“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken - who can change His plans? When His hand is raised, who can stop Him?” -Isaiah 14:27 (NLT)

There are so many verses throughout scripture which display to us the absolute grandeur of God. When we can view our lives in the light of His glory, things start to come into perspective. He promises to us that he will never change; that he is the same today as he was yesterday and will be the same tomorrow as He is today. One of his unchanging attributes is His sovereign will. Isaiah clearly shows us through this passage how powerful the will of God is.

In the past, when kings would create edicts, the word of the king stood absolute. In some cultures, the word of the King, once spoken, was unchangeable, and, in many circumstances even from the king himself. How much more power can we expect the word of the Lord to have when he is in charge of the entirety of Heaven’s armies? Angels are powerful ministers of God’s plans who are able to live with God and perform direct service to Him. Billy Graham writes in his book Angels, “Some biblical scholars believe that angels can be numbered potentially in the millions since Hebrews 12:22 speaks of “an innumerable [myriads—a great but indefinite number] company of angels.” This is the God who is in control over all of creation!

The context of this passage is God’s response (recorded by Isaiah) to the Assyrians whom had enslaved and broken the people of Israel. Although, at times God used wicked kings and kingdoms to root out the evil in Israel and to turn them back to Him, he also promised judgment on those same wicked nations. The Assyrians, were a wicked and evil people who were known for their brutality and violence towards those they conquered. The sin of its people was indeed known to God, as he promised judgment upon them for their sins. Here we can see God promising to do as he planned and yet still covenantally  protecting the kingdom of Israel. It’s proof positive that God’s plan is unmovable, unshakable, and unchangeable. As he purposes so it will be!

He is the greatest force in all the universe and from whom the universe was made. There are passages throughout Scripture which prompt us to see God for how big, and wonderful he is. When seeing him in this light, the only word that comes to mind is hallelujah! When we can see just how big he is, naturally we see just how small we are. The initial reaction, in our human flesh, can be to feel insignificant, even anxious perhaps. In our fallen condition, we love to be in control of everything. It can lead us into some pretty hot water and difficult circumstances. If we would only trust His promises to us! The wonderful news of Jesus and his Gospel, is that there is no need to be anxious in realizing our place in life. He is so gracious towards us and He purposes to partner with us in fulfilling his kingdom on earth. He is a “Good Good Father”, as the song goes. His purposes and his plans are driven by love and it’s in verses such as these that we can find peace and assurance when resting in his plan. He is majestic enough, He is glorious enough, he is strong enough, and, he is powerful enough to bring his plans and promises to pass!

This is the God you serve! Passages such as these should give you the opportunity to step back and say “whoah, God!”, as you realize the breadth and depth of His power and His goodness. Take a moment today to reflect on His majesty, and let His goodness fill and empower you to rest in His plans. Allow him to take the wheel of your heart and life as He gives you the power to propel you on to all He has planned for you!