Psalm 139:13-18 - Awesome Attributes of God! Part Three OMNIPOTENCE
Psalm 139:13-18: Awesome Attributes of God! Part Three "
OMNIPOTENCE
Psalm 139:13-18 (CWR) You shaped me before I was born; you put
my bones together while I was still in my mother's womb.14 I praise
you, for this body is incredibly and wonderfully made. Your whole
creation is amazing.15 When I was developing in my mother's womb, you
knew everything that took place. To you nothing is hidden or
mysterious. 16 You saw my unformed body inside the womb. You knew how long I
would live before I was born. 17 How precious are your tender thoughts
toward me, O Lord. There are so many of them, they never end! 18 If I
could count them, they would be more in number than the sand. Every
morning, you are still there for me.
CONTEXT
A. The omniscience of the Lord (139:1-6)
B. The omnipresence of the Lord (139:7-12)
C. The omnipotence of the Lord (139:13-18)
D. The holiness of the Lord (139:19-24). [Andrews SB]
INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
This psalm contains the clearest expression of the attributes
and character of God to be found in the Psalter. One could hardly
describe the omniscience and omnipresence of God more effectively.
[Believers SB]
This poem describes the attributes of the Lord not as abstract
qualities, but as active qualities by which He relates Himself to His
people. [Nelson SB]
From the standpoint of OT theology, this is the climax of
thought in the Psalter on Gods personal relationship to the
individual. The psalmist does not engage in abstract philosophy or
speculative meditation; he merely describes his humble walk with God and
shares his experiental knowledge of the Lord. [Wycliffe Bible
Commentary]
Gods omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence are the
subjects of Davids meditations in this beautiful psalm. His first
meditation is on Gods knowledge, that every aspect of his life was
searched out and controlled by what the Lord knew. He then realized it
was impossible to escape from such omniscient control, no matter how
far or fast he might go, for God is everywhere. David then stated
that God has such control over him because in His power He created
Him secretly and planned his life with great care. On the basis of
these meditations, David then affirmed his loyalty to God and prayed
for God to prove him by examining him. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
This poem can be divided into four parts: the Lords all
knowing (vv. 1"6); the Lords universal presence (vv. 7"12); the
Lords unlimited power (vv. 13"18); and the Lords holiness (vv.
19"24). [Andrews SB]
This psalm focuses on four great attributes of God: His
knowledge of all things (vv. 1-6), His presence everywhere (vv. 7-12), His
power in the formation of man (vv. 13-18), and His holiness, which
destroys evil men and searches the believer's heart (vv. 19-24). [Ryrie
SB]
David meditates on the omniscience (139:1-6), omnipresence (vv.
7-12), and omnipotence (vv. 13-18) of God. He then applies these truths
to the wicked, whom he calls on God to slay (vv. 19-22), and to
himself, whom he calls on God to examine and to lead (vv. 23-24). [Victor
Bible Readers Companion]
COMMENTARY
Omnipotent is from the Latin omni- ("all") and potent-
("power"), and when the word is applied to God, it means He is
"all-powerful." If God is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1), it follows
that He must have power over all things at all times. God is free to
do anything He wants, and He has the power to do it.
The Bible refers to God as "Almighty" 66 times, and the term
is used exclusively of God, never of another person or thing. God
revealed Himself as almighty to Abraham (Genesis 17:1), Moses (Exodus
6:3), John (Revelation 1:8; 19:6), and all believers (2 Corinthians
6:18).
Many others places in the Bible speak of God's ultimate,
all-powerful nature. Job noted, "I know that you can do all things, and that
no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).
The Psalms are especially insightful regarding God's
omnipotence, offering poetic expressions of His great strength. For example,
Psalm 33:6 states, "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and
by the breath of his mouth all their host." Imagine"the vast
expanse of the universe created by a mere word.
Daniel saw God's power over the lions' mouths (Daniel 6:22).
Daniel's three friends saw His power over the furnace's flames (Daniel
3:24-25). Isaiah's favorite title of God's is "Lord of hosts," i.e., the
Lord of the heavenly armies (Isaiah 6:3, for example). The title
implies a great, transcendent power.
God's omnipotence can be clearly seen in all three Persons of
the one Triune God. God the Father can do all things (Job 42:2). God
the Son holds power over all nature and was involved in its creation
(John 1:2-3; Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus' earthly life was marked by
numerous miracles that further revealed His power over nature, illness,
and demons. God the Spirit was involved in creation (Genesis 1:2)
and empowered believers to share the gospel (Acts 2:41) and perform
miracles (Acts 3:6-10).
The Lord's omnipotence naturally extends over Satan and
demons. Satan had to ask permission to harm Job (Job 1:9-12). Demons
fear God (James 2:19).
We should probably state that there are some things that even
an omnipotent God cannot do. Omnipotence does not mean that God has
the power to lie, for example, or to be illogical. Hebrews 6:18 says
plainly that God cannot lie. Why not? Because He is good. God cannot be
forced to act in a manner contrary to His nature. Also, could God make
2+2=6 instead of 4? Yes, but He created our world in the way He saw
fit, a world in which the natural laws dictate 2+2=4. God does not
lack the power; He has used His power to establish a certain
outcome.
God's power gives us everything we need for life and holy
living (2 Peter 1:3). God doesn't just have power; He has all power. He
created us, sustains us, and grants us power to live for Him. May we
know "his incomparably great power for us who believe" (Ephesians
1:19 NIV). https://www.compellingtruth.org/God-omnipotent.html
God is omnipotent. He has the ability and power to do
anything. Even the Hebrew name for God, El Shaddai, speaks of His power.
El speaks of God, and Shaddai means almighty. His name refers
to His awesome strength and might. Job said, If it is a matter
of power, behold, He is the strong one! (Job 9:19) He realized
that absolute strength and might belong to God alone. The Apostle
John exclaimed, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Revelation 19:6).
Isaiah said of Gods awesome power, The nations are like
a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the
scales; behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Even Lebanon is
not enough to burn, nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All
the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as
less than nothing and meaningless (Isaiah 40:15-17).
When God exercises His power, He does so effortlessly. It is
no more difficult for Him to create a universe than to make a
butterfly. A. W. Tozer wrote:
Since He has at His command all the power in the universe,
the Lord God omnipotent can do anything as easily as anything else.
All His acts are done without effort. He expends no energy that must
be replenished. His self-sufficiency makes it unnecessary for Him
to look outside of Himself for a renewal of strength. All the power
required to do all that He wills to do lies in undiminished fullness in
His own infinite being (The Knowledge of The Holy [New York:
Harper & Row, 1961], p. 73).
Stephen Charnock went on to explain:
The omnipotence of God is His ability and strength to
bring to pass whatsoever He pleases.
Our desires may be " and are " more extensive than our
power, but with God, His counsel shall stand, and He will do all His
pleasure (Isaiah 46:10). You must, in your conception of divine power,
enlarge it further than to think God can do only what He resolves to do.
In truth He has as infinite a capacity to act as He has an infinite
capacity of will to resolve. His power is such that He can do whatever He
pleases without difficulty or resistance; He cannot be checked,
restrained, or frustrated. How worthless His eternal counsels would be if
His power could not execute them. His mercy would be a feeble pity
if He were destitute of power to relieve, His justice a slighted
scarecrow without power to punish, and His promises an empty sound without
the strength to accomplish them (The Existence and Attributes of
God " excerpt from the September/October 1989 issue of
Masterpiecemagazine, p. 10).
Because Gods power is infinite, He does not become
weary or tired (Isaiah 4:28).
People often question what God does, but they dont
understand that He can do anything He wants. The psalmist said, Our God
is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases (Psalms 115:3).
Paul illustrated Gods sovereignty in showing mercy on some (Isaac
and Jacob), while hardening others (Esau and Pharaoh). To the one
who argues with Gods right to make those distinctions, He stated
frankly, Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded
will not say to the molder, Why did you make me like this, will
it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay? (Romans
9:20-21).
Although such power might seem frightful, remember that God
is good. He can do anything according to His infinite ability, but
will do only those things that are consistent with Himself. Thats
why He cant lie, tolerate sin, save impenitent sinners, or punish
the innocent.
https://www.preaching.com/sermons/god-our-omnipotent-god/
The best and clearest illustration of God's power is perhaps
found in creation. http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/xian/omni.html#r1
"In the beginning God created...." This first verse of Scripture
tells us, God is the Creator. There is nothing known to man that God
has not made. He only is "The Great Uncreated!" There is nothing too
difficult or unknown to Him. He has no needs because He is absolutely
perfect! And the really amazing thing is, He wants us to know Him
intimately, in His purity, holiness, wisdom and might. Commit today to spend
time with Him, in His Word and in communication with Him through
prayer. It honors Him, and benefits us. [In His Time; Walk With
Wisdom]
The Creator has plans and purposes for the people He creates.
[Disciple SB re vss. 13-16]
God plans what each individual will be, even before that soul is
born into the world. It is for the individual to decide whether he
will follow the divine blueprint or not. [SDA Bible Commentary re vs.
16]
God is for you. He's not against you, and he's not
indifferent. He made you and shaped you just the way he wanted you to be.
None of your strengths and weaknesses, nothing about your body, none
of it is a mistake. He says you are one who is "called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:7).
If you're naturally quiet and thrive with just a few close
friends, that's God's design for you. If you find joy in walking and your
body can't handle running, that's the way God shaped you. Embrace the
way you're made. Whatever challenges you are facing as you seek to
reach your health goals, he says, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed
you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1).
Consider meditating on these truths so that they sink deep into your
soul.
God formed you, made you, shaped you just the way he wants
you to be, and you have the privilege of living out that shape as
you continue to walk in him. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional re
Isaiah 44:21]
God has made your body with strengths and weaknesses unlike
those of anyone else. You'll get a lot further with your healthy
choices if you take the time to understand the way you were made. For
instance, maybe you have brittle bones - those will affect the kinds of
exercise and supplements you need. Maybe you have a slower metabolism, so
you need different portions of food to flourish. Maybe your knees
can handle running, or maybe they can't, and you'd be better off
swimming. It may be tempting to bemoan all the things that seem like flaws
to you, but God wants you to thank him for making you so
wonderfully complex.
Genuinely thank God for the way your body is made, focusing
on the things you can do and accepting the things that look like
flaws to you. God loves you with all of those features.
You are uniquely made with strengths and weaknesses, both of
which can be used to glorify God. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional
re Psalm 139:14]
David extended his wonder at Gods concern for the
individual to the past and the future. God has been with us, superintending
our development from the womb. Furthermore Gods care reaches on
into the future: to all the days ordained for me, which were
written in Gods book before even one of our days came to be.
How clearly this psalm teaches the significance of individual
life: a significance underlined by Gods careful attention to the
individual from conception, through his fetal stage, into his childhood and
beyond, encompassing every day of the individuals existence. God
knows, even if many today deny, that life begins in the womb and
extends on into eternity. How precious you are to God! And how precious
the unborn. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Power
Those who survive a close lightning strike speak of its
amazing power as do those after an F5 tornado or a 9.0-magnitude
earthquake. All these released large amounts of energy. Potential energy
becomes kinetic energy, hurting people and destroying property - stuff
gets dramatically rearranged. Stuff is matter, and matter has mass.
Until Albert Einstein convincingly persuaded us about the
validity of his most famous but perhaps little understood equation E =
mc2, summarizing the special theory of relativity, most people who
worked with and thought about energy and mass sincerely believed that
they were different and separate entities. Einstein's special theory
inextricably linked the two, showing how a very tiny bit of mass (m) can be
converted into a huge amount of energy (E). Or the equation quantifies the
enormous amounts of energy it takes to produce a tiny bit of mass. The
one factor in the equation that results in the unimaginably huge
amount of energy is that small c representing the speed of light - a
very big number: a little more than 186,000 miles per second (nearly
300 million meters per second). But then, to make that big number
really big, the equation squares it. So mass (m) times the speed of
light multiplied by itself (c2) is the amount of energy that you get.
Obviously a very tiny bit of mass can be lost or destroyed while creating
an enormous amount of kinetic energy (one of the lessons we learned
firsthand with atomic bombs).
Experiments with particle accelerators that smash subatomic
particles together have taught us that, indeed, Einstein's equation works
the other way, too. When we use enormous amounts of energy to
accelerate incredibly tiny particles (small mass) and they collide, more
mass can be "created" at the expense of kinetic energy. Thus particle
physics supports Einstein's special theory and shows how matter (mass)
can be created if we have enough energy to put into the system.
According to the first law of thermodynamics, energy can't be created or
destroyed, but it can be changed from one form to another (the law of
conservation of energy). But where in the world do you get enough energy to
create enough mass to make even a pinhead? A thousand tornadoes
converging on one point isn't sufficient. Neither are a thousand
earthquakes. Only God's word has the energy, the power, needed to create our
universe. What a magnificent and awesome God!
Omnipotent Lord, when You speak, the power is terrifying. I
bow with my face to the ground and worship You who made everything
that has been made. [God of Wonders by David Steen re Hebrews 1:3]
The Earth weighs about seventy-three million million tonnes.
If that seems substantial, consider that Saturn is nearly a hundred
times as heavy; Jupiter is more than three hundred times as heavy; and
the Sun is weighs about as much as a third of a million Earths.
But wait! All that is one tiny, insignificant solar system -
which is very much just the beginning. Astronomical distances are
measured in light-years: one light-year is the distance that light,
travelling at 186 thousand miles per second, can travel in one year. It's
about six million million miles. Our galaxy, called the Milky Way, is
about 100 thousand light-years across, or six hundred thousand million
million miles. If you made a model of the galaxy the same size as the
whole Earth, its scale would be about one in 75 million million scale,
so that your model of the Earth would be about a six-thousandth of
a millimeter across.
But wait! Our galaxy is just one of several in a so-called
``Local Group'' which is about four million light-years across.
But wait! Our Local Group is a part of an elliptically shaped
``Local Supercluster'', consisting of about fifty Local Groups, and
about 100 million light-years across.
But wait! There are many Local Superclusters, including some
which have been detected as much as 600 million light-years away. This
is so far away that if intelligent beings on a planet in that group
were observing the Earth, they'd be seeing with light 600 million
years old - which is long before there were dinosaurs, amphibians or
even fish; or indeed any kind of animal life, so far as we know.
Our galaxy is estimated to contain about a hundred thousand
million stars. Our best instruments can detect about a hundred thousand
million galaxies, so it's not unreasonable to estimate that there are
ten thousand million million million stars like the sun out there -
and maybe many more, beyond the range of our science.
I'd love to go on, but the point is made.
http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/xian/omni.html#gsc.tab=0
While the majority of people believe in some kind of God,
many view Him as being so great that He cannot possibly take a
personal interest in such insignificant creatures as ourselves. Dr. Henry
Norris Russell, one of the great astronomers of this century and a
Christian, once gave a talk on the vastness of the universe. Afterwards,
someone asked him this question: "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR SUCH A GREAT
AND INFINITE GOD TO HAVE TIME FOR ME?" THIS WAS HIS REPLY: "AN
INFINITE GOD CAN DISPATCH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS UNIVERSE IN THE TWINKLING
OF AN EYE, THUS GIVING HIM PLENTY OF TIME FOR YOU."
O Father, help me in the midst of every trial and difficulty
to drop my anchor in this reassuring and encouraging revelation: no
matter what my problem, You always have plenty of time to give to me. I
am so deeply, deeply thankful. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible
with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psalm 139:17]
A professor in a world-acclaimed medical school once posed
this medical situation"and ethical problem"to his students:
"Here's the family history: The father has syphilis. The mother has TB.
They have already had four children. The first is blind. The second
had died. The third is deaf. The fourth has TB. Now the mother is
pregnant again. The parents come to you for advice. They are willing to
have an abortion, if you decide they should. What do you say?"
The students gave various individual opinions, and then the
professor asked them to break into small groups for consultation. All of
the groups came back to report that they would recommend abortion.
"Congratulations," the professor said. "You just took the
life of Beethoven!" [God's Little Devotional Bible re Psa.139:18]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am with you and all around you, encircling you in golden
rays of Light. I always behold you Face to face. Not one of your
thoughts escapes My notice. Because I am infinite, I am able to love you
as if you and I were the only ones in the universe.
Walk with Me in intimate Love-steps, but do not lose sight of
My Majesty. I desire to be your closest Friend, yet I am also your
sovereign Lord. I created your brain with capacity to know Me as Friend
and Lord simultaneously. The human mind is the pinnacle of My
creation, but so few use it for its primary purpose - knowing Me. I
communicate continually through My Spirit, My Word, and My creation. Only
humans are capable of receiving Me and responding to My Presence. You
are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psa. 34;4-6; 2Pe. 1:16,
17; John 17:3; Psa. 139:14) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I designed you to live in union with Me. This union does not
negate who you are; it actually makes you more fully yourself. When you
try to live independently of Me, you experience emptiness and
dissatisfaction. You may gain the whole world and yet lose everything that really
counts.
Find fulfillment through living close to Me, yielding to My
purposes for you. Though I may lead you along paths that feel alien to
you, trust that I know what I am doing. If you follow Me
wholeheartedly, you will discover facets of yourself that were previously
hidden. I know you intimately-far better than you know yourself. In
union with Me, you are complete. In closeness to Me, you are
transformed more and more into the one I designed you to be. (Mark 8:36;
Psalm 139:13-16; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
You are no stranger to Me, dear one. Before I formed you in
the womb I knew you. My knowledge of you has continued without
interruption: through your entrance into this world and onward throughout your
life. I delight in transforming you more and more into the one I
created you to be, much as a skilled potter delights in the work he is
creating.
One implication of My uninterrupted Presence with you is that
you are never alone. I am training you to be increasingly aware of
Me, but I understand that you are human and your attention span is
limited. Sometimes when you are suffering, you may feel as if you're
alone or abandoned. However, I suffered alone on the cross so that you
would never have to be alone in your struggles. You are always with
Me: I hold you by your right hand.
The last enemy you will face is death, but My crucifixion and
resurrection have decimated that foe! So trust Me to guide you through your
life, and afterward take you into Glory. (Jer. 1:5; Psa. 139:16;
73:23, 24) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
All believers who come to understand the attributes of God
discussed in this psalm find them a great source of comfort, and a great
prompting to obey Him. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]
An hour in prayer can give the believer enough power from God to
overcome the second most powerful force in the universe (Isa. 40:31).
http://www.tanbible.com/tol_ill/godomnipotenceof.htm
Sin is the second most powerful force in the universe, for it
sent Jesus to the cross. Only one force is greater-the love of
God. - Billy Graham
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo [old, but one of the best]
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Last Day Prophecy: His Other Sheep by Pastor Gerald Babanezhad:
https://vimeo.com/162267518
