God is great! From Genesis to Revelation, God’s greatness and majesty are displayed through His words and mighty acts. In the Bible, we read of our Creator’s imagination and creativity as He designs each corner of the universe, including all life and breath (Genesis 1:1-31).
In the book of Exodus, we witness how God is great in the miraculous ways He rescues His people from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 7-12). God uses the ordinary—water, hail, frogs, flies, etc.—to show His power over all creation to move the hearts of men.
In the New Testament, the theme of God is great is woven through each word and deed of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. God’s greatness brings us to our knees in humility and repentance as we realize the depths of His sacrifice—the death and resurrection of His only Son—to bring us new life.
Another humbling example of God’s greatness and mighty love for His people is His desire for ongoing relationship with them. The book of Jeremiah calls for God’s people to return—to turn away from idolatry and humble themselves before their First Love, their Creator God. Because they’ve forgotten the greatness of the God of their fathers, the prophet Jeremiah—known as the “weeping prophet”—delivers Divine warnings of coming judgment to the children of Judah and implores them to remember the power and greatness of their God.
Where Does the Book of Jeremiah Say “God Is Great”?
Jeremiah’s powerful reminder from the heart of God is a steady theme throughout his years of prophecy: God is great. We see these words in Jeremiah 10:6, “There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.”
Jeremiah draws a sharp contrast between the deaf human-created idols and the One True God. Concerning man-made gods, Jeremiah 10:5 says, “Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”
In effect, the children of Israel were worshiping a god who was as capable of meeting their needs as “scarecrows in a cucumber patch!”
What Is the Context of Jeremiah 10:6?
In the days of Jeremiah, God’s beloved people had turned to the worship practices of the pagan nations around them. They had forgotten the God of their fathers—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David—and had placed their hope and allegiance on idols made of wood and stone. The absurd nature of their foolishness is seen in Jeremiah 10:14-15. “Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment, they will perish.”
Jeremiah 10:12-13 reminds the wayward nation of who they used to serve and where their hearts belong: “The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.”
Oh, how beautiful and majestic! Stunned at their ignorance, we wonder how these foolish people could compare wood and stone to the One Who “generates the lightning” and “brings forth the wind from His storehouses.”
How could they be seduced into worshipping something made by human hands, with no life or breath? And how could they forget all that God had done to rescue them from slavery in Egypt and that this same God is great, above all others?
In humility, we must consider: Is it possible that we do the same today?
How Does Remembering that God Is Great Change Things?
To keep a Christ-centered vision and perspective in our walk of faith, remembering the incomparable greatness of God is vital.
In biblical history, every time God’s people took their focus off the True God, they fell into idolatry, suffered a loss of relationship, and experienced divine discipline. In comparison, when the people remembered the greatness of God, they were drawn to authentic and genuine worship of their Creator. They walked in joy and knew the incredible blessings of living in peace with their Rescuer.
Remembering the greatness and power of God is like wearing super-powered glasses—we see every circumstance through the filter of God’s heart. In losing a loved one, we are reminded that our Savior holds power over life and death (1 Samuel 2:6) and that the death of His faithful servants is precious to Him (Psalm 115:16).
In these seasons of grief, knowing the depths of His greatness and love will direct our thoughts to His Word. We are comforted with the promise that “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”(Psalm 34:18).
When we are overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, our great God invites us to cast our burdens on Him (1 Peter 5:7). In sickness, difficult relationships, and other sufferings, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us that in Christ, our hardships have a purpose. God comforts us so that we may comfort others.
If our hearts sing with God is great, we are less likely to lust after worldly possessions and make idols of material things.
If our hearts soar with the knowledge that God is great, we will worry less about our physical appearance and seek to cultivate godly inner strength and wisdom. And because of that inner strength, we won’t be crippled by the criticisms and opinions of others.
If our hearts are anchored on the foundation of God is great, we will not panic over the chaos and godlessness of our culture. We will rest, knowing our God is Sovereign.
How Can We Remember God Is Great Today?
The ancient prophet, Jeremiah, is not alone in declaring the might and greatness of God. What a joy and privilege to pour over the inerrant Word of God—to run to God’s promises and precepts when we need reminders of His majesty and power.
Other biblical reminders include:
- “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods” (1 Chronicles 16:25).
- “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
- “For the Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself” (1 Samuel 12:22).
- “For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth” (Psalm 47:2).
- “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
- “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing” (Isaiah 40:26).
Marveling at nature, the inspiring and intricate work of God’s hands, is another way to remember that God is great. Think of His creatures—from the lion to the centipede, from the pygmy goat to the platypus. A great and magnificent Artist created all this!
My favorite sea creature is the seahorse. Did you know there are 53 species of this one fascinating creation? Amazing!
As we open our eyes to the beauty around us, our hearts will be drawn to the One Who fashioned each animal, plant, flower, mountain, river, and sea for our pleasure and His purposes. What an awesome display of love.
As pilgrims on this journey of faith, we can also learn of God’s greatness by His work in the lives of His people. From studying the saints of old, how did God show Himself to David the shepherd boy (and later to David the warrior king)? The life of this “man after God’s heart” (Acts 13:22) is a treasure trove of godly wisdom. How about David’s great-grandmother, Ruth? Read about God’s greatness in the life of this faithful widow in the Bible book by her name.
In another display of God’s glory and unmatched greatness, imagine standing beside Elijah as he challenged the prophets of Baal to show their idol’s supposed power. Our great God rained fire from Heaven in mere moments—something 450 Baal prophets couldn’t make happen in hours of pagan chants and rituals (1 Kings 18:20-40).
Ultimately, we can look to the redeeming touch of God in our own lives. What is greater than a heart humbled and changed by the glorious work of Christ? Who but God makes way for us to be reconciled with Him through the power of the gospel of salvation?
Our God is great. He gave His only son to die in our place. Christ’s resurrection is evidence of His great and total victory over sin and death.
Oh, what an honor to serve our Risen King!
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/redtea
You’ll find Leigh Ann on an adventure with her sweetheart of 39 years, getting silly with her grands, or daydreaming story plots on the front porch.
Connect on LeighAThomas.com.
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