Thanksgiving From The Bible Pt. 8 Give Thanks Because Jehovah Reigns In Righteousness & Holiness

Give thanks because Jehovah reigns!

Psalm 97:1  The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. 

Here is truth that requires no proof. Jehovah is infinite and eternal and He wields unlimited power and unerring wisdom. 

Jehovah is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. His authority is absolute, and his government is universal. In all places, on all occasions, and in all times, Jehovah reigns.

Because this is true, a command is issued that all the earth should rejoice. This is like spinning around with overwhelming joy and gladness of heart because, Jehovah reigns. 

His dominion includes the most vast continent to the very smallest island. It includes all the heavens and all the seas, lakes, rivers and fountains of the earth.

Give thanks for Jehovah's perfect wisdom. 

Psalm 97:2-4  Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. 3)  A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. 4)  His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. 

Throne of Jehovah is depicted as a place where man's thoughts and imaginations cannot penetrate. Clouds and darkness surround Jehovah's throne. 

This pictures the eternal counsel of the Godhead which are known unto the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. No creature can discover what Jehovah has planned to do unless He reveals it to us in His Word. 

Romans 11:33-36  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34)  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35)  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36)  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

This is what the Psalmist is describing for us. The wisdom, knowledge and counsels of the Godhead are unsearchable. His ways cannot be discovered, for He is infinite in all aspects of His being, and all created things are limited in every respect. 

Perfect righteousness, perfect holiness and perfect truth are permanently attached to Jehovah. They represent Jehovah as much as His perfect love and perfect mercy do. 

Give thanks because Jehovah will come in great power. 

Exodus 19:16-18  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17)  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18)  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 

Lightning, fire, dark clouds and shaking always accompany the presence of Jehovah in this world. Moses was so overwhelmed by it that he said "I exceedingly fear and quake" (Hebrews 12:21). 

When Jehovah came to give Moses the ten commandments of the Hebrews, there was thunder, lightning, fire and smoke. Mount Sinai shook in the presence of its Creator. 

Give thanks because Jehovah will judge the wicked. 

Psalm 97:5-7  The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6)  The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. 7)  Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. 

What is described by the Psalmist, Moses, and the prophets, is a picture of just how cataclysmic that final judgement day will be. 

The sun, moon and stars will be impacted by Jehovah's awesome presence ( See Joel 2:1-17; Malachi 4; Isaiah 13; Jeremiah 46; Amos 5. Obadiah 1; Zephaniah 1, 2, 14). 

John tells us that the servants of AntiChrist will beg the rocks and mountains to fall on them, to hide them from the God who will judge their sins (Revelation 6:16).

The righteousness of Jehovah will be displayed as He measures out His judgment upon all who reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

All people who serve "gods" instead of serving the One, True God of Creation, will have their hopes dashed and their rebellion against Holy God utterly crushed. 

Their idols have eyes that cannot see, mouths that cannot speak, limbs that cannot move, noses that cannot smell and ears that cannot hear. All their "gods" are powerless to do anything. 

Yet, the mere presence of Jehovah proves that He can do anything that He desires and none can impede His will. Jehovah alone is the One, True Living God and all who know Him will rejoice when He comes to judge the earth.

Psalm  97:8,9  Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD. 9)  For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. 

Zion hearing and the daughters of Jerusalem rejoicing are pictures of believers in Christ being filled with gladness because the wicked will be judged and Jehovah will be exalted above all others. 

Give thanks for Jehovah's holiness. 

Psalm 97:10-12  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 11)  Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12)  Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 

The Psalmist includes a strong warning for all who are trusting Jehovah for salvation and deliverance from sin. Those who love Him should hate sin, because sin is a vile offense against Holy God. 

We can rejoice because Jehovah does preserve the soul of all who trust Him and He has promised to deliver us from the wicked ones. 

Jehovah has revealed these wonderful things to us through His Word. The entrance of His word brings light to our souls and gladdens our spirits with hope. 

The light of God shines in us and it takes root in order that we might bear fruit for His glory and our good. 

Many times He sends grace to us and it can multiply, because how we think, how we talk and what we do, will be transformed by His grace. We will be made into conduits of His grace as we minister to those around us. 

Therefore, all of these things being true, the Psalmist commands us to rejoice in Jehovah because He imputes His righteousness to us and cancels our debt of sin. 

It is our privilege to be Jehovah's happy people. We rejoice because He has made the atonement for our sins. 

We rejoice in the LORD because when we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, we are joined to Jehovah in the flesh, Jesus Christ. 

Therefore as believers in Christ, we have a multitude of things we can rejoice in, because Christ secured them for us.

1 Peter 1:15,16  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;16)  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

But why should we give thanks at the remembrance that God is holy? Because He has said, "Be ye holy; for I am holy." 

True happiness is found in the holiness of God manifest in each believer's life. We are bought with the costly price of Jesus' blood and we are to glorify God with our bodies, because we now belong to Him.

Thoughts to Ponder...

We can give thanks because Jehovah reigns. The whole world is imploding under the weight of depravity, carnality and hatred, but Jehovah rules from His throne. He will bring all things to their intended end. He will be glorified.

We can give thanks because Jehovah knows the beginning from the end of all things, and nothing takes Him by surprise. His plans are perfect, His counsels impenetrable and His power to execute His will unimpeded. 

We can give thanks because Jehovah makes each believer "in Christ" holy and acceptable to Him. "In Christ" we can come to the Father's throne to obtain mercy, help and grace for our times of need.

May these simple truths be used of God to put passion into our hearts, and fresh zeal into our soul. May this truth help us more readily express our thanksgiving and praises to God.

Bob