Between the Lines

1 Samuel 5:1-7 – He has a sense of humor.

The Philistines stole the ark of God (ark of the covenant) and put it in Dagon’s (their idol) temple.

When they came to the temple early in the morning, Dagon was on it’s face in front of the ark.  This also happened on the second day, but the head and palms were broken off.  Then Lord struck the people of Ashdod with tumors.

• :7 Hi-lite “His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”

God was showing them the foolishness of idol worship.

God compared to idols

Isaiah 45:20 – Idols cannot save.

• Circle “nations.”
• Hi-lite “no knowledge”, “carry the wood of their carved image” and “pray to a god that cannot save.”

Isaiah 46:4-9 – No other God like Me!

• Hi-lite “I am He”, “I will carry you”, “I have made”, “I will bear”, “I will carry” and “will deliver”.
• Notice the question in verse 5 and circle the question mark.
• Put brackets around “makes it a god” and “they carry it.”

• Underline “though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble.”
• Hi-lite in verse 9: “I am God”, “there is no other”, “I am God”, “there is none like me.”

In idol worship, they make their gods in their image.

 “The Greek gods are a perennial source of delight because they seem so much like us: in their rages, their love affairs, and their obsession with honor, the gods often appear all too human,” –Greek Gods, Human Lives by Mary Lefkowitz

Our God makes us in His image!

How is the God of Heaven different from other Gods in the World?

1. He created us, we did not create Him!

Psalm 100:3

Hi-lite “He who has made us, and not we ourselves”, “We are His people.”

Circle “know.”

Underline “the Lord, He is God.”

2. We are created in His image; He is not created in our image.

Genesis 1:27

Hi-lite “God created man in His own image.”

3. Not only said He loved us, He showed us by sacrificing His son for us.

Romans 5:8

• Hi-lite “God demonstrates His own love toward us.”
• Circle “God demonstrates.”
• Underline “Christ died for us.”

• e is living, not dead (like man-made idols).

4. He is living, not dead (like man-made idols).

2 Corinthians 6:17

• Circle the question mark.  Questions are important!
• Hi-lite “living God”, “I will be their God.”
• Underline “dwell in them” and “walk among them.”

• He is involved with His creation.

5. He is involved with His creation.

Daniel 4:17

• Hi-lite “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He will.”
• Underline “in order that the living may know.”

6. He manifests Himself in His creation wo that the created can know Him.

Romans 1:20

• Hi-lite “His invisible attributes are clearly seen”, “His eternal power”, “Godhead.”
• Underline “being understood by the things that are made.”

• He is Just – not arbitrary.

7. He is Just – not arbitrary.

Deuteronomy 32:4

• Hi-lite “all His ways are justice”, “God of truth”
• Underline “rock”, “perfect”, “truth”, “righteous”, “upright.”

8. He does not possess the faults that we have.

Numbers 23:19

• Circle the question marks.  He keeps His promises.
• Hi-lite “God is not a man.”

Isaiah 55:9

• Underline “as the heavens are higher than the earth.”
• Hi-lite “so are my ways higher than your ways”, “my thoughts than your thoughts.”

How did God choose to reveal Himself to us?

Through the natural world.

Psalm 19:1

• Hi-lite “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

Through the Spirit in scripture.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

• Hi-lite “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.”
• Circle “them” and draw an arrow to “things which God has prepared.”