The Fatherhood of God: The Old Testament | Cross & Crescent Ministries

Cross & Crescent Ministries

The Fatherhood of God:

The Old Testament

Question: Does the Old Testament identify God as Father?

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Overview

The Fatherhood of God is taught throughout the Old Testament. Those who identify God as Father are as follows.

Moses (Exodus 4:21-23, Deuteronomy 14:1-2, 32:7 & 32:18-19)

Job (Job 1:6 & 38:4-7)

David (Psalm 2:1-12, 82:1-8, 89:19-29 & 1 Chronicles 28:4-6)

Isaiah (Isaiah 63:15-19)

Hosea (Hosea 11:1-4)

It should be noted that the Fatherhood of God has nothing to do with physical, biological or sexual procreation. A Son of God, according to the Bible, is someone who represents God and acts with the authority of God, and this is applied to humans and angels. Simply put, God is a Father because God has sons and daughters, and the sons and daughters of God are those who represent God and act with the authority of God.

References to the Fatherhood of God in the Old Testament are especially significant when contrasted with the Quran. The Quran (although claiming to be a continuation of the religion of the Prophets) states that it is highly inappropriate to associate Allah with Fatherhood or to suggest that Allah has children in any sense. In short, the Quran denies the religion of the Prophets by denying the Fatherhood of God.

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Bible Passages - Moses

Exodus 4:21-23

(21) The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. (22) Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, (23) and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”

Deuteronomy 14:1-2

(1) You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, (2) for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 32:6

(6) Is this the way you repay the LORD, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?

Deuteronomy 32:18-19

(18) You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. (19) The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters.

Bible Passages - Job

Job 1:6

(6) One day the angels [the sons of God] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

Job 38:4-7

(4) “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. (5) Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? (6) On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - (7) while the morning stars sang together and all the angels [sons of God] shouted for joy?

Bible Passages - David

Psalm 2:1-12

(1) Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? (2) The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, (3) “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

(4) The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the LORD scoffs at them. (5) He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, (6) “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

(7) I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. (8) Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. (9) You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

(10) Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. (11) Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. (12) Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 82:1-8

(1) God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”:

(2) “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? (3) Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. (4) Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

(5) “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

(6) “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ (7) But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.”

(8) Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

Psalm 89:19-29

(19) Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people. (20) I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. (21) My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. (22) The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him. (23) I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. (24) My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. (25) I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. (26) He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ (27) And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. (28) I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. (29) I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.

1 Chronicles 28:4-6

(4) “Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel. (5) Of all my sons - and the LORD has given me many - he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (6) He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. (7) I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws, as is being done at this time.’

Bible Passages - Isaiah

Isaiah 63:15-19

(15) Look down from heaven and see, from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us. (16) But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. (17) Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance. (18) For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary. (19) We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name.

Bible Passages - Hosea

Hosea 11:1-4

(1) “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (2) But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. (3) It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. (4) I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.