Thursday, April 11, 2013

God's Attributes, For or Against

Amos 9:1-4 KJV
I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.
Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

This passage seems to me to be the counterpart to Psalms 139 and Davids inquisition, "Whither shall I go from thy presence?" Here God declares to those who have turned from Him that there is no place they can go that will get them from God.

I see here a display of
God's omniscience
Wherever they hide He will search them out

God's omnipresence
Wherever they flee God will be there

God's determination
However long it takes God will bring His action to His desired conclusion.

I am also reminded that, though in this case these attributes are working to the contrary of the subjects, it does not have to be so. These very same attributes of omniscience, omnipresence and determination may be directed toward our favor. It is a matter of obedience to the Lord. God has ever placed before us His blessing or His curse. We may have all of the infinite resources of God directed toward our good, or we may experience infinity pointed toward our destruction; it is simply a matter of whether we take the broad way or the narrow way. 

No comments:

Post a Comment