"Behold Your God"

 

      "O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high Mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!"' (Isaiah 40:9) The message "Behold your God" should be spread by every Christian to every person they contact. Christians should tell others who God is and what He has done.

 

      Behold God's power and greatness.  "Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with him, And His work before Him." (Isaiah 40:10) God comes with a strong hand, a hand that cannot be stayed by any. God's strong hand will bless His people and conquer His enemies. He will also reward His faithful children.

 

      Behold God's pity and tenderness. "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young." (Isaiah 40:11) God leads His people and cares for His people with the tenderness of a shepherd. When you are hurting, God gently gathers you into His arms, protects you, covers you and carries you in His bosom of love.

 

      Behold God's unlimited knowledge and wisdom. "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord. Or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him.  And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge. And showed Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless." (Isaiah 40:12-17) These verses show the unlimited knowledge and wisdom of God. People are weak, nations are weak, but our God is strong. God's knowledge is infinite and His wisdom is beyond understanding.

 

      Behold God's nature which demands our reverence. "To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks for himself a skillful workman to prepare a carved image that will not totter. Have you not known?  Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in...To whom then will you liken Me.  Or to whom shall I be equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing." (Isaiah 40:18-26) Proud people should never try to make themselves equal with God. God "sits above the circle of the earth" and compared to Him the earth's inhabitants "are like grasshoppers." "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things."  May the entire world reverence our God.

 

            This great and powerful God is your Father and you are His child through humble obedience to His will. (Hebrews 5:8-9, Mark 16:16) God's nature is that of power, pity, tenderness, knowledge and love. Can you truthfully say, "Our Father in Heaven”? God's nature demands our submission. Proper respect for God leads people to gospel obedience (I Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:1-4), and to faithful service to God. (Revelation 2:10) "Behold your God" and live accordingly.

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P. O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA