Stand in AWE! (Jude 24-25 Part 5)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

THE STUDY:

          In verse 25 four virtues are attributed to God: glory, majesty, power and authority. Yesterday we looked at Glory. Today we will be looking at majesty. Majesty (megalōsynē) is used only of God in the Bible. It describes God’s kingly status and greatness.^[1]

          The Greek term first appears in biblical literature as praise to God in the Greek translation of the Song of Moses in Deut 32:3; it can refer to God’s deeds as well as his being (2 Sam 7:21, 23). Its first use in a doxology is in 1 Chron 29:11, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.” In early Christian literature “majesty” retreats to being an attribute of God rather than a roundaboutness for God. Yet “majesty” is attributed only to God (1 Clem. 27:4; 58:1), never to Caesar or any other governmental authority of this age, since Christians were well aware that the authority of Christ had supplanted the authority of the empire. It is no surprise, then, that this term was frequently used by these Christian writers in doxologies.^[2]

           

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that when we hear the word “majesty” we can be safe to assume the reference is that of God. This word refers to God’s deeds as well as his being.

APPLICATION:

Jack Hayford is a familiar minister of our day. He wrote the song “Majesty” which is rated as one of the top 100 contemporary hymns, performed and sung in churches worldwide. The words to this songs:

Majesty, worship His majesty
Unto Jesus be glory honour and praise
Majesty, Kingdom, Authority
Flows from His throne
Unto His own
His anthem raise
So exalt, lift upon high
The name of Jesus
Magnify come glorify
Christ, Jesus the King
Majesty, worship his Majesty
Jesus who died, now glorified
King of all Kings.
Jesus who died, now glorified
King of all Kings.

          Let today be a day we truly understand the dynamic of Christ. He not only deserves our praise but our reverence as well. Let us stand in AWE of God and proclaim him accordingly.

           

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (301). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Davids, P. H. (2006). The letters of 2 Peter and Jude. The Pillar New Testament commentary (114). Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.