Sunday, August 14, 2016

GOD THE OMNIPOTENT – By Robert E. Hanna

GOD THE OMNIPOTENT

By Robert E. Hanna

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:6

"Thus saith the Lord .. .I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." And God the Son, Jesus Christ, affirms: "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive evermore ... " (Revelation 1:17b, 18a). And Hebrews 9:14 speaks of "the eternal Spirit". Thus it is clear that each of the three persons of the Holy Trinity is identified with total and timeless authority and power. "Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:5). Christ made this unequivocal claim: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28: 18b). "Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee" (Jeremiah 32: 17).

Job declared, "I know that Thou canst do everything ... " (Job 42:2a). Knowing the truth of this statement, it is tempting to the human reasoning to ponder why God did not preserve His perfect original creation. Why has He not prevented griefs and sufferings from coming upon His people? Perfection is His ultimate desire and goal. And peace is the eventual condition to be attained through the process of His expressed will and purpose. Why then has He permitted negative influences to frustrate the accomplishment of this eventual end?

We have not the privilege of critical conjecture. "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion" "Hath not the potter power over the day ... ?" (Romans 9:14, 15, 21a).