majestic

August 22, 2017

Praise for King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 5:18-5:19)

“‘O king!

The Most High God

Gave your father,

King Nebuchadnezzar,

Kingship,

Greatness,

Glory,

Majesty.

Because of the greatness

That he gave him,

All people,

All nations,

All languages,

Trembled,

As well as feared,

Before him.

He killed those

He wanted to kill.

He kept alive those

He wanted to keep alive.

He honored those

He wanted to honor.

He degraded those

He wanted to degrade.’”

Daniel had high praise for King Nebuchadnezzar, the father or grandfather of King Belshazzar. He mentioned how the Most High God had made his kingdom great, glorious, and majestic. Due to his greatness, the Most High God had the all people, nations, and language groups tremble and fear this king. In fact, King Nebuchadnezzar killed and kept alive whomever he wanted. He honored and degraded whomever he wanted to. In other words, King Nebuchadnezzar was a great powerful king.

September 23, 2016

The rejected servant of Yahweh (Isa 53:1-53:3)

“Who has believed

What we have heard?

To whom has the arm of Yahweh

Been revealed?

He grew up

Like a young plant,

Like a root out of dry ground.

He had no form.

He had no majesty

That we should look at him.

There was nothing in his appearance

That we should desire him.

He was despised.

He was rejected by others.

He was a man of suffering.

He was acquainted with infirmity.

He was as one

From whom others hide their faces.

He was despised.

We held him of no account.”

Second Isaiah asks who believed us. Has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? This suffering servant grew up like a plant or a root from dry earth, not moist soil. This servant was not particularly good looking, not really desirable, and not majestic. In fact, he was despised and rejected by others. He seems to be suffering from some sickness or infirmity. People hid their faces from him as if he was a leper. Most people did not think much of him. Who then is this suffering servant? Is it Israel, Isaiah, or as some Christians project it to Jesus Christ?

November 18, 2015

Majestic Yahweh (Ps 93:3-93:4)

“The floods have lifted up!

Yahweh!

The floods have lifted up their voice.

The floods have lifted up their roaring.

More majestic

Than the thunders of many waters,

More majestic

Than the waves of the sea,

Majestic on high is Yahweh!”

The chaotic flood waters have lifted up their roaring voice. However, more majestic than the thundering waters and the waves of the sea is the majesty of Yahweh.

October 31, 2015

The victory of the God of Jacob (Ps 76:4-76:6)

“Glorious are you!

You are more majestic

Than the everlasting mountains!

The stouthearted were stripped

Of their spoil.

They sank into sleep.

None of the troops

Were able to life a hand.

At your rebuke!

O God of Jacob!

Both rider and horse lay stunned.”

This great victory is probably a reference to the defeat of the Assyrians under King Sennacherib when he tried to attack Jerusalem under King Hezekiah in 2 Kings, chapter 19. This was the time that the angel of Yahweh struck down 185,000 Assyrians in one night. Obviously this made a big impression upon the Israelites. God was glorious and more majestic than the so-called everlasting mountains. The enemy was stripped of their spoils as they sank into a sleep that they never recovered from. Both riders and horses were unable to do battle. Perhaps, the extremely high number of causalities made it difficult to repeat. Clearly the God of Jacob had brought them victory.