Denver Seminary

I Samuel 1&2

The Sovereign God Has Communicable Attributes

The sovereignty of God did not make Him unapproachable or incommunicable. Sight, hearing, speaking and doing are ascribed to Him.

God is indeed Jehovah, who condescends to the level of His people, and who reveals Himself in a human manner; but from the very beginning He is also Elohim, far exalted above every creature. He has the ground of existence in Himself, Ex. 3:13; Is 41:4; 44:6; He is eternal, Deut. 10:14; Ps. 89:6,8; invisible, Ex. 33:20,23; unpicturable, Ex. 20:4; Deut. 5:8; since He is without form, Deut. 4:12,15.

Our God also can see our situation. He can change our circumstances. He can listen to our cry. Because God can hear and act, Scripture puts strong emphasis on prayer. The Bible says, “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.” Hannah knew the power of prayer and the God to whom she was praying. 

Leonard Ravenhill said:

“One might estimate the weight of the world, tell the size of the celestial city, count the stars of heaven, measure the speed of lightning, and tell the time of the rising and setting of the sun—but you cannot estimate prayer-power. Prayer is as vast as God because He is behind it. Prayer is as mighty as God because He has committed himself to answer it.”

How is your prayer life? If you don’t know how to meet with God in your closet, you’ll miss His presence, power and influence in public.