A Glimpse of God

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Hebrews 13:20-21

In my classroom, I have one of those flip calendars with a verse for each day. Although a couple verses are almost comically out of context, there are many days when I flip the page and feel like God put that specific verse on that day’s page just for me. Other days, I just read the verse and then move on with my day. The verse above was one of those, that is, until the end of the day when I was packing up to go home.

I glanced over at the verse, and was suddenly struck by how many different glimpses it gives us of who God is.

Peace

He is the God of peace—the one who knew we would need a Savior, and designed our redemption and restoration before the world began (1 Peter 1:19-21)

Power

He is the omnipotent God. His power raised Christ from the dead, and Romans 8 tells us that same power also quickens our bodies to walk in the Spirit of God, not after our own sinful flesh. (vv.9-13)

Shepherd

I find it interesting that our passage describes both God the Father and God the Son, seamlessly switching between the two. But, being two wholly equal, wholly unified Persons of our one Triune God, it is no surprise that describing one part of the Trinity leads so naturally into describing another. Jesus here is called, “that great Shepherd of the sheep.” John 10 gives us a beautiful picture (in Christ’s own words) of how Jesus watches over, keeps, knows, and cares for us, His sheep. The Old Testament echoes this picture in Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd…) and elsewhere. Much could be said about our great Shepherd. That title encompasses His authority and leadership, and also His protection and care.

Sacrifice

It is Jesus’ blood that paid the price for our sin. His sacrifice on our behalf enables us to enter, as it were, the flock of God. It was His blood, shed on the cross that sealed the “everlasting covenant,” freeing and reconciling all who accept His free gift of salvation.

Hebrews tells us,

“And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (10:11-12)

Jesus offered Himself, the perfect sacrifice for our sins, accomplished once and for all, and now He sits on the right hand of God the Father, mankind’s redemption purchased and freely offered to all.

Sanctifier

Have you ever stopped to think that God wants you to do His will, and that He wants to help you do it? The writer of Hebrews prayed that God would “Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight.”

Philippians 2:13 says:

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

God does the work, we need only be willing and obedient as He prompts and empowers us.

Worthy of Glory

I often catch myself skimming past the end of a passage like this one, but every word of the Bible is valuable and purposeful! This final statement gives us the culmination of all that has been said about God in the rest of the passage.

“To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Many of the descriptions we have already looked at tell us Who God is in relation to what He does for us. But this last phrase is a reminder that it’s not about us and what we can get from God. God is worthy of glory apart from our pleasure (or displeasure) in what He does for us. He is simply and completely glorious, and worthy of our adoration. Nothing and no one can compete with His power and perfection, His holiness and love, His justice and mercy. These things are just the beginning, and I hazard a guess that we will be continually finding out more facets to Who God is throughout eternity. This passage from Revelation seems fitting here:

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (4:11)

We are made for God, dear Reader, made to glorify Him and to enjoy all that He has given us, and all that He is for us. Take some time today to thank Him for Who He is, and ask Him to show you how to glorify Him in your life today.

“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” 

Romans 11:36