My hope is that this series will offer my readers a chance to consider the names, characteristics and descriptions of our God in the Word.
The remaining Names of God in this series might be considered descriptors, or characteristics of the Lord. We have reviewed the three primary Names of God, along with nineteen compound Names of God in our previous posts. As we venture through these descriptors of our God, I hope we will recognize all the many characteristics of our God that we tend to take for granted.
The Word is truly rich with descriptions of the Living God, and this effort of searching in the Word was quite illuminating. He truly is the ultimate subject of the Word, and His revelation of self-descriptions, or the accolades offered Him by His priests, prophets, kings apostles and faithful truly is a blessing.
May the Name of the Lord be praised, and by thinking on His name, may you have a blessed day.
HIM WHO STRUCK DOWN THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT
Psalm 136:10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;
I was chatting with a brother recently and he asked about the sovereignty of God, specifically regarding the subject of our salvation. I had to admit that my experience in understanding the sovereignty of God had taken me through a spectrum of approaches to the subject. At one point, I had associated with the reformed view, that all is predestined and God’s primary message to His people is that He controls all in His Kingdom. Looking back at that time in my life, it seemed I had given up somewhat, for that view provided a mindset that allowed me to be fatalistic. Whatever happens happens.
We chatted some more, and eventually he had an appointment to attend, but the discussion lingered in my thoughts. What is the core message God want us to understand? Is it His power? Is that what God wants us to consider as we look to Him, as we try to understand the One who is all powerful?
This morning, as we consider a Name of God that speaks of a judgement falling on the nation of Egypt, lets take a moment to read of the event our psalmist refers to.
Exodus 12:29-30 At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.
This passage describes the action of the Lord in delivering the Israelites. It describes the extent of His actions on the Egyptians. It describes the reaction of the Egyptians, for every house of the Egyptians was affected. Every person experienced death, a specific death of the firstborn.
The Egyptians certainly experienced the power of God, from the weakest to the most powerful man in the nation. All were touched by this mighty act.
But consider how the psalmist sees this act of judgement. This horrendous judgment on Egypt is seen as an act that reveals something far deeper, and may I suggest much more important than the power of God. The psalmist refers to God’s steadfast love.
Now for the Egyptians, they suffered terribly, yet it is important to remember that the Lord is the one who is the creator of all, the giver of life to every one. Death will sting us all. This act of power was not the infliction of death, but the timing of death on the firstborn. And it is His right to choose this.
But the psalmist reminds me that this act of God reveals something more than a show of power. This act of God reveals His motivation, His desire for a persecuted people under the fist of a nation. He delivered His people, and all in Egypt that desired to know the Lord were accepted. Those who didn’t didn’t.
Yes the Lord is HIM WHO STRUCK DOWN THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all, and in the plan of God to provide a Savior for all, a rag tag group of slaves were pulled out of a dominating nation, based on the promise of God to a man centuries before.
Even in this judgement, the psalmist found a deeper truth, and that HIM WHO STRUCK DOWN THE FIRSTBORN OF EGYPT, exhibits his steadfast love for ever to those willing to see.
I would love to hear of your favorite name, characteristic or description of the Living God. Please leave me a comment, and I will include it in the list!
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