EL Emet God of Truth
(Illus)
In the movie A Few Good Men, we have one of the most memorable courtroom dramas with Jack Nicolson playing a crusty Colonel on trial and Tom Cruise playing a prosecuting Lawyer.
Nicholson’s delivery is on point – the way he believes that his actions are morally justified, although based on a sense of entitlement and borderline fanatic notions of honour and duty. However, Cruise losing his temper at the moment, raising his voice to overcome Nicholson’s screams, demands the ‘truth’ from the Colonel. To which he replies by yelling at Cruise, “You can't handle the truth!” And for a moment we think the Colonel might be right, but he is dead wrong.
“You can't handle the truth!”
Q -Can you handle the truth, the truth about yourself, the truth about your situation?? When God looks at you and sees right through you - ‘can you handle that truth’.
-this is hard, Lord, àwith a God who knows everything, who knows the truth -there is no pretense to hide behind, there are no hidden motives that aren’t exposed, no pride left to cling to us, but all pride stripped away
Why àbecause God knows us and knows the truth, the real absolute truth
I’m terribly uncomfortable in the light of God’s truth. But if you embrace God and follow God, you have to embrace God’s truth and when you do -you will be set free.
Jesus said: You will know the truth and the truth will set you.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.
-there was a man who struggled with the truth and the scene is replete with great irony as Pilot talks with Jesus.
But just before that meeting, Jesus the truth sayer, the one who always spoke the truth, met with a group of Roman Cohorts and officers and listen to their reaction to blunt truth being spoken.
John 18 NASB truth spoken at Jesus arrest
18 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went away with His disciples across the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden which He entered with His disciples. 2 Now Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples (bivouac -lodge outdoors with no shelter). 3 So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am (He).” … 6 Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Stop for one moment and consider what truth Jesus just said. I am He.
Literal translations show that Jesus said I am gr -Ego^ Eimi (E: mi)
He was added by the translators I am -sounds familiar to YHWH
The potency of the truth words of Jesus, I am, stunned the soldiers so much so that they stepped backward and fell down -all 600 of this arresting group.
… 12 So the Roman cohort (a cohort is 1/10th of a legion à approximately 600), the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him, 13 and brought Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus …… 24 So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Jesus before Pilate
28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?” 30 They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.” 31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” 32 This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.
33 Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king (truth King Jesus). For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”
‘You can’t handle the truth, Pilot!’
Truth was standing right before him.
Our God is a God of truth He is El Emet, God of truth.
Exodus 34:6
And the Lord passed by before him (Moses), and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Isaiah 45:19
I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.
-David writes of God as El E^met, God of truth and we know that the Father cannot lie because He is truth,
Psalm 25:10
All the paths of the Lord (YHWH) are faithfulness and truth.
Jesus announced that He was the truth
“ I am (Ego Eimi) the way, the truth and the life…
and the Spirit is the Spirit of truth.
John 14:17 the Helper (Holy Spirit) is the Spirit of truth,
This name, El Emet, illustrates one aspect or part of who God is. And this is very important in your relationship with God.
God will tell you truth, always.
-God will only reveal to you truth, what is true about you, about Him, about the world around you. If God tells you something through His Word, the Bible or through His Spirit -it is truth.
Q is -can you handle God’s truth?
The real Q is, can you handle God’s truth about yourself?
A sinner, unworthy of eternal life, fallen and unable to save yourself.
Needing to come to God asking for forgiveness and then surrendering your life to following God.
Can you handle that truth? Come now and do that right now.
Or God’s truth about yourself may be that you aren’t following closely to God now, you’ve drifted away. And today that truth hits home and calls for you to return to God through asking God’s forgiveness, once again, and renewing your commitment to follow God.
Paul writes some fallen Christians in Galatia and says
Galatians 5:7
You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?
Can you handle that truth? Come now, confess and renew right now.
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God wants you to believe the truth, His truth, not the world’s ‘truth’.
If God tells you in His Word, the Bible, that you are sinner and need to be saved, don’t argue with God about it or disbelieve God àrather believe God, just simply believe God and come to Him.
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God’s truth is immutable, it will never change, God does not change.
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God’s truth is powerful, it will set you free.
-don’t be encumbered and shackled by the world’s wishy-washy always changing so called ‘truth’
(Illus)
Man’s truth
-eggs are bad for you, (cholesterol -you know) but now they’re ok
-if it feels so good, so right then it must be right.
-there is no God, therefore there are no absolutes therefore I determine truth for me and my reality.
-God is not sovereign and in control, no way -I am. I’ll determine what I do with my body, I’ll pursue other gods, the gods of pleasure, of money, of pride. I don’t want God nor His truth, I don’t want it or need it because I am ‘god’ of my life.
Christians!!!! -cling to God’s truth, stand firm -put the belt of truth on and stand on the firm rock of truth.
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God wants you always to speak truth like Him, El Emet
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another.
BUT…..Speak the truth only in Love
Eph 4 …but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together.
-How desperately we need truth, God’s truth.
-How desperately we need to follow and obey God’s truth.
Here are 6 more Bible verses on truth and the God of Truth
Psalm 25:5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are faithfulness and truth
Psalm 31:5 Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth.
Psalm 40:11 You, Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your mercy and Your truth will continually watch over me.
Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in secret You will make wisdom known to me.
Psalm 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, Lord, at an acceptable time; God, in the greatness of Your mercy, Answer me with Your saving truth.
The God of truth, El Emet, will lead you in truth, will guide you in truth and will save you in truth. You can believe God always because He is true to His Word and His Word is truth.
May 21, 2023
