"GOD DOES GREAT THINGS"
“Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number” (Job 5:9)
The Only Living God is a God of wonders. We see God's wonders in His miraculous acts and His mighty deeds, which were recorded in the Bible. Moses proclaimed: "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11).
God's wonders proclaim His omnipotence, His ultimate authority over all. They declare His absolute control over events, people, and powers, and reveal His presence among His people. God performed wonders through Moses during the exodus from Egypt: “So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders” (Deuteronomy 26:8). The wonders of God lead to a sense of awe—there is no one like Him!
Through divine actions, the God of wonders reveals His character, His purposes, and His power on earth. In response, people who witness His miracles are filled with awe and wonder: “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told” (Habakkuk 1:5).
God’s wonders reveal His love and protection. The Lord led His people through the wilderness with a miraculous pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22). He fed them with manna (Exodus 16: 1-34). He provided water from a rock (Exodus 17: 5-6). When Elijah was living by the brook of Cherith, the Lord had ravens come to feed him: "And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook" (1 kings 17:6). Through it all, the God of wonders showed His limitless care and protection.
The New Testament also gives reasons why God is called the God of wonders. In Matthew 21:15, the miracles of Jesus are called “wonderful things”. In Acts 5:12, Luke speaks of many “signs wonders” performed by the apostles.
God’s wonders are supernatural acts beyond human understanding. Through extraordinary signs, the God of wonders demonstrates His limitless power, His inescapable presence, His divine protection, and His sovereign purposes. In each instance, God’s wondrous works are designed to draw people to Himself. Through His most stunning of all miracles, the God of wonders revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, overcame the power of sin and death, and redeemed His people for all eternity (John 1:12-13).
These marvelous works by the God of wonders are unique displays of divine power that go far beyond human ability and power. Believers ought to seek God and lay their cause before Him. He is of absolute, infinite power, wisdom, and goodness.
God has done great things and shall do great things for ever. When God begins a work, He completes and carries it through (Isaiah 43:7). He does not only create and give a being: form and give proportion, but he gives beauty to His works (Deuteronomy 32:4). When God begins a work, he will also make an end; Nothing will take Him off or stay in the Midway (1 Samuel 3:12). He is the Author and finisher of our faith, the beginning, and the end, the first and last about our faith.
All His works are full of order and comeliness: He does His work exquisitely. Even His works, that man see as nothing and deformed, are full of orders. They will appear to us soon in beauty and comeliness. The Lord doesn’t need to engrave or subscribe His name to His works, His works proclaim His name.
The noble works of God answer the style or attributes of God. He is a great God, so are His works.
There are four things spoken in this verse (Job 5:9) of the works of God, which speak aloud: He does
? Great things,
? Unsearchable,
? Wonderful,
? Innumerable (Without Number).
No works of man or Angel are capable of those attributes stated above. The skill, knowledge and deepest understanding of men cannot perform such wonders. Though some men do deceive the fools and weak men in performing magic, yet no magic has ever made all men in the world to wonder.
We shall be discussing each attribute in a 4-part series, to enable us have a deep understanding of God’s wonder that all creatures and angels cannot comprehend.
1. HE DOES GREAT THINGS
“Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 111:2-3). His works are so great that those who know them cannot help but proclaim them publicly. When we look at the design of the world around us—the grandeur of the mountains, the power of the ocean, the beauty of the fields—we cannot help but praise our Maker.
There is greatness in everything God does. The great God leaves the print of His own greatness on those things we count as being little (Tiny insect, air particles, dew, small stones, human hair). The hairs of our head are small things but not too small for the great God to take notice of (Matthew 10:29-30). Little works of nature, have a greatness in them, considered as done by God; and little works of Providence have a greatness in them as well. There is no work that is little among His work, our great God does great things.
We ought to reverence the power and inspection of God, who observe the lowest and meanest things. Weighty matters and small matters are brought to God for His judgment; the least motions of the creature, are heard and resolved, disposed, and guided by His wisdom and Power.
The work of creation is the greatest (in terms of quantity) among the works of God (Genesis 1:1). How spacious, huge, and mighty is Heaven and earth, with all things compacted and comprehended in their circumference. This work is so vast for quantity and admirable qualities. Matter and form, power and order, quantity, and quality, are equally balanced that no eye can discern, or judgment of man determine which weighs most in this mighty work.
Among these works of God, some are called great in regard of quality, rather than quantity. “God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night” (Sun and Moon) - Genesis 1:16; these are great lights, greater than all other heavenly lights. Many stars are greater than the Moon but the lesser of these stars is great in regard of light and influence, excellency, and usefulness to the world.
The works of providence are great works too; when God destroys great enemies, the greatness of His work is proclaimed (Revelation 15:3, Ezra 9:13).
The Spiritual works of God are far greater - the work of Redemption which is called Salvation, the conversion and justification of a sinner, the pardon of our sins, and the purifying of our nature - works that are high, above creation and providence, as the Heavens are in comparison of the earth.
He doesn’t go through stress nor pain to accomplish any task, for he does great things. There is no restraint to the Lord, to save with few or by many (1 Samuel 14:6;) and it is nothing to God to save, whether with many or with them that have no power (2 Chronicles 14). It was a great work at the beginning of time to make Heaven and earth, and will it not be a great work to shake Heaven and earth. (Haggai 2:6, Isaiah 65:17).
OUR DUTY AS CHRISTIANS
1. If it’s the attribute of God to do great things, then it is our duty to expect great things. We can both expect great things from God and attempt great things for Him because, He is omnipotent or all-powerful. He is the supreme Ruler, reigning with unlimited power. He is invincible and undefeated. He has no equal or match.
He is a great King, and it dishonor Him when we have small faith or do-little things (Malachi 1:14). It is our duty to have great faith because God does great things. Is it appropriate, to have a great God and a little faith? To have a God that does great things, and His people cannot believe great things? To have a God who can easily do great things and people that can hardly believe small things?
2. Jesus said that believers would do the works that He did and even greater things because He was going to the Father. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14). We can expect great things from God and attempt great things for Him when we step out in faith to serve Him, because He is so great, and we have the Holy Spirit living within us.
John 14:15-18 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you”.
God deserve great praises because He does great things. We have great faith that He will do great things, so we ought to give Him great acknowledgements when he has done great things for us. He deserves good sacrifices of praise from us. Nothing is more profitable for believers than to spend their lives in the celebration of the praises of God.
Seeing that God does great works for us, let us show great zeal and love to the Lord. We should strive to do great things for God.
The key to expecting great things from God and attempting great things for Him is realizing that He is the One accomplishing the work through us. Our motive must be to glorify Him and if we stay consistent and don’t give up; He is faithful to use us.
Meditating on the works of the Lord reminds us of His greatness and those wise men and women fear Him, showing Him honor and love. If we forget His mighty acts in history, we may be tempted not to fear Him in the manner He is due, and thus meet destruction. Let us take time daily to think on the greatness of God’s works.
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
“Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain” (Psalm 48:1).
James Dina
james@mountzionblog.org
14th July 2020
(Outlines quoted from JOSEPH CARYL study- "EXPOSITION OF JOB with practical observation").
