We are in chapter eighteen of Exodus with our word for today is actually a phrase used for the first time in the Bible. גָד֥וֹל יְהוָ֖ה LORD is greater, YHWH is greater. It is used 7 times in the Old Testament. What is interesting is that it is qualified 5 times with either one of two phrases, מִכָּל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים “from all” or “out of all other gods” usually translated “than all gods”. The other qualifier is עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים “above all gods”. These are very similar in meaning. Let’s look at our uses. The first one is in our chapter for today. Exodus 18:9-11 And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the גָד֥וֹל יְהוָ֖ה Lord is greater מִכָּל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” We are seeing this priest of Midian’s conversion to the true God which we will look more into with tomorrows word. For today notice his confession that the LORD is great than all gods. The reason given why God is greater than all the gods is because he delivered his people from the slavery in Egypt. Psalm 95:2-5 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the גָּד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה Lord is the great God, the great King עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. The reason why God is greater than all other god’s is because he alone created everything and his creation belongs to him.
Psalm 96:4-6 For גָ֘ד֤וֹל יְהוָ֣ה great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Did you catch that? Our God the true God, YWHW or reality God is to be feared above all other god’s because all the so called god’s are not real they are just idols. This is why God is most worthy of praise and to be feared because He is real, He is YWHW, He is reality. The next use of our word is 1 Chronicles 16:25. It is quoting this Psalm 96 we just looked at.
Psalm 135:5-7 I know that the Lord is great, that our גָד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה Lord is greater מִכָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. The reason given here that God is greater than all other gods is because he alone rules over his creation. He alone is sovereign. This is why my favorite understanding of YWHW is reality. He is reality or as the psalm says he does whatever he pleases. The psalm goes on to describe the events we looked at earlier in Exodus. These are given as more examples of God being reality or doing whatever he pleases. Psalm 135:8-9 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of people and animals. He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
I’ll close with two uses without the contrast to other so called Gods. These two Psalms simply state in worship the truth that YWHW is great. Psalm 48:1-2 גָּ֘ד֤וֹל יְהוָ֣ה Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Psalm 145:3-5 גָּ֘ד֤וֹל יְהוָ֣ה Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty.
