On the tableland of God's inspired vol­ume, the Bible, there is one book that has always to this writer risen as a towering monument to the greatness of God - the great prophecy of Isaiah. It is there ­lofty, majestic, issuing great promises to the remnant under the Messiah, and at the same time threatening judgments to the enemies of Jehovah. It was this great prophet who called upon Judah to "be­hold your God!" (40:9). Yet an ungrate­ful nation had rejected God, even as the world by and large has today. It is high time that people, especially those that are his, again begin to "behold your God!"

The prophet begins to show God's great­ness by setting beside him the universe which he created. This is the God that "measured the waters in the hollow of his hand" (v. 12). He is the one who "meted out the heaven with a span" (ibid.). Here is a picture of God, holding forth the "span," which was about nine inches, reaching from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger in an outspread hand. When God made this world, it was almost as if he were saying, "here is my span; my world shall be as this to me." And so it was. He is pictured holding a vessel, and in it is the dust of the earth, and he knew every grain. The prophet shows us Judah's God with a scale in his hand, weighing the very mountains. Truly, Jehovah is no puny God!

Isaiah then shows man's insignificance compared to this God. What man is there that is in a position to tell God anything (v. 13)? There is not a one! When Get set about his great creative work, to whom did he have to go for advice? Who had knowledge about this process that God did not have? Not a one. Here is a God possessed of omnipotence and need not ask advice of any man.

Every nation is subject to the decrees of God (v. 15). All through Old Testament history the nations were moved at the % cree of God. If he decided to use them to achieve his purpose, they achieved it. If, because of their wickedness, God de­stroyed them, they sat there - immobile and impotent while the stroke of his fury reduced them to nothing. Truly, the na­tions are "as a drop of a bucket" com­pared to him. All the earth and all that it contains is not sufficient to give him hat he truly deserves. " Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering" (v. 16) If every cedar on Lebanon was hewn down; if every beast was brought as a sacrifice, they would still fall short of a truy sufficient sacrifice. And so in his mercy, God allows man to make the sacrifices that he can make - and God ill accept them if they are what he has asked for.

God is far superior to the idol-gods of man (v. 18f). Their gods of sticks and ones, yea even of gold and silver, are nothing compared to him. The workman may make them, but when they are finished, there they sit - powerless, for they "shall not be moved" (v. 20). Whatever idol; whatever "god" a. man may have will not benefit him. They are merely the work of men's hands and will be destroyed.

And so, "have ye not known? have ye not heard ...?"(vv..21, 28). Here is a God that never wearies; never grows faint, and will bear those up who will worship and serve him as the God of the universe. He "hath given, power to the faint" (v. 29), to the extent that they shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (v. 31). This probably an allusion to the joyous times when the ' captive nation would return from the of Babylon. But can we not enjoy this promise today? As we seek one day to leave what Ronald Reagan once called "the surly bond of earth" to “touch the face of God," do we not realize what a God we have at our disposal?

Yes, " Judah, behold your God!" But also to God's people of today, "behold your God!" Serve him; worship him and enjoy his blessings. Fail to recognize his great­ness at your own risk and eternal peril. - Bill Moseley

 

 

 

 

 

 

The preacher was really "wound up" and into his sermon on the fact that all men sin - so much that he challenged the audience directly - "Is there anyone out there who is perfect? Who will dare say they are perfect? Anyone?" Finally, at the rear of the auditorium a meek lit­tle fellow hesitatingly raised his hand. The preacher loudly asked: "Are you saying, sir, that you are perfect? Do you dare?" Whereupon the mild fellow said, "Well, no -but I'd like to vote for my wife's first husband." (You may have to think about that one a bit!)

All of which goes to say that one man is not the standard for another. Just be­cause someone else "looks good" does not make you "look bad." At the same time, all the bad in another does not ex­cuse the bad in you! And that's the one we generally have trouble with.

We ought not necessarily be concerned whether or not we measure up to the standard of somebody else. Rather, be concerned about the standard God has set for you. He is holy, so he calls upon you to be holy. He is perfect, so he calls upon you to be perfect. He is pure, and so he calls upon you to be pure, If you do that, it does not matter how good or bad another person is, nor what his faults or fortes may be.

By the way - don't forget that YOU are not the standard for you either. The man who measures himself by himself is not wise, said Paul (2 Cor. 10:12). No – no other man is perfect, but neither are any of the rest of us. - Bill Moseley