Torch, Winter 2012

of the earth’s fresh water. The plume of water entering the Atlantic Ocean from the Amazon reaches out approximately 250 miles, and verse 12 casually states that God measures all the earth’s water in the hollow of His hand. He measures the universe with the span of distance between the outstretched tip of His thumb and the tip of His little finger. There is no one like Judah’s God! 2. God’s wisdom is incomparable (verses 13–14). As obvious as it may seem, Isaiah had to remind Judah that no one is qualified or capable to counsel God. No one ever will be able to teach Him. His wisdom knows no boundaries. There is a Greek proverb that says, “Gray hair is a sign of age, not of wisdom.” The sages of the ages will bow before the only wise God. 3. God’s greatness is incomparable (verses 15–17). God’s greatness is so vast that the imaginary weight of all the nations on the earth are like indistinguishable dust on balance scales. Verse 17 goes so far as to say that the nations are less than nothing in comparison to God. As impressive as the nations may have been to Judah (especially the nation of Babylon), they were less than nothing compared to Adonai Yahweh. 4. God’s sovereignty is incomparable (verses 18–24). Kings and sovereigns have ruled upon the earth, but to whom could Judah compare Him? Pagan and religious people alike, in Judah’s day, fashioned costly fetishes of all kinds that all eventually decayed. The best efforts of the most skilled craftsmen were useless. The one true living God was and is the authoritative sovereign of all. The text pictures Him sitting upon the arc of the earth looking down upon its inhabitants that proportionately resemble grasshoppers. God rules over all sovereigns. He sets them up and disposes of them as He wishes. Proverbs 21:1 states, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” All Joking Aside by Robert Rohm, Vice President for Christian Ministries at Cedarville University Have you heard any of the Chuck Norris jokes going around? You know who Chuck Norris is, don’t you? Among other things, he was the star of the 1990s action crime drama series, Walker, Texas Ranger . In the show Chuck Norris is a contemporary Texas Ranger who uses martial arts as his primary law enforcement weapon. He is a fearsome crime fighter who drives a cool pickup truck, carries a big gun, but uses his fists and feet to get the job done. He’s bigger than life! Just in case you haven’t heard any of the jokes, let me give you some examples. “Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass … at night.” Or, “When the boogeyman goes to sleep, every night he checks his closet for … Chuck Norris.” Isn’t it interesting how many jokes, in general, relate to things we fear? Isn’t it interesting that we can joke about things we fear, but in real life, fear can paralyze us? The apostle Paul, in II Timothy 1:7, reminded Timothy that no matter what he might face in life, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” If you have genuinely placed your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you know that fear does not have to rule your life. You can be “fearless,” having a sound mind and heart. While jokes about fear may be funny, living in fear is not. If you have never asked Jesus Christ to forgive your sins through His shed blood, today is your day. Choose to live free from the weight of fear. WORDS OF TRUTH 22 TORCH | Winter 2012