4 Key Characteristics of God
When I come across the word Lord in the Bible—which occurs over six thousand times and appears in almost every book—I’m never quite sure how to interpret it.
The dictionary says that I can understand Lord to mean God or Jesus. Hence my confusion.
Which one is it? Is it both? Or could it be that it doesn’t matter because Jesus is part of the Godhead, along with the Father and Holy Spirit?
Today’s passage from Isaiah 33:22 will not directly answer my dilemma, but it does give a better understanding of who the Lord is and what he does.
Judge
First, the Lord judges us. He’s our Judge. A judge—at least an ethical one, which is how I perceive God—makes determinations between right and wrong. As our Judge, our Lord God looks at what we have done and makes a legal determination of our case.
Should we receive a reprieve or a sentence? Since everyone sins, we all fall short of perfection and deserve punishment. But as our Judge, the Lord God can offer us mercy: not getting the penalty we deserve.
Lawgiver
Second, the Lord gives us laws. He’s our Lawgiver. These laws fall into two categories: things we’re supposed to do and things we’re not supposed to do. In the Old Testament, the Law of Moses contains 613 commands—things to do or not do.
Unfortunately, we can never fully obey all these directives. We all fall short of following the law perfectly, which separates us from God. Therefore, we need a different solution to be reconciled to him.
King
Third, the Lord rules over us. He’s our King. A king is a supreme ruler over a group of people. He is preeminent. He is sovereign. That means a king can do whatever he wants. What he says, goes.
Some kings rule with a firm hand and others with a gentle embrace. For those people who uphold democracy as the ideal form of government, the idea of a king is an old-fashioned concept. It seems out of date and out of touch.
Yet the Lord God is our King.
Savior
Last, and most important, our Lord will rescue us. He’s our Savior. As our Judge, the Lord will find us lacking. As our Lawgiver, we can’t meet his expectations. And as our King, our Lord can punish us or offer us mercy.
That’s why we need a Savior, and our Lord will save us.
It doesn’t matter if we perceive the Lord as God or as Jesus, the bottom line is that our Lord saves.
Do we trust our Lord to save us?
Discover more about the Lord in Psalm 23:1, Luke 1:30–33, Acts 4:33, 2 Corinthians 6:18, James 5:11, Revelation 1:8, and Revelation 4:8.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 32–34 and today’s post is on Isaiah 33:22.]
Read more about the book of Isaiah in Isaiah Bible Study: Discover Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles through the Prophet’s Timeless Words available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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