September 25th, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

THE MIGHTY VOICE OF GOD

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

I praise You, Lord. To know You is my greatest joy, to serve You is my greatest delight.

Read PSALM 29:1–11

[1]A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. [2] Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. [3] The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. [4] The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. [5] The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. [6] He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. [7] The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. [8] The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. [9] The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” [10] The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. [11] The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“The Lord is enthroned as King forever (10)! God grant we hear it now and believe it… and may joyfully yield to him our heart’s allegiance” (James S. Stewart, 1896–1990).

Think Further

The biblical account of creation puts great emphasis on the creating Word of God. God spoke and things happened (Gen. 1:3). In John’s Gospel we are told that the Word of God created and we are introduced to the personification of the Word in Jesus (John 1:1–14). Here the psalmist is praising the active and powerful word (“voice”) of God. As a storm rages and its power is seen, he turns his focus onto God. The voice of God is more powerful than any storm. He can by a Word stir up the water or fell the trees.

 

Our security is in this powerful, speaking God. We come to worship him together with the heavenly beings that we have encountered in Revelation. We celebrate his power and all his splendor. As a verbal, communicating God we know that he has spoken to us through his Son and through the Scriptures. We gather strength from his Word, recognizing its absolute authority. We worship him because his Word is alive and acts in our lives as we respond to it.

 

There are the promises that are peculiar to the people of God. We have seen in Revelation the ways in which God encourages his people in the midst of suffering and persecution. One great emphasis has been upon the proclamation of the Gospel: the voice of God, through his servants, calls people to repentance and faith so that they are not condemned along with all the forces of evil in the world. Psalm 29 ends with the blessing of peace and we hear again the words of the Lord Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27); “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Apply

What is the difference between peace with God and the peace of God? How have you been touched by both of these?

Closing prayer

Mighty God, how great You are. You are worthy of my praise. When You speak, may I listen. When You call, may I obey.

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