BOWING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.

Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?

Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

Psalm 114

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Look at the world around you today and you’ll see a world in chaos in many places. Most of the time, this is because of governments that have decided to go down the path of instability and conflict, both internally and externally. Whether we’re talking about civil unrest, financial declines, or outright threats of some form of destructive action against other nations, we see in too many cases a world that has chosen to follow their own desires and plans, desires and plans that are contrary to the will and expectations of the God who brought all things into being. It’s a sad state of affairs and I often wonder how long God is going to put up with the apostasy of the nations and their peoples.

It’s into this world climate that I feel the 114th Psalm brings a very timely world as well as an ominous warning. Look at the words of the psalmist:

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.

Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?

Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

In the world’s earliest days, we see examples of how God’s power and might were respected. And we’re reminded of how not respecting God’s authority will lead to destruction.

Note that the scripture passage draws us back to Israel’s escape from the oppressive hold of Pharaoh and the Egyptians who were considered a strong and formidable fighting force of the day. Note the imagery of how the sea fled at the presence of God as He parted the waters to allow the Israelites to get away on dry land. The imagery here is of a submissive response to the presence of the Lord Most High, the sea giving way in respect to the One who created it, setting the captive Israel free.

Now note what happened to the Pharaoh and his Egyptians who failed to submit to God after ten plagues and stubbornly pursued Israel as if they would somehow triumph over God.

What happened?

You’ll recall that the seas that submitted to God and His authority collapsed upon the Egyptians and their leader, washing them away in waves of divine destruction. So much for their alleged strength.

Fast forward a little bit to the deliverance of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. In Exodus, we’re given a description of this:

Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. Exodus 19:18

Note that the power of God was such that the mountains trembled at His presence. The mountain was covered in smoke as the Lord descended in a fiery arrival to deliver His expectations to His people. It had to be quite an experience for all who were there and as we read about it in the scriptures, we should try and imagine being in the midst of it, realizing fully how incredibly phenomenal the power of the Lord really is.

And we should keep in mind this same authority and might are present today, ever ready to be leveraged against anyone who would choose to oppose the Lord God Almighty. If He can move mountains. Then He surely can move an entire nation and world anytime he chooses.

The psalm also reminds us of another miraculous display of the Lord’s strength. You may recall this action He took on behalf of His people Israel during their wilderness journey:

Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. Numbers 20:2-11

Seas parted. Mountains trembling. And now a rock producing water.

Is there any doubt as to how amazing God is? And is there any doubt that God can do all things? As scripture and the words of Jesus remind us, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Friends, we need to bow down and worship the magnificent power and awesome majesty of the Lord. If the seas part and mountains tremble, how much more should we submit to God’s presence in our own lives?

It’s time the world takes note again and returns to granting the Lord the honor, glory, and respect He deserves. For no nation or person will ever rival God. Many have tried and fallen as evidenced by history as the mightiest empires in the world’s eyes crumbled and fell. And you can be certain that many more will try and fall in the future.

In the end translation, it’s time for the world to wake up and bow down to the presence of the Lord. He demands it and He deserves it. Nations can either do it on their own or God will bring them down before Him. Rest assured of that.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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