He stretcheth out his hand against God - While in power he thought himself supreme. He not only did not acknowledge God, by whom kings reign, but stretched out his hand - used his power, not to protect, but to oppress those over whom he had supreme rule; and thus strengthened himself against the Almighty.

he stretcheth

Leviticus 26:23 And if you will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary to me;

Psalm 73:9,11 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth...

Isaiah 27:4 Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

Daniel 5:23 But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you...

Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, said the LORD. Yet you say, What have we spoken so much against you?

Acts 9:5 And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard for you to kick against the pricks.

Acts 12:1,23 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church...

strengtheneth

Job 9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?

Job 40:9-11 Have you an arm like God? or can you thunder with a voice like him...

Exodus 5:2,3 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go...

Exodus 9:17 As yet exalt you yourself against my people, that you will not let them go?

1 Samuel 4:7-9 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said...

1 Samuel 6:6 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had worked wonderfully among them...

Psalm 52:7 See, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches...

Isaiah 8:9,10 Associate yourselves, O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all you of far countries: gird yourselves...

Isaiah 10:12-14 Why it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work on mount Zion and on Jerusalem...

Isaiah 41:4-7 Who has worked and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he...

All are Sinners.
Some time ago we overheard from a person who should have known better, remarks something like these: "I wonder how sinners are saved in the Lutheran Church?" "I do not hear of any being converted in the Lutheran Church," and such like. These words called to mind similar sentiments that we heard expressed long ago. More than once was the remark made in our hearing that in certain churches sinners were saved, because converted and sanctified, while it was at least doubtful whether any one could find …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Character of Its Teachings Evidences the Divine Authorship of the Bible
Take its teachings about God Himself. What does the Bible teach us about God? It declares that He is Eternal: "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou are God" (Ps. 90:2). It reveals the fact that He is Infinite: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee" (I Kings 8:27). Vast as we know the universe to be, it has its bounds; but we must go beyond …
Arthur W. Pink—The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

Necessity of Contemplating the Judgment-Seat of God, in Order to be Seriously Convinced of the Doctrine of Gratuitous Justification.
1. Source of error on the subject of Justification. Sophists speak as if the question were to be discussed before some human tribunal. It relates to the majesty and justice of God. Hence nothing accepted without absolute perfection. Passages confirming this doctrine. If we descend to the righteousness of the Law, the curse immediately appears. 2. Source of hypocritical confidence. Illustrated by a simile. Exhortation. Testimony of Job, David, and Paul. 3. Confession of Augustine and Bernard. 4. Another …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion