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God’s Pre-Eminence
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See also:
- [God’s] Holiness
A failure of many of us in the church today is that we have an inadequate view of God, failing to fully appreciate his pre-eminence. All Christians need to understand and be mindful of God’s surpassing greatness and incomparable capabilities – notably his power, knowledge and wisdom.
God’s Greatness
God is great and awesome
Deut 10:17 [Moses, to the Israelites:] For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe … NET
God is greater than all others
John 10:29 [Jesus:] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. NET
Ps 150:2 [A psalmist, speaking of God:] Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him for his surpassing greatness! NET
God is exalted above all others
Ps 113:4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations; his splendor reaches beyond the sky. NET
There is no one like God . . .
Jer 10:6-7 [Jeremiah:] I said, “There is no one like you, Lord. You are great. And you are renowned for your power. 7Everyone should revere you, O King of all nations, because you deserve to be revered. For there is no one like you among any of the wise people of the nations nor among any of their kings. NET
. . . God does things which show that there is no one like him
Isa 40:22-26 God is the one who rules the whole earth, and we that live here are merely insects. He spread out the heavens like a curtain or an open tent. 23God brings down rulers and turns them into nothing. 24They are like flowers freshly sprung up and starting to grow. But when God blows on them, they wilt and are carried off like straw in a storm. 25The holy God asks, “Who compares with me? Is anyone my equal?” 26Look at the evening sky! Who created the stars? Who gave them each a name? Who leads them like an army? The Lord is so powerful that none of the stars are ever missing. CEV
God is in fact beyond our comprehension
Job 36:26 Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge! The number of his years is unsearchable. NET
Job 11:7-9 Can you discover the essence of God? Can you find out the perfection of the Almighty? 8It is higher than the heavens – what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol – what can you know? 9Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. NET
The extent of God’s being and attributes are far beyond our understanding.
God’s Power (I): Ultimate Power
God is mighty in power . . .
Ps 106:8 Yet he [God] saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. ESV
Eph 3:20 [Paul, to believers:] Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. GW
. . . God is Almighty
Rev 15:3b “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! ESV
The words translated as “Almighty” are understood by many to convey God’s all-surpassing, infinite power (or omnipotence) and his sovereignty.
God can do all things – nothing is too hard
Job 42:2 [Job, to God:] I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ESV
Luke 1:36-37 [The angel Gabriel, to Mary:] Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37Nothing is impossible for God! CEV
God does whatever pleases him
Ps 135:6 He does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the ocean depths. NET
God’s power is far superior to that of anyone else . . .
2Chr 20:6 He [Jehoshaphat] prayed: “O Lord God of our ancestors, you are the God who lives in heaven and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you. NET
Eph 1:18b-19 [Paul, to believers:] … that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength. NET
. . . No being can do what God can do
Ps 86:8 [David:] No god is like you, O Lord. No one can do what you do. GW
Power in fact belongs to God
Rev 19:1 [John, describing a vision:] After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a large crowd in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God. ISV
Verses which speak of power as belonging to God, point to him as having ultimate power and being all-powerful – and even as being the ultimate source of all power.
God’s Power (II): His Deeds
God’s great power is shown in his deeds
Ps 77:14 [A psalmist, to God:] You alone work miracles, and you have let nations see your mighty power. CEV
God performs great and awesome deeds
Joel 2:21 Do not fear, my land! Rejoice and be glad, because the Lord has accomplished great things! NET
Isa 64:3 [Isaiah, to God:] When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. NET
God’s deeds are largely incomprehensible
Job 37:5, 15 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. … 15Do you know how God commands them [clouds], how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud? NET
Eccl 8:17 [A wise teacher:] … then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it. NET
The phrase “what happens on earth” alludes to the earlier phrase “all that God has done”. No one really comprehends all this, that God does.
God’s deeds are uncountable
Job 5:9 [Eliphaz, speaking of God:] He does great and unsearchable things, marvelous things without number; … NET
God is glorified in his powerful deeds
Ps 86:9-10 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. ESV
God is glorified through his powerful deeds partly in that people glorify him (v. 9), in response to his deeds.
God’s Knowledge and Wisdom
God knows everything
1Jn 3:20b God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. NET
Job 37:16 [Elihu, to Job:] Do you know about the balancing of the clouds, that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge? NET
God sees all people, seeing and knowing all that they do . . .
Ps 33:13-15 The Lord watches from heaven; he sees all people. 14From the place where he lives he looks carefully at all the earth’s inhabitants. 15He is the one who forms every human heart, and takes note of all their actions. NET
Ps 139:2-3 [David, to God:] You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. 3You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. NET
. . . No one can hide themselves or what they do from God
Job 34:21-22 God’s eyes are on a person’s ways. He sees all his steps. 22There’s no darkness or deep shadow where troublemakers can hide. GW
God knows all people’s “hearts” and minds
Ps 44:21 God would have known, because he knows what is in our hearts. NCV™
Ezek 11:5b This is what the Lord says: ‘This is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; I know what goes through your minds. NET
God knows the future
Isa 46:10 [God, to Israel:] From the beginning I revealed the end. From long ago I told you things that had not yet happened, saying, “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.” GW
God has incredible wisdom
Ps 147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom. NET
God’s knowledge and wisdom is far superior to that of people – beyond our comprehension . . .
Isa 40:13-14, 28b Who has known the mind of the Lord or been able to give him advice? 14Whom did he ask for help? Who taught him the right way? Who taught him knowledge and showed him the way to understanding? … 28… No one can understand how great his wisdom is. NCV™
. . . God knows much that people do not know
Deut 29:29a [Moses, to the Israelites:] There are some things the Lord our God has kept secret, but there are some things he has let us know. NCV™
1Ki 8:39b [Solomon, to God:] Only you know what is in everyone’s heart. NCV™
Note: God can take away worldly wisdom
1Cor 1:19b [God:] “I will cause the wise men to lose their wisdom; I will make the wise men unable to understand.” NCV™
Addendum: God’s ‘Name’
In biblical times, a person’s name represented or embodied their whole person – including their nature, authority and even their purpose or significance. This is highlighted by references to the “name” of the person.
Thus when used in regard to such things as God’s interaction with his people, references to God’s “name” are understood as being synonymous with God himself. For example, God’s “name” is used in expressing God’s presence amongst his people and also his care of them. Furthermore, God’s people are said to do such things as trust in, fear, love and praise his “name”.
God’s “name” is synonymous with God himself
Isa 48:9a, 11a [God:] For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, … 11For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it … NKJV
Here and in the following verse, God’s “name” is shown to be synonymous with God himself by the same or similar things being done in regard to God and also to his “name”.
Ps 18:49 [David:] For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name. ESV
God’s “name” is synonymous with his presence
1Ki 9:3 And the Lord said to him [Solomon], “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. ESV
Note that the “house” refers to the temple that Solomon had built for God.
God’s “name” is synonymous with God in him helping his people
Ps 20:1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! ESV
God’s “name” is synonymous with God in people relating to him
Ps 116:13 [A psalmist:] I will celebrate my deliverance, and call on the name of the Lord. NET
God’s “name” is correlated with his authority and power
Dan 9:6 [Daniel, to God:] We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our rulers, our ancestors, and our whole nation. GNT
John 10:25b [Jesus:] The deeds I do in my Father’s name testify about me. NET
Jesus performed his miracles in the “name” of his Father – i.e. by the “authority” (CEV, GNT) or “power” (AMP) of God.
God’s “name” is holy
Luke 1:49 [Mary:] God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy. CEV
God’s “name” is great
Ps 99:3a [A psalmist, to God:] Let them praise your great and awesome name! NET
God’s “name” is glorious and exalted
Neh 9:5b May you be blessed, O Lord our God, from age to age. May your glorious name be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. NET
Note: God declared his actual name to be the “Lord”
Ex 34:5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses, and the Lord called out his name: the Lord. NCV™
Ex 3:13-15 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. ESV
“Lord” (v. 15) can be derived from “I AM” (v. 14). For the actual Hebrew that is rendered as “Lord” is “YHWH” (most likely pronounced “Yahweh”) and it “is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be” (NASB text note) to which “I AM” is also related. Note that “I AM WHO I AM” (v. 14) may well have the sense: “I will be who I will be” (cf. NIV text note). This title and its shortened form “I AM” (v. 14) appear to express God’s unchanging nature, self-existence, self-determination and omnipresence.