Psalm 136:2

Psalm 136:2

The God of gods

Moses came down from Mount Sinai bearing the 10 Commandments, written on stone tablets. He had previously smashed the first set when he saw the idolatry of the people as they worshipped a golden calf. Moses begs the Israelites to fear the Lord their God and to keep His commands. As part of his declaration to the gathered tribes he begs them to not be stiff-necked, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.” Deuteronomy 10:17. 

Who are these other gods? Any idol, statue or object that is deemed to have spiritual powers and to represent other gods. Any representation of God Himself, made from earthly materials. Any object, person, philosophy, religion or pursuit that we worship or esteem more than the Creator. These things can all be our gods, but Psalm 82 gives us an insight into spiritual powers that have huge influence over the earth and its peoples, and they too are to be avoided at all costs. There is no question that these spiritual powers of evil  have a say in the governance of the world, which is why our struggle, as believers, “is against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12. Every influence that ignores, disobeys or rebels against the Lord is to be avoided for there are dark forces at work all around us. 

In the light of all of this we need to keep praising and giving thanks to one Being and one Name; it is YAHWEH, or the Lord our God, or our Abba Father. No one and nothing else is worthy, there must be no place for any other object of worship in our lives for, “His love endures forever.” Why honour the puppet when we are loved by the master?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more
Psalm18:15    A blast of breath    This verse transports us back to the exodus and Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, described in Exodus 14.  The people took an unexpected route away from their captors, no doubt the Egyptians thought it ill-advised as the Israelites found themselves confronted by a vast area of swamp and water known as the Sea of Reeds or the Red Sea. It was insurmountable and their desperate plight intensified when the dust clouds from Pharaoh’s advancing army gathered on the horizon.   There was no escape. Why had Moses led them to this deadly place? They were ill prepared and helpless to fight back.  Somehow their leader remained calm, his words, recorded in Exodus 14:13, are remarkable and highlight the faith of godly Moses. “ Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need...
Read more

Psalm 119:135

Psalm 119:135 His shining face In verse 58 0f the Psalm we commented on the apparent impossibility of being able to see the face of God. And yet this intimacy was something that the psalmists, and other writers, craved. The High Priestly blessing, prayed over the people every day, asks that the Lord make His face shine upon them. In verse 58 we discovered that this plea involved more than just being able to see the face of God, which was impossible; I quote,  “ The Hebrew word for face in the Old Testament can be translated “presence.” Now things start to make more sense! Those Israelites who so regularly abandoned the Lord God were being reminded to seek again the presence of God and the psalmist lets it be known that this is his constant quest. When you think about it, a person’s face reveals a great deal about their character and personality even, maybe, their circumstances or lifestyle. The more we seek the face of God and the more we spend time in His presence, the more like H...
Read more