Podcast 43: Identity Theft (Vince Finnegan)

by Vince Finnegan

From Exodus and Deuteronomy, God makes clear who he is and how he wants his chosen people to worship him.  He is Yahweh, the one God of Israel, the only one.  His identity does not change.  Sadly, later on God became the victim of identity theft, as Christians developed the dogma of the Trinity and substituted three for one.  Now is the time to repent of this egregious act of hubris and return to how God defines himself.  He is the only one who is truly God who reigns supreme over all, even Jesus.  Join Vince Finnegan (my dad) as he teaches with boldness and conviction in a message that is sure to fire you up!

Notes:

Exodus 6:1-8 The revealing of YAHWEH as Almighty God. YAHWEH is the proper name of the one true God. The manner in which God led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt showed them that YAHWEH is God.

Exodus 7:4 and 5, 14-17; 8:10, 22 This incredible event also showed the Egyptians and the entire world that YAHWEH is God. God’s salvation for Israel and His judgment on Egypt is how He revealed His Identity.

Exodus 16:1-14 The manna from heaven revealed that He was YAHWEH their God.

Exodus 20:1-7 After making clear His identity as YAHWEH their God, He gave commandment that there were to be no other gods before Him.

Deuteronomy is a recapitulation of what was communicated in Exodus to their fathers. Moses therefore repeated, and also more largely explained; to which are likewise added several particular laws, instructions, and directions. The time frame addressed is the fortieth year, eleventh month when Israel was in the wilderness.

Deuteronomy 1:6-8, 10, 30-40 The people Moses addressed in the book of Deuteronomy are the children of those who went into the wilderness. Only two of the millions went into the Promised Land. All the rest died in the wilderness, primarily because they refused to believe that YAHWEH was the one true God. They held onto the false gods of Egypt. During the years they lived in Egypt (about 210), everyone believed in the many gods of Egypt. The reason God selected the ten plagues was it directly challenged the gods of Egypt. Everyone they (Israel) knew believed in these gods. For them to believe in YAHWEH, a monotheistic God, would have made them outcasts or weird. Everyone believed in polytheistic gods.

Moses is declaring YAHWEH as Almighty God to a people who have experienced His supernatural intervention all their lives fire by night, cloud by day, manna, Mount Horeb, angel leading them, etc.

Deuteronomy 2:29, 31, 33, and 36; 3:2, 3, 18, 21-26 “YAHWEH” is used 439 times in Deuteronomy; “YAHWEH YOUR GOD,” 239; and “YAHWEH OUR GOD,” 21 times. “YAHWEH” is used 1,555 times in the books of Genesis to Deuteronomy. Christians who witness tell new people to read the gospel of John to learn about God. It is no wonder that so many people think Jesus is God because the emphasis is placed on Jesus with the exclusion of God.

Thus, many followers of Christ are ignorant of the information YAHWEH provided about Himself. It is absolutely impossible to understand the Son without first knowing the Father.

Deuteronomy 4:23 and 24, 35-39; 5:6-10; 6:4 and 5; 7:9-11; 10:17-21 YAHWEH wants to be identified and worshiped.

Malachi 3:5-7 YAHWEH does not change. He is Who He is and has always been. His identity did not change with the birth of His Son. 5,789 times, YAHWEH is used in the Old Testament, and not once is there the slightest indication that He is three in one. Contrariwise is the powerfully empathic communication that YAHWEH IS ONE. Yet, the commonly accepted belief of most Christians is the Trinity dogma of the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead.

Ezekiel 25:17; 36:22-32; 39:7-10, 22 In Exodus, God’s wrath against Egypt and His salvation for Israel showed the world that He was YAHWEH. So it will be at the end of the age.