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DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE DOCUMENTS.

IT MAKES A BOLD "DECLARATION" TO A FEW DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE:

  1. THE COLONIES - "WE'RE PICKING A FIGHT WITH BRITAIN!"
  2. THE WORLD - "WE'RE OPEN FOR TRADE ALLIANCE AGREEMENTS!"
  3. KING GEORGE - "YOU ARE NO LONGER IN CHARGE!"

WHEN WE GET TO PSALM 19, SOMETHING SIMILAR IS HAPPENING.

PSALM 19:1

THE PSALMIST INVITES ISRAEL TO SING:

1 THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE SKY ABOVE PROCLAIMS HIS HANDIWORK.

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS WORTH NOTING HERE:

  1. THE PSLAMIST IS USING PARRALEL LANGUAGE/IMAGERY TO EXPAND THE MEANING OF THE TEXT (IE - THE HEAVENS/SKY AND GLORY/HANDIWORK).
  2. THE HEAVENS WERE THE HIGHEST PLACE ABOVE - MOST LIKELY WHERE GOD AND THE HEAVENLY COURT RESIDES.
  3. THE GLORY OF GOD IS NOT JUST A SENSE OF "RADIANCE" BUT EVEN MORE A SENSE OF AUTHORITY.
  4. THE SKY IS THE ABOVE THE LAND BUT BELOW THE HEAVENS - MOST LIKELY WHERE CLOUDS, SUN, MOON, AND STARS RESIDE.
  5. HANDIWORK CONTAINS THE ACHIEVEMENTS EVEN DOWN THE SMALLEST (IE - NEEDLEWORK).
  6. DECLARE AND PROCLAIMS ARE IN THE CONTINUOUS CASE - MEANING IT'S BEST TRANSLATED: 1 THE HEAVENS ARE DECLARING THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE SKY ABOVE IS PROCLAIMING HIS HANDIWORK.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE CREATION CONTINUES TO MAKE THESE DECLARATIONS, AND THESE DECLARATIONS ARE TO THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE:

  1. ISRAEL - A REMINDER THAT THEIR GOD WAS THE AUTHORITY ABOVE ALL AND CREATOR OF ALL
  2. THE NATIONS - A CALL TO WORSHIP YHWH AS OVER AND ABOVE THE GODS OF THEIR NATIONS
  3. GODS/IDOLS - A CONFRONTATIONAL CLAIM AGAINST THE CLAIMS OF OTHER GODS/IDOLS

REFLECTING ON CREATION

IT HAS BEEN A CHRISTIAN PRACTICE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO REFLECT ON THE CREATION AS A WAY TO BE REMINDED OF THE GREATNESS OF GOD.

THEODORE OF CYR IN THE 400s SAID:

"IF YOU OBSERVE A MOST MIGHT AND MAGNIFICENT BUILDING, YOU ADMIRE THE BUILDER; AND IF YOU SEE A SKILLFULLY AND BEAUTIFULY DESIGNED SHIP, YOU THINK OF THE SHIPWRIGHT; AND AT THE SIGHT OF A PAINTING THE PAINTER COMES TO MIND. MUCH MORE, TO BE SURE, DOES THE SIGHT OF CREATION LEAD THE VIEWERS TO THE CREATOR."

IN OTHER WORDS, REFRAINING FROM STARING AT OUR SCREENS IN THE MORNING AND THE EVENING, IF WE WOULD TAKE TIME TO GAZE AT THE VASTNESS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE SKY WE WOULD CREATE SPACE TO HEAR THEM DECLARING AND PROCLAIMING AFRESH THE GLORY (AUTHORITY) AND HANDIWORK (CRAFTSMANSHIP) OF GOD.