Monday, November 19, 2007

How Great is our God? He is All-Powerful




In our study in Psalm 139 so far, we have already seen that God knows all things about us and is always with us. Now we see that He is all powerful, seen in the design of our bodies. This passage transports us into the womb. It is remarkable considering that it was written in a day when little was known about human anatomy or embryology.

David begins by describing God as the cause of conception and creator of the human body. It is God who formed our inward parts. The word “formed” carries the idea of originates – God originated our inward parts. “Inward Parts” literally means kidneys and was symbolic in the ancient culture of all our vital organs. God is the one who originated our very organs. David says, “You wove me in my mother’s womb.” The word “wove” suggests the idea of knitting together like an interwoven mass. It is God who has placed all of our organs into a well-knitted fashion and design.

The Psalmist is in such awe at this truth that he responds in thanksgiving and praise to God. Even with his limited knowledge of man’s anatomy, the marvels of the human body led him to be in awe and wonder. He gives thanks to God for fearfully and wonderfully making him. He gives praise to the Lord for His wonderful creative works.

He continues by saying that his frame was not hidden from God when he was made in secret. The original Hebrew term for “frame” means bony substance and speaks of our skeleton. It was God who formed our skeleton structure while we were “in secret.” The term “in secret” and “in the depths of the earth” is an idiomatic expression for a protected, safe place as one may hide his treasure by burying it. God knew him intimately even in the womb. It was God who “skillfully wrought” him in the womb. “Skillfully wrought” literally means variegated, like a carefully embroidered multi-colored cloth and speaks of our veins and arteries

God was just as much a part of our life before birth as he was after birth. He knew are “unformed substance” which is a word in its verb form that means to fold together or wrap up. In Scripture, it appears in its noun form only here and means embryo. From the moment of my conception God wrapped me up in my embryonic form. While we were still in the womb, He marked out our days and “ordained” them even before we were born. The word “ordain” was used in the Old Testament to describe a potter who forms clay on his wheel until it takes the shape He has in His mind. While we were still in the womb, God marvelously planned out the details of our lives.

According to Psalm 139:17, God’s thoughts are precious to us. In other words, His thoughts for us are amazing. But even more than that, His thought for us are also abundant in quantity. David calls them “vast.” If we were to count the number of thoughts that God has for us, they would outnumber the grains of sand in the world. They always occur. When I am sleeping, God is thinking about me. When I am awake, God is thinking about me. The truth is that He can’t get you out of His mind.

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