The Sovereign Lord Jehovah

Jehovah is so versatile, so adaptable, that he rightly bears a wide array of titles in Scripture. These do not compete with his personal name; rather, they teach us more about what his name represents. For example, he is called the "Sovereign Lord Jehovah." ( 2 Samuel 7:22) That lofty title, which occurs hundreds of times in the Bible, tells us Jehovah's position. He alone has the right to be Ruler of all the universe. Consider why.

Jehovah is unique as the Creator. Revelation 4:11 says: " You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created." These majestic words could apply to no other being. Everything in the universe owes its existence to Jehovah! Without question, Jehovah is worthy of the honor, power and glory that come with being the Sovereign Lord and Creator of all things.

Another title applied exclusively to Jehovah is "King of eternity." (1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 15:3) What does this mean? It is difficult for our limited minds to comprehend, but Jehovah is eternal is both directions-past and future. Psalm 90:2 says: "Even from time indefinite to time indefinite you are God." So Jehovah never began' he has always been. He is rightly called "the Ancient of Days" -he existed for an eternity before anyone or anything else int he universe came into being! (Daniel 7:9, 13, 22) Who can validly question his right to be the Sovereign Lord?

Yet, some do question that right, as did Pharaoh. Part of the problem is that imperfect men put too much stock in what they can see with their eyes. We cannot see the Sovereign Lord. He is a spirit being, invisible to human eyes. (1 John 4:24) Besides, if a flesh-and-blood human were to stand in the immediate presence of Jehovah God. the experience would prove fatal. Jehovah himself told Moses: "You are not able to see my face, because no man may see me and yet live." -Exodus 33:20; John 1:18.

That should not surprise us. Moses go to see just a part of Jehovah's glory, evidently through an angelic representative. With what effect? Moses' face "emitted rays" for some time afterward. The Israelites feared even to look directly at Moses' face. (Exodus 33:21-23; 34:5-7, 29, 30) Surely, then, no mere human could look upon the Sovereign Lord himself in all his glory! Does this mean that he is any less real than what we can see and touch? No, we readily accept the reality of many things we cannot see -wind, radio waves and thoughts, for example. Furthermore, Jehovah is permanent, unaffected by the passage of time, even untold billions of years! In that sense, he is far more real than anything we can touch or see, for the physical realm is subject to age and decay. (Matthew 6:19) Should we think of him, though, as merely some abstract, impersonal force or vague First Cause? Let us see.

Next time: A God With Personality

Draw Close To Jehovah