Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Yahweh is Great


The FBI found handwritten notes in the suitcases of all of the 9/11 hijackers that told them to shout Allahu Akbar, which means "Allah is great!" The letter said to do so, "because this strikes fear in the hearts of non-believers."
But Psalm 135 teaches that Yahweh, not Allah, is great. Psalm 135:6 (HCSB): "For I know that Yahweh is great."
The psalm is framed by a call to worship leaders in God's house to praise the LORD (Yahweh). The psalm begins with this call in v. 1-3 and concludes with a similar call to worship in v. 19-21. In between, it gives five reasons why Yahweh alone is great:
1. Because of His grace (v. 4 He has "chosen" His people.)
2. Because of His power (v. 6 He does whatever He pleases.)
3. Because He delivered His people (v. 8-12)
4. Because He revealed His name (v. 13-14, and thus by revealing His divine name, He was revealing His character to His people)
5. Because He is real, unlike worthless idols (v. 15-18)

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