God is often talked about as loving and merciful. He is also strong and mighty. God’s power is beyond our imagination. He created the entire universe and everything in it with a word. He defeated armies, He stopped the mouths of lions, He calmed storms, and he gave the breath of life. There is nothing God cannot do. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, that our sins would be paid and that we would be declared righteous. And He rose Him from the dead and He is sitting at His right hand, and one day will return and take His people home, and reign on this earth. That is the God we serve.
Genesis 49:23-26
The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God [Abir] of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), by the God [El] of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty [Shaddai] who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.
This is probably the earliest mention of the name of God being “The Mighty One”, or “Mighty God” when Jacob is blessing his son, Joseph. In Hebrew the term is Abir, or Gibhor. He is an awesome God and his strength is unimaginable. Moses described Him as mighty after the Israelites witnessed God’s power through the plagues and the dividing of the Red Sea and so many miracles to rescue, protect, and provide for His Chosen People.
Deuteronomy 10:15-21
The LORD [Yahweh] delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. For the LORD [Yahweh]your God [Elohim] is God [Elohim]of gods and Lord of lords, the great God [El], mighty [gibhor] and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD [Yahweh]your God[Elohim]; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. He is your praise, and He is your God[Elohim], who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.
As God lead His people through the wilderness, though they sinned often against Him and grumbled often, He still stayed with them and guided them to the Promised Land. Yet the Israelites time and time again rebelled against God, but He always kept His promises. Sometimes His promises were that if they rebelled they would be scattered from their land and rules by other nations, but He also promised that they would return, at least a remnant back to their homeland. As Isaiah prophesied of their captivity, He proclaimed the greatness and mighty power of God.
Isaiah 10:20-23
And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return; the destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a determined end in the midst of all the land.
Isaiah also prophesied that one day God would send His Son as a Child to his people, and His Son would be Mighty God, and he would save His people (save all people), and one day will establish His kingdom here.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God [El Gobhor], Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
After the angel spoke to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God, Jesus, she proclaims God’s greatness and praises Him for the great things He has done and the honor He has given her. Not that she was great, but that her Child would be great. She recognized that her Child would be her Savior, and the Savior of the world.
Luke 1:46-55
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”
Mary was glorifying God for the great things He has done, for blessing her to be a part of a great and wonderful thing that was about to happen. She was about to give birth to the Son of God! She was not God, nor should she be worshipped, prayed to, or have statues made for her, but she should be admired and respected for her great faith. She was used by God for great and mighty things. He would save the world, and He would do wonderful miracles to bless many people, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that all nations of the world would be blessed through Him. And one day He will rule this earth with righteousness and His mighty power.
Psalms 45:2-7
You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God [Elohim] has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One [Gibhor], with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; the peoples fall under You. Your throne, O God [Elohim], is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God[Elohim], Your God [Eloheka], has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
The Psalm writer describes “the Mighty One” anointed by God, His Father, “God Your God.” The writer also quotes this scripture as He describes who Jesus Christ is in Hebrews 1:8-9. Grace was poured onto us through His sacrifice, the only perfect One who could redeem us. And He will come again one day to judge the earth and rule with righteousness and justice.
Revelation 19:11-16
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
One day Jesus will return to this earth. He will bring judgement to this world with righteousness. He will come with a rod of iron, a scepter as we just read in the Psalms, and with a sword. He IS the Word or God and He will fight His enemies with His word, with the sword of the Spirit, with righteousness and truth. And I believe that time is just around the corner. Prophesies are being fulfilled and signs are there. So we need to watch and be ready for the return of The Mighty One.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
So how do we be ready? By putting on the full armor of God to prepare for battle. By reading His word, “the sword of the Spirit.” By living in faith (the shield of faith), by living in a way that honors God, being obedient, not for our salvation, but because of our salvation. And using the full armor of God, we can defeat the enemy under the mighty hand of God, when we put our full trust in Christ.
1 Peter 5:6-11
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Every day we face battles. No matter what we are going through, we have a Mighty God who will fight for us. He is looking over us. My dad passed away this week and at the same time we were having other family issues. There has been many struggles dealing with both of these things, but what I can always lean on is that our God is faithful. Though we live in an evil fallen world, though the devil seeks to devour us, our God is mighty than he is, our God is bigger than any problems in this world, and He will make all things right. Not in our timing, not always in the way we want, but he is righteous and just, loving and merciful, powerful and mighty. We can always trust in Him.
My Daily Scriptures 