The Greatness of God – Revisited

I wrote this article four years ago in response to a conversation I had with my youngest daughter but as I read through it again this week its point took on new meaning. Many, right now are anxious and worried about the outcome of the Presidential Election and its ramifications for our country. Who will occupy the White House for, at least, the next four years? It is an important question and one we should diligently consider before we cast a vote, but in the middle of this election we must not forget who it is that sits enthroned in heaven. God sovereignly rules over all of creation including who gets elected President of the United States. Let us consider the greatness of God during this time in our nation’s history.

In Chapter 40 of Isaiah, the prophet paints a clear picture of the greatness of God. In verses 12-14, we find several rhetorical questions which I will present to you now.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

13 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?

14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

Friends, do you see the greatness of God in the answers to these questions? Do you see just how big he is? God alone has measured the waters of his creation in the hollow of his hand. Think about that truth for just one moment.  The oceans that continue beyond what the eye can see are held in the hand of God. The rivers that flow for miles are held in the hand of God. By comparison, how much water can you hold in the hollow of your hand? Not much! Now think about how many of your hands full of water it would take to fill one ocean or one river. Yet, God measured the waters in the hollow of his hand.

He also marked off the heavens with a span. A span is the length from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your pinky finger. So, in one span God marked off the heavens.  If the reality of this measurement doesn’t register go outside and open your hand as wide as you can and hold it up to the sky.  Get the picture?  God measured the heavens in one span.  The awesome nature of this fact was brought home to me the other day when my youngest child mentioned that God measured the heavens with one hand. I responded positively to her comments and then she said, “Daddy, that would be like twelve of your hands, wouldn’t it?” I paused for a moment and smiled at her assessment of the size of my hands and then measured twelve of my spans along the side of her bed.  Much to her surprise twelve of my hands only measured the length of her bed not the expanse of the heavens.  Her eyes grew wide with amazement  and she said, “Wow, God must be really big!” I could only reply with, “Yes, sweetie, he is really big.”

Isaiah continues to paint his picture of the greatness of God by pointing out that God has captured the dust of the earth in a single measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance. How can that be? How is this possible? It is only possible for God.  He alone has power over the created order. He alone is great enough to set mountains on a scale and hills in a balance. There is no other like him.

Who is it that can measure the Spirit of the LORD? No one!  Who is it that would give counsel to God or offer him advice? No one! There is no one from whom God would seek counsel.  There is no one from whom God would seek advice or suggestions.  God alone is infinitely wise. God alone is omniscient and omnipotent.  There is no one God consulted in the decisions he has made.  There is no one who helps God understand. There is no one who has explained justice to God or showed him what justice should look like.  There is no one who has taught God. No one has helped God understand.

You see friends, these questions should cause us to stop and consider the greatness of God.  We must first see his greatness ourselves and then we must help others around us see his greatness as well.  In our conversations, let us strive to paint a big picture of God in order that, like my daughter, we may exclaim, “Wow, God must be really big!”

May the reality of God’s greatness bring peace and assurance in what we may see as uncertain times.

By His Grace Alone,

Josh