5. God Spoke

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God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son…

Hebrews 1:1

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On December 8, 1941 radio stations around the world broadcast President Roosevelt’s speech to the United States Congress. Most of the world had been at war for over two years but the United States had maintained a quasi-neutral status. However, on December 7, 1941 the United States was bombed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor in a Sunday morning surprise attack. What would Roosevelt say to the American people and their congress reeling from the loss of thousands of sailors? What would he say to the watching world? Roosevelt closed his speech with these words, “I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.” Congress acted, the sleeping giant was awakened, and the destruction of the second world war marched forward in ever increasing violence and destruction.

We understand something of the power of words. World leaders demonstrate the power behind their position by speaking, ordering, and directing. Parents demonstrate the same thing with their children. The Lord instituted this authority in parents and reminds children of it by telling them to honor their father and their mother and to obey them. Regarding government leaders He says, “let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.”  

We also understand the limitations and weakness of words. How often when a politician speaks do you think, “just politics as usual…” or, “that person is all talk and no action,” or “she is all bark and no bite.” Martin Lloyd Jones said of some ministers he was critiquing, “their sermons were full of fire but no light.”

Unless the US Congress complied with Roosevelt’s request and the people with Congress’ declaration, the state of war would be meaningless. Unless children obey their parents it can seem the parent’s words fall on deaf ears. We can sometimes give too much credit to man’s words forgetting “the kings heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water He turns it (Proverbs 21:1).”  Perhaps because of the limitations with men’s words we can make the error at times of thinking those limits exist in God’s Word. God’s Word however is not limited like man’s word.

When God speaks to men He does so with power. Man may speak from a temporary place of power or authority but he has only limited ability to see it come to pass. When God speaks, he has no limitations, all comes to pass just as He said. There is power in the Word of God that is beyond all human Words. The first great proposition of Scripture meets the second great proposition at this point.

As God speaks, so it comes to pass, because God is!

Consider His creation power: And God said, let there be light, and there was light (Genesis 1:3). When God spoke, creation came into being. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that is made (John 1:3).

Consider His forgiveness power: “Son, thy sins are forgiven you! … That you might know that the Son of Man has power on Earth to forgive sins, I say to the man sick of the palsy, arise, take up your bed and walk (Mark 2:10).

Consider His life giving power : “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live… Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (From Isaiah 55).

As God speaks, so it comes to pass, because God is!

As man speaks, man hopes, prays, attempts, tries, etc. Man always thinks in probabilities. I hope for a sunny day and it might come to pass. There is a probability it will be sunny. It is altogether different with God. As He thinks, He does it, because He is!

“Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:11).

“The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying “Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass. And as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24).

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

“There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel – that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations (Psalm 33:11).

How often the counsel of man falls flat on its face. Defeat is grasped from the jaws of victory. Remember Haman as he prepared the gallows for Mordecai and all the Jews after him. On the very day of victory for Haman’s allies they met their destruction while their leader was hanging from his own scaffold. Where is this better seen than on the cross as the Sanhedrin, the Romans, the Devil himself thought to have the greatest victory. At that very point in time the great work of redemption was being accomplished. Death was being swallowed up in Death! Death was being defeated in the death of Christ. The grave could not hold the Christ. On the third day, He who had power to lay down His life, took it up again. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, all power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth” (Matthew 28:18-20).

As God speaks, so it comes to pass, because God is!

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