The Greatness of God

(Psa 33:6-12) By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. -7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. -8. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. -9. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. -10. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. -11. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. -12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. In that eighth verse the writer says - let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him - Our subject today is: The Greatness of God - Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

That is what the song writer is trying to convey to us in the song How Great Thou Art. Your God is great. He is not some puny little idol that you carry around in your pocket, around your neck, or keep on your kitchen wall. No, He is the God of the universe. He created this world and everything in it including you. He created this world and you with a plan for your happiness. When you follow His plan, you will find a Kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy. Your soul will sing also How Great Thou Art. When you consider the power of God displayed in the mountains, the streams, the birds, the elements, the heavens and within you.

(Job 26:7-14) He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. -8. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. -9. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. -10. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. -11. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. -12. He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. -13. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. -14. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand? Did you ever think about how God has set the universe out in space on nothing? It just sits there spinning and does not even slow down. How does He do that? Well, He is God and He can do all things. Here we live on a giant ball that sets on nothing, that has water piled up in heaps, and there are men that think that there is no God. No wonder God refers to those that think so as fools. It is obvious to me that there is a creator behind all of this that is Great. Not only is God interested in creating and setting in motion this earth, but He takes pleasure in those that choose to serve him.

(Psa 147:11) The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

One of the things that we humans like to do is to prove everything. There are those that would like to prove that God is great as there were those when Jesus was preaching that wanted him to prove that he was the son of God. (Mat 12:38-42) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. -39. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: -40. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. -41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. -42. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Jesus said that Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas is here. Let us go to the book of Jonah and read that story again.

(Jonah 1) Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, -2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. -3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. -4. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. -5. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. -6. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. -7. And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. -8. Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? -9. And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. -10. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. -11. Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. -12. And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. -13. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. -14. Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. -15. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. -16. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. -17. Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

(Jonah 2) Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, -2. And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. -3. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. -4. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. -5. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. -6. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. -7. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. -8. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. -9. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. -10. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

(Jonah 3) And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, -2. Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. -3. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. -4. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. -5. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. -6. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. -7. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: -8. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. -9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? -10. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

(Jonah 4) But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. -2. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. -3. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. -4. Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry? -5. So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. -6. And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. -7. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. -8. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. -9. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. -10. Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: -11. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

And so we see that Jonah finally preached to the people of Nineveh and because they repented, God spared them from the awful judgement that He had thought to do to them. And now Jonah is upset because it made him look foolish and yet he says that he knew that was like God to do such a thing. I would to God that everyone that hears me preach would repent so that God would spare you from the awful judgement that is coming to every sinner. I would not be upset. I would rejoice with you that God has spared you.

Thank God that the people of Nineveh had the good sense to respond to the preaching of Jonah. Yes his preaching was not fancy. He did not have a wishy washy sermon. His message was direct and to the point: forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. It was a message of judgement. It was a message of condemnation. And it was a message from God. Jesus tells us that a greater than Jonah is here. Jesus is far greater than Jonah and Jesus is here today alive in the hearts of every one that serves Him. As you hear the gospel today, what will be your decision? Will you have the good sense to repent and believe the Gospel? Jesus is offering you eternal life today. What sign more do you need to believe than the fact that thousands all over the world have repented and are enjoying the peace that comes only from being in the kingdom of God.

A second example that Jesus referred to was the Queen of the South. (1 Ki 10:1-13) And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. -2. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. -3. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. -4. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, -5. And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. -6. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. -7. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. -8. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. -9. Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. -10. And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. -11. And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. -12. And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. -13. And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

When the queen heard of Solomon she went and investigated - she traveled a great distance (about 1200 miles desert and barren) - she proved him with hard questions - she gave him the best gifts she had. She was convinced that Solomon served a God that was great.

How about you today? Do you know that your God is great? Is it really true that He will forgive sins and make new creatures out of vile sinners? Who is this Jesus that you are hearing preached about? What will you do with the gospel? It is important enough for you to investigate? Would you travel across the street or across town to find out? The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon and she came to find out and behold a greater than Solomon is here!

Your God is great. He is not some puny little idol that you carry around in your pocket, around your neck, or keep on your kitchen wall. No, He is the God of the universe. He created this world and everything in it including you. He created this world and you with a plan for your happiness. When you follow His plan, you will find a Kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy. Your soul will sing also How Great Thou Art. When you consider the power of God displayed in the mountains, the streams, the birds, the elements, the heavens and within you.