His Majesty
Have you ever stared into God's awe-invoking majesty and realized that you are but a speck of dust? Listen to these credentials,"For this is what the LORD says--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says:'I am the LORD, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right. Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Declare what is to be, present it--let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is not God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, "In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength."' All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult." - Isaiah 45:18-25Are you feeling a little small right now? Are you also impressed by His credentials? To reiterate, this is what God claims in this passage:
You may ask why I have done this. It is quite simple. Paul said it in his letter to the Ephesians, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (1:17-19a) Enough said. This is what happened at your new birth and who you became.
He is God.
He created the universe.
He designed, created, and founded the earth with the intention of it being inhabited.
He is approachable and knowable.
He is the LORD. There is no other. (He states this 4 times in this passage)
He speaks truth.
He declares what is right.
He has declared what would happen and it happened.
He is righteous.
He is Savior.
He can swear by Himself, whereas we have to swear by something/someone else.
It is certain that every knee ever created on this earth will bow to Him.
It is certain that every tongue every created will confess Him to be LORD.
In Him alone is strength.
Everyone who has refused Him will be put to shame.
Everyone who has believed in Him, the true Israel, will be found righteous and will celebrate.
These certainly are awesome credentials. These are statements of who He truly is and who we aren't. Now that you know these truths you can be at ease in knowing that this awesome, powerful God is taking care of you. You can also relax in the truth that He knows what is best for you and you don't have to. The next time you start thinking you know what's best take another look at this passage in Isaiah. It will bring you to your senses.
© 1997 Patricia K. Holder