The rock at Horeb, showing the split from where the water flowed out and then down into the camp of Israel and saved the people. The rock in the desert was a prophetic picture of the coming Messiah. The sacrifice Jesus would make for the sins of the world would be made just once.

What if there was a god who people believed was different?

Most gods in the Ancient Near East – those of Babylon, Egypt, Greece, Rome – were multiple, proud, jealous, transactional, easily angered, violent. They were to be worshipped out of fear of their wrath. Some cultures even made their rulers gods – the Pharaoh in Egypt, Greek kings like Alexander the Great, the Emperors in Rome,

But, the god of Israel is one – “I am, who I am”, Yahweh (the Lord) – creator of the universe and all creatures. Creating everything as “good”, Being all-powerful, eternal, and seeking the flourishing of creation. In fact, loves creation infinitely and unconditionally. In fact is the very definition of love.

A god that cared about creation – not just cared about, but loved infinitely and unconditionally like a good parent.

What if the universe was not created to selfishly show off the god’s power, abilities and dominance? Instead, God created the whole of creation – the universe, galaxies, solar systems, and our Earth, and all creatures – to be good, to be loved, and to love.

And created us to be in-love amongst creation. To flourish. To help creation flourish.

And for humans to rule over the earth by serving all the other creatures by loving them, and loving God, because God loved them so much. Giving Eden, a place for creation to flourish, and humans to rule/steward over the Earth with God – for all time.

Then what if rather than being a god who demanded to be worshipped, and paid homage to, God gave creatures the freedom to do what they wished?

Hoping they would love God and others with guidance, learning how to love.

So, God loved them first, cause that’s what God does.

God pronounced them “very good” from the instant of their creation. Then loved them. Infinitely and unconditionally.

But, what if humans got scared. Were deceived into believing God didn’t love them.

So, they decided to pursue their own desires, and not God’s, They were deceived into believing they could do whatever they wanted. Even if God had warned them against this.

So, in deception and fear, they let evil in. In fear, they were subjected to evil. violence, suffering, earthly death and lack of love.for God and each other. Instead of living for and with God, in love, and flourishing they doubted the promises of God. They doubted God’s love, presence and the promise of eternity with Him.

What if despite this lack of love, God chose to give humans more chances, over and over to love God back, to live in love with each other, to flourish?

God even promised to save humans from evil – “He (descendants of Eve) shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

This despite their insistence on following their own way and fighting each other and all other creatures to get their way. Lying and even killing one another to get what they wanted.

What if as part of this, God selected one people group to reshow God’s love to all others, and the means to flourish?

A people group drawn out of a corrupted nation. Told to leave it. To go to a new Eden, a “Promised Land” to thrive and flourish for a time. But then be drawn into a foreign land and be enslaved by the empire there.

Later to be rescued from slavery and returned to the promised land. And, in the promised land thrive for a while. Until they too decided to become a kingdom despite God’s warnings. They tried to become an empire for themselves. It didn’t work.

What if it got worse, not better?

What if things just continued to get worse? Humans and even the chosen people continued to be corrupt. They continued to seek their own selfish desires over others, creating empires, kingdoms and kings that extolled their own greatness, even making themselves out to be gods to be worshipped? And used violence and persecution to reign over others.

Using more and worse violence to impose their wills.

What if God finally had had it?

What if God pondered the options?

What about destroying creation?

That wouldn’t accomplish Gods ultimate purpose of learning to love, of conveying wisdom, of the flourishing of creation. Quite the opposite. Plus, God tried that once. It was horrible.

What about appointing a people, a kingdom to take over?

After all there was a people already in place. But this people had succumbed into creating a kingdom for itself, aspirating for empire status – with or without God. This kingdom had mostly had its chance, and it mostly turned into just another evil kingdom, aspiring to be an empire itself to control everyone else. And because of its evil ambitions, it too, had been brutally conquered and decimated. It was currently under occupation and paying homage through forced subservience and paying taxes to another empire.

But there were still a few good people amongst them.

What to do, what to do?

What if God could use the chosen people, despite their corruption?

A few were chosen to start to change the game. The Jewish priest Zacharias. His wife Elizabeth. Their cousin Mary. Her betrothed, Joseph.

What if God actually showed up?

What if God extended what was intended all along, through creation, through what had been done for the chosen people? Working with remaining good people. What if being there, amongst these people, could be used to show them how to live? What if God could confront the evil in the world in a direct way, but not use violence to confront, rather use love and truth to confront? A new kind of warfare.

What if God decided this was a good plan?

What if he came as a baby? What if he came as his own son (more on that some other time)? What if operating as the son he could show them how to do it?!!! Show them how life should be lived. Show them love, life and service to one another. How to confront and defeat the evil differently. Not with a violent, powerful overthrow. Rather in love and with love? Calling humans to love and serve one another. Working with the good people, the people considered less than, but able to do good, by loving others.

What if he could rescue the world?

What if he could re-establish a truly good kingdom for humanity, for creation?

He could call it “The Kingdom of God”. 

In this kingdom everyone, all creation was called, all welcome.

He could welcome everyone, every creature, to come back to it, to thrive and flourish, as hoped by God in the first place.

To wallow in God’s infinite and unconditional love.

And, to show love back to God, and to all humans, and all creation. To live for one another. To serve one another. And all could flourish.

Think it could work?

Think you could believe this?

Think you could believe in at least a part of it?

Well, there’s more to this story.

For this season, we celebrate God coming to us, helpless, as an infant, to a people, who despite their failures, God wished to use to give everyone the good life. Give it to all nations, people, all creation.

And we know this infant as the baby Jesus.

And later as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ (Messiah), king of the Jews.

King of the Kingdom of God.