The Awesome God

Psalms 119:118-20 You have rejected all those who wander from Your statutes, For their deceitfulness is useless.  You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross; Therefore I love Your testimonies.  My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.

•  Rejected:  to tread down, to treat as worthless, to put out, to refuse to accept
• Wander:  to stray; to morally transgress
• Deceitfulness:  fraud
• Useless:  untruth; sham; a lie
• Removed:  same root word for Sabbath, a word designating the time set aside for rest;
• Wicked:  morally wrong; condemned
• Dross:  the word suggests waste or excrement as well as the dross from metals; it is symbolic of moral and religious corruption and apostasy.
• Testimonies:  Faithful witnesses, as in a court room
• Trembles: bristles, as hair that stands up on the back of your neck or arm
• Fear:  sudden alarm or terror
• Afraid:  to fear with great reverence and awe
• Judgments:  judicial verdicts

As sure as the believer’s Lifesaver is, so sure is the death and destruction of those who turn from His grace and mercy.  While it is easy to hold tightly to the image of Jesus as our Life-preserver, it is only part of the Whole God.  Safely upheld in the arms of His Savior, the psalmist peers into the future of those who are around him.  They experience the same anchors pulling them down toward hell and the same waves that threaten to suck the breath from their lungs, and yet they are refusing the only thing that will keep them afloat.  He recognizes the amazing and awful fact that the same God who keeps him safe must also let those who reject His Life-Saver drown in their own sins. The word awesome does not mean “cool” or “the best”, as it is used today.  It refers to something that inspires fear.  Our God is THE Awesome God who inspires great fear and reverence, because He is the All-powerful and Sovereign God.

Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.

 (Revelation 19:11-21) And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. 

What a politically incorrect vision of a Savior!  Our Americanized version seems to prefer an effeminate, oooey-gooey, soft and sweet Jesus who has no power, no strength and no ability to enforce anything.  Yet, the psalmist was led to a deeper faith and appreciation for his God because he understood His Awesome nature.  It’s value is insurmountable.  There is nothing more terrifying than for a small child to see a beloved Father engaged in a violent confrontation with one who threatens His family.  And so it should be.  Both love and reverence grow as our understanding of God deepens.  Who wants to serve a God that is as wishy washy as the waves of the sea, tossed around by futile emotions brought on by the disrespectful rebellion of silly children who should know better?  I certainly don’t.  Give me a Dread Champion who stands strong by my side and fearlessly slays the enemy!  Yes, I may be cowering behind His robe, but there is no safer place for me, so I’ll take The Awesome God any day of the week.

Lord God, even now we are beginning to see Your hands being lifted from preserving our nation who has repeatedly rejected Your ways.  You have warned, and we have not listened.  I cannot help but look to the future and be a bit fearful.  For I know that the punishment of the wicked will affect me, for I live in the land.  Keep my eyes upon You as I see You exercise Your faithful holy discipline.  Don’t let me pale in terror or in despair of my own safety.  Let me know You more and may my love and reverence abound in direct proportion as I see You as the Faithful, True, Righteous and Awesome Judge Who Wages War with the wicked but loves His kids.