BiblicalInsights.net

The rightful idea of authority has fallen on hard times in the 21st Century.  Illegitimate forms of authority range from the abusive exercise of totalitarianism to individual authority emerging from the postmodern mindset of selfishness (self-rule).
Who’s in charge here?  This is a legitimate question.  Original authority and ultimate authority reside in God and God alone.  God did not inherit His authority, there was no one to bequeath it to Him.  God did not receive His authority, there was no one to give it to Him.  God did not obtain His authority by election, there was no one to vote for Him.  God did not get His authority by seizure, there was no one to seize it from.  God inherently possesses authority because He is the great I AM (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58).
The Sovereignty of God Expressed in Scripture
“In whom  also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”  Eph. 1:11.  God works all things after the counsel of His own will.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:33-36).  “Of Him” indicates source.  “Through Him” indicates agency.  “To Him” indicates the goal or aim.  God originates all things.  He is the active agency by which they exist.  He is the ultimate goal or aim because His works glorify Him.  God’s sovereignty originates in Him because He is all-knowing and all-powerful.  Human beings are created in the image of God.  They do not tell God what to do.  God tells them what to do!
“Nay but, O man, who art thou that replies against God?  Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? Human beings are subject to God by virtue of the fact that He created them.  God not only creates us, but He owns us.
“The earth is the LORD’S and. the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.”  Ps. 24:1. In the end (the end of the world) God will consume it all.
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (II Pet. 3:10-12).  To God be the glory!
“To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, and dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”  (Jude 25).
Characteristics of God’s Authority
God’s authority is original authority.  It cannot be delegated or derived authority.  This means that all “authority” that men exercise is delegated or derived authority.  The powers that be in government have delegated authority from God (Rom. 13:1).  The powers that be are ordained by God.  They would have no power except that God ordained that they possess it.  Jesus told Pilate, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:11).  God possesses creative power and redemptive power.  Both types of power are unique to God.  Both types of power are expressed through His word (see Ps. 33:8,9 and Rom. 1:16 and James 1:21).  Consequently, the written word of God, or Scripture, is the highest authority and the final authority because it is the word of the living God (I Thess. 2:13).
God’s authority is unalterable.  It does not change with times, cultures, nations, or ethnic backgrounds.  All men are amenable to the law of God.  Sin by definition is a transgression of the law of God (I John 3:4).   All people sin (Rom. 3:23).  Therefore, all must submit to God’s authority expressed in His holy Word in order to escape the wrath of God.
God’s authority is exclusive authority.  His authority is not one among many forms of authority from which we have the luxury to choose.  Exclusive means “one and only.”
God’s authority is permanent authority.  It cannot be challenged or rightfully overthrown.  It is eternal because He is eternal and His word is eternal.
God’s authority is ultimate authority.  It is not relativistic.  It is superior to all other types of authority.
God’s authority is obligatory authority.  God does not merely suggest, He commands.  He binds and He looses.  He has the authority to hold us accountable to what He has commanded.  This is the reason that we sin when we disobey Him or leave undone what He commands.  God will judge us by His Word (John 12:48).
God’s authority is consequential authority.  It is not benign in its outcomes.  The eternal destinies of human beings will be decided by belief and obedience to God’s laws or unbelief and disobedience to God’s laws.
Human beings can reject God’s authority, but they do so at their own spiritual peril.  Who’s in charge here?  Who’s in charge of your life?  God’s sovereignty is the antidote to man’s autonomy (self-rule).  The God who created the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that in them is; the God who is the Great I Am; the God who saves to the uttermost; He is in control.  In order to be saved, we must confess that Jesus is Lord and acknowledge His authority over us.  Rom. 10:9-10.  In order to remain saved, we must do all in the name of the Lord (Col. 3:17).  (for reference see:  Terry Mortenson, Coming to Grips With Genesis, pp. 116-118).

In Walden, his 1854 reflection on simple living, Henry David Thoreau wrote, “The cost of a thing is the amount…of life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately and in the long run.”   Before we buy anything, we ask ourselves, “How much does it cost?”  We know time is money.  We also know that time is life.  When we think about the cost involved in acquiring something, we must consider that “money” relates to “life.”  If I earn $15 an hour and an item costs $100, I know I will have to work several hours (more than six) in order to purchase the item.  This is true if I figure the amount of taxes that I have to pay on the money that I earn.  Time is money.  Time is life.  At the same time, the hours that I have to give of my life in order to buy that item helps me realize that “the cost of a thing is the amount of life which is required to be exchanged for it.”
An Example
Teens spend 6 to 8 hours a day on screen-based leisure activities (screen time includes:  iPhones, iPads, Computers and Television) (see The Anxious Generation, Johnathan Haidt, p. 119).  Haidt reveals the “opportunity cost” which refers to “the loss of other potential gains when one alternative is chosen over another.”  The question is: “What is lost when young people spend so much time on screen activities and leisure activities at that.  Haidt names some of the costs involved:  (1) social deprivation.  Face to face interaction with friends has decreased from 122 minutes to 67 minutes in 2019.  (2). Sleep deprivation. The lack of sleep causes anxiety, depression, irritability, poor learning, etc.; (3) Attention Fragmentation.  This problem leads to the inability to stay on task.  On average, teens receive 192 notifications per day.  This defines a day during waking hours with multiple interruptions/distractions.  (4). Addiction.  Cognitive addiction results.  As teens spend much of their time on screen-based leisure activities, at the same time, there is a loss of interest in spiritual pursuits.  No time for God in prayer.  No time for Bible reading and study.  No time to memorize Scripture.  No time for good works in helping others.  No time for God in worship.  Often the “opportunity cost” is loss of spiritual growth and well-being.
A Lesson From Jesus
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works” (Matt. 16:24-27).   Jesus develops the idea of “opportunity costs.”  What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  The cost of a thing is the amount of life which is required to be exchanged for it.  If a person loses his/her soul (is eternally separated from God–II Thess. 1:7-9), then something else took precedence over being fully committed to God and living in covenant relationship with Him.  God is supplanted with something else.  Whatever that something else is, is our idol.  Idolatry is strictly forbidden by God (Gal. 5:19-20).  The reason is that idolatry violates the first and great commandment.  “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”  When we put something else ahead of God, we commit the sin of idolatry.  “What is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?  or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  The only way to preserve the value of the soul is in covenant relationship to Jesus Christ (discipleship).  Jesus demands three things:  (1) self-denial; (2) cross-bearing; and (3) discipleship (follow me).  Discipleship involves a total commitment of one’s life to God.  Paul describes this as presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1-2).  Discipleship involves our whole being.  Nothing can be kept back from God.  The cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is your life–all of it!
Is It Worth It?
A second question that must be answered after we have invested in something or someone is: “Is it worth it?”   What is a man profited?  Jesus said that we might gain the whole world and lose our soul.  In view of the Second Coming of Jesus and eternity, is that a good deal?  The value of our soul is priceless.  If we accept anything, even the sum of the treasures of the world, and lose our soul, we have traded down, we have lost something profound.  Remember, to lose our soul means being eternally separated from God in hell (Mt. 5:22; 10:28).  The reward of discipleship is eternal life with God.  “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Mt. 25:46).  The cost of discipleship is fullness of commitment and consecration to God in covenant relationship with Him.  The investment returns eternal rewards!  The reward is a heavenly home with God (I Thess. 4:17).   It is going to cost us something–indeed our entire lives–to be a Christian.  But, the return on investment is out of this world–eternal life with God!

We have defined the word wonder in the following manner:  “inquisitive awe in the pursuit of an understanding of all of the perfections of the excellent majesty of God.”   The wonder of God involves the study of all of His perfections.  The Bible affirms that God is love (I John 4:8,16).  To know God is to have everlasting life (I John 5:20).  To know God is to love.  He that loveth not, knoweth not God for God is love!  If we do not love, we do not have everlasting life!  Love is the essential element of the Christian life.  Let’s explore what it means to say that God is love.  In doing so, we will learn what it means to love as a virtue of our own hearts as followers of Jesus Christ.  We are in a pursuit of the breath, length, depth and height of the love of Christ (Eph. 3:14-21).   There is no greater pursuit of the human mind and heart than to know God.
Love is an Intrinsic Virtue of the Nature of God
“He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love” (I John 4:8). “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (I John 4:16).  Love is a perfection of the very nature of God.  Love is not all that God is.  God is also, holy, light, spirit, just, righteous, merciful, etc.  God is the sum of all of His perfections.  To say that God is love is to say that God: (1) Seeks the highest good of His creature, man.  God’s love is undefeatable, benevolent, goodwill.  God loves unconditionally as a free act of His own nature.  His love is directed toward human beings who are the only creatures who need salvation from sin and its consequences.  His love seeks the highest good of human beings by bestowing His grace freely to them in order to redeem them from iniquity.  (2) God’s love is relational.  God is a person. His love is directed toward other members of the Godhead, His Son and the Holy Spirit who are also persons) and human beings created in His image with the ability to love as a free act of their own wills.  God loves the human beings He created and desires that they be in covenant relationship with Him and receive the blessings and promises that only He can bestow upon them.  (3) God’s love is personal.  God desires to be a personal relationship with each human being.  This relationship is based upon the covenant God has given to man under different historic periods.  Three different historic periods are discernible in Bible history:  Patriarchal, Mosaical, and Christian.  We are living today under the Christian Age which is ruled by the law of Christ (Rom. 8:1-2).  God relates to us by providing the means for us to be in fellowship with Him.  This fellowship is predicated upon our love for Him (John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”).  (4) God’s love is unconditional.  It is not dependent upon who we are or what we have done.  God loves human beings because He is a God of love.  It is who God is.  (5) God’s love is beneficial.  God acts in our best interest for our greatest good!  God gave the best of heaven (John 3:16) in order that we can live the spiritually optimal life now and have eternal life in the world to come (John 10:10).  God truly wants the best for us.  If we do not possess all spiritual blessings, it is not God’s fault.  It is our fault for not reciprocating God’s love (we fail to love God back).  (6) God’s love is compelling.  God’s love comes before our love for Him (I John 4:19, “We love him, because He first loved us”).  We manifest our love for God by keeping His commandments (John 14:13; 14:23).  The cross is the love story of the Bible.  By studying this story, we come to know the love of God.  We learn of its sacrificial nature.  In turn, we must present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Rom. 12:1,2).
God’s Love and Our Salvation
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10).  God’s love is a wonder not only because of its scope (He loved all human beings), but because of the intensity of it (He loved us while we were yet sinners).  “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  God loved us when we were unlovable (not worthy of His love).  God’s love acts in our best interest even though we are unworthy of it.  Our redemption is dependent upon God’s love.  God’s love faces sin in us and sees the value of redeeming us.  God’s love is made known thr0ugh the unspeakable gift of His Son–Jesus Christ.  The gift makes God’s love: undeniable, selfless, sacrificial, and undefeatable.  God’s love overcomes the forces of evil and prevails.  It is powerful and accomplishes the purpose or aim for which it is unleashed–the salvation of the human soul.  However, we must respond to God’s love by loving God back.  We have two choices as we face God’s love.  The first is to reject it.  When we reject God’s love, we also reject eternal life.  To know God is to have eternal life.  To know God is to love Him.  If we do not love Him, we do not know Him and we do not have eternal life!  When we fail to love God, we also deny ourselves an entrance into heaven.  Our love for God must be supreme (Matthew 22:36-39).  To love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind is the first and greatest commandment.  If we fail to get this right, we will perish eternally.  Our obedience to God’s commandments is evidence of our love (John 14:15).  The second response to God’s love is to receive it and reciprocate it.  Love for God involves more than lip service.  It involves acts of compliance with God’s laws that demonstrate it.  Love and obedience are interconnected just like trust and obedience are connected.  Jesus is the author of eternal salvation unto all those that obey Him (Heb. 5:8-9).
The Depth of God’s Love
We know the depth of God’s love by what it cost Him.  It cost Him His Son (John 3:16; Eph. 4:25).  Jesus gave His life to redeem us for the eternal consequences of sin (Rom. 6:23).  We know the depth of God’s love by how little we deserve it.  We are unworthy.  But, God loves us anyway.  We know the depth of God’s love by the greatness of the spiritual benefits and blessings He gives us.  All spiritual blessing are in Christ (Eph. 1:3).  God holds nothing back!  God’s supply of grace toward us is unending (John 1:16).  We know the depth of God’s love by the freedom by which it is manifested.  God’s love is free act of His eternal will.  In John 10:18, Jesus indicated His love as a free act when He said regarding His life, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down,
and I have power to take it again.  This commandment have I received of my Father.”  No one took Jesus’ life from Him.  He freely gave it and secured our spiritual freedom from the servitude of sin.
God is love!  Behold it and wonder!  Let it fill your heart with awe.  Be grateful for God’s love.  Love God back with all of your heart, soul and mind.  Remember, that to know God is to have everlasting life.  To know God is to love God.  If we do not love Him, we do not know Him and we do not have everlasting life!  Failure to love God will cause our soul to perish eternally.

What do all of the following have in common:  a beautiful sunset or sunrise, the giggle of your grandchild, the early morning dew, a word fitly spoken in kindness, a cup of cold water given in the name of Jesus, and faith the size of a grain of mustard seed?  They are all examples of the value of small things.
Consider the following quotes:  “Live life like it’s the last breath you take for that breath is the whole essence of living, the little things in life are what connects us to all the big things we live for” (Robert Frost).  “True greatness consists in being great in little things” (Alvin Toffler).  “Find gratitude in the little things and your well of gratitude will never run dry” (Antonia Montoya).  “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out” (Robert Collier).  “Embrace the power of little things, and you will build a tower of mighty things” (Israelmore Ayivor).  “Without water drops, there can be no ocean” (Mehmet Murat).
We will add some scripture thoughts and insights to this list of quotations and explore the wonder of the mundane (the insignificant, often neglected, aspects of God’s wisdom).
Delight in Small Things
Daily reliance upon God for joy in the small things of life allows Him to become more precious to us.  It creates channels of delight and it demonstrates His power working in the more mundane things of our daily experience.  Paul by inspiration writes, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Cor. 9:8).  The supply of God’s grace comes in sufficient amounts to enable us to accomplish every good work.
Little Foxes Spoil The Vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15).  
Small things may come in negatives.  Foxes spoil the vineyards.  Termites destroy foundations.  We must be aware of small habits that turn us away from God.  Lack of attendance at the worship assembly may seem trite, but it indicates a much bigger problem.  We are supplanting God with something else and have thus created an idol.  Is it recreation?  Is it family?  Is it our own will?  Love for God must be supreme in our lives.  Devotion to God is one aspect of our love for God.
Faithfulness In Little Things (Luke 16:10).
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:  and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”  Faithfulness in little things is how we prove ourselves trustworthy and reliable so that we can take on more responsibility.   When you make a commitment, you must follow through with it.  No matter how trivial you think that it is.  When you fail to keep your word even once, you undermine confidence in your reliability.  Stewardship is a test of our trustworthiness.  Since God owns everything, we are all stewards of what He has entrusted to us.  How we manage even a small amount is vitally important since it reveals our true character.
A Small Rudder Guides the Ship (James 3:4).
“Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth” (James 3:3-4).  James compares the ability to guide a ship with a rudder to the power of the tongue.  He describes the tongue as a small member and then teaches that it can kindle a great fire!  There is power in the tongue for good and for evil.  Think of the harm that has been done to many relationships by words of hate, meanness, and prejudice.  Think of the power of a lie to deceive millions.  Remember, Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44).   Then, consider the power of God’s Word to transform lives and save our souls (James 1:21).  Truly, there is great power in our words.  “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 2:19).
Faith Like A Grain of Mustard Seed (Luke 17:6).
“And the Lord said, “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6).  The quantity of our faith is not as important as the quality of our faith.  An authentic faith is powerful and can accomplish great things.  The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds, yet produces a tree large enough for the birds of the air to lodge therein.  Small things can produce great results.  Of course, our faith never stands alone.  Faith worketh by love (Gal. 5:6).  The combination of faith and love makes us formidable soldiers in God’s kingdom.
The Power of the Common Person In Relationship to God (I Cor. 1:26-27).
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,  not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence” (I Cor. 1:26-27).  The common person is more likely to put his/her trust in God than the powerful, rich, and noble.  The latter tend to put their trust in education, riches, and positions.  God’s wisdom is found in His Word.  Those who reject God’s Word, deny His wisdom.  Instead, they turn to the wisdom of this world.  James contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom from above in James 3:13-18.  Read it for yourself.
A Little Leaven Leaveneth The Whole Lump (Gal. 5:9; I Cor. 5:6).
In Gal. 5:9, Paul warns about the power of evil or error to corrupt not just one person, but many.  “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”  Some Judaizing teachers were demanding that Gentile Christians keep the Law of Moses and be circumcised.  This was a false doctrine (see Acts 15:24).  This false doctrine was persuasive to some and they were leaving their spiritual union in Christ for Moses (Gal. 5:1-4).  Paul states that they were fallen from grace.   In I Cor. 5:6, Paul rebuked the Corinthian brethren for permitting a person who was living in fornication to go undisciplined.  The leaven in this context was fornication and if left alone the situation would influence others to sin against God.  The Corinthian brethren responded to Paul’s teaching and disciplined the individuals involved.  Sin and error often creep in little by little.  Small steps away from God are troubling and should be met with swift justice from God’s people.
Sparrows Vs. God’s Children (Mt. 10:29-31).
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt. 10:29-31).  A sparrow is not worth much in monetary value.  Yet, God knows when one dies.  Human beings are of greater value to God than sparrows.  And, God’s own children are of greater value than sparrows.  Jesus uses an argument from the lesser to the greater to indicate the value of God’s children to Him and His active concern (Love) for them.  God’s special care is indicated by His complete knowledge of those who belong to Him.
The Power of God Plus One (John 6:9).
Jesus fed five thousand men plus women and children on one occasion with five loaves and two fish.  A young man’s lunch consisted of five loaves of bread and two small fish.  How could so little feed so many?   The answer is that in the hands of Jesus, they proved to be more than enough.  Jesus miraculously multiplied the bread and fish and fed thousands!  This is a remarkable miracle.  Reliance upon Jesus made all the difference.  Because of who Jesus is and what He can do, the impossible to us becomes possible through Him.  God plus one can make a tremendous difference in life’s circumstances.  Truly, “with God all things are possible: (Matt 19:26).
One Master (Mt. 6:24).
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt. 6:24).  Jesus repudiates a divided loyalty.  We must serve God alone.  Jesus shows that any attempt to serve two masters is destined to fail.  There is only one, true, and living God.  The god of mammon is an idol.  Idols are nothing.  When we misplace our affections and love something or someone else more than God, we sin by violating the law of love for God. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Mt. 22:37-38).   God tolerates no rivals!  But, consider, there is no need for more than one God because God is all-sufficient and supplies us with every spiritual need and temporal blessing (Mt. 6:33; II Cor. 9:8).
Small things are significant!  Embrace the power of small things and you will build a tower of great things.  Success is the sum of small things repeated daily.  When we focus on small things, there is no end to our joy and delight and wonder.

The ultimate quest of the human heart is to know God.  This quest involves wonder.  Wonder is “inquisitive awe in the pursuit of an understanding of all of the perfections of the excellent majesty of God.”  To know God is eternal life (I John 5:20).  This knowledge is truly unsurpassed.
The nature of beauty has been an enduring mystery to artists and philosophers.  What is beauty?  Some define it as “order, arrangement, and harmony of some kind understood as either objective qualities inherent in something beautiful or as subjective sentiment (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) of a person experiencing something that is esteemed beautiful or as both objective –an object possesses a certain arrangement of qualities or characteristics and subjective–these characteristics are satisfying to the mind and evoke pleasure.  The Scriptures teach us that beauty is the very composition of things:  the design or form of whatever exists.  The origin of beauty is the LORD.  This is expressed in two Psalms:  27:1-4 and 90:17.  “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple (Ps. 27:1-4).  “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it” (Ps. 90:17). The first of these Psalms is written by David.  The second is written by Moses.  But, both contain the same affirmation of the beauty of the LORD.  What is the beauty of the LORD?  We must mediate upon the LORD and note His perfections.  His perfections are the sum total of all of His qualities inherent in His excellent majesty or glory (II Pet. 1:16-17).  Consider: the beauty of His perfection; His holiness, His Mind; and His oneness.  A thoughtful study of each of these will begin the quest to know the beauty of the LORD.
The Beauty of Perfection
An accomplished woodworker noted that nothing he made from wood was perfect.  But, the tree from which he secured the wood was perfect.  The human element introduces flaws.  But, God made the tree perfect in its design and purpose.  God is perfect in all of His inner qualities.  Some of these are listed in Ps. 27.  God is light.  Light is essential to life and without it, there would be no life.  God is the source of all light which is the source of all life.  God is salvation.  He is a deliverer from that which harms and destroys.  God is strength.  He is power and might.  As a matter of fact, He is all-powerful.  He has the ability to accomplish and to bring His Word to full fruition.  God is truth.  God cannot lie.  God is just and true.  His justice rests upon His truth because without truth there is no justice.  God is good.  God’s acts are always good.  His creative acts are very good. His redemptive acts are good (right in themselves and beneficial for us).  Some of the qualities are mentioned in Ps. 90.  God is a refuge.  Safety and peace are found with Him and in Him.  God is eternal.  He is self-existing and timeless.  Thus, He is uncreated.  God is merciful.  God is relational and His relationship with people is based upon His mercy and grace.  Without such qualities of God, we could not live in spiritual relationship with God.  The perfection of God is the harmony of all of the characteristic that are intrinsic to His nature.  These characteristic do not conflict with one another nor do they negate one another.
The Beauty of Holiness
Holiness as it applies to God is sinless perfection or moral perfection.  It is freedom from all forms and vestiges of evil.  This produces the following negatives:  (1) God cannot lie; (2) God cannot tempt human beings to sin; and (3) God cannot do evil. God is pure in heart.  He is free from any evil thoughts or intents that would lead to sin.  This means that God is righteous.  God is true to Himself and His nature and cannot contradict Himself in word and deed. Thus, His Word bears this characteristic of holiness (I Tim. 3:15).
The Beauty of Mind
The genius of the mind of God can be seen in the created universe and in the riches of His wisdom in His Word.  The design of the created universe displays the genius of God.  Ps. 19:1-6, “The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”  The creation of the universe and everything in it (Ex. 20:11) displays God’s vast knowledge of all the intracacies of the inter-relatedness of created things and of life itself.  This knowledge and the result of His creative power are too wonderful for us to comprehend in fullness.  The sun, moon and stars govern time as we know it.  They govern travel, planting, harvest, the seasons and so forth.  Animal life including their brains and bodies and human life including their bodies and souls manifest His glory.   Every human being is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26,27).  Man’s intellect, emotions, power of volition, conscience and spiritual inclinations are revealed in this creative design.  There is a clear distinction between animals and human beings.  God loves the humans He created and desires to live in covenant relationship with them.  This is not true of the animal world.  By studying the created world, we can come to know the wisdom of God.  Wisdom is incite into the way things really are (reality itself) and how they work and the ends for which they were designed.  God has also revealed Himself through His holy Word.  God’s wisdom in inherent in His Word.  His Word has been revealed and written to inform the mind of humans of the excellent majesty and glory of God.  God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).  Truth accomplishes two things:  (1) It saves (James 1:21) and (2) It sanctifies (John 17:17).  Thus, God’s Word guides the human soul in its journey to heaven.
The Beauty of Oneness
The Godhead is comprised of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19).  There are three distinct persons in one divine essence or spiritual reality.  The three are one.  “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believers that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, The Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.”  (I John 5:5-9). The Triune God is three distinct persons in one undivided essence or essential spiritual being.  God is a spirit (John 4:24).  A spirit is not limited by time or space.  This is how oneness results.  Jesus proclaimed that He and the Father were one (John 10:30).  We accept this knowledge God has revealed and believe it is true.  All of the perfections of the Triune God are manifested in each person of the godhead.  Omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, indeed, all of the perfections of deity belong to each person in the godhead.  This the God that created all things.  This is the God that is sovereign over all of His creation.  This is the God that we love and worship.  This is the God that will judge us in the last day.
The earth is filled with the glory of the LORD.  This is the beauty of the LORD.  Let us celebrate that glory as we discover it and fill our minds and hearts with wonder!

God evokes a sense of wonder for many reasons related to His nature, power, and mighty acts.  The wonder of God is: “inquisitive awe in search of an understanding of all of the perfections of His excellent majesty.”  In Hebrews 12:29, the Holy Spirit declares, “Our God is a consuming fire.”  The figure is graphic–a raging fire consumes everything in its path.  It is a destructive force.  It is a power to destroy.  This phrase is a reference to the unleashing of the power of God against the forces of evil, sin, and sinners.  It captures the essence of the punitive power of God.  In Revelation 14:10, God’s Word affirms, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Such is the fate of the person who worships the beast and his image (v. 9).  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! (Heb. 10:26-31).
God’s Revelation Of Himself
In Exodus 19 and 20, the LORD reveals Himself to Israel.  Israel (the nation) was encamped at the foot of Mt. Sinai.  God had just delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage.  He did this through the ten plagues brought against the Egyptians and by destroying Pharaoh’s army in the midst of the Red Sea.  God now wants to reveal His Covenant Will to the people.  He commands Moses to make preparations.  Moses is to set boundaries at the foot of the mountain that would permit the people to approach but not go up into the mount (19:12).  The people were required to sanctify themselves (wash themselves and their clothes).  They were not to engage in sexual contact with their wives (19:15).  On the third day, in the morning, there were thunderings and lightenings and a thick cloud upon the mount.  The people heard the voice of the trumpet (Ram’s horn) exceeding loud.  All of the people in the camp trembled (19:16).  When the LORD descended upon the mount, the whole mount was on fire and the smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly (19:18).  God’s presence revealed His fearsomeness.  The result was that the people feared greatly.  In our quest to know God, we must understand His fearsomeness and His wrath.  The people, including the priests, were required to sanctify themselves before approaching God.   They were restricted in their approach to the mount.  Beginning in Exodus 20:1, God spake to them all the words of the covenant He desired to make with them.  God identified Himself in an unmistakable way–as the God who had delivered them from Egyptian bondage.  Then, He commanded them to have no other gods before Him (20:3).  Nor to make unto themselves any grave images, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  God forbade them from bowing down to them or serving them.  God proceeded to give them the rest of the Ten Commandments.  The people did not want God to speak to them directly. They asked Moses to intercede in their behalf with God.  God gave commands to the people of Israel to honor Him as the only true and living God.  God will not share His glory with another.  The present covenant relationship with God is to be informed by His past mighty acts against the Egyptians.  God was revealing Himself to His people.  Know and understand that the LORD thy God is a fearsome God!
The Fear of the LORD
The people of Israel feared and trembled at the presence of God on the Mount.  Fear is the emotional response of the human heart to the display of the fearsomeness of God.  Fear produces restraint within the human heart from disobeying God and facing His wrath.  God’s wrath is His justice manifested in righteous judgments.  God possesses punitive power which is directed toward the defeat and destruction of evil in all of its forms.  The people said, “All that the LORD hath spoken will we do” (19:8).  Moses told the people that God came to prove them and that His fear may be before their eyes so that they would not sin (Ex. 20:20).  Moses clearly indicates the reason God revealed His fearsomeness.  God desired obedience to His commands.  The fear of the LORD produces compliance to the Will of God.  Solomon states that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments (Eccl. 12:13).  The absence of the fear of the LORD will certainly lead to the proliferation of evil in the hearts of human beings.   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Prov. 1:7).  Just as Israel pledged to keep the commandments of God, the wise man today hears and keeps the sayings of the LORD Jesus Christ (Mt. 7:24,25).  Jesus taught us to fear God, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt. 10:28).

The wonder of God may be defined as: “Inquisitive awe in the pursuit of the understanding of all of the perfections of the majesty of God.”  Wonder is something that causes astonishment or admiration.  To wonder is to marvel.  Wonder is rapt attention or astonishment at something or someone awesomely mysterious (Merriam-Webster.com).   There is no doubt that God is such a wonder.
The cosmic wonder of God is the wonder of the universe created by God.  God created the heavens, the earth, and the seas  and everything in them in six days (Exodus 20:11).  This feat was accomplished by the word of God (Ps. 36:8-9, “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the word stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast”).  This is divine commentary on the Genesis account of creation in Gen. 1 where the Bible affirms that God spoke the universe into existence (Gen. 1:3,6,9,11,14, 20, 24, 26).  The universe is the result of the. miraculous power of Almighty God, His genius, and His beauty.
The Power of God
God is omnipotent or all-powerful.  He created by divine fiat.  He brought into being that which did not exist before.  “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).  Jeremiah 32:17, “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”  Isa. 44:24, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”  Mt. 19:26, “But Jesus behold them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”  These words of truth give us the answer to the origins of all things.
The Genius of God
The genius of God is demonstrated in the design of the universe.  The sun, moon, and stars along with the solar system and the many galaxies in the universe declare the glory of God.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night. unto night sheweth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heart.  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (Ps. 19:1-6).  There is design in the human body.  “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Ps. 139:14-16).  “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:26-27).  These words of truth give us the answer to the origin of human beings.
The Beauty of God
God saw His creation and pronounced it very good (Gen. 1:31).  The creation fulfills its creative purpose.  It functions as God designed it.  All created species were actualizing the function for which they were made, in relation to the totality of being:  the consequence was, of course, harmony, order, and peace.  Man was the lord tenant of the universe.  The heavens and the earth were designed as a suitable habitat for him–a vale of soul-making.  In the beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The Garden of Eden was a paradise.  The absence of moral evil in the beginning of man’s existence is also an aspect of beauty.  The human heart was virtuous or morally excellent.  The beauty of God is clearly seen in this wonder of creation where His goodness is manifested in every detail.   Yes, the creation was very good!
Each detail of the universe declares something about God.  It declares His power, His genius, and His beauty.   This is the cosmic wonder of God.  All of the details of the design are now left for us to explore and through this exploration, to discover the true nature of God.  The greatest quest of the human heart is to know God.  The wonder of God is the inquisitive awe in the pursuit of all of the perfections of the majesty of God.  Will you join the quest?
(The following pictures of the Solar Eclipse were taken April 8, 2024 by Branyon May).