That I May Know Him

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. ~ 1 John 5:20 (KJV)

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Terrible name


Deuteronomy 7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible
.

The word “terrible” has such a bad connotation. I remember reading the above-mentioned verse for the first time, and couldn’t help but wonder why terrible.

According to the Merriam-Webster Online, the definition for “terrible” is:

1 a : exciting extreme alarm or intense fear : TERRIFYING b : formidable in
nature : AWESOME c : DIFFICULT 2 : EXTREME, GREAT 3 : extremely bad: as a : strongly repulsive : OBNOXIOUS b : notably unattractive or objectionable c : of very poor quality.

When we read in Deuteronomy that God is mighty and terrible, it is not the terrible in explanation #3.

But examine the first two definitions for a moment. Intense fear, formidable in nature, awesome, extreme and great. AMEN. That is the living God we serve.

~Deu 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.

~Job 37:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.

~Job 39:20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible

~Job 41:14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

~Psa 47:2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.

~Psa 68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

~Jer 20:11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one.

It’s truly amazing when you read these verses. Just to think that we are going to stand before a terrible God as such and give an account of our life before His Holiness, that thought alone gives me palpitations. I thank Him all the more for my salvation and for His mercy. I will evermore praise and proclaim His terrible name.

Psalm 99:3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.


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