Week 7 Numbers 11 Psalm 45
Out in the deserts of the Sinai Peninsula Israel was complaining about food and the Lord said he would provide meat for them and Moses reminded him that there were 600,000+ people so…realistically…how was that possible?
The Lord asked: is there any limit to my power? It was asked in a question-like way but it really meant There is No Limit to My Power. Power with no ceiling. Power to do whatever. Absolute power. Which is pretty impressive…unless of course I’m on the receiving end of the power.
If someone else has unlimited power he has the potential to negatively affect me and so at that point I start feeling less impressed with the power and more concerned about the exercise of power. Impressed at first…and then concern sets in.
The day after I read the Numbers story I read: your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in justice. You love what is right and hate what is wrong.
There’s the story of the powerful king who wanted a guy’s property so he trumped-up charges & put the guy on a show-trial & executed him & then took his land. That’s an example of something the Lord couldn’t possibly do. He has the power to do anything. But his power is only operable if it’s just & fair & impartial. Which is a huge relief.
Note: quotes from Numbers 11:23 & Psalm 45:6-7 (NLT). And see the Ahab-Naboth story 1 Kings 21.