Day 15 - God's Hidden Power
- Pastor b.Side
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
"God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah - His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. [His] brightness was like the light; He had rays [flashing] from His hand, and there His power [was] hidden." - Habakkuk 3:3-4
Many people want to tap into God’s power. According to His Word, there is only one way to do this. God keeps His power "hidden" to distinguish His ability from others. The prophet Habakkuk understood this truth, reflecting on how God revealed His power in the past to find encouragement for his present trials. To access God’s power, we must remember His past works to know where His power is “hidden.”
“God came from Teman…”
Habakkuk wrote that God came from Teman and referred to Him as “the Holy One.” These descriptions of God are inspired by Deuteronomy Chapter 33. This connection shows that Habakkuk was referencing the revelation of God’s power at Mount Sinai, as well as the miraculous events of God's revelations during their forty-year journey in the wilderness. His specific mention of God as “the Holy One” indicates that the revelation of God’s power at that time also hinted at the future coming of the Messiah.
“His glory covered the heavens…”
The Bible testifies that God revealed Himself in a unique way at Mount Sinai and during the wilderness journey. When God first appeared to His people there, He identified Himself as the One who delivered them from the bondage, oppression, and suffering of Egypt. His power was physically displayed as a pillar of fire and a cloud at different times throughout the day to serve various purposes for the benefit of His people. The physical manifestation of His glory filled the heavens, showing the abundant sufficiency of His power!
“[His] brightness was like the light…”
When God revealed Himself at Mount Sinai, the scriptures describe Him as a “Consuming Fire.” The brightness of His glory appeared as a flame that covered the entire area, so everyone in front and behind the congregation could see it clearly! Then, Habakkuk referenced the Messiah to illustrate where God’s power is “hidden.” The text says that God had “rays flashing from His hand.” The fire that engulfed Mount Sinai looked like rays of light flashing from God’s hand. Although the fire filled the sky and surrounded the mountain, guiding Israel through the wilderness for forty years, it was like a quick “flash” from just one of God’s hands. There’s much more power where that came from!
“He had rays [flashing] from His hand…”
God’s power is displayed in His hand, where light shines like a consuming fire. The full counsel of Scripture explains that God’s power is physically shown from His “right hand,” where Jesus Christ is seated. In other words, God's power is uniquely and solely demonstrated through the Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ, the Consuming Fire and Light of the World. You won’t find it anywhere else. Remembering this truth and the dynamic ways God has proven it in the past is sure to bring encouragement today, just as it did for Habakkuk.
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for this simple reminder of Your power. There is only one way to access it. Help us believe and receive the blessings that come from Your outstretched arm, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Comments