The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Proverbs 30:4,
"Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!"
In the previous verse Agur said, "I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One." Verse 3. Verse 4 is a rhetorical observation. After all, who has gained the knowledge of God by going to see him in heaven and then bringing back the news to tell us all about him?
In Deuteronomy 30:11-12, Moses tells the Israelites the things of God are not beyond reach, "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."
We don't have to go to heaven to find out what it is God wants from us because he has come to us with it.
Paul uses this passage from Deuteronomy in Romans 10:6-9 to teach us what the Lord wants us to know about salvation by faith as apart from salvation by works of the law, "But the righteousness that is by faith says: 'Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down) 'or "Who will descend into the deep?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Jesus Christ has come and made known to us all we need to know about God. We don't have to go to heaven to find out, we don't have to go to the ends of the earth, we don't have to go anywhere to learn how we are to live here on earth. He has brought it to us.
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!"
In the previous verse Agur said, "I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One." Verse 3. Verse 4 is a rhetorical observation. After all, who has gained the knowledge of God by going to see him in heaven and then bringing back the news to tell us all about him?
In Deuteronomy 30:11-12, Moses tells the Israelites the things of God are not beyond reach, "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."
We don't have to go to heaven to find out what it is God wants from us because he has come to us with it.
Paul uses this passage from Deuteronomy in Romans 10:6-9 to teach us what the Lord wants us to know about salvation by faith as apart from salvation by works of the law, "But the righteousness that is by faith says: 'Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down) 'or "Who will descend into the deep?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Jesus Christ has come and made known to us all we need to know about God. We don't have to go to heaven to find out, we don't have to go to the ends of the earth, we don't have to go anywhere to learn how we are to live here on earth. He has brought it to us.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment