Me Obey Him?

In this series, I am borrowing heavily from a book written by Pastor B.A. Maurer in 1951 called “The Ten Commandments Won't Budge.” The title of the book comes from a James Russell Lowell couplet that goes like this: “In vain we call old notions fudge And bend our conscience to our dealing The Ten Commandments will not budge And stealing will continue stealing.” I found it interesting that Maurer didn't just jump into an exposition of the Ten Commandments but rather began his book at Gen 1:1, “In the beginning, God.” Well played Pastor Maurer....well played. After all if Someone or something is going to come around and start to tell us how to live our lives, He better have the authority and the power to do it. How about some credentials here! You call Yourself God, where are Your credentials said the pot to the Potter!And the very absurdity of that statement ought to be all the credentials we need, but apparently mankind needs more, even those who profess to believe in God need more as God seems to constantly remind us in Scripture that He was here first! Indeed.....In the beginning....God! It's not by accident that the Gospel of John starts with the same three words...”In the beginning,” only this time Someone else is included in the picture with God, and that Someone is Jesus Christ! He is referred to as “the Word,” the divine expression of God, who was with God and was God. He is, the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father as we read in Joh 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Quick question, Did God after a certain period of time say something like this? “I think I'll add something to My bosom and call it My son!” Or was the Son in His bosom from all eternity? It is as we state in our Nicene Creed, “Jesus Christ is “the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.” Further, in his commentary on Proverbs 8, Paul Kretzmann writes, “this entire section clearly speaks of the divine wisdom in a most peculiar sense, as personified in the person of the Word of God, Jesus Christ!” With that in mind, listen to these words beginning at Prov 8:22, “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, (When? At the beginning!) Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, (From when? Everlasting!) From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. (Before there was what?) 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, (Brought forth, not created but brought forth from the bosom of the Father) always there, but not yet called upon to participate in Creation!) When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primeval dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, Yes! In the beginning....from the get-go! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, by whom all things were made! Me? You? Obey Him! You better believe it! Ro 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.