Introduction: Years ago my parents took the family on a vacation to Colorado, and I saw the Rocky Mountains. They were much further away, and much larger, than I thought at first glance. It took hours to reach them. I experienced the same phenomenon with skyscrapers in Chicago, when I lived downtown there. I would see the building I wanted to visit. It always was further away than I had imagined. My easy 15 minute walk would turn into an hour. God is like that. We believe in Him, and we think we have an appreciation of Him, but He is greater than we think.
I. He is Greater in Power (Ps. 24:1-2).
Psa 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
Psa 24:2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
We hear the echo of Genesis 1:1..."In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth."
A. The earth itself is a very large place, approximately 25,000 miles in diameter. If you walked 5 miles every day, it would take....
B. There are many verses in the Bible which tell us that God is our Creator.
Neh 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
C. Theologians use the word "omnipotent" to describe the power of God. It means: God is able to do whatever He wants to do. God is also omniscient: He knows all things. And He is omnipresent: He exists everywhere in all His fullness.
D. God's power is greater than we can imagine, not only in the realm of creation, but in our personal lives. We call this the Providence of God.
Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Rom 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
E. God is not against you, He is FOR you. He is on your side. He cares about you, and He intervenes in your life to meet your needs and bring you closer to Him. He sees and cares about every sparrow that falls to the ground, but you are more important. You are the apple of God's eye. God cares about even the number of hairs on your head. His power is greater than you think.
II. He is Greater in Holiness (Ps. 24:3-6)
Psa 24:3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
Psa 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
Psa 24:5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
Psa 24:6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah
A. In Jerusalem, the temple of God was built on a short mountain. Sometimes it is called Mount Zion. Even today we refer to the "temple mount." Why? Because it symbolizes that God is above us, not only in power, but in holiness.
B. When God called Isaiah to be a prophet, and began appearing to him in visions, Isaiah was struck with awe by the holiness of God.
Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Isa 6:2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
Isa 6:3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
Isa 6:4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
Isa 6:5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
C. Isaiah was terrified. Not because God was powerful and he was weak, but because God was completely holy, and he was conscious of his own sinfulness.
D. The Bible often tells us of the holiness of God.
Psa 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
Psa 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
Lev 20:26 You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
Lev 22:32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy
1 Sam 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD;
Rev 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
E. Understanding God's absolute holiness is the key to understanding many other things: our own sinfulness. The necessity of the death of the Son of God. The existence of Hell and eternal damnation. If people don't appreciate God's holiness, then they will not believe in their own sinfulness. They will not believe the world needs a Savior. They will not believe in Hell. But when we get a glimpse of God's holiness, we become like Isaiah, and we fall undone at God's feet.
III. He is Greater in Mercy and Grace.
Every coin has two sides. His mercy and grace are as great as His holiness. If He were ONLY holy, and not gracious, we would be undone. But this absolutely holy God we worship also delights in forgiveness.
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isa 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
2 Chr 30:18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone
2 Chr 30:19 who sets his heart on seeking God--the LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary."
2 Chr 30:20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
Micah 7:19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
IV. He is Greater in His Sovereignty (Ps. 24:7-10).
Psa 24:7 Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Psa 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Psa 24:9 Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Psa 24:10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty-- he is the King of glory.
A. In each of these four verses, God is called "the King of Glory." To be a king, is to rule. What kingdom does God rule? He rules over everything. And how does He rule? Does he rule ineffectively? Does He rule without power? Does Satan thwart God at every turn? Do people disobey God and get away with it? No! His reign is glorious! He is sovereign over all things. He is getting His way, always, though we may not be intelligent enough to understand.
B. Read all of Daniel Chapter Four. Note: the entire book of Daniel illustrates that God is the glorious King over all the nations. History is in His hand. The world is going in the direction that God ordains. History will culminate in the rule of the Son of God over all things.
Dan 4:1 King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly!
Dan 4:2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
Dan 4:3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.
Dan 4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
Dan 4:5 I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
Dan 4:6 So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me.
Dan 4:7 When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me.
Dan 4:8 Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)
Dan 4:9 I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.
Dan 4:10 These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous.
Dan 4:11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
Dan 4:12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
Dan 4:13 "In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
Dan 4:14 He called in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
Dan 4:15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. "'Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.
Dan 4:16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
Dan 4:17 "'The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'
Dan 4:18 "This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."
Dan 4:19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you." Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
Dan 4:20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
Dan 4:21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air--
Dan 4:22 you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
Dan 4:23 "You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'
Dan 4:24 "This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
Dan 4:25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Dan 4:26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
Dan 4:27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
Dan 4:28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 4:29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,
Dan 4:30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Dan 4:31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
Dan 4:32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
Dan 4:33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
Dan 4:34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
Dan 4:35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
Dan 4:36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
Dan 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Conclusion: God is greater than we think. He is greater in power. He is greater in providence. He is greater in His influence in our personal lives. He is greater in holiness. He is greater in mercy. He is glorious in His sovereignty over the entire earth and the march of history. All praises be to God our great and wonderful King. Amen!