Our Incomparable, Sovereign, Holy, and Majestic God

For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods (Psalm 96:4). Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, Who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto Thee (Psalm 71:19)!

From the book, Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer indicates that we have lost the once-lofty concept of the majesty of God. Our text reveals that our God, though He is the sovereign God of the universe, recognizes that there are other gods, only because many have chosen to create their own gods.

Dagon was one such god, worshipped by the Philistines at Ashdod (I Samuel 5:1-5) and Gaza (Judges 16:21, 23). The Hebrew word “dagon” simply means “grain,” indicating that the Philistines may have worshipped him as the god of agriculture. In Samuel’s era, the cult of Dagon has spread throughout Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine.

You will remember that the Philistines took the ark of God from the people of God and placed it beside their god at Ashdod. Israel had put their trust in the ark of God instead of the Person of God. As a result, the people of Israel recognized that the glory of God had departed from Israel (I Samuel 4:19-22).

The Philistines took the ark and set it beside the image of Dagon and when they arose the following morning, Dagon had fallen on its face to the ground broken before the ark of the Lord. Even Satan knows who God actually is. God then ravaged the Philistines and they quickly decided that they better get the Ark of God out of their land. It is interesting that they determined Israel’s God to be far greater than their own and yet they continued to worship this fake god.

The Israelites often departed from following after God to worship the false god Baal. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth (Judges 2:13). When man chooses to reject God, then he automatically worships another god, which often becomes himself.

As Christians, we must daily seek to know God more intimately. Again, Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” (Knowledge of the Holy, p.9).

The psalmist gives us so many statements as to who God is. What kind of an image of God do these convey in your mind?

1. God is all-knowing and ever present (Psalm 139).
2. Remember His marvelous works, His wonders, and His judgments (Psalm 105:5).
3. He is our Creator and sustainer (Psalm 8, 104, 148).
4. He is a God of glory (Psalm 19:1).
5. His law is perfect, converting the soul (Psalm 19:7).
6. He is a good and generous God (Psalm 34:8; 107:1).
7. He is great and sovereign (Psalm 33:6-20; Psalm 89:6).
8. He hears our prayers (Psalm 34:4).
9. He is a God of mercy (Psalm 89:1).
10. He is a God Who forgives our sins (Psalm 32; 51).
11. He is loving and faithful (Psalm 23).
12. He is holy (Psalm 3:4; 16:10; 33:21; 71:22).
13. He is powerful (Psalm 21:13; Psalm 62:11).
14. He is willing to reveal His will to His children (Psalm 1; 19; 119).
15. He is righteous and just (Psalm 71; 143).

These are merely samples of what is in the psalms. For a great, inspirational study, read through the book of psalms and record every mention of God’s being. It will not only amaze you, but cause you to worship Him as well. Many of these characteristics of God were composed in a variety of circumstances. While our circumstances may be a little different from the different writers of the psalms, they clearly convey what we can expect in our relationship to Him.

God is not like anybody or anything. We must not think of Him in relationship to what is already in our minds for that causes us to end up with an idol. We must be careful not to reduce him into manageable terms. We must keep in mind that our creation and salvation is so that we may serve and glorify Him. We are His instruments and we must remember that He is the Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8). Let us meditate on that thought today and humble ourselves before Him as both LORD and Savior.

George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.