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The Complementary Attributes of God - Part 3
Episode 101 – The Complementary Attributes of God Part 3
Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God.
Script:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 11, verses 28 through 30, New International Version
I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
Isaiah, Chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, New International Version
********
VK: Hello! I’m Victoria K. Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. Today on Anchored by Truth we’re continuing our series that we’re calling “The Complementary Attributes of God.” With me in the studio is RD Fierro, author and founder of Crystal Sea Books. We wanted to do this series to spend some time just thinking about God. As RD has said, knowing that the Bible is the word of God doesn’tmean nearly as much to us if we don’t know who God really is. RD, why did you decide to call this series “The Complementary Attributes of God?”
RD: The central purpose at Anchored by Truth is to focus on the logic, reason, and evidence that demonstrate that the Bible is God’s word. So, that’s where we usually devote most of our time and attention. One of the reasons we do that is because it is from the Bible that we get our highest and best information about God. It’s not enough to just know that the Bible is God’s word. We must also learn what the word of God teaches us about God. So, toward that end we wanted to take a few episodes of Anchored by Truth and just focus on God’s attributes. We’ve called this series “The Complementary Attributes of God” because we want to discuss the fact that all of God’s attributes show different aspects of God’s character but those attributes harmonize perfectly. Theologians sometimes note that God is a “simple” being. By that they don’t mean that God is simplistic in the sense that we can easily understand God or readily comprehend Him. What they mean is that God is not a composite Being composed of one part love, 2 parts justice, 3 parts holiness, etc. Each attribute that God possesses He possesses infinitely and completely. God is altogether holy, altogether just, etc. It can be said that God is His attributes and all of His attributes are perfect.
VK: So, because God is perfect all of God’s attributes harmonize together perfectly. In other words they complement one another perfectly. As a reminder two words that are pronounced the same but are spelled differently are called heterographs. The words “complimentary” with an “I” and “complementary” with an “E” - are heterographs. Their pronunciation is the same but they have different meanings. Complimentary, with an “I,” can mean to express praise or admiration for someone or something as in “you have a beautiful smile.” Or complimentary with an “I” can mean to give something away for free as in getting a complimentary doughnut if you buy a cup of coffee.
RD: Which I always endorse.
VK: Of course, you do. But complementary, with an “E,” means to combine two or more things together in such a way as to emphasize the qualities of each of those things or that the two things complete one another. A DVD and a DVD player are complementary goods. Together they complete the purpose for which they were designed. Using the two of them together fulfills the purpose for which they were designed. The title of this series is “The Complementary Attributes of God” - complementary with an “E” because all of God’s attributes work together in perfect harmony. But before we get too much deeper into our discussion of how God’s attributes complement each other perfectly, let’s listen to a meditation from Crystal Sea’s book, Purposeful Prayers, on one of the most important of God’s attributes: God’s absolute sovereignty.
-- Meditation on God’s sovereignty
RD: We chose that meditation because it helps set the state for the set of attributes of God that we want to discuss today: God’s exaltation and His gentleness and humility. At first glance it might seem as though these attributes might be at odds with another. After all, when it comes to earthly rulers and leaders we almost never think of the “high and mighty” as also being humble and gentle. Saying that an earthly king or monarch is also humble or lowly in heart would make most people shake their heads in disbelief.
VK: Yet, as our opening scriptures clearly tell us that is exactly what the Bible says about God. Our second scripture which is from the New International Version of Isaiah chapter 6 says that the Lord is “high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the [heavenly] temple.” Other versions say that the Lord is “high and lifted up.” This particular description of God comes from the portion of Isaiah where Isaiah is about to receive his commission from God. In order to do that God has given Isaiah a look into the heavenly throne room which, interestingly enough, is located in a heavenly temple. Isaiah tells us that not only is God high and exalted, but also that God is so exalted that the train of His robe fills the entire temple.
RD: Yes. This imagery is a little strange to most modern readers. The only time most people in western cultures think about the “train” of a garment is the train on a bride’s dress or even more rarely, the train on the robe of – say- the Queen of England when we see images of a royal ceremony such as a coronation. Contemporary leaders typically dress in much the same fashion as what the general populace wears. But this definitely wasn’t true in the ancient Mideast. Rulers, kings, emperors, etc. were easily distinguished by their elaborate dress and at state functions a king or emperor would almost always have a very long train on their official robe - the longer the train on the robe, the higher the official. So, when the Bible tells us that the train of God’s robe filled the temple, it is making a statement about God’s exalted and magnificent status.
VK: And the impression is reinforced by the observation that follows the description of the seraphim that Isaiah gives us following the description of the train. The verse tells us that God is so exalted that even angels, the seraphim, display the most profound expressions of respect and deference in God’s presence. The holy Angels are far more holy and powerful than human beings but even they are supremely conscious of God’s majesty. The fact that the seraphim cover their feet with two of their wings is an expression of modesty. The seraphim cover their eyes because God is so magnificent they can’t bear to look at God directly. This whole scene is one of the most amazing descriptions of God’s exalted status in the entire Bible, isn’t it?
RD: Absolutely. And it’s important to note that Isaiah makes no attempt to actually describe God Himself. Isaiah describes a scene and a setting but does not attempt any description of the King on the throne. This is likely because of what we learn in 1Timothy, chapter 6, verses 15 and 16. In those verses Paul tells us that “God [is] the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.” Again, the point is that the scene out of Isaiah – which most Bible scholars regard as either being a theophany or Christophany – gives us a very clear description of how glorious, majestic, and exalted God is.
VK: But then our other opening scripture from Matthew gives us a description of Jesus that seems to be almost completely opposite. In Matthew Jesus says of Himself that He is “gentle and humble in heart.” Some translations use the terms “meek” and “lowly in heart.” So, we can easily sympathize with a new Christian who compares and contrasts these two differing descriptions and walks away scratching their head. Yet, as we have said throughout this series, God’s attributes are never in conflict with one another. God’s attributes always harmonize perfectly. God’s attributes always complement one another perfectly.
RD: Right. This is one of the reasons that it can be so valuable to our spiritual growth and development not just to read scripture but to mediate on it. If we don’t think carefully about what we’ve read we can miss some truly wonderful insights about the God we serve.
VK: Well, obviously you have some thoughts about how we can understand the harmony between these two seemingly disparate descriptions of attributes that God possesses. In Isaiah chapter 6 we see an undeniable declaration of God’s exaltation, his unmatched majesty. In Matthew chapter 11 we see Jesus, who is Himself God, describe Himself as being gentle, humble, lowly in heart. How do these two descriptions show complementary attributes of God – again, complementary with an “E?”
RD: Well, part of what I think we need to see is what Jesus is saying in Matthew, chapter 11, and what He is not saying. Some translations use the term “gentle” for Jesus and some use "meek.” In our culture there is a tendency to equate the term “meek” with weak. But nothing could be more wrong-headed than to do that.
VK: One minister I heard said that a simple definition for “meek” is “power under control.” That seems to be a pretty important part of what you’re saying.
RD: Exactly. Gentleness and meekness are not remotely similar to weakness. After all even in our culture we recognize that some of the toughest people we know – Army Rangers, Navy Seals, …
VK: I notice you put the Army Rangers first. You’re not biased are you?
RD: Well, fairs fair. Anyway, even in our culture military special operators, professional athletes, oilfield roughnecks, truck drivers - you name it – these are very tough people. But even these very tough people are very careful around their children and especially around newborn babies. Just because they can be extraordinarily tough in their jobs doesn’t mean they aren’t gentle and caring when they need to be. These very tough people know when to unleash their power and when to restrain it. So, we need to disabuse ourselves of the notion that power and toughness can’t coexist with gentleness and kindness even within people. As a matter of fact, most of us would have far less regard for a really tough person if they weren’t able to corral their power when necessary.
VK: Well here you’re talking about physical toughness versus physical gentleness. That’s not exactly the same thing as exaltation versus being “lowly in heart?”
RD: That’s true but I wanted to start with a very clear illustration of how even imperfect humans can possess seemingly opposite traits but the traits are not in conflict with one another. Even in imperfect humans seemingly opposite traits can be seen to be complementary. Well, if this can be true for imperfect people it can certainly be true for a perfect God. The same thing is true in some humans who are highly esteemed but also possess true humility. We are all familiar with the successful person who lets their success “go to their head.” But thankfully, we are also familiar with people who are enormously successful and famous in their careers – exalted in their own way. But when you meet them in person they are kind and gracious. I’ve met some very famous sports celebrities, household names, but up close and personal they are just down-to-earth, humble people.
VK: I know you don’t like to drop names but you once met one of the most famous baseball pitchers of the 20th century in the home of his sports agent. He was just arriving from the airport where his agent had picked him up. Give us a quick version of that story?
RD: This was someone I had seen on television for years – larger than life. He was a Cy Young award winner and one time held the record for the most consecutive innings pitched without allowing a run. When he came into the room he was carrying a bag of cookies he had picked up in an airport shop. As soon as we were introduced he offered me one of his cookies.
VK: Did you accept?
RD: I did. It was a great cookie. He was a great man. Most of the seats in the living room were taken up so I was going to give him my seat on the couch. He had just flown across the country. But he just plopped down on a foot stool that was empty and offered everyone else a cookie. He talked to everyone as if he had known them his whole life. Despite his enormous professional success, endorsement deals, and fame he was just a kind, humble gentleman. If I hadn’t known who he was he might have just been the guy next door. Unfortunately, you don’t see that greatness of spirit in very many people these days.
VK: So, that’s another point that we need to recognize about the interaction of exaltation and humility. Even though they are frequently divorced in human behavior they don’t have to be. It is possible to be extremely successful, famous even, and not act like you are. That’s essentially an observation that would definitely apply to Jesus.
RD: Exactly. Jesus was never in doubt about who He was or what He came to earth to do. The only episode that the Bible recounts about Jesus’ boyhood is in the closing verses of Luke, chapter 2. Jesus’ family went to Jerusalem for the annual Passover as most Jews did if they were able. When Jesus was 12, Luke tells us that as the travelling party from his village began returning home his parents discovered he was missing so they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. They found him in the temple where he was conversing with the people who were the religious elite of that day. When they asked Jesus why he had done something that had scared them so much, Jesus said, in the King James language, “didn’t you know I have to be about my Father’s business?” Jesus knew exactly who He was and what He came to do.
VK: So, Jesus knew throughout His life that He was the Son of God. Yet, the gospels, the records of Jesus’ earthly life, tell us that Jesus was unfailingly kind to ordinary people, always willing to help, and even willing to visit with children when that kind of interaction would have been unheard of. Yet despite His gentleness, His kindness, Jesus could certainly be tough when He needed to be like when He drove the money changers out of the temple.
RD: Exactly. So, let’s take this thought just a little bit farther. As we heard in our meditation today, the most frequent way God is portrayed in the Bible is as a King. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with images of God as a king, and not just as a “king” but as the “King of Kings.” God is the ultimate King of everything. But, in a sense, that image does not do God justice. The image of God as a King helps us understand God as Sovereign but there is a danger in thinking of God as just a more powerful earthly ruler. God is so much more than that.
VK: What you’re getting at is that all the images we form of God in our human minds never rise to the true level of God’s exaltation. Human language simply doesn’t contain the words to describe God’s true majesty. And our minds certainly can form only the most rudimentary concepts of God’s grandeur. In His essence God is not like us at all. He is of an entirely different order. He is unique, singular. So, there is a danger when we place God in a category occupied by other humans we run the risk of reducing God down to a concept we’re comfortable with.
RD: Yes. Maybe one final illustration helps put the complementary nature of God’s attributes of exaltation and humility into perspective. If a professional tennis player is playing a fellow professional their serves will easily exceed 100 miles per hour. But if that professional is trying to encourage a young player they’re not going to try to smoke them. They will deliberately restrain their power, their excellence to help someone weaker than themselves. We’d consider a pro who didn’t do that to be either a bully or a brute. There are certainly occasions when God demonstrated the nature of His power so we could have a proper appreciation of it, as when he was the fire on the mountaintop in Exodus 24:17. God knows who He is and He has shown us. But just like the pro He doesn’t need to do that all the time. So, when God came to earth in the incarnation He was demonstrating His graphic desire to lift us up, to encourage us, to save us.
VK: That truly is an amazing thought. The Lord of the universe cares so much for us that He was willing to humble Himself and take on a human nature so astounding that we can’t conceive of the magnitude of the gift He gave us. God created 50 to 100 billion galaxies each of which contain 50 to 100 Billion stars. Yet, doing so did not begin to tax Him in the least. We very rarely spend any time thinking about God’s vastness, His magnificence, His greatness. So, when God came to earth, literally, He was doing something inconceivably gracious.
RD: Anyone who meditates on this even briefly can understand why John Newton wrote the song Amazing Grace. God could only do what He did because He is who He is. God rules over everything but His eye truly “is on the sparrow.” This should be something that animates every Christian to break out in song of praise and it’s why the thought of spending an eternity beholding the face of God was considered by the ancient Hebrews to be the ultimate reward – sometimes referred to as the “Beatific Vision.”
VK: God’s care for mankind is certainly one of the clearest illustrations of how God’s attributes complement each other so perfectly. Well , in our next episode of Anchored by Truth we’re going to continue to explore more of God’s attributes and continue to see how they enable us to truly understand what a great God we worship. This sounds like a great time to go to the Lord in prayer. Today let’s listen to a prayer for encouragement for the celebration of Easter – the time when we remember that on Easter morning Jesus rose out of a stone tomb telling us that He rules not only the visible universe but over death itself. Let’s remember always to pray regularly for our nation and communities. The Bible assures us that “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world” and that God hears and responds to the sincere prayers of His faithful children.
---- PRAYER FOR EASTER
VK: We’d like to remind our audience that a lot of our radio episodes are linked together in series of topics so if they missed any episodes or if they just want to hear one again, all of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast app. To find them just search on “Anchored by Truth by Crystal Sea Books.”
If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not famous but our Boss is!”
(Bible Quotes from the New International Version)
Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, verse 6, New International Version
Joshua, Chapter 1, verse 5, New International Version
A Meditation on God’s Sovereignty
It is popular today to view God as sort of a kindly grandfather watching the activities of His children, applauding them when they do good, shaking His head ruefully when they mess up, always ready with a chocolate chip cookie and a hug to let them know He loves them. As appealing as this image is, it is not a faithful depiction of the God of the Bible. Among other things, it misses entirely one of the most important attributes of God: His royal sovereignty.
First century Israelites were shocked to hear Jesus address God as His Father. They were comfortable with the notion of God as king and so conscious of His exalted status, they would not speak His personal name, Yahweh. They knew God as sovereign, but were unfamiliar with Him as father. Contemporary believers, by contrast, are perfectly comfortable calling God, “Father”; but recognizing God as king and sovereign seems out of place in these enlightened times. Frankly it not only seems out of place but also makes us decidedly uncomfortable.
Whether it is comfortable for us or not, the most frequent way God is portrayed in the Bible is as a king seated on a throne. Images of God on the throne of heaven are found in both the Old and New Testaments. After His ascension, Jesus is spoken of as being seated at the right hand of the Father. Being seated at the right hand (the place of honor) is a description of royalty. In Biblical times, petitioners appeared before the throne standing. Even counselors and advisers to the king would stand. The only ones who remained seated in the presence of the king were the members of the royal party; so, when the Bible says Jesus is “seated at the right hand,” it is affirming not only God’s royal position, but also Jesus’ own regal nature.
God’s sovereignty makes most of us very uncomfortable when we first learn about it, because we are so accustomed to seeing ourselves as sovereign over our own lives. Encountering God’s kingship is frustrating because it means we must yield our wills to someone else. Yet the more we meditate on God’s sovereignty, the more comfortable we should become with it.
God’s sovereignty means we can pray with confidence for loved ones who show no interest in Christ, for children who are facing peer pressures, for families pressured by tough economic times, and for evangelists traveling in lands hostile to the gospel. If God were not sovereign then Satan, politicians, tyrants, or wayward adolescents could overrule His decisions. Fortunately, they cannot. Nor can we.
The question for us is whether we will acknowledge our heavenly Father’s sovereignty and submit to His authority. Jesus set the example for us in the Garden of Gethsemane when He declared “…yet not My will, but Yours be done.” If Jesus could surrender, so should we, knowing that the Father’s love for us abides constantly as He exercises His rightful sovereignty over us and all His creation.
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By R.D.Fierro
5
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Episode 101 – The Complementary Attributes of God Part 3
Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God.
Script:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 11, verses 28 through 30, New International Version
I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
Isaiah, Chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, New International Version
********
VK: Hello! I’m Victoria K. Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. Today on Anchored by Truth we’re continuing our series that we’re calling “The Complementary Attributes of God.” With me in the studio is RD Fierro, author and founder of Crystal Sea Books. We wanted to do this series to spend some time just thinking about God. As RD has said, knowing that the Bible is the word of God doesn’tmean nearly as much to us if we don’t know who God really is. RD, why did you decide to call this series “The Complementary Attributes of God?”
RD: The central purpose at Anchored by Truth is to focus on the logic, reason, and evidence that demonstrate that the Bible is God’s word. So, that’s where we usually devote most of our time and attention. One of the reasons we do that is because it is from the Bible that we get our highest and best information about God. It’s not enough to just know that the Bible is God’s word. We must also learn what the word of God teaches us about God. So, toward that end we wanted to take a few episodes of Anchored by Truth and just focus on God’s attributes. We’ve called this series “The Complementary Attributes of God” because we want to discuss the fact that all of God’s attributes show different aspects of God’s character but those attributes harmonize perfectly. Theologians sometimes note that God is a “simple” being. By that they don’t mean that God is simplistic in the sense that we can easily understand God or readily comprehend Him. What they mean is that God is not a composite Being composed of one part love, 2 parts justice, 3 parts holiness, etc. Each attribute that God possesses He possesses infinitely and completely. God is altogether holy, altogether just, etc. It can be said that God is His attributes and all of His attributes are perfect.
VK: So, because God is perfect all of God’s attributes harmonize together perfectly. In other words they complement one another perfectly. As a reminder two words that are pronounced the same but are spelled differently are called heterographs. The words “complimentary” with an “I” and “complementary” with an “E” - are heterographs. Their pronunciation is the same but they have different meanings. Complimentary, with an “I,” can mean to express praise or admiration for someone or something as in “you have a beautiful smile.” Or complimentary with an “I” can mean to give something away for free as in getting a complimentary doughnut if you buy a cup of coffee.
RD: Which I always endorse.
VK: Of course, you do. But complementary, with an “E,” means to combine two or more things together in such a way as to emphasize the qualities of each of those things or that the two things complete one another. A DVD and a DVD player are complementary goods. Together they complete the purpose for which they were designed. Using the two of them together fulfills the purpose for which they were designed. The title of this series is “The Complementary Attributes of God” - complementary with an “E” because all of God’s attributes work together in perfect harmony. But before we get too much deeper into our discussion of how God’s attributes complement each other perfectly, let’s listen to a meditation from Crystal Sea’s book, Purposeful Prayers, on one of the most important of God’s attributes: God’s absolute sovereignty.
-- Meditation on God’s sovereignty
RD: We chose that meditation because it helps set the state for the set of attributes of God that we want to discuss today: God’s exaltation and His gentleness and humility. At first glance it might seem as though these attributes might be at odds with another. After all, when it comes to earthly rulers and leaders we almost never think of the “high and mighty” as also being humble and gentle. Saying that an earthly king or monarch is also humble or lowly in heart would make most people shake their heads in disbelief.
VK: Yet, as our opening scriptures clearly tell us that is exactly what the Bible says about God. Our second scripture which is from the New International Version of Isaiah chapter 6 says that the Lord is “high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the [heavenly] temple.” Other versions say that the Lord is “high and lifted up.” This particular description of God comes from the portion of Isaiah where Isaiah is about to receive his commission from God. In order to do that God has given Isaiah a look into the heavenly throne room which, interestingly enough, is located in a heavenly temple. Isaiah tells us that not only is God high and exalted, but also that God is so exalted that the train of His robe fills the entire temple.
RD: Yes. This imagery is a little strange to most modern readers. The only time most people in western cultures think about the “train” of a garment is the train on a bride’s dress or even more rarely, the train on the robe of – say- the Queen of England when we see images of a royal ceremony such as a coronation. Contemporary leaders typically dress in much the same fashion as what the general populace wears. But this definitely wasn’t true in the ancient Mideast. Rulers, kings, emperors, etc. were easily distinguished by their elaborate dress and at state functions a king or emperor would almost always have a very long train on their official robe - the longer the train on the robe, the higher the official. So, when the Bible tells us that the train of God’s robe filled the temple, it is making a statement about God’s exalted and magnificent status.
VK: And the impression is reinforced by the observation that follows the description of the seraphim that Isaiah gives us following the description of the train. The verse tells us that God is so exalted that even angels, the seraphim, display the most profound expressions of respect and deference in God’s presence. The holy Angels are far more holy and powerful than human beings but even they are supremely conscious of God’s majesty. The fact that the seraphim cover their feet with two of their wings is an expression of modesty. The seraphim cover their eyes because God is so magnificent they can’t bear to look at God directly. This whole scene is one of the most amazing descriptions of God’s exalted status in the entire Bible, isn’t it?
RD: Absolutely. And it’s important to note that Isaiah makes no attempt to actually describe God Himself. Isaiah describes a scene and a setting but does not attempt any description of the King on the throne. This is likely because of what we learn in 1Timothy, chapter 6, verses 15 and 16. In those verses Paul tells us that “God [is] the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.” Again, the point is that the scene out of Isaiah – which most Bible scholars regard as either being a theophany or Christophany – gives us a very clear description of how glorious, majestic, and exalted God is.
VK: But then our other opening scripture from Matthew gives us a description of Jesus that seems to be almost completely opposite. In Matthew Jesus says of Himself that He is “gentle and humble in heart.” Some translations use the terms “meek” and “lowly in heart.” So, we can easily sympathize with a new Christian who compares and contrasts these two differing descriptions and walks away scratching their head. Yet, as we have said throughout this series, God’s attributes are never in conflict with one another. God’s attributes always harmonize perfectly. God’s attributes always complement one another perfectly.
RD: Right. This is one of the reasons that it can be so valuable to our spiritual growth and development not just to read scripture but to mediate on it. If we don’t think carefully about what we’ve read we can miss some truly wonderful insights about the God we serve.
VK: Well, obviously you have some thoughts about how we can understand the harmony between these two seemingly disparate descriptions of attributes that God possesses. In Isaiah chapter 6 we see an undeniable declaration of God’s exaltation, his unmatched majesty. In Matthew chapter 11 we see Jesus, who is Himself God, describe Himself as being gentle, humble, lowly in heart. How do these two descriptions show complementary attributes of God – again, complementary with an “E?”
RD: Well, part of what I think we need to see is what Jesus is saying in Matthew, chapter 11, and what He is not saying. Some translations use the term “gentle” for Jesus and some use "meek.” In our culture there is a tendency to equate the term “meek” with weak. But nothing could be more wrong-headed than to do that.
VK: One minister I heard said that a simple definition for “meek” is “power under control.” That seems to be a pretty important part of what you’re saying.
RD: Exactly. Gentleness and meekness are not remotely similar to weakness. After all even in our culture we recognize that some of the toughest people we know – Army Rangers, Navy Seals, …
VK: I notice you put the Army Rangers first. You’re not biased are you?
RD: Well, fairs fair. Anyway, even in our culture military special operators, professional athletes, oilfield roughnecks, truck drivers - you name it – these are very tough people. But even these very tough people are very careful around their children and especially around newborn babies. Just because they can be extraordinarily tough in their jobs doesn’t mean they aren’t gentle and caring when they need to be. These very tough people know when to unleash their power and when to restrain it. So, we need to disabuse ourselves of the notion that power and toughness can’t coexist with gentleness and kindness even within people. As a matter of fact, most of us would have far less regard for a really tough person if they weren’t able to corral their power when necessary.
VK: Well here you’re talking about physical toughness versus physical gentleness. That’s not exactly the same thing as exaltation versus being “lowly in heart?”
RD: That’s true but I wanted to start with a very clear illustration of how even imperfect humans can possess seemingly opposite traits but the traits are not in conflict with one another. Even in imperfect humans seemingly opposite traits can be seen to be complementary. Well, if this can be true for imperfect people it can certainly be true for a perfect God. The same thing is true in some humans who are highly esteemed but also possess true humility. We are all familiar with the successful person who lets their success “go to their head.” But thankfully, we are also familiar with people who are enormously successful and famous in their careers – exalted in their own way. But when you meet them in person they are kind and gracious. I’ve met some very famous sports celebrities, household names, but up close and personal they are just down-to-earth, humble people.
VK: I know you don’t like to drop names but you once met one of the most famous baseball pitchers of the 20th century in the home of his sports agent. He was just arriving from the airport where his agent had picked him up. Give us a quick version of that story?
RD: This was someone I had seen on television for years – larger than life. He was a Cy Young award winner and one time held the record for the most consecutive innings pitched without allowing a run. When he came into the room he was carrying a bag of cookies he had picked up in an airport shop. As soon as we were introduced he offered me one of his cookies.
VK: Did you accept?
RD: I did. It was a great cookie. He was a great man. Most of the seats in the living room were taken up so I was going to give him my seat on the couch. He had just flown across the country. But he just plopped down on a foot stool that was empty and offered everyone else a cookie. He talked to everyone as if he had known them his whole life. Despite his enormous professional success, endorsement deals, and fame he was just a kind, humble gentleman. If I hadn’t known who he was he might have just been the guy next door. Unfortunately, you don’t see that greatness of spirit in very many people these days.
VK: So, that’s another point that we need to recognize about the interaction of exaltation and humility. Even though they are frequently divorced in human behavior they don’t have to be. It is possible to be extremely successful, famous even, and not act like you are. That’s essentially an observation that would definitely apply to Jesus.
RD: Exactly. Jesus was never in doubt about who He was or what He came to earth to do. The only episode that the Bible recounts about Jesus’ boyhood is in the closing verses of Luke, chapter 2. Jesus’ family went to Jerusalem for the annual Passover as most Jews did if they were able. When Jesus was 12, Luke tells us that as the travelling party from his village began returning home his parents discovered he was missing so they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. They found him in the temple where he was conversing with the people who were the religious elite of that day. When they asked Jesus why he had done something that had scared them so much, Jesus said, in the King James language, “didn’t you know I have to be about my Father’s business?” Jesus knew exactly who He was and what He came to do.
VK: So, Jesus knew throughout His life that He was the Son of God. Yet, the gospels, the records of Jesus’ earthly life, tell us that Jesus was unfailingly kind to ordinary people, always willing to help, and even willing to visit with children when that kind of interaction would have been unheard of. Yet despite His gentleness, His kindness, Jesus could certainly be tough when He needed to be like when He drove the money changers out of the temple.
RD: Exactly. So, let’s take this thought just a little bit farther. As we heard in our meditation today, the most frequent way God is portrayed in the Bible is as a King. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with images of God as a king, and not just as a “king” but as the “King of Kings.” God is the ultimate King of everything. But, in a sense, that image does not do God justice. The image of God as a King helps us understand God as Sovereign but there is a danger in thinking of God as just a more powerful earthly ruler. God is so much more than that.
VK: What you’re getting at is that all the images we form of God in our human minds never rise to the true level of God’s exaltation. Human language simply doesn’t contain the words to describe God’s true majesty. And our minds certainly can form only the most rudimentary concepts of God’s grandeur. In His essence God is not like us at all. He is of an entirely different order. He is unique, singular. So, there is a danger when we place God in a category occupied by other humans we run the risk of reducing God down to a concept we’re comfortable with.
RD: Yes. Maybe one final illustration helps put the complementary nature of God’s attributes of exaltation and humility into perspective. If a professional tennis player is playing a fellow professional their serves will easily exceed 100 miles per hour. But if that professional is trying to encourage a young player they’re not going to try to smoke them. They will deliberately restrain their power, their excellence to help someone weaker than themselves. We’d consider a pro who didn’t do that to be either a bully or a brute. There are certainly occasions when God demonstrated the nature of His power so we could have a proper appreciation of it, as when he was the fire on the mountaintop in Exodus 24:17. God knows who He is and He has shown us. But just like the pro He doesn’t need to do that all the time. So, when God came to earth in the incarnation He was demonstrating His graphic desire to lift us up, to encourage us, to save us.
VK: That truly is an amazing thought. The Lord of the universe cares so much for us that He was willing to humble Himself and take on a human nature so astounding that we can’t conceive of the magnitude of the gift He gave us. God created 50 to 100 billion galaxies each of which contain 50 to 100 Billion stars. Yet, doing so did not begin to tax Him in the least. We very rarely spend any time thinking about God’s vastness, His magnificence, His greatness. So, when God came to earth, literally, He was doing something inconceivably gracious.
RD: Anyone who meditates on this even briefly can understand why John Newton wrote the song Amazing Grace. God could only do what He did because He is who He is. God rules over everything but His eye truly “is on the sparrow.” This should be something that animates every Christian to break out in song of praise and it’s why the thought of spending an eternity beholding the face of God was considered by the ancient Hebrews to be the ultimate reward – sometimes referred to as the “Beatific Vision.”
VK: God’s care for mankind is certainly one of the clearest illustrations of how God’s attributes complement each other so perfectly. Well , in our next episode of Anchored by Truth we’re going to continue to explore more of God’s attributes and continue to see how they enable us to truly understand what a great God we worship. This sounds like a great time to go to the Lord in prayer. Today let’s listen to a prayer for encouragement for the celebration of Easter – the time when we remember that on Easter morning Jesus rose out of a stone tomb telling us that He rules not only the visible universe but over death itself. Let’s remember always to pray regularly for our nation and communities. The Bible assures us that “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world” and that God hears and responds to the sincere prayers of His faithful children.
---- PRAYER FOR EASTER
VK: We’d like to remind our audience that a lot of our radio episodes are linked together in series of topics so if they missed any episodes or if they just want to hear one again, all of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast app. To find them just search on “Anchored by Truth by Crystal Sea Books.”
If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not famous but our Boss is!”
(Bible Quotes from the New International Version)
Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, verse 6, New International Version
Joshua, Chapter 1, verse 5, New International Version
A Meditation on God’s Sovereignty
It is popular today to view God as sort of a kindly grandfather watching the activities of His children, applauding them when they do good, shaking His head ruefully when they mess up, always ready with a chocolate chip cookie and a hug to let them know He loves them. As appealing as this image is, it is not a faithful depiction of the God of the Bible. Among other things, it misses entirely one of the most important attributes of God: His royal sovereignty.
First century Israelites were shocked to hear Jesus address God as His Father. They were comfortable with the notion of God as king and so conscious of His exalted status, they would not speak His personal name, Yahweh. They knew God as sovereign, but were unfamiliar with Him as father. Contemporary believers, by contrast, are perfectly comfortable calling God, “Father”; but recognizing God as king and sovereign seems out of place in these enlightened times. Frankly it not only seems out of place but also makes us decidedly uncomfortable.
Whether it is comfortable for us or not, the most frequent way God is portrayed in the Bible is as a king seated on a throne. Images of God on the throne of heaven are found in both the Old and New Testaments. After His ascension, Jesus is spoken of as being seated at the right hand of the Father. Being seated at the right hand (the place of honor) is a description of royalty. In Biblical times, petitioners appeared before the throne standing. Even counselors and advisers to the king would stand. The only ones who remained seated in the presence of the king were the members of the royal party; so, when the Bible says Jesus is “seated at the right hand,” it is affirming not only God’s royal position, but also Jesus’ own regal nature.
God’s sovereignty makes most of us very uncomfortable when we first learn about it, because we are so accustomed to seeing ourselves as sovereign over our own lives. Encountering God’s kingship is frustrating because it means we must yield our wills to someone else. Yet the more we meditate on God’s sovereignty, the more comfortable we should become with it.
God’s sovereignty means we can pray with confidence for loved ones who show no interest in Christ, for children who are facing peer pressures, for families pressured by tough economic times, and for evangelists traveling in lands hostile to the gospel. If God were not sovereign then Satan, politicians, tyrants, or wayward adolescents could overrule His decisions. Fortunately, they cannot. Nor can we.
The question for us is whether we will acknowledge our heavenly Father’s sovereignty and submit to His authority. Jesus set the example for us in the Garden of Gethsemane when He declared “…yet not My will, but Yours be done.” If Jesus could surrender, so should we, knowing that the Father’s love for us abides constantly as He exercises His rightful sovereignty over us and all His creation.