Our awesome God

Creation shows the power  of God and His glory all around. Our awesome God He's gloriously adorned, clothed with majesty, girded with strength and power (Psalm 93:1). He is the sovereign Lord who reigns and rules over all His creation (Psalm 104:1-2) even the kings of the earth fear Him (Psalm 76:12). The bible says, "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all" (Psalm 103:19, 99:1-3, 96:10, 66:7, 97:1). He laid the foundation of the earth and stretched out the heaven like a curtain (Psalm 102:25, 104:2b, 5-6). The splendor of His creation further reveals His almightiness (Genesis 1:1-16, Psalm 104:8-22, 24, 8:1&3). His faithfulness declared in the heavens (Genesis 9:13). Our awesome God is immortal; He is from generation to generation, He will exist even when the creation ceases to be (Psalm 102:26, 1 Timothy 1:17, 6:16). He is fearful in His places (Psalm 29:3, 77:18, 2 Samuel 22:14). When the children of Israel saw the God of glory thundered and saw the lightning, they trembled and pleaded with Moses to leave them out of the scene (Exodus 20:18-19), however, the bible had explicitly noted what the fear of the Lord is. Yet, this awesome God is loving, good, true and merciful. Exuding His divine love; He creates light in our darkened heart (2 Corinthians 4:6, Job 33:4).

Our awesome God! He is so pleasant, generous and kind. He is El-Shaddai-the strong breasted one who like mother's breast quiets, satisfies, nourishes, and gives peace and rest to a baby. God came to Abram by His name El-Shaddai (the Almighty God) when he was 99 years old. And to him all hope was lost that he could father a child by his wife Sarai who was then 89 years old. He had consented to wife's advice and both of them have limited God thinking they cannot have children. The bible says," When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be blameless" (Genesis 17:1). Though you think that I cannot make good the least of my promises, and you have gone your way to get Ishmael who was never in my plan and programme for you, now walk before me and be perfect, for I will not condone any  nonsense any more from you. God needed to tell Abram to pause and carefully consider His name El-Shaddai (the Almighty God), ever faithful, consistent, not wanting nor lacking and full of pleasant surprises. Our awesome God-the Almighty made covenant with him, assured him and changed his name; He also changed his wife's name (Genesis 17:2-19). Though God had already promised to give Abraham children soon after Lot departed from him (Genesis 13:14-16), but because he had not known God by His name Almighty (El-Shaddai) that's why he could agree with his wife to have a child through Hagar. Our awesome God supplies every need and satisfies the longing of every creature (Psalm 107:35-38). When the children of Israel cried and craved for flesh, they insulted Moses because there was no meat for them in the wilderness (Numbers 11:4-6). Moses thought he knew God too well because of the wonders he saw in Egypt, so, he asked God how He would provide flesh (meat) for hundreds of thousands of His people and God replied him "And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not (Numbers 11:18-23, 31-32). It was indeed a rightful thing for him to ask how God would supply them flesh (meat) for the people, because he needed to be sure that the desire of the people would be granted and that they would have the meat they are longing for to eat.

Our God is awesome in His doing towards the sons of men (Psalm 66:5), a mighty terrible one against flood like enemies and that's why the psalmist exclaimed: "The floods have lifted up O LORD, The flood have lifted up their voice; The flood lift up their waves. The LORD on high is  (our awesome God) is mightier than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea." When the psalmist recounted the His awesome acts, he urged the people of the earth to reference and fear Him. He wrought unforgettable signs and wonders in Egypt that none could deny (Psalm 78:43-51) and brought His people out with an outstretched arm; what an awesome God (Psalm 89:13). He hardened Pharaoh's heart to pursue them so as to make Himself known (Exodus 14:4,8). Then, a miracle happened, God parted the sea and created a solid concrete inside it for His people to pass over (Exodus 14:19-22). The same sea-a route for the Israelites deliverance became the burial ground for the Egyptians. The Egyptians became defenseless at the middle of the sea; they were greatly troubled, their chariots could no longer move till His people pass over, who can resist this awesome God. They eventually perished with their horses and chariots; they sank as lead in the waters. No wonder Miriam led the worship of His almightiness in Exodus 15:1-16. There is none like Him nor can deliver like Him. Countless deliverances and victories He wrought for those who hope in His mercies. He spoiled the spoiler (the Midianites) and delivered His people from devourers. Our awesome God discomfited the host of Midian through Gideon and his 300 army. Indeed, it was "the sword of the Lord" (Judges 7:20-25, 8:3) for how could they have captured and destroyed the enemies who once ravaged them. God also delivered Zebah and Zalmunnah into his hands, and the children of Israel who were once afraid are now emboldened and empowered against their destroyer (Judges 8:12,21, Psalm 83:11-12).

Our awesome God is righteous in judgment for He is a righteous judge (Psalm 9:4b, 7-8). The psalmist says "For You have maintained my right and my cause, You sat on the throne judging in righteousness." He executes righteousness and justice for the oppressed (Psalm 103:6). Creation groans but God is not mocked and were it not for the intervention of Jesus and intercession of saints many would have been consumed (Romans 8:22, Galatians 6:7). Aaron succumbed to the evil wish of the children of Israel since he cannot dissuade them (Exodus 32:15, 21-22). How can a molded calf made from the ear and nose rings be their LORD who brought them out of Egypt? They have made themselves a god of gold (Exodus 32:31) and their new god has placed no demand on them (Exodus 32:6). Moses was still with God receiving instruction for them when God asked him to go down to see the stiffnecked people he brought from Egypt (Exodus 32:7-9, 33:5). And their rebellion dramatically played out when Moses and Joshua approached the scene. But our awesome God cannot be co-worshipped with any other god (Psalm106:19-22, Exodus 32:10). And that's why God further instructed Moses concerning the children of Israel that they must destroy every altar raised to any other god (Exodus 34:12-15). When Aaron and Miriam spoke against  Moses, the Lord heard it; our awesome God righteous in judgment kept them there for seven days, they couldn't progress in their journey due to Miriam's leprosy (Numbers 12:2, 9-10, 13-15).

Is it possible for someone to die before the Lord? Yes, it is very much possible. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire which the Lord did not command and they died  (Numbers 3:4, Leviticus 10:1). According to Leviticus 10 verse 2, another fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, "So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." Their carelessness and ignorance was not tenable enough an excuse to avert the wrath of God. They were not spared but paid dearly for taking God for granted and misapplying their Levitical duties. Even after the tragedy struck, Aaron their father was forbidden to mourn or weep for them (Leviticus 10:6-7). When he heard what God said, the bible remarked that he held his peace. Who is he to contend with God, can he query Him? Yet, hear God's response in Leviticus chapter 10 verse 3, He did not bulge that two sons of His high priest died in a day, it happened to Eli too (in the case of Hophni and Phineas). Who do we take God for? He is fearful in His places, awesome and terrible in His deeds and evil doers will not go unpunished. God has kindled His own fire and Aaron must not wail or lament for his sons. Our looseness with the things of God is an express indication of our lack of understanding of this dreaded awesome God. When men kindle evil fire they often forget that God also kindles fire (Leviticus 10:6b). In fact, our awesome God-the creator of fire, kindles fire and this is solidly backed up by scriptures (Numbers 11:1-3, 16:35, Ezekiel 20:45-48, 21:31-32). Judgment comes when sin is grave, God kindled fire, Sodom and Gomorrah was consumed by the fire that God kindled (Genesis 19:11-13, 24, Hebrews 2:2). Escape to the mountains! The angels warned as this is the only guarantee to be released from judgment, yet, Lot chose to stay in the plains where there were polluting and defiling powers, and he being caught up with the vileness and atrocities in the plain though not destroyed by fire was defiled (Genesis 19:17-18).

Our awesome God (c)

"Say to God, How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves unto You" (Psalm 66:3).

Our awesome God is awesomely awesome in power! Little wonder the psalmist says "Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves unto You." Prophet Habakkuk further described His great acts towards His creation and men in Habakkuk 3:10-15. Knowing assuredly that God chooses and secures our inheritance, David praised (Psalm 108:1-5) and reminded God of His promises to Israel (Psalm 108:7-9), and later, he solicited for His help. Realizing his frailty and helplessness to combat and deal with dominant enemy that has potential to disallow him from occupying his possession, he cried out: "Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom?" Obviously, he cannot overpower or conquer his contenders without the assistance of God. He desperately cried out to God for help in in verse12, "Give us help from trouble for the help of man is useless (vain)." He also rightly acknowledges that he needed God whose power none can resist: "Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies" (Psalm 108:13). When the Lord leads the battle, He renders the enemies incapacitated and they have no option than to quietly submit and surrender. For our awesome God avenges, He's furious, none can dare Him as He will not take it lightly with the enemies of His children. He is jealous of His heritage (Nahum 1:2 &6) and He carefully watches to preserve and keep them (Joel 3:16).

In the book of Judges 11:21-24, the people of Ammon eyed the lot of the children of Israel beyond Jordan and claim peace if it was returned to them. Interestingly, Jephthah gave detailed analysis of how God gave them the land that the people of Ammon was claiming (Judges 11:14-23). He told them everything that happened after they came out of Egypt; highlight their routes and their experiences on the way. So, Jephthah told them "as you can see this land was given to us by our God Jehovah who fought for us against Sihon king of Amorite, and you can only have what your god can give you. Why are you coveting and insistent on getting what does not belong to you? Should you then possess it? Despite his elaborate explanation, they were ruthless and refused to neither give up nor back our because God wants to deal with them. This is our inheritance and how we get it I have told you, but you did not want to let go what is not rightly yours, so, be ready to face the consequence of not letting the sleeping dog lie. And because of their hardheartedness (Judges 11:28), being poised for destruction, Jephthah consulted God, made a vow, secured God's backing and fought the people of Ammon. Unfortunately, the people of Ammon had soon forgotten how Og, king of Bashan, and Sihon, king of the Amorites who gathered armies against the children of Israel were defeated. So, God granted Jephthah's request, and intervened (verses 32-33) and with "a great slaughter" the people of Ammon were subdued before him. When the battle becomes the battle of the Lord, there is assurance of victory (Judges 12:3). God would not allow the enemy to disinherit His people of their inheritance. Indeed, through the greatness of His power shall His enemies submit themselves unto Him!

Jephthah took his life into his hands and crossed over to fight the people of Ammon. Though the children of Ephraim refused to help him (Judges 12:1-2), but wanted to share in the victory. They spoke angrily against Jephthah and wanted to burn his house down with fire. For him, another battle ensued after fighting the enemy without; there are enemies within who will not give him respite. Despite his plight of having to sacrifice his only daughter because of the vow he made to God, the people of Ephraim were not bothered at all. Their case is similar to the people of Ammon-they wanted what doesn't belong to them. They wanted to share in the victory of the battle they were not part of. They wanted praise ascribed to them and not God. They wanted to get the honour that Jephthah had already promised God. One may begin to wonder why did God allow the Gileadites to kill the Ephraimites, the answer is simple "they were not after God's glory" but for self acclaim. So, as many of them who were detected when asked to pronounce Shibboleth and could not pronounce it correctly were slaughtered (Judges 12:5-6). Unfortunately, 42, 000 Ephramites died in one day. God will not share His glory with anyone. So, the enemies within were also subdued. Even king Herod who dared to take God's glory was eaten up by worms (Acts 12:22-24). Our awesome God is terrible in praises.

As God was preparing another deliverer for His people, angel visited Manoah's wife (Judges 13:6) and Samson was born (verses 24-25). A time came when he sought after a woman of the Philistines (Judges 14:4) and this was occasioned by God to avenge His people because the Philistines had dominated them for so long. He met a lion o his way and the Spirit of the Lord moved upon him, he tore it apart, and killed it (Judges 14:16a). Later, when he was returning, he saw the carcass of the lion; took honey from it, ate it and used the occurrence to pose a riddle to the Philistines. And there was an agreement that Samson will give 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing to whosoever unravel the riddle, and if no one could explain it, the philistines will give Samson 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing. Everyone wants to defend what is his, the philistines are not ready to lose their garments, yet, they did not know the riddle posed to them by Samson. The Philistines therefore threatened to burn down Samson's wife and her father's house. No one will take our garment (verse 15b) "have you invited us to take what is ours? Is that not so? No one truly wants anyone to take what belongs to him. Samson eventually told his wife the riddle because she pestered him (verse17),  and the Philistines explained the riddle as though they truly know it. Samson was wrathful against them because of the subtlety, he went and killed 30 of them to fulfill the pledge of 30 changes of clothing to those who explained the riddle.

The Philistines believed they overpowered Israel by "Dagon" their god. They presumed their mastery over them was because of their god's backing not knowing that they were able to capture Israel and the ark because of Israel's sins. And until Dagon was found fallen twice do they realize that it was not ordinary thing and that they are in for trouble (1 Samuel 5:3-4). It later became more evident to them that something serious was happening, our awesome God was at work and till today no one tread the threshold of Dagon (1 Samuel 5;5). God dealt with them, they were not healed of their plagues until they returned the ark and gave glory to God of Israel (1 Samuel 6:6, 11-16). Yet, the Philistines would not give up but still pursued the children of Israel to Mizpah, where they were gathered according to Samuel's instruction with fasting and prayers in order to return back to God (1Samuel 7:7). The children of Israel were afraid and requested that Samuel should plead to God on their behalf. God heard Samuel and thundered (1Samuel 7:10, Isaiah 8:9-10), the Philistines were confused and the children of Israel overcame them. Not only were they subdued but they never trouble the children of Israel again all the days of Samuel (Joel 3:16, Nahum 1:15b). Our awesome God also restore to the children of Israel their land taken by the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:14).

Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen king set up an image of gold for everyone to worship, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to serve or bow to his image. So, in fury, he commanded that the furnace be heated up seven times more than it was usually heated, and that they be thrown into it (Daniel 3:16-21). Though their faith in God was tested but their response was remarkable. They  had confidence and absolute trust in God as they declare " our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand O king." However, their faithfulness to God was made known as they also declare "But if not, let it be known to you O king, that we do not serve your gods nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." O king Nebuchadnezzar hear and hear us very well this our unflinching determination against your decree, we are resolved not to bow to your idol even if our God decides not to deliver us, because it is a sin unto our God to worship  any idol. God honoured their faith and the unimaginable happened because they were unbending. These three Hebrews had an unusual encounter with our awesome God inside the fire. They were moving about and their body was not burnt nor their hair singed. Incredible! Those who put them in the fire were consumed due to the intensity of the fire but the people in the "real fire" were unhurt. Everyone was amazed; unbelievably there is another man with them in  the fire. God himself being the consuming fire that no fire can consume was right there with them. Nebuchadnezzar saw the greatest sight of his lifetime,  he was astonished and quipped: "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire ; and they were unhurt, and the form of the fourth is like the son of God." Then, he  quickly ordered that they should be brought out and he acknowledged the God of the Hebrews (Daniel 3:28-29).