Progression of Relationship

And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh—‘the LORD.’ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty’—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. [Exodus 6.2-3]

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew God only as God Almighty. They did not know God as Yahweh.

There is a progression of relationship here. At this point in history, God chose to become more intimate with mankind - particularly Israel.

This is interesting because it was during Moses' time that the Law was given. In other words, with the coming of Moses and the Law associated with his leadership, God made it possible for man (Israel) to know Him more intimately.

Fast forward to the New Testament. Jesus addresses God as Father, and, instructs His followers to do the same:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. [Matthew 6.9]

Isn't it also interesting that in Jesus instructing what to "call God" that He also included "may Your name be kept holy"?

It was a further progression of relationship for Jesus to introduce the idea to call God Almighty "Father."

But wait, there is more:

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” [Romans 8.15]

And:

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” [Galatians 4.6]

You see, Jesus was filled with God's Holy Spirit and, in that condition, took the relationship even further calling God, "Daddy" - which is essentially what "Abba" means. In Both the New Testament instances of Paul referring to this, it is in context of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Again, more progression of relationship.

But Paul's revelation of calling God "Abba" was not new. It was toward the end of Jesus walk on earth that He Himself used that exact term in addressing God in prayer - perhaps one of His most intimate prayers while on earth:

“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [Mark 14.36]

For the record, God DID indeed take the cup of suffering away from Jesus. After Jesus did the will of God and used the suffering as a way to invade and overcome Satan's domain, He then WAS RELIEVED of that suffering as He rose from the dead! Jesus was not trying to avoid the suffering but was rather assuring God's will would be done in it all! It was, in fact, God's will to take the suffering away - otherwise Jesus would never have risen from the dead!

How amazing is it that the progression of relationship with God (evidenced in Jesus calling Him "Abba") coincides with the greatest work of Jesus' ministry on earth? It is not a coincidence!

Father, ...Abba, Father, You are so amazing. You are so good. You are so powerful. You are so great. There is none Your equal. You alone are God Almighty and I am privileged to call you Abba, Father because of Your Spirit within me - because of Jesus. All glory to You!