When we declare something, we are making something known. I hear this word thrown around (not necessarily in a good way) as I listen to examples of false teachers and warnings against them. So how is the word really used in the Bible. What does God mean?
“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.” Deuteronomy 26:17-18 Truth and promises are being made known: Israel’s loyalty and commitment to the Lord, and His faithfulness to them.
“Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies – make your way straight before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:8-11 While the writer is stating for God to “declare guilty those who do not follow Him”, he (the writer) is not doing the declaring but rather is asking God to do the declaring, with a humble understanding that God hates wickedness and will reach a point when His wrath is let loose on disobedience and rebellion. When we read all of Psalm 5, we see the writer’s heart and that he is not demanding God do this and that. He is calling on God’s faithfulness and taking refuge in Him.
It can be a very fine line between declaring what God has done and is doing – completely based on God’s ways, vs. using the word declare as a command: declaring that God is supposed to do something because it’s what we say He must do – based on our ways, our thinking. When we are declaring something, may it be from a humble heart that is making known the glorious deeds of God. He is above all, our Creator!
Look at King Nebuchadnezzar: he went from declaring that the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego should be revered, to making himself known as the all-powerful one, as if he was above God and would not fall, commanding anything and it would be done for him. God took away his kingdom.
He was restored later when he repented. “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Daniel 4:37
There is so much more to studying “declare” in the Bible, and I hope you are challenged to continue studying, always in context. I will declare the glorious deeds of the Lord; He forever reigns!