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine
eye seeth thee (Job 42:5). Jesus tells us, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20), while the psalmist reminds us, I will hear what God
the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his
salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land (Psalms 85:8-9). Again, Jesus clearly teaches that the true
believer in Christ will hear His voice: He that is of God heareth God's words [Greek, rhema, refers to the speaking and movement of
the Holy Spirit, and not the scriptures]: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God (John 8:47). Jesus exhorted some of
His disciples, and us, with these words: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall
not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall
take of mine, and shall shew it unto you (John 16:13-15). The author of the book of Hebrews warns us, For we are made partakers of
Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden [Greek,skleruno, to render stubborn, refuse to listen and respond] not your hearts, as in the provocation (Hebrews 3:14-15).
We must
understand and accept the fact that God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [the sword of] his Son , whom he hath appointed heir of all things. May we always hear His
voice, for Jesus reminds us, the words that I speak unto you, they are [the speaking of the Holy] spirit, and they are [bring] life (John
6:63). AMEN.
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD
A
Judeo-Christian Bible Study
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which
ye have learned; and
avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;
and by good words
and fair speeches deceive
the hearts
of the simple”
(Romans 16:17-18).
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A VAPOUR
"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into
such a city, and continue
there a year, and buy and sell, and
get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.
For what is your life? It is even a vapour,
that appeareth
for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought
to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and
do this, or
that”
(James 4:15).
"I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may
know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the
light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and
let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together;I the LORD have created it. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd Strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall
the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?"
(Isaiah 45:5-9).
