God the Father
GOD’S OMNIPOTENCE
God the Father
GOD’S OMNIPOTENCE
This means that our God does not “wane.” Any discussion of God is hampered for many reasons. Perhaps the most significant one lies in our lack of comprehension. When we are confronted with the fact of God’s existence, as was Job, we are often moved to respond as he did: “I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” (Job 42:3)
Another difficulty in discussing God is that He is simultaneously what we must discuss sequentially. God is at the same time omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent but, we must discuss these features one after the other. While we do this, we should try to retain in our thoughts that God is, knows, and acts continuously, simultaneously. His existence never ends, His knowledge never lacks, and His power never wanes.
Our hope of understanding God more fully lies not in our cunning ability to ferret Him out but in His willingness to have something of Himself revealed to us. We should be grateful that He had done just that in nature (His creation), in Christ (His Son), and in the Scriptures (His Word). We will now turn to His Word to understand better the all-powerful nature of God we find there.
His power is pictured vividly in the Old Testament. The Old Testament emphasizes the omnipotence of God as seen in His mighty acts. This does not eliminate metaphysical or abstract concepts of God. However, such concepts are indeed rare in the Old Testament. Rather, we find in the Old Testament a God whose power alters history. The kingdom of Egypt was drastically affected by plagues (Exodus 7-11, KJV). The Red Sea parted so the Israelites could escape Egypt but destroyed the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:15). Mount Sinai quaked and smoked, and the people were terrified by God’s manifestations. The waters of the Jordan River were stopped as the Israelites crossed the river with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 3:4). The walls of Jericho came tumbling down before the Israelites, confirming Joshua’s order to the people: “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city” (Joshua 6:16). Scores of examples could be added, but these few are enough to illustrate divine power.
God’s people saw God’s power as underlying His providence. Their history was the enactment of God’s dealing with them (Psalms 66:1-12). Their faith in God’s care for them was a faith in His power to do so. This conviction of God’s power, exerted providentially, is a cornerstone in many of the Psalms as well. We read, for example: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!’” (Psalms 91:1, 2)
God’s people were certain that He would be their great Provider and Refuge if they would trust in Him. This conviction rested not only in their belief that God willed to provide and deliver them from harm but also in their faith that He was able to do so!
We also see God’s power ascribed in His name. Many names ascribed to God by the Israelites testify to their belief in His power. In Psalms 91, we see three examples. First “most high” is a translation of elvon. The first syllable, El, was an early Canaanite name for the Canaanites’ chief god. It meant “the strong, powerful one.” When purged of paganism, the name El was applied to the true and living God of the Hebrews. In Psalms 91 the name is a superlative: Elvon equals “Most High,” the One with power to the highest degree. Second, the Israelites remained intimately aware of God’s power and providential care, as indicated by the names Israelite parents gave their children. Israelites are Eli, Samuel, and Elijah. The third example in Psalms 91 that shows the Israelites’ belief in God’s power is the name Shaddai, translated “Almighty.”
We also see His power reflected in the New Testament. The New Testament also depicts a God Who has all power to do what He wills. This is brought directly to the forefront with statements such as this: “The things impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Like the Old Testament, the New Testament shows this conviction of God’s power coupled with the belief that He exercises power for the good of His people: “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). This assurance of God's ability to protect, provide for, and deliver His people is related to their belief in His nearness (Acts 17:27) and His awareness of every detail of their lives (Matthew 10:29-31).
God has revealed to us in the Bible not a distant, ignorant, or weak God. In fact, this entire lesson on God’s limitlessness stresses that He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. This means that He is not described by Deism: He did not exercise His great power in creation only to withdraw and watch the world function in an impersonal way. Neither is He the God of Pantheism: He does not fit the prescription that holds that God is the mind or soul of the universe and that whatever is, is God. He is definitely not the God of Process Philosophy-Theology: He is not so involved in the processes of the universe that He is altered by them as He works within His creation. God is both transcendent and immanent, in charge of all things, including our personal destinies.
We can rely completely upon God. This makes it possible for us, through enlightened faith, to accept His most powerful and life-changing act of all – our redemption. The turning point of all history was the crucifixion of Christ. In this historic moment, a veil was removed and a new relationship with God was made possible for humanity. The power to turn history around and make it possible for us to have an eternally happy relationship with God was demonstrated by both the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ. This is the gospel of Christ, the good news. Of course, its ultimate fruition hinges on God's power to complete His work.
So, let us consider some applications. Our faith, which holds that with God all things are possible, is what shapes our religion and our lives. However, our faith is not a “blind” faith. We do not brush off hard questions concerning God’s power. We must face them. Let us consider some of these questions.
“What happens when the unlimited power of God faces an immovable object?” God’s power does not apply to that which is self-contradictory. In this question, the “immovable object” does not exist. The question is theoretical. It evades reality.
A similar question is: “Can God change the past?” This hypothetical question addresses that which is gone, so far as time is concerned, and nonexistent in eternity. The answer to this question is what keeps us from praying for the salvation of someone who died a wicked scoundrel.
Other questions are sometimes heard: “Can God lie?”; “Can He sin?”; “Can He die?” Each answer is a thunderous, “No!” These actions are contrary to His nature. He cannot lie because He is absolutely true (Jeremiah 10:10). He cannot sin because He is absolutely pure (1 John 3:2, 3). He cannot die because He is life itself (Psalms 36:9; 133:3). God cannot do anything contrary to His nature. We have grounds for thanksgiving in knowing that God is not so weak as to act capriciously. He is a faithful God (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13). He remains unmoved from His own nature (James 1:17, 18).
Finally, “Does God ever limit His power?” This question must be answered very carefully. We must remember that it is God’s nature to be all-powerful. Therefore, it would be contrary to His nature to limit His power, even the power of His omnipotence. However, in His infinite wisdom He may choose to exercise His unlimited power in ways that are perfectly designed to accomplish His infinite will. This principle lies behind one of the most moving and exalted passages in all Scripture. Perhaps Paul’s prayer should be the prayer of all of us as we seek to be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18-21): “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in The heavenly places, far above all rule and authority And power and dominion, and every name that is named, Not only in this age, but also in the one to come.”
Now we want to note that God’s omnipotence is illustrated extensively in His context for us. Someone has said, “If God is small enough for us to understand Him, He is not big enough for us to worship.” “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void . . . and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water” (Genesis 1:1, 2). “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets . . . has spoken to us in His son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Hebrews 1:1, 2)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning With God. All things came into being by Him . . . In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4)
If we are going to make sense out of the big picture we call “reality,” we must give thought to why everything is as it is. We explored the significance of God, who is ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. These are fundamental elements within God’s very essence, which is spirit.
We spoke briefly about some of the consequences that arise out of the nature of God. We will pick up on this theme now and develop it more fully. This needs to be done; otherwise, we tend to think of God as some sort of benevolent, distant, abstract “Force.” Of course, an all-wise God was aware of this problem and took action that would orient us more specifically in regard to Him. This action He took is encompassed in our consideration of God’s context for us.
When we speak of God’s context for us, we are not struggling with how He came to be. His existence is a given. Rather, we are struggling with how and why everything else came to be, including us. Why are we the way we are? Why is our world the way it is?
How do answers to these questions help us? Why should we be concerned about anything beyond today? What is God’s “interest” in all of this? The challenge before us is daunting. However, if we refuse to be concerned about such matters, we relegate ourselves to lives of ambivalence – uncertain as to which path to follow and where it all “ends.”
We want to stress, as the verses we quoted show, that our God is creative. We can hardly think of power, especially unlimited power, without considering its expression in some way. We recognize power primarily in its effects. Power exerted is power expressed. Humans, although limited in power, have been able to harness latent power and use it in various ways. The power found in the lightning bolt is utilized to light homes and cities. The power contained in the atom is being channeled into an enormous source of energy. The power of petroleum, as put to use in the internal combustion engine, has transformed travel. These examples are impressive. We are all influenced by these uses of power in our world.
But these examples of power are actually examples of using power that is already present. People discover, adapt, control, and utilize power that is already latent in our world. This indicates something about the nature and source of our world. It is clothed with incredible power restrained in an orderly way. The atoms that make up our physical world are literally swirling with energy. If they are set in disarray by certain fission or fusion processes, chaos breaks out in the form of almost unimaginable force.
What has all of this to do with God? In the study of “God’s Limitlessness,” we discussed the omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence of God. Because God is all-powerful, He is creative. Power is expressed in action. Because God is all-knowing, His creation is as we would say, “as He envisioned it.” It is according to His will. Because God is ever-present, He is immanent. He expressed Himself in His creation of the world. Thus, in creation we see something of the very nature of God. This is the stance of Scripture: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This is why the psalmist cried out, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth . . .” (Psalms 8:1, 9). The earth is a grand exhibit of God’s creative handiwork. Why? Creation itself is the cosmic expression of God’s creative nature and power. We briefly suggested the extensiveness of His creative work. And here, we emphasize the place and role of the earth and man in God’s cosmos.
We find that man is made of the earth. We are told that “God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Our “form,” our physical constituent, is of the earth, so we and the earth have much in common. As physical entities, we are of a common source and are made up of common elements. As physical beings, we come from the earth, are sustained by the earth, and return to the earth (Genesis 1:29; 2:9, 16; 3:17-19). Therefore, it can be said that God, in His creative genius, has linked His physical human creature with His physical creation, earth. Therefore, the earth became the context in which we live.
This life on earth was enhanced in at least four specific ways. First, God knew that it was not good for man to be alone. He made a helper suitable for him, and intimate fellowship was established between the man and the woman. Second, God knew that it was not good for them to be idle. He gave them work to do. Third, God enriched their lives by giving them dominion over other life forms. And fourth, and most significant, God allowed them to have fellowship with Him.
What a privilege! What a joy! What a concept! How was this possible? Why did it happen? This subject will be taken up in more detail in later lessons. However, we have more than enough to challenge us right now.
And as we look we find that we are made in His image. The biblical record is careful to state that “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [nephesh]” (Genesis 2:7). Nephesh is a Hebrew word with a wide range of nuances. Since God’s creation of man is the context here, the meaning is more than likely “being, or complete person.”
Therefore, we find that we are not merely “earthly.” We are “complete beings,” made in God’s image. The essence of God is spirit, so our likeness to God is certainly not our physical form. Our likeness to God rests in spirit, not flesh. When God breathed into man the breath of life, he was endowed with something of God’s own essence – that is, His spirit.
Of course, all beasts, birds, living things, have what is called the “breath of life” in Genesis 1:30. The difference could be said to be in the comprehensiveness or quality. The Bible says: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). Human beings are capable of enlightenment, openness, and consciousness. Adam and Eve were rational, thoughtful, and aware of themselves, their surroundings, and God. Although made of earthly elements, they were enhanced, by the gracious gift of the spirit from God, with more than material existence. This made it possible for them to have a meaningful relationship with God.
This communion between the Creator and human creatures was truly idyllic. The Garden of Eden was a place well prepared for this ongoing, blissful, uninhibited camaraderie (Genesis 2:7, 8). This relationship had full potential for unending happiness. We say “potential” for eternal happiness because every child who has regularly attended Bible school knows that something terrible happened. Adam and Eve were driven from the garden. They had the sentence of death placed upon them. They were cursed with labor and pain. They could no longer immediately experience the glory of God’s presence.
Why? In the garden were “the tree of life . . . and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). God said, “. . . from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Why did God put that tree in the garden? Why not simply provide “the tree of life” (Genesis 2:9) for man and woman, and continue to have a mutually satisfying relationship with them?
These questions may seem perplexing. However, a careful analysis provides us with satisfactory answers. We have looked at the universe in its cosmic expanse. It is significant that it is said of only one creature: “God created man in His own image.” The lovely context God provided for humans, their likeness to God and God’s willingness to communicate with them indicate their creation held special meaning for God. Here were creatures capable of participating in a self- conscious, responsive communication with the Creator! Imagine unhindered, direct fellowship with God!
To make this fellowship practicable and possible God made us with the power to choose. Only one element was essential for this relationship to have ultimate and enduring significance. The relationship must be entered into by man and God as an act of free choice. It must be a free-will decision. For free will to have full expression there must be the ability and opportunity to accept or reject. God provided Adam and Eve with the ability (intellect) and the opportunity (the tree). God gave them the free will to choose to obey Him and to follow His will. It could not have been otherwise if there was to be reciprocity between God and His human creation.
When Adam and Eve made the wrong choice, God’s creation became marred by sin, separation, curses, pain, thorns, ugliness, and death. Did God’s magnificently creative work fail? No. God’s work continues. He cursed the serpent (Satan), the one who instigated the fall, and promised restoration to fallen humanity through the coming of a Victor:
And the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:14, 15)
