| Yesterday's Bible Study |
In this verse, the writer of Hebrews is quoting from Psalm 118, which reminds us that the Lord is our helper and that because He is in control of everything, we needn't fear what other people might do to us. As we break down this verse, we're going to think about two specific points: the difference between God and man, and how that difference changes the way we respond to adversity.
Let's think about the differences between God and man--differences that are mind--boggling. God is perfect in every way. His moral perfections are unchanging and uncompromised. He could not possibly be any better because He is already perfect. He does not have to strive for moral perfection because He embodies moral perfection. People, on the other hand, are far from perfect. We are born into sin and cannot achieve perfection even after we have surrendered our lives to Christ. Unlike God, whom we know is good and is working out of love, we humans are often besotted with unclear and selfish motivations.
The Lord is also all--powerful. Whatever He wants, whatever He wills, whatever pleases Him, He can do without exerting any effort. There is nothing He cannot do. Humans, however, are nowhere near all--powerful. We have plenty of inabilities to control even ourselves. In terms of power, God is so far ahead of us it is inconceivable.
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Everything that God does is perfect and good, and He can do anything. People, on the other hand, are not good unless we're in God and what power we do have is very limited. Obviously, the contrasts between God and man are simply overwhelming.
The writer of Hebrews knew all this about God, so he had no fear of what people might do to him. He knew they could do nothing without permission from the Lord, and even if he faced something terrible, he knew God was good and was with him. Today, we can have the same confidence in the Lord, which means we also reject any fears of what others may do to us.
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