ALL POWERFUL --- THAT’S GOD!
Isaiah 40:28
When we think about power we can think of many things that we can consider as a source of power or the result of power. Power can be described in many forms and uses. Power is the ability to produce an effect. Power is seen in legal or official authority; control or influence over others.
The greatest source of power in all the heavens and the earth is God Almighty. We know Him to be omnipotent – all powerful. We know Him to be omniscient – all knowing. We know Him to be omnipresent – He is everywhere. Now, if we possessed those qualities we would likely think very highly of ourselves. But we don’t. Only God possesses those qualities in the person of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The 40th chapter of Isaiah we hear Isaiah telling the people about how great God is – all powerful. He says in verse 18 – “To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare Him to?” Isaiah doesn’t leave the question for the people to answer. He answers his own question.
God has power over the universe – by his position. Where is that? Verse 22 tells us that God “sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.” Just imagine Him sitting on His throne at the top of the world. He sits “in His Holy temple” (Psalm 11:4) and “His sovereignty rules over all (Psalm 103:19.” He towers over all of His creation.
God has the universe at His disposal, meaning that He has the power or authority to use His power as He chooses. There are some in the world who believe they have that kind of power over other people, but unlike God’s power, their power has limits, it is finite. God’s power knows no limits. It is infinite.
In the Genesis account we see that God speaks and the universe is created out of nothingness. He speaks and the earth is illuminated. He breathes and mankind is brought to life.
Mankind can do none of that. Everything man has manufactured was, and is, made from something that God created. I think it was General Electric Company that had an advertising slogan, probably 60 years ago which said, “We have a better idea.” They may have had a better idea, but its creation was only possible because of God’s more powerful acts. GE’s scientists or engineers didn’t really come up with anything new. They just developed what God had already created.
God not only has power over the universe by His position; not only because He can use His creation as He pleases, but He also sustains the universe by His power.
He holds the universe together. Can you imagine if the universe came into being as many misguided person believe – that is, with a BIG BANG, what could possibly hold that together. In my mind, something created by a big bang would, by nature, be a disorderly, offensive, unpleasant mess of confusion. There could be no form, no order, nothing in place. But a world created by a God who possesses all power will know order and exude (which means “to ooze out”) purpose and plan.
There is no lack purpose and plan and order in God’s powerful exercise of creation.
Isaiah’s question in 40:18 is potent as we examine the power of God as he asks,
“To whom, them, will you compare God?
What image will you compare Him to? “
There is no one, nor anything that compares to the power of God. Praise be to our God who maintains our world and our very lives by His incomparable power.
To be continued as we look at God’s Power over Earthly Rulers next week.
Gary K. Fair
24 June 2020
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