Trivia:
Yes, the term used for a grouping of Bananas is called "A Hand." Did this one drive you bananas? Ha! Ha. ha. Usually a hand of bananas is made up of 10-20 individual bananas and the usually ripen at the same rate.
Here's a dosey doe, Which state has the most Starbucks? California; Massachusetts: Ohio; Hawaii? Make your guess!
Challenge:
psalm 95:1-5 "Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. 3 For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4 He holds in His hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. 5 The sea belongs to Him, for He made it. His hands formed the dry land, too."
These next few Psalms 95-100 are what is called the "Coronation Psalms" as they were compiled for the dedication of the second temple, built after the Jews seventy-year exil in Babylon. Even though Israel had asked for a king, these psalms affirm that they had come to the conclusion that the best way for their nation to be ruled was to acknowledge God as King.
This Psalm was concerned not only with dedicating the temple, but also by the Second Coming of Christ which is to take place when Jesus returns to rule the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The nation having just returned from captivity where the Babylonian nation had worshiped many gods which resulted in Israel coming to the conclusion that their God (our God) was the absolute, undeniable sovereign of all the world. He was the true and living God. Even as the temple was being dedicated, they were very aware that what they had built couldn't be compared to what God had created. (the earth, mountains, the oceans, etc.)
Interestingly the use of the term used here, Great King in verse 3 "melekh gadol" tells us of the fact that they remembered historically of Israel's tendency to wander away from recognizing God in this way. Just as they did in the wilderness, which caused the serpents in the wilderness to bite the people. Then the only solution to this delima was to stop their complaining, and only look upon the bronze image of the serpent on the cross this was, their "Melekh Gadol" moment. Only as they were willing to return looking to the Savior God would they come to full health and strength.
I can remember traveling to visit my mothers family in Indiana which was about 600 miles away from Joplin. (which to a kid was an eternity, ha!) We would be enthralled with the change in the scenery, from flat farming land to the immense fields of corn, etc. Then mom would help us play the license plate game, and then we would see who could count the most VW cars, but at some point we would ask the feared question that all parents cringe at. "How much longer is it.?
When that question began to move from the spuratic inquisitive stage to the whining stage, dad would say that word that we knew what was next. When he would say "Melekh Gadol" do you remember that story kids? Then he would recount that story of Israel traveling to the promised land.
How God provided water, food, clouds in the day to shade them, then bright stars and moon by night to help them see to travel.
All of those many provisions, but then they still began to complain, whine, criticize, etc. "How much longer" etc. Despite God's many provisions, and blessings they fell to whining and complaining. As they were traveling some of the people were bitten by snakes, and in time they were unable to walk, they had to be carried. Finally the complaint changed from "How much longer to How can we be healed?"
Moses had a cross with a snake erected and then they were instructed to look upon that cross for healing. Many continued to complain, refuse to look up to the cross, question, refuse, but some became so sick they finally began to look to the cross and be healed. The news began to spread that there was healing in their looking to the cross. The term "Melekh Gadol" began to spread among the people, vs 3 "For the Lord is a great God"
SO GO WITH GOD for In that same way today, only as we learn to recognize our gracious, loving, caring God and give thanks to Him for His working in our lives will we receive healing, peace, and a certainty in our lives. "Melekh Gadol" Oh, my dear ones go to Him, for He alone can raise the cross and cause us to experience healing, foirgiveness and confidence in our journey today.
He overcame the serpents bite of sin and brought forgiveness and healing to our souls. "Melekh Gadol" ...He is the great King above all gods. He holds in His hands all things both created and eternal so... rest in Him.
Ohio