The God-centeredness of God
God's Passion for His Glory
A small survey of the reasons behind God's working in redemptive history
1. Why did God create?
"Bring my sons and daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory" - Isaiah 43.6-7
2. Why did He elect Israel among all the nations of the world?
"I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory." - Jeremiah 13.11
3. Why did He save them from Egypt?
"Our fathers, when they were in Egypt did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red sea. Yet he saved them for his name"s sake, that he might make known his mighty power." - Psalm 106.7-8
4. Why did He spare them in the wilderness when they complained against Him?
"But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out." - Ezekiel 20.22
5. Why did He not punish the people in the time after they asked for a king?
"Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name"s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself." " 1 Samuel 12.20-22
6. Why did He restrain His anger during the Babylonian Captivity?
"For my name"s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you. . . . For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." - Isaiah 48.9, 11
"Thus says the LORD God: it is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes." " Ezekiel 36.22-23
8. Why did Christ come?
"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." " John 17.1
"Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God"s truthfulness, in order to confirm, the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy." - Romans 15.7
9. Why does He forgive our sin?
"For your name"s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great." - Psalm 25.11
10. Why does He work to will and to do His good pleasure in sanctification?
"Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified." - Isaiah 60.21
"He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name"s sake." - Psalm 23.3
11. Why is He coming again?
"When he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." - 2 Thessalonians 1.9
(This small list was compiled with the help of a couple of theological giants, John Piper and Jonathan Edwards. Men who are described as having a God entranced vision of all things.)
A small survey of the reasons behind God's working in redemptive history
1. Why did God create?
"Bring my sons and daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory" - Isaiah 43.6-7
2. Why did He elect Israel among all the nations of the world?
"I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory." - Jeremiah 13.11
3. Why did He save them from Egypt?
"Our fathers, when they were in Egypt did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red sea. Yet he saved them for his name"s sake, that he might make known his mighty power." - Psalm 106.7-8
4. Why did He spare them in the wilderness when they complained against Him?
"But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out." - Ezekiel 20.22
5. Why did He not punish the people in the time after they asked for a king?
"Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name"s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself." " 1 Samuel 12.20-22
6. Why did He restrain His anger during the Babylonian Captivity?
"For my name"s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you. . . . For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." - Isaiah 48.9, 11
"Thus says the LORD God: it is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes." " Ezekiel 36.22-23
8. Why did Christ come?
"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." " John 17.1
"Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God"s truthfulness, in order to confirm, the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy." - Romans 15.7
9. Why does He forgive our sin?
"For your name"s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great." - Psalm 25.11
10. Why does He work to will and to do His good pleasure in sanctification?
"Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified." - Isaiah 60.21
"He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name"s sake." - Psalm 23.3
11. Why is He coming again?
"When he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." - 2 Thessalonians 1.9
(This small list was compiled with the help of a couple of theological giants, John Piper and Jonathan Edwards. Men who are described as having a God entranced vision of all things.)