When God Shows Himself Strong

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him.”  Isaiah 64:3

The ancient people of Judah prayed earnestly for God to come down to them and show His mighty power and strength.  Christians today are looking for Jesus to return any minute.  I Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God”.  It was in this manner that the Jews desired God to visit them.  They desired that He come down and destroy their enemies with such a fierce wrath that “the mountains might flow down”, or erupt, just at the very presence of the LORD God.  Several years ago, a volcano erupted in Iceland.  It spewed forth so much smoke and ash that it disrupted international flights for several days.  Volcanoes can get hot enough to cause rivers and streams to boil.  Volcanoes and earthquakes that rattle the earth’s foundation are warnings sent by God.  Just within the last couple of weeks, there was a very strong earthquake in Syria and Turkey, lands which have been populated since Biblical times and were both enemies of Israel and Judah.  At last count, over 40,000 people have gone out into eternity.

God displays His mighty power so that even His fiercest enemies will know who He is.  In I Samuel 6, the Philistines were in possession of the Ark of the Covenant, brought it to Bethshemesh where they peered into it.  God was not pleased with their actions and killed 50,700 of the Philistine men.  Those who survived asked, “Who is able to stand before this Holy LORD God?” (verse 20).  Matthew Henry wrote, “Sooner or later God will make His name known to His adversaries and force those to ‘tremble at His presence’ that would not come and worship in His presence”.

The people of Judah remembered all that God did in the past for them, great things they didn’t expect.  During the plagues of Egypt, the people were amazed and grateful for the lengths to which God went to bring them out of slavery.  Psalm 114 describes Israel’s release from Egypt by the mighy power of God’s hand:  “The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.  The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs” (verse 34).  All nature is under God’s control regardless of those who worship at the altar of “climate change” proclaim.  Matthew Henry also wrote, “The provision He has made for the safety and happiness of His people, even of all those that seek Him, and serve Him, and trust in Him, is very rich and very ready, so that they need not fear being either disappointed of it, for it is sure, or disappointed in it, for it is sufficient”.  God’s protection and provision wasn’t just available for those of ancient times but is still abundantly available to those of us who “seek Him, serve Him, and trust in Him”.

The verse focused on today tells us that no one can know or even imagine what awaits the believer when he or she passes from this life into eternity.  In I Corinthians 2:9, Paul wrote, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”.  I often wonder what heaven looks like.  Even if I picture huge mansions much greater than those that men build on earth, beautiful flowers that never wilt, a sun that shines everyday, and the bluest sky imaginable, none of that compares to seeing Jesus as He wraps His tender arms around everyone who comes into His kingdom, giving them a huge smile to welcome each individual.

God desired His people to live righteously, not to attempt to “earn” salvation, but to display the salvation received by grace through faith.  He wants them to live joyously.  He wants His people to remember Him in His ways, to follow Him, and not stray off the path of righteousness.  These are the ones whom God meets with and has fellowship with.  However, none of this happens unless His people acknowledge their guilt before Him.  The people of Judah knew that God was very angry with them and had every right to be angry.  They had been sinful for a long time, but they also realized that His mercy could give them hope of their salvation.  In Psalm 89:30-34, God tells His people that if they are disobedient, then He will visit them with the rod and stripes.  But then He says, “Nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail.  My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips”.

Where did God’s judgment begin?  Did it not begin with His own people?  He judged the heathen nations in His own due time, but His focus was always on His own people.  However, it is not just Israel on whom God casts His eyes of judgment.  The Apostle Peter wrote in I Peter 4:17 that God’s judgment falls on the house of God, all those who claim to have a relationship with Jesus Christ before judging all those who reject Christ.  That makes perfect sense.  A parent focuses on his or her own children in love and discipline, not the children of other parents.  Jesus said in Luke 12:48 that “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”.  Those of us who have been given the gift of salvation should guard it as our most valuable possession.  It should be our pleasure and honor to allow Christ to live His life through us.