The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. (Nahum 1:5, ESV)
In his commentary John Calvin points out that this not only represents God’s raw power but his power under control, since God’s attributes are never outside his control. The mountains are quaking, which is something mountains don’t normally do very much. The hills don’t normally melt, yet they melt at his presence by his design.
Even a nuclear bomb going off moves mountains and melt hills to a limited extent and in an indiscriminate way. This is raw power. God is the ultimate raw power but he is never indiscriminate. Unlimited power. Completely controlled and directed for his purposes.
What purposes? The execution of all his perfect will. The salvation of his chosen ones, for his glory. The due respect of his chosen ones, for his glory. And the destruction of all that is opposed to his holiness, for his glory.
God is glorified for his perfection. He is a glorified for squashing rebellion against his perfection. He is glorified for redeeming rebels. He is a glorified for damning rebels. He is glorified for waiting patiently. He has a glorified for ending his patients and acting with devastating finality.
When God looks at mountains and wills them to crumble and melt like wax in a blast-furnace, they do so. What will become of rebels, liars, murderers, and slanderers of his holiness?
What will become of those who, claiming to speak for him, speak of lies? Mountains crumble and melt. What is the fate of those who do actually oppose him?
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27, ESV)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. (2 Corinthians 5:10-11a ESV)