The God and His Family Series consists of 16 episodes. In the New Testament, one of the most common descriptions of God and his people is that of a family. This series is designed to talk about that relationship in detail.
Jesus introduced the concept that God is three spirits in one – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. From that terminology, God is a family.
Jesus and the New Testament writers often use family terms to describe the relationship between God and his people. They draw on relationships such as: father, children, sons and daughters, and adopted sons and daughters. These relationships not only imbue privileges, but also confer responsibilities.
It’s hard to see in English but Jesus sometimes refers to God as his Father and sometimes as “Daddy.” Part of the Good News of Jesus is that God can also be our Father and Daddy.
From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, the message is plain: God is good and pure, and he desires his people to be the same. The Bible continually sets standards for types of behaviors and beliefs that are good and acceptable, and those that are sinful and unacceptable.
Exodus 19:5-6 are God’s words inviting the Hebrews to be his people: “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
For much of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, God goes into excruciating detail to show the Israelites what it means to be a holy nation. Deuteronomy 22:24 sums up an aspect of that as “purge evil among you.”
Isaiah 5:20-21 has these stark words: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.”
In those words, Isaiah is quoting God. A few verses previously, he says the people are being deceived so badly that “my people will go into exile for lack of understanding.” His people are being deceived by their rulers and by themselves.
