The Unmatchable Power of Our God

Psalm 114 - Riley Boggs

Right now we are all sitting in a church building that is roughly 2,000 square feet. And the county in which this building sits, Barren County, is roughly 500 square miles. That means that the building we currently sit in makes up about 0.000014% of the county that we live in. And our county sits in the state of Kentucky, which is about 40,408 square miles. That means that the county we live makes up roughly 1.24% of the state we live in. Now the United States of America is about 3.8 million square miles, meaning that Kentucky makes up about 1.1% of our country. And then the Earth itself is approximately 197 million square miles, meaning that our country makes up about 1.87% of our planet. Now if that too hard to comprehend already, buckle up.

Earth sits on the outer edge of a galaxy known as The Milky Way. Now you can’t measure a galaxy in miles because there isn’t a measurable surface. But, if you were to just measure from one side to the other, then you would come up with 100,000 light-years in diameter. And since 1 light year is roughly 5.88 trillion miles, that means that from one side to the other would be about 588 with 17 zeros miles. Our galaxy sits in a universe that we cannot see the end of, it’s too large. But, if you were to just consider that which is observable through the incredible telescopes, it is 93 billion light-years in diameter, meaning that our galaxy makes up only a microscopic amount of it.

Now pretend with me for a moment that the entire observable universe was the size of the Pacific Ocean. That 93 billion light-years of diameter was scaled down to just the size of the ocean off the west coast of the United States. Let’s say that it was all shrunk down to scale and was that size. If that were the case, then the room in which we sit would be smaller than a single atom in that ocean. In fact, it would be 10 to the 37th power (that’s 37 zeroes) times smaller than a single atom. Put very simply, the universe we are in is far larger than our minds can comprehend.

Now let’s be honest. At some point, when you are trying to quantify just how large the universe is, the numbers start to almost mean nothing. The difference between 100 light years and 1 million light years, though it is an incredible difference, becomes so incomprehensible that it doesn’t seem that significant. And if that’s true of things you can quantify and count up, then how much more does it happen with things that we can’t quantify. And more specifically, how much more does this happen when it comes to how we think about God.

I can’t remember who, but someone once said this. “In the beginning, God created man in His image. Ever since then, man has been trying to return the favor.” I think that is true. Because we cannot quantify God, we are prone to making Him out to be like man, or at least the greatest man we can imagine. You cannot see God or measure God, so we just go to what we know and try to scale it up. For example, the Bible says that God is good, and so we look around to see what good men look like, and we imagine God to be the best version of that. We read that God is love, and so we look to see great acts of love from mankind, and we imagine God to be the greatest version of that.

The issue is that God is not like this. He is not the greatest possible man. He is categorically different. Our minds cannot comprehend His greatness. We cannot comprehend the universe which has boundaries, how much less can we comprehend our God who is limitless. Nonetheless, we try to make sense of Him, and the sense that we do make is far too small. In turn, we make God out to be less than He is. And that is where the danger really begins. Because what happens is that if you, in your mind and heart, make God to be less than He is, then you are less likely to trust Him. Not only that, but you are less likely to worship Him, obey Him, and everything, all as a direct result of thinking far too little of Him. A god who is basically just the best version of mankind isn’t a God who can be trusted with your entire life. A god who is just the sum of the goodness of mankind isn’t worthy of your endless worship and obedience. But, of course, God is far greater than that, which is why He is worthy of all your trust, worship, and obedience. The issue is not with Him, but with our finite understanding of Him.

I wish I could sit here and tell you that there was a quick an easy solution to this, but the reality is that there isn’t. There is no quick fix to permanently thinking of God in the right way at all times. But what I can tell you is that God, is His kindness, has given us His Word that tells us how we can go about guarding ourselves against this kind of thing, against a short-sighted view of Him. And in the Psalm we are looking at this morning specifically, I think we get an example of how we should do this. More specifically, I think this Psalm is showing us how we can grow in our understanding of God’s infinite power, and as a result, learn to trust and love Him all the more.

The way that this Psalm is structured is interesting. Maybe you picked up on it as we read through, but if not, let me show you how it is laid out. In the first 2 verses there is a story being told. A story that would have certainly been familiar to the Israelites in the Old Testament, and is likely familiar to many of you all who have been in church for some time. It is the story of God delivering Israel out of slavery from the Egyptians. I won’t ask you to turn there just yet, though we will in a little bit, but you find can find this story in the earlier chapters of the book of Exodus. God promises to deliver the Israel out of bondage and through plagues and eventually the parting of the Red Sea, He does so. This event was a redemptive event where God rescued the people that He promised to rescue, and it was an event that Israel often called to mind. Throughout the Old Testament this story is recounted time and time again, as a reminder of who God is and what He has done for them. And again, here in Psalm 114, we see that recalling of this Exodus in verses 1-2.

After this, in verses 3-4, the Psalmist poetically personifies how creation responded to this event. He says that the sea looked and fled, and that Jordan turned back. He says that the mountains skipped like Rams, and the hills like a lamb. Then, in verses 5-6, the Psalmist poses a question and ask why is it that creation is responding in this way. He asks why is it that the sea has fled, that Jordan has turned back? And why is it that the mountains skip like rams, and the hills like lambs? Of course the Psalmist is not asking this question because he does not know the answer, but rather because he wants to answer it himself, which he does in verses 7-8.

And the way that the Psalmist answers this question is with an imperative. An imperative is a command, not just a statement. An example of this would be if you read, “A storm is coming”. That declarative statement isn’t calling you to do anything. With that information, you could choose to do something, but the statement itself isn’t calling you to an action. On the other hand, what if you read, “Run, a storm is coming!” See how that changes things? Now you have an imperative, a call to action. Not only are you informed that the storm is coming, but you are being moved to an action because of it.

Well this is how the Psalmist chooses to answer the question that he himself posed. He asks, why is creation responding to this Exodus event in this way? The answer, in verses 7-8, is “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.” In other words, creation itself is seeing the splendor and majesty of God, the very presence of the Lord, and is moved to trembling. And not only that, but the Psalmist, in this imperative answer, is calling the reader to do the very same thing.

This Psalm, I think, had a specific purpose for the nation of Israel during this time. This Psalm was written and used to serve as a reminder of what God had done for them. It was written and used so that the people of God might not only remember, but respond in way that shows that they have indeed remembered.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by this. Let’s say you are on your way to a job interview, and you are pretty nervous about it. You’re running through what you want to say and ask, and the more you do so, the more you find yourself becoming a little anxious about the whole ordeal. But then, as you’re driving there, you get a phone call from the person in your life who you are closest to. Maybe your spouse or a friend or a parent. You answer the phone, and they say, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I love you, I’m praying for you, and though I want you to get this job, if you don’t, I’ll still love you, so don’t worry.” In that moment, you’ve been reminded of something that just might change the whole way you are approaching the situation. You might be less anxious and more confident, because you know that the outcome doesn’t change who you are or how that person cares about.

Now take the imperfect example and try to apply the principals to this Psalm. There are many times throughout the history of Israel where this Psalm might have been brought up. Maybe it was in the good days, where things seemed to be going well, and they were reminded to not grow arrogant, but instead remember that it is God who delivered them, and it is God who they must worship. Maybe it was in the hard days, the days of wondering aimlessly in the wilderness. Amidst their suffering, as this Psalm is called to mind, they are reminded that there is more than their circumstances are showing. They are reminded of what God has done for them, what He can do for them, and are comforted. That’s just 2 examples of the endless situations that this Psalm could have found itself coming to mind.

This morning, I want this Psalm to do the same for each person here today. I want it to be a reminder for you of who God is, and then from that, I want it to move you to trust in God more than you did before this morning.

I have 2 points for us that I believe sum up what this Psalm pointing to, but I am also trusting that the Spirit knows each and every circumstance you all find yourself in, and will apply it in the way that He sees fit. So, with that being said, the first thing that we are to be reminded of is this…

1.) God’s power is evident through His mighty works

As I mentioned just a few minutes ago, this Psalm is a recalling of when God delivered Israel out of the hands of the Egyptians. That is very clear from verse 1, as the Psalmist recalls this Exodus. But then even further, in verse 2, the Psalmist is reminding us that not only did God deliver them in this way, but He chose to dwell among them; Judah His sanctuary, Israel His dominion. In other words, God’s redemptive purpose for His people is displayed not only in His delivering of Israel, but His dwelling with Israel. God’s redemption is all-encompassing.

Now I want you to see exactly what it is that the Psalmist is recalling, or at least the end of it, because I think it will help paint the image in our minds. So, if you want to, turn with me briefly to Exodus 12 and sort of follow along as we go through this story. At this time, Israel is in captivity in Egypt, and they have been calling out to God to deliver them. And God hears their pleas and decides to take action. First, He has Moses simply go to Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, and tell him that He must let them go. Pharoah refuses to do, and this happens a handful of times, until God says that He will bring 10 plagues upon Egypt unless He will let them go. Pharaoh still refuses.

So, the plagues begin. Water turns to blood, there are an overwhelming amount of frogs, gnats, and flies, and so on. Until finally, the 10th plague is told, where every firstborn son of Egypt will die, unless Pharaoh lets God’s people go. Pharaoh still refuses, the Lord makes provision for the firstborn son of Israelites within Egypt, and then all of the firstborn sons of Egypt die at midnight. As this happens, Pharaoh wakes up and realizes what has happened, and calls for Moses and Aaron to come to him. And then they get to him, Pharaoh says, (you can find this in Exodus 12:31-32) “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!” In other words, it at least seems that Pharaoh has finally given in. He has come to see that God will utterly wipe them out if he does not obey His command to let them go.

Unfortunately, though, the story does not end here. See as Israel begins to leave, at some point, Pharaoh regrets letting them go. In chapter 14 verse 5 he says, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” and then he readies his chariot and his army, and they begin to pursue the fleeing Israelites. They pursue them and eventually trap the Israelites. They have them surrounded on all sides, except one side, the Red Sea. The Israelites see this and are sure that they are as good as dead. They cry out to God and essentially ask Him why He delivered them just to have them die at their hands where they stand. Moses hears their complaining and looks to them and starting in verse 13 says, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” In other words, he tells them to have faith, for God will finish the deliverance He began, and He’s right.

Then God tells Moses to lift His staff and stretch out his hand over the sea, and God will divide it. He will make a dry path through this sea so that Israel might go to the other side, safely. And sure enough, as Moses stretches out his hand over the sea, God parts the waters, and Israel crosses the Red Sea. But that’s not all. As the Egyptians follow behind them down this dry path, He tell Moses to stretch out his hand from the other side, and the walls of water will come crashing down upon them. Moses does so and all of the Egyptians who had pursued Israel perished in under the waves of the Sea.

And then, after this glorious picture of God’s deliverance, we read this, starting in verse 30 of chapter 14. “ Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” Through this mighty work, God’s power was put on display, and Israel believed and feared the Lord. This was the event that is being recalled here by the Psalmist. And as I mentioned, not only here, but all throughout the Old Testament this event is recalled as an example of God’s great power.

For each of us, we need to have events to call to mind such as this one. A time where God has worked mightily in your life or in the lives of others around you. An event that you can call to mind, to remember just how powerful and capable your God is. For me, it is a time where God gave me joy during a season that by all standards seemed absolutely joyless. On my own, I was incapable of seeing any good or hope around me. It seemed that the light at the end of the tunnel had faded away. And yet, God, in a display of His great power, gave me joy that surpassed even my own understanding.

Maybe you all have a similar event to recall. Maybe the moment you should call to mind is when God saved you. When, no credit to yourself, He opened your eyes to your sin, pursued you, and lavished on you His grace and mercy. Maybe it is when He saved that friend or family member who you thought was too far gone. Maybe it is when God healed your heart of bitterness or sadness that felt inescapable. Whatever it is, recall that mighty work of God that revealed to you His power.

And for all of us, we can recall the death burial and resurrection of our Lord. He died on the cross, bore our sins, was placed in a tomb, and then, in the greatest display of power in all of history, He rose from the dead. He defeated death and sin, and bought for us forgiveness and resurrection life. The mightiest of acts, to which nothing can ever compare. Call that to mind.

I think that is what this Psalm is leading us to do, to recount the mighty acts of God that show us the great power of our God. But not just so that we can cognitively remember those events, but so that we will be comforted by Him, and in turn, trust Him more. That’s the second point I have for us this morning.

2.) God’s power should be a comfort to His people

I love how this Psalmist personifies creation in verses 3-4. It’s almost a funny image that it being painted. This mighty sea turns around and sees little Moses standing there with his hand reached up and flees. And then the mountains see the water fleeing and they are like, “Wait what’s going on?” and they too see little ole Moses standing down there, and they begin skipping away. The Psalmist is doing this intentionally so that the person reading this would not minimize the power of God being put on display. It is so grand, so awesome, that creation itself flees when they see the One who holds this power shows up.

Now, power can be a scary thing in the hands of the wrong person. For example, it is estimated that there are about 9,700 active nuclear warheads in existence today. Some of them are the in countries we might call “the good guys”, some of the are in the hands of those who we might call “the bad guys.” But all of them are in the hands of sinful, greedy, prideful humans. And that alone is a bit scary. That is a lot of so-called power sitting in the hands of a people who under no circumstances deserve that much power.

The good news about God’s power is two-fold. First, God controls all the power in the world. God is able to withhold any power that He desires, and in that sense, all things are utterly powerless compared to Him. Secondly, God is good and has promised to use His power for the good of His people. And because of that, when we think about the power of God, it shouldn’t lead us to a place of fear, as in we are scared of how mighty God is. But rather it should bring us immense comfort knowing that the strong One who holds us is the same One who loves us and intentionally cares for our every need. And that is precisely why we need these events to recall, so that instead of falling into worry, we would fall into the arms of our Father, who has promised to protect us.

That doesn’t mean that God’s power and presence shouldn’t cause us to tremble. The Psalmist rightly commands that the whole Earth ought to tremble at the presence of the Lord because of what He is able to do. But the reason that we tremble is not out of fear of being hurt by Him, but because He is so inescapably glorious. He is other-than. He is wonderful in ways we cannot conceive. We tremble in adoration, not in terror.

So, what we must do, what the Psalmist is calling us to do, is to remember this. Remember the mighty acts of God that show His incredible power, and then let those reminders lead you to a place of comfort. A place of complete trust and relinquishing of the control you want on all your circumstances. The One who is able, is for you. He is the Deliver and Redeemer, the Provider and Protector. Look through the pages of God’s Word and see the kind of God He is. See His power and His love. Think through your own story and the stories you have heard from others, and consider what kind of God He is. See His grace and His mercy that knows no end. Remember these things and trust Him completely.

As we close I want to read to you Paul’s words out of Romans 8. Turn there with me and read along, starting in verse 31. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes, “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.  35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We will never truly comprehend just how amazing that is, and yet, it is our reality. This morning we are going to come to the table to simply try and remember it a little bit more. We are going to come to the table and partake of the elements, so that we might cast our minds on the reason that any of this is true. That is that Jesus came and died for us, so that we might reconciled to a Holy God.