Author: Bruce

I have been in Japan as a missionary since 1995. I'm currently going to a church called Crossroad Nishinomiya, an international church in Nishinomiya, a city right between Kobe and Osaka. Check out their website: www.crossroad-web.com. #crossroadnishinomiya

１９９５年に宣教師として日本に来ました。　今、西宮クロスロード教会という国際の教会に行っています。どうぞ、そのホームページを見てください：　www.crossroad-web.com. #西宮クロスロード教会

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Psalms

The God who never changes

Psalms

I love how Psalm 102 ends.

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.

Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.

But you remain the same,
and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:25–27)

In other words, while even this world will someday perish and will have to be made anew, God never changes.

Why is that so important? Because it means that no matter how much we may fail, his mercy toward us will never fail.

This psalm was probably written during Israel’s time of exile in Babylon. And the psalmist weeps at the suffering he and his people went through.

Their enemies mocked them, their hope seemed to be all but gone, and all they had left was despair because of God’s wrath that had been poured down on them.

But then the psalmist cries out,

But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;
your renown endures through all generations.

You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come. (12–13)

It’s possible that the 70 years of exile prophesied by Jeremiah were coming to an end when this psalm was written.

And so the psalmist says, “Lord, it’s time to show favor to Jerusalem again. The time you appointed has come. Now arise and show us compassion once again.”

He then looked to the time when God himself would have Jerusalem rebuilt, and the resulting wonder of the nations around them. He sang,

The nations will fear the name of the Lord,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.

For the Lord will rebuild Zion
and appear in his glory. (15–16)

As he looks toward that day, he rejoices in the Lord’s mercy, singing,

He will respond to the prayer of the destitute;
he will not despise their plea. (17)

And again,

The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death. (19–20)

I love these verses because it shows that though we were spiritually bankrupt, bound to sin and condemned to death, yet God heard our cries and set us free.

And the day will come when all will assemble to worship the One who redeemed us, and we’ll dwell in his presence forever. (22, 28)

Lord, I thank you that you are from everlasting. That though people change, you never change. That though we sin, your mercy never fails.

So Lord, until the day comes when you come again, may your mercies toward me be made new every morning. Thank you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

Becoming like Him

Psalms

In Psalm 101, we see a glimpse of why God called David a man after his own heart.

He starts by singing,

I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, Lord, I will sing praise. (Psalm 101:1)

Because of God’s love for him, and his love for God, David desired to become more like him. To become a person of righteousness and justice, just as God is.

And so he said,

I will be careful to lead a blameless life. (2)

He then lists all the ways he desired to be like God.

To run his household in a way pleasing to God. And to not let any vile things pass before his eyes even at home (2–3).

It’s so easy to pretend to be godly outside of your home when everyone is looking. But integrity is being the same person at home as you are outside.

David then said he would hate the evil that people do, to have no part with it, nor with the people who commit it.

When people slandered others, he would silence them.

When people walked in arrogance and pride, looking down on others and despising God, he would not tolerate it. (3–5)

But how often do we tolerate evil in our lives? When people gossip, how often do we join in? How often do we ourselves become proud and look down on others?

Because David loved God, he despised these things and refused to have anything to do with them.

On the other hand, David was very careful who he called his friends. And he was careful about who he took advice from.

He said,

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me. (6)

Finally, as leader in his house, and as leader of a nation, he was equally determined that truth and justice would reign. (7–8)

If we truly love God, these are the attitudes that should reign in our hearts. This is what it means to be people after God’s own heart.

May we all, like David, become more like the one we love and who loves us.

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Psalms

True worship

sheep and shepherd worship

Psalm 100, above all, is a song of worship.

It starts out with a call to worship, as the psalmist sings,

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs. (Psalm 100:1–2)

It then gives us the basis for our worship, reflecting on who God is, who we are, and what our relationship with him is.

Who is God? He is the LORD. Or more literally “Yahweh.” Or perhaps even more literally, “I AM.”

That is, the one who is, who was, and who is to come. The everlasting one.

And this God is our creator.

Who are we? What’s our relationship with him?

We are his. We belong to him.

Why? As the NASB puts it, it is God who made us, and not we ourselves. Because God is our creator, we rightfully belong to him. So we are his people. And we are his sheep.

As his sheep, what should we do?

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name. (4)

Jim Elliot, in the book Shadow of the Almighty, said something about this passage that really struck me. He said,

What are sheep doing going into the gate? What is their purpose inside those courts? To bleat melodies and enjoy the company of the flock?

No. Those sheep were destined for the altar. Their pasture feeding had been for one purpose, to test them and fatten them for bloody sacrifice.

Give Him thanks, then, that you have been counted worthy of His altars. Enter into the work with praise…

Father, take my life, yea, my blood if Thou wilt, and consume it with Thine enveloping fire. I would not save it, for it is not mine to save.

Have it, Lord, have it all. Pour out my life as an oblation for the world. Blood is only of value as it flows before Thine altar.

I think Elliot grasped what the apostle Paul was saying, when Paul wrote,

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

Indeed, he did offer his very blood for the sake of Christ and his gospel, spilling it that the Auca Indians might be saved.

You see worship is much more than just singing songs to God. It’s being a living sacrifice for him. It’s being set apart for his purposes, and not your own. It’s making your purpose in life to please him. That is true worship.

It can be costly. But there is a joy that comes from offering your all to him. For as the psalmist wrote,

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:5)

If we do not believe these things, then it becomes difficult to lay down our lives for him.

But if we do believe that he truly is good, that he’s looking out for our best, that he loves us, and that he is faithful, then it becomes only natural to lay down our lives for him.

How about you? Do you believe these things? If so, are you living a life of true worship?

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Psalms

The God who is holy

Psalms

So often, when we think of God and his character, the first word that comes to mind is “love.”

And it is true. God is love. But here we see another aspect of his character: his holiness.

And so while Psalm 97 says, “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice,” Psalm 99 starts out,

The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,
let the earth shake. (Psalm 99:1)

Why do we tremble? Why does the earth shake?

Because God is holy, and we are not. Time and again, the psalmist sings about God’s holiness. He says,

Let them praise your great and awesome name—
he is holy. (3)

And again,

Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his footstool;
he is holy. (5)

And yet again,

Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy. (9)

It is because of his holiness that time and again, people fell before God in fear, whether it was Moses (Exodus 3:5–6), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5), or even John (Revelation 1:17).

They knew they were not worthy to look upon God. They knew that by rights, this holy God should destroy them because of their sin.

Yet time and again, God showed his mercy to these men and to his people.

The psalmist writes about this mercy, singing,

You were to Israel a forgiving God,
though you punished their misdeeds. (8)

Though Israel often failed to trust God, though they often defiled themselves with their sin and God punished them for it, still he never abandoned them. He continued to extend his forgiveness to them.

And when people like Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, imperfect vessels though they were, called on God, he answered them.

The good news is that God does all of this for us. Though God is holy, and we are not, though we fail so many times, yet God forgives us and hears us when we call.

So let us remember his holiness and his mercy both, and as the psalmist says, exalt and worship him each day.

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Psalms

Rejoicing in our salvation

Psalms

Psalm 98 is anonymous, so it could’ve been written in any number of contexts.

It could’ve been written following the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, or perhaps it was written by David after his reign was firmly established.

Or it could’ve been written after the exile to Babylon when God brought his people back to the promised land.

We simply do not know, but as I read it, I see in it the joy of salvation.

The psalmist starts out by singing,

Sing to the Lord a new song (Psalm 98:1).

Recently, I’ve been picking up my guitar again and have been playing some of the songs I played back when I was in university, and when I first moved to Japan. It’s nice to go retro at times.

But at the same time, I love it when we have new songs at church. As great as the old songs are, they can get stale if sung too much.

We stop thinking about what we’re singing, and we start just doing karaoke, instead of singing prayers to God.

But with the new songs, we have to think about what we’re singing and can remember anew all that God has done for us.

And that’s what the psalmist does with this new song. He sings,

For he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.

The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God. (Psalm 98:1–3)

This passage reminds me of what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 59.

The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.

He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm achieved salvation for him (Isaiah 59:15–16).

God saw the evil in this world, and that there was no one to deal with it. And so he himself did something.

When we weren’t even looking to be saved, blinded by our sin as we were, God worked his salvation. As Paul wrote,

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Now salvation has come not just to the Jews, but to all who would believe. As the psalmist put it,

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God. (3)

He then cries out,

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King. (4–6)

The psalmist concludes the psalm by calling for creation itself to praise the Lord for the salvation that is to come.

It is good to rejoice in our salvation. We should do it. But let us also remember the final words of the psalmist.

For he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity. (9)

We can rejoice in the judgment to come because we who believe in Jesus as our Savior are no longer condemned.

But are all those we know and love as ready for judgment as we are?

Let us rejoice in our salvation. But let us also be sure to share our joy and hope with those around us, that they may know the joy of salvation too.

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Psalms

Rejoicing in our King

Psalms

This is another psalm that rejoices in the greatness of our King.

The psalmist starts by shouting out,

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice. (Psalm 97:1)

“Let the earth be glad.”

In a perfect world, all would rejoice in our King, and the fact that he reigns.

They would rejoice that he reigns in righteousness and justice (2).

They would rejoice in his power (3–5).

And they would rejoice in awesome glory (6).

But the truth is so many do not. Instead, they cling to their idols, whether it’s literal ones, or the “gods” of money, possessions, sex, or whatever it may be.

And the day will come when they will be put to shame (7).

I suppose the question is what do we rejoice in? Do we rejoice in the greatness of our King? Or do we rejoice in that which ultimately brings shame?

If we truly rejoice in God, the psalmist tells us,

Let those who love the LORD hate evil. (10)

It’s impossible to love the Lord and embrace evil at the same time. And so if we really love God, we need to learn to hate what he hates, and to put what is evil away in our lives.

For those who do, the psalmist says,

[The Lord] guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart. (10–11)

He then concludes,

Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name. (12)

What do you rejoice in?

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Psalms

The one worthy of our praise and trust

Psalms

Psalm 95 is very interesting to me in that it starts out with great praise and rejoicing and concludes with a solemn warning.

You can easily hear the joy in the psalmist’s voice as he sings,

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song. (Psalm 95:1–2)

Why do we praise him?

  • He’s the great God. (3)
  • He’s King of kings and God above all gods. (3)
  • He’s our Creator. (4–5)
  • Despite all these things (or perhaps it’s better to say, “because of all these things”), he loves each one of us deeply and cares for us. (7)

So the psalmist invites us,

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. (6)

But then he gives us warning, saying,

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me,
though they had seen what I did.

For forty years I was angry with that generation;
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known my ways.”

So I declared on oath in my anger,
“They shall never enter my rest.” (7–11)

Twice in the desert, the Israelites failed to trust God, complaining about the lack of water. This despite all that God had done for them in the past.

The second time complaining about water was especially egregious, leading to Moses’ sin of striking the stone that God had commanded him to speak to. (Exodus 17:1–7, Numbers 20:1–13)

These were far from the only times that the Israelites failed to trust God.

The reason they wandered for 40 years was because they refused to enter the land God had promised to give them. Instead they were determined to go back to Egypt. (Numbers 13–14)

As a result, God told them, “You will never enter my rest.”

And so the psalmist warns us, “Don’t be like them. Don’t be stiff-necked. Humble yourselves before God and trust him. For he is not only worthy of our praise, but of our trust.”

How about you? Are you trusting God in all you do? Are you doing things his way, or are you doing things your own?

If we trust him, we will find peace, rest, and joy in our lives. But we will lose all these things if we insist on trusting in ourselves.

Who are you putting your trust in?

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Psalms

The God who judges, the God who disciplines

Psalms

Judgment and discipline. I think a lot of times we get confused about which God is doing in our lives, particularly when bad things happen to us. It’s easy to think, “God must be judging and punishing me for what I did.”

But is that how God thinks?

I think in Psalm 94, we see a distinction between the two. Judgment comes for those who have rejected God, while discipline comes to those who are his own.

In the beginning of this psalm, the psalmist cries out for God’s judgment to come upon the wicked, saying,

Rise up, Judge of the earth;
pay back to the proud what they deserve.

How long, Lord, will the wicked,
how long will the wicked be jubilant? (Psalm 94:2–3)

He then talks about all the evil they committed, and how in their hearts, they say, “God doesn’t see all that I’m doing.”

And the psalmist rebukes them saying,

Take notice, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?

Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?

Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?

The Lord knows all human plans;
he knows that they are futile. (8–11)

He concludes the psalm by saying of them,

He will repay them for their sins
and destroy them for their wickedness;
the Lord our God will destroy them. (23)

But what of those whom God calls his children? How does he deal with their sin? The psalmist writes,

Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
the one you teach from your law;
you grant them relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked.

For the Lord will not reject his people;
he will never forsake his inheritance. (12–14)

I think there are two things we learn about God’s discipline here.

First, it’s meant for our good. God disciplines us to save us from trouble, not bring us into it.

Second, no matter how much we fail, God will never reject us. He will never disown us as his children.

More than that, he will stand for us. The psalmist writes,

Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?

Unless the Lord had given me help,
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.

When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy. (16–19)

In other words, while the wicked would attack us and accuse us, God will stand up for us. When Satan himself comes to condemn us, God defends us. And so the psalmist writes,

The wicked band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.

But the Lord has become my fortress,
and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. (21–22)

So as God’s children, let us never mistake God’s judgment for his discipline.

When we sin, God will bring discipline into our lives. But it’s to help us, not to harm us. It’s to save us, not to destroy us.

And remember that no matter how much we fall, he will never leave us nor forsake us.

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Psalms

The God who reigns

Psalms

This is a very short psalm, and it reminds me of the old song by Jack Hayford, “Majesty.”

For it reminds us of the majesty of God and how it is he that reigns over this whole earth. The psalmist starts by proclaiming,

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity. (Psalm 93:1–2)

Sometimes, as we look at the world around us, things seem out of control, with wars, violence, and all kind of evil around us.

But the psalmist reminds us, “In spite of all you see with your eyes, the Lord reigns. And he is in control.

“He established this world, and long before he did that, his throne was established. So don’t panic. Don’t worry. Put your trust in him who has existed from all eternity.”

He then goes on in the following verses to say, “Do you see the power of the ocean? Do you see how it roars and pounds the rocks on the shore? Know that God is much more powerful than even nature itself.”

The psalmist concludes by singing,

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
holiness adorns your house
for endless days. (5)

In other words, not only is he powerful and sovereign, he is also holy in all his ways.

I don’t know about you, but that’s comforting. If God were powerful and sovereign, and yet evil, we’d be in serious trouble. But he is holy, good, and just.

And as his people, he calls us to be holy as well. For as the writer of Hebrews puts it,

Without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

So in light of God’s majesty, sovereignty, and holiness, let us pursue holiness in our lives. And the day will come when we will see with our own eyes this God who reigns.

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Psalms

Making music towards God

Psalms

Psalm 92 was written for the Sabbath. As most people know, the Sabbath was a day that God told the Israelites to set aside in order to worship him. That’s exactly what this psalm does.

I like verses 1–2.

It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night. (Psalm 92:1–2)

Proclaiming your love in the morning.

Why is it important for us to do this? It reminds us that there is hope as we face the day. That whatever we may face during the day, that God is with us and that his hand is upon us.

Proclaiming your faithfulness at night.

At the end of the day, it’s good to look back on the day and to remember what good things God did for us. To remember that even through the problems that confronted us, God didn’t leave us behind. Rather, in love, he carried us through.

The psalmist expounds on this further, singing,

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

How great are your works, Lord,
how profound your thoughts! (4–5)

Then similar to Psalm 1, he contrasts the wicked and the righteous. He says first,

Though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.

But you, Lord, are forever exalted.

For surely your enemies, Lord,
surely your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered. (7–9)

But of the righteous, he sings,

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.

They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (12–15)

I love the latter part of that, especially. That even into our old age, we will bear fruit, staying fresh and green.

I don’t want to be a withered shell when I grow old. I want to stay fresh and vibrant, making a difference for God in the lives of everyone I touch.

But that’s what can happen if we fail to constantly make music in our hearts toward God. If we fail to remember his love, his faithfulness, and his goodness. If instead we let bitterness, greed, or the things of this world take root in our hearts.

So let us take the time every day to praise him.

Praise him in the morning.

Praise him in the evening.

Praise him every opportunity that you have during the day.

And set apart not only our days for him, but our hearts.

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Psalms

Shadow of the Almighty

Psalms

One of my favorite books is Shadow of the Almighty.

It’s a book that has a lot of the letters and journal entries of a man named Jim Elliot, a missionary to the Aucas in South America. If you’ve never read it, it’s well worth reading and I highly recommend it.

The ironic thing about it is that though the title of the book comes from this psalm, one can’t say that Elliot lived out this psalm at the end of his life… at least when we look at the surface.

Throughout Psalm 91, the psalmist talks about the blessings of those who live under the shadow of the Almighty.

The psalmist says that those who do will be protected from the terror by night, from the arrows that fly around them, and from the plagues that strike those around them.

He goes on to say that though thousands may fall around you because of these things, you will be preserved.

He caps this in verses 9–16, saying,

If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge—
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

So how did Elliot end his life? By dying at the hands of the very people he was trying to reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is not just an aberration either. Many have fallen before their time in their pursuit of God. Isaiah, Peter, Paul, and James, among many others.

What am I saying? That God’s word does not hold true? Not at all.

But to say that we will never suffer in this broken world would be taking this psalm too far.

And whoever the psalmist was, whether it was Moses or someone else, I find it hard to believe that they never saw suffering in this world come to those who put themselves under God’s shadow.

But I think what this psalmist is ultimately saying is that when we put ourselves under the shadow of the Almighty, he will never abandon us no matter what we go through.

Not only will he set his angels to guard over us, he himself will be with us. And though we may go through the valley of the shadow of death, he will bring us out the other side.

As we look back, we will see that all along his hand was on us. We’ll see the times he answered our cries in our times of despair. We’ll see all the evil that he spared us while we were here. And ultimately, we will see his salvation.

That’s what I believe Jim Elliot saw when he came out the other side. His Savior smiling, saying, “Well done! Now look and see what fruit your death has brought.”

Namely, the salvation of many Aucas, including some of the very ones that had killed him.

So whatever you may be going through in life, may you place yourself in the shadow of the Almighty too.

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Psalms

Keeping our perspective

Psalms

I wrote briefly on Psalm 90 a while back, but after rereading it, I’ve decided to come back to it and add to my comments.

In this psalm, we see the mortality of people in contrast to the eternal nature of God.

I love the first verse.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations. (Psalm 90:1)

Right from the beginning, we see God’s eternal nature. That though generations come and go, he was, he is, and he ever will be. And just as he was a shelter for those who came before us, he is a shelter for us now and ever will be so.

The same God who watched over Abraham, Isaac, Jacob watches over us now. The same God who walked with Peter, John, and James, walks with us now.

He was here before they were ever born, and even before time began. As Moses put it,

Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (2)

In contrast, our lives are but a breath. Moses wrote,

You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”

A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.

Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered. (3–6)

It’s hard to fathom. If I live out a full lifespan, I’ve probably reached the halfway point of my life.

I’ve experienced a lot of things. A lot of joys. A lot of sorrows. A lot of hurt. A lot of healing. A lot of victories. A lot of failures.

Yet all of it is but a drop in the ocean. A mere pin prick on history’s timeline. And not even that in the face of eternity.

Yet for the time that God has given to us to live on this earth, he will hold us accountable. Life, as short as it is, is a gift. And so the question is, how are we living it?

So many people live for the pleasures of this world, indulging in lives of sin. But Moses wrote,

You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence. (8)

In other words, God sees our sin and he will judge us for it. We may think no one sees, and we may even get away with it for a while. But everything will be brought to light eventually, and be judged. So Moses writes,

If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. (11)

We often talk about God’s love, but it’s good to remember the fear of the Lord as well. That God hates sin, and will not leave it unpunished.

I’m not saying that we ought to live in fear that God is ready to strike us with a lightning bolt for every sin we commit.

But we shouldn’t become so callous to sin that we think he doesn’t care. We need to remember that while God is a God of love, he is a holy God as well, and he calls us to be holy too.

So Moses prayed,

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (12)

Let us remember where true joy comes from in life, singing as Moses did,

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (14)

And let us commit every second of every day to him, praying,

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. (17)

Amen.

Categories
Psalms

The God who never fails

Psalms

After such a depressing psalm in Psalm 88, Psalm 89 starts off on a much brighter note. Nevertheless, it too was also written in a time of trouble.

The psalmist starts by singing,

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (Psalm 89:1–2)

He then remembers the Lord’s greatness, singing,

The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?

Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?

In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.

Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
You, Lord, are mighty,
and your faithfulness surrounds you. (5–8)

He goes on to sing about the joy of those who follow him (15–17) and remembers God’s promises to David that he would establish his line forever as kings in Israel. (3–4, 19–37)

But then we have a sudden change of tone.

Right after he talks about all these things, he talks about how all of these things seemed to have failed. That God had rejected and turned his back on the descendants of David and on Israel because of their sins.

So the psalmist cries out,

How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire…

Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David? (46, 49)

But though things seemed bleak, God had never changed. He eventually brought back the Israelites to their land, not just once, but twice. And one day, Jesus will take the throne, fulfilling the word God gave David thousands of years ago.

Let us never forget that though we can’t always see it, God’s love and faithfulness toward us never changes. When he makes a promise he will keep it.

He proved it to the Israelites in the past. He will prove it again in the future. And he will prove it to us as well, if we’ll just keep putting our trust in him.

So let us sing as the psalmist did,

Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen. (52)

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Psalms

God’s silence

Psalms

Psalm 88 could almost have been written by Job. This is yet another psalm that deals with God’s silence in our suffering. And as in real life, we don’t always see a happy ending.

The psalmist starts by basically crying out, “Hear me O God. Are you there? I’m overwhelmed with my troubles. I’m sick and dying. I have no strength left.” (Psalm 88:1–5)

He then complains that God would let this happen to him.

Again and again, he says, “You did this.” “You did that.”

“You put me down in the pits. You cover me with your wrath. You’ve taken away all those who are close to me and they now reject me.” (6–8)

He then concludes by saying, “I’m calling to you Lord. Why do you hide from me? Why do you reject me? I’ve been suffering all my life. I’ve been left alone, and darkness is my closest friend.” (13–18)

There the psalm ends. There are no words of hope. No words of comfort.

But isn’t that how we feel sometimes? If that’s how you’re feeling, know that you’re not alone. The psalmist felt that way. Most, if not every Christian, have gone through those feelings some time in their lives.

Some have given up and never found their way out of that pit. But don’t be like those who give up.

The thing to remember above all is this: Never base your faith on your feelings. Base it upon God’s character and his Word.

Your feelings waver. They are never stable. And because of that, they are not a trustworthy foundation to build your foundation upon.

Satan knows this, and he will try all he can during the times of God’s silence to bring you to despair. To rob you of your faith.

But while our feelings are constantly changing, God and his Word never do. His promises are words you can stand upon.

So when you’re feeling down, when you’re feeling discouraged, put your faith not in your feelings, but in God and his promises.

If you do, no matter how dark the tunnel you’re going through, you will see the other side.

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Psalms

The people of God

Psalms

Psalm 87 is talking about Jerusalem, but as I read it, I really see the love God has for his people, and how he rejoices over us.

The psalmist says of Jerusalem,

He has founded his city on the holy mountain.

The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are said of you,
city of God. (Psalm 87:1–3)

I suppose the question is why does God have such love for the city?

I think the answer is found not in the physical structure of the city itself, but of the people who lived there. Namely, the people that God had chosen for his own.

And because of his great love for his people, he established this city for them, and made it a place of renown.

He then talks about how even those who had been enemies of Jerusalem, even the ancient ones such as Egypt (Rahab, as mentioned in this psalm), Babylon, and Philistia would come to acknowledge God because of her.

And people would be proud to say, “This person was born in Zion. And that one too.” Not only that, God himself would write their names in his register.

I can’t help but think that this is a picture of God’s intention for his church here on earth.

We know, of course, that the church is not simply a building. The church is God’s people, and as God poured out his love over Jerusalem, he now pours his love over us.

And he desires us to make a difference in those around us. That even those who hate us because of Christ, would come to know him through us.

That when we all reach the new Jerusalem, God can point to his book, and say, “This one was born here in the church I established. And this one. And this one.”

Somehow as I read these words, I detect a sense of pride as he proclaims each name.

And after God’s roll call, every one of us will sing and cry out to him, “All my fountains are in you.” (7)

That is, “Lord, you are the source of life, love, and joy in my life.”

You and I, as God’s church, are the people of God. God loves us and rejoices over us.

But let us make it our goal to bring in as many people to his kingdom as we can. Let us be that beautiful city on the hill that cannot be hidden.

Categories
Psalms

Guarding our hearts in times of trouble

Psalms

Solomon once wrote “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

This is always true, of course, but especially in times of trouble. And Solomon’s father David certainly had his share of it.

Yet in his times of trouble, we can see why God called him a man after his own heart.

He starts out the psalm by crying out for God’s help. And in doing so, we see where he placed his trust. Not in his own wisdom and strength to get him through his problems.

Rather, he said,

I put my trust in you. (Psalm 86:4)

Then he turns his thoughts to the nature of the God in whom he trusted. He prayed,

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.

Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.

When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. (5–7)

In other words, “In spite of my problems, I know that you care for me. And that you are good. What’s more, I believe you will answer me when I call.”

I suppose as Christians, we should all believe these things, but when we’re facing trials, it’s easy for doubt to creep into our hearts. But despite his problems, David held fast to these truths.

He then focused on the greatness of God. On how God was so much greater than his problems. He sang,

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.

All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.

For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God. (8–10)

After focusing on God’s greatness, David turned to his own heart. And he prayed,

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name. (11)

The new NIV (which to be honest, I don’t particularly care for — bring back version ’84, Zondervan!) puts it,

Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness.

I think this verse is so important as we face trials in our lives. Life’s problems can tend to cause our hearts to fray and unravel.

But David prays in the midst of trial, “Lord, teach me your way. Give me a heart that’s undivided. A heart that’s united (NASB) in its desire to follow you. May I walk in your truth and trust in your faithfulness in spite of all I’m going through.”

That’s the attitude we need to have too. To never lose focus or trust in God. But to have a heart that’s totally united in its desire to follow him.

Let us be like David, constantly focusing on God and his goodness and his faithfulness toward us, even in times of trouble. Like him, let’s continue praising him singing,

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me. (12–13)

Categories
Psalms

Repentance and mercy

Psalms

It’s not certain when Psalm 85 was written. Charles Spurgeon seems to have thought it was written by David, but I tend to agree with the scholars who say it was written after the Babylonian captivity.

The psalmist writes,

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.

You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger. (Psalm 85:1–3)

This could easily refer to God’s restoration of the people to the promised land after the 70 years of exile had passed. And yet, it seems it was still a time of trouble. The psalmist continues by pleading,

Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.

Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?

Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation. (4–7)

Perhaps this was in reference to the fact that despite their return to the land, all was not yet well in Jerusalem. The walls were destroyed, and raiders often came in to wreak havoc among the people. (Nehemiah 1:1–3)

And so the psalmist prays for God’s mercy in the situation. But then he says something important. He said,

I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land. (8–9)

So often we pray for mercy, but it would be well to remember that peace only comes to those who repent.

We cannot ask for God’s mercy if we’re willfully turning our backs on him and returning to the sin that destroyed us in the first place.

This is not to say that God will wait until we are completely sinless before he shows us mercy. But he does want our hearts. He wants to know that we are taking steps in his direction, rather than continuing on our old path.

We may fall, but as long as we’re going in the right direction, he will help us up and keep leading us on.

And as we follow him, we’ll find blessing.

As the psalmist wrote,

The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps. (12–13)

I like how the New King James puts the last verse.

Righteousness will go before Him,
and shall make His footsteps our pathway.

How about you? Are you walking along the pathway of repentance?

Categories
Psalms

Setting our sights

Pilgrimage

Psalm 84 is one of the most beautiful psalms, in my opinion, and one of my favorites. And it’s one in which we are encouraged to set our sights, not on the things of this earth, but on eternity.

It was a song that was used to describe the joy of people making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God, but I think it equally applies to our pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem.

The psalmist starts by singing,

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1–2)

I love the old chorus based on this psalm that puts it this way, “There’s a hunger deep inside my soul.”

I have to say that this is where I want to be in my walk with God. Hungering and thirsting after him.

I have to admit, though, that I’ve been feeling kind of dry, spiritually. And so I’m praying, “Lord, I yearn for you. I want more of you in my life. I long to be in your presence once again.”

I think that these are the sentiments the psalmist is expressing here.

I love the picture the psalmist gives next of the sparrow finding a home near God’s altar.

It makes me think of Jesus’ words of how much more valuable we are to God than the sparrows. If he welcomes them into his presence, how much more does he welcome us?

He then expresses the joy of worship, singing,

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you. (4)

But after singing this, he turns his thoughts from rejoicing in the house of God to the journey to get there. And he sings,

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. (5)

Two things strike me here. The pilgrims set their hearts on the place they were heading for, not on the place they were at.

We are to do the same as Christians. This world is not our home. And we should be setting our hearts on where our true home is.

But as we set out on that journey, we do so not in our own strength, but in God’s. We don’t have the power to make it on our own. We need Him.

In verse 6, it says,

As they pass through the Valley of Baka (or the “valley of tears”),
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

Through this life, we go through our valleys of tears. We experience hurt and loss. Yet God turns them into a place of springs. He covers them with the pools of his grace that act as a balm to our wounds.

As a result,

They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion. (7)

As Isaiah wrote,

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

So the psalmist cries out to God and prays,

Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.

Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one. (Psalm 84:8–9)

While it refers to God’s favor upon the king, for us as Christians, it refers to God’s favor upon his Son, who is our shield in this life.

He then closes with the blessings and joy of those who worship, singing,

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you. (10–12)

We are mere pilgrims in this life. The things of this world are mere shadows of the glory that lies ahead. So let us set our sights not on this world, but on God.

Where are you setting your sights?

Categories
Psalms

Deliver us from evil

Psalms

When I look at Psalm 83, it reminds me of our Lord’s prayer, when he told us to pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

In this psalm, Israel was facing some really big threats by the surrounding nations. And so the psalmist cries out,

O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.

See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.

With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.

“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” (Psalm 83:1–4)

He then lists the nations that were coming against them and called to mind how God had delivered them in the past. And after asking for deliverance, he prays,

Let them (our enemies) know that you, whose name is the Lord—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. (18)

We may not have nations coming against us, but we do have enemies that would bring us down.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that there are spiritual forces out there that are hostile to us. And sometimes they will even use people to attack us, whether it’s physically, verbally, or emotionally.

But the thing we need to remember is that God is most high over all the earth. He is in control of all things.

So when we feel under attack, let us turn to him. Even if we’re not under attack at the moment, it would be wise to pray for his protection anyway. As long as we are following him, we won’t be left alone for long.

And after all, if Jesus felt that it was important for us to pray for his protection, we’d be wise to take him at his word.

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Psalms

When the judges will be judged

Psalms

I think a lot of us get frustrated by the injustices we see in our courts. People we know are guilty get set free, and the people they hurt are left even more wounded.

It’s not a new problem. It was happening back in Bible times as well. And God here pronounces judgment against them.

Just a brief note. It’s very clear from the context that when it says he presides among the gods, that it’s used in a very ironic tone. He calls these judges “gods” because they had the power and authority to pass judgment as God does.

It by no means can be interpreted (as the Mormons would claim) that men can become gods. Note in verse 6, that it says to them, “You are gods” not “You will be gods.” Even Mormons will not claim they are gods now.

Moreover, in the very next verse, he says, “I said you are gods, but you will die like mere men,” because they were mere men, and corrupt ones at that.

Why was God bringing judgment upon them?

The answer is found in verses 2–4.

“How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?

Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:2–4)

He then says of them,

The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness. (5)

The psalmist concludes by singing,

Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance. (8)

So let us not get discouraged when we see the injustice that’s in the world.

The time will come when the wicked, and the judges that set them free will be called to account. Though they may be unjust, God is not.

And he will bring judgment on the last day.

Categories
Psalms

If only…

Psalms

In Psalm 81, the psalmist begins with a call to worship, singing,

Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!

Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre. (Psalm 81:1–2)

The occasion of the singing? The feasts that God had commanded under Moses, namely, perhaps, the Passover which celebrated their delivery from Egypt, or the Feast of Tabernacles which celebrated God’s leading them through the desert.

Why did God command these feasts? So that they would never forget him and what he had done for them. The psalmist remembers these things, singing,

I heard an unknown voice say:

“I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket.
In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” (5–7)

In this psalm, however, we hear the cry of God’s heart. He tells the people,

Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!

You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.

I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. (8–10)

And again,

If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes…

you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (13–14, 16)

God pleads with the people, “If only you would just listen, I would bless you. I would supply all your needs and fight for you in the battles you face.”

But then he said,

But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices. (11–12)

God wants to bless us. He wants to do great things in our lives, but he will not force us. If we want to go our own way, he will let us. But when we choose to go our own way, it not only brings sadness into our lives, but into the heart of God.

So what will you do? Will you open your ears to him and do what he says so that he can bless you? Or will you follow the stubbornness of your heart, going to the destruction to which it leads?

It’s your choice.

Categories
Psalms

The consequences of sin

Psalms

These two psalms seemed linked, so I’m putting them together. Both apparently happened after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, and are very similar in tone to Lamentations.

Psalm 79 opens with this lament:

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

They have left the dead bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of the sky,
the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.

They have poured out blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead. (Psalm 79:1–3)

Then the psalmist cries out in verse 5,

How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire?

In Psalm 80, the cry is similar,

How much longer, LORD God Almighty,
will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

You have given us sorrow to eat,
a large cup of tears to drink. (Psalm 80:4–5)

In both psalms, we see the psalmist’s cry for God’s mercy upon the people.

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.

Help us, God our Savior,
for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
for your name’s sake. (Psalm 79:8–9)

And again,

Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:19)

And in both psalms, we see vows made.

Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will praise you forever;
from generation to generation
we will proclaim your praise. (Psalm 79:13)

In Psalm 80, the psalmist prays,

Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,
the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name. (Psalm 80:17–18)

How much better though, would things have been if the people had been faithful to God all along? To not wait until things were at that state to finally turn to him?

God is a God of mercy. That is true. He will forgive. But there are consequences to our sin here on earth.

So let us not wait until disaster strikes to turn our faces to God, as the Israelites did time and again.

Let us turn our faces to him now and seek him so that we may avoid the pain and hurt that comes because of our sin.

Categories
Psalms

Telling the next generation

Psalms

For my daughter’s last birthday, we bought her a children’s Bible. What’s nice is that it’s in English and Japanese, so my wife reads to her in Japanese, and I read to her in English.

It’s our hope that through these stories, she can come to not just know about God, but to truly know him.

That’s what the psalmist is trying to do in this psalm. To pass on to the next generation what he knew about God.

He says,

My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78:1–4)

He then reminds the people that God himself commanded us to do this for our children. The reason for this command?

So the next generation would know them (God’s deeds and his laws), even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.

Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. (6–7)

Asaph starts by talking about the deeds of God, how he delivered them out of Egypt and led them through the desert, providing for their every need. How he provided bread, water, and meat in the desert when there was none to be found.

He then talks about how God led them into the promised land and drove out all their enemies before them.

But then he talked about all the failures of the people. How they failed to trust him. How they complained in the desert. How they turned to idols in the land God gave to them, and how they suffered judgment because of it.

Finally he reminds them of God’s grace and mercy through all their failures. He sings,

Yet he was merciful;
he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.

Time after time he restrained his anger
and did not stir up his full wrath.

He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breeze that does not return. (38–39)

And he reminds them of how in his grace, God defeated their enemies once again and set up David to rule over them in justice.

These are the kinds of things we are to teach our children. To the people who come after us.

  • Teach them about how God saved us from our sin, and all the things he has done for us in our lives.
  • Teach them about our failures, and the consequences that came from them. Why? So that they don’t have to repeat our mistakes.
  • Teach them about God’s grace and mercy. That though we failed, God never gave up on us but forgave us and delivered us.
  • Teach them that God has a plan for them. Just as he took David from the humble position of shepherd, and turned him into the shepherd of God’s people, God can take their lives and turn it into something special too.

Let us not neglect to tell our children these things that they may know him too.

Categories
Psalms

Abandoned?

Psalms

One thing I’ve noticed about the psalms as I’ve been going through them is that a lot of the themes seem to be similar.

Particularly, the struggles people have when dealing with an invisible God. It’s kind of comforting, actually.

Psalm 77 is no different. The psalmist starts out by crying out,

I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.

When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted. (Psalm 77:1–2)

How often do we do the same? We cry out to God, and yet hear…nothing. And because of our troubled hearts, we can’t sleep. Instead, we start asking as the psalmist did,

“Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?

Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” (7–9)

In short, have you abandoned me? Have you given up on me? Do you consider me a lost cause?

But in the midst of his despair, he cries out,

“To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?

You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph…

You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (10–15, 20)

In a moment, he thrusts out all thoughts that God has abandoned him.

And he says, “God, I cannot believe you’ve abandoned me. You’ve done too much for me in the past to believe that.

“You cared enough that you redeemed me and my people. And you led us as your sheep through the desert to where we are now.

“Because of all the love you’ve shown to me in the past, I refuse to believe you’ve abandoned me now.”

That’s faith. It’s believing though we can’t see.

Though we can’t see or feel God’s love at a particular moment or time, we believe he still cares.

Though we can’t see or feel God’s presence for a season, we hold on to the belief that he is still there and that he has not abandoned us.

But faith is not completely blind. Because when we look back on our past, we can see the evidence of God’s power and love in our lives.

So when we feel abandoned as the psalmist did, let us look back on God’s goodness in our lives, and know that the God who was with us then, is with us now.

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Psalms

The God who will be praised

Psalms

It has been conjectured that Psalm 76 was written after the incident with Sennacherib, during the time of Hezekiah.

Whether this is true or not, I’m not sure, but it does fit with the events laid out in Kings and Chronicles.

And here we see the psalmist praising God for defending Israel against the enemy. He sings,

God is renowned in Judah;
in Israel his name is great.
His tent is in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.

There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shields and the swords,
the weapons of war. (Psalm 76:1–3)

He then sings about how God brought judgment on those who tried to destroy Jerusalem.

One verse is very interesting. It says,

Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise. (10)

It seems a bit unusual to think of God’s wrath bringing him praise. But it’s happened more than once.

When Sennacherib mocked God and his power to save, God brought about the praise of Israel by destroying his army.

When Pharaoh said, “Who is this Yahweh that I should listen to him?” God again caused his name to be praised and feared by his actions against Egypt in order to set the Israelites free.

So I think here there is a warning to take from this, as well as a comfort.

If we place ourselves in God’s hand, he will defend and help us. But if we defy him, there will be judgment. Either way, his name will be honored. As Paul put it,

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10–11)

The only question we need to ask is will we confess this with thanksgiving, love, and praise? Or will we confess this with anger, frustration, and bitterness?

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Psalms

When justice finally comes

Psalms

Whenever I look at Psalm 75, I can’t help but sing to myself the old chorus based on this psalm.

We give thanks to thee O Lord, we give thanks.
For thy name is near,
Thy wondrous works men declare.
We give thanks to thee O Lord, we give thanks.

Looking at the whole psalm, however, it’s interesting that I never realized what we were giving thanks for. What wondrous works are we praising?

Ultimately, we’re looking at the time when God brings final judgment on all mankind.

God speaks in this psalm and says,

I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.

When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.

To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.

Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak so defiantly.’ (Psalm 75:2–5)

And the rest of the psalm talks about how God will lift up the righteous and bring down the wicked. The psalmist closes by praising God, singing,

As for me, I will declare this forever;
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.” (9–10)

I’ve mentioned before in previous blogs how so often we see the injustice in the world and wonder where God is. Why he doesn’t do anything.

But in this psalm, we see that justice will indeed come.

So let us wait patiently for it and praise God not only that he will bring justice, but that for now he has shown us mercy, waiting so that as many as possible may be saved. (2 Peter 3:9)

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Psalms

A cry for mercy

Psalms

It’s not certain when Psalm 74 was written. There are a couple of problems with trying to date it.

First, the notation attributes this psalm to Asaph who lived during the times of David, Solomon, and Rehoboam.

There is nothing to connect the destruction of the temple as mentioned in this psalm to the times he lived in. So it’s most likely that when it says Asaph, it’s referring to his descendants.

I would guess this was written after Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion when the Jews were taken into exile. The main problem with this is that the psalmist writes,

We are given no signs from God;
no prophets are left. (Psalm 74:9)

It’s possible that it meant no prophets in Jerusalem were left. Daniel and Ezekiel were both in Babylon. And while Jeremiah stayed in Jerusalem for a while, he was later carried off to Egypt where he eventually died.

At any rate, this psalm is in essence a cry for mercy. The psalmist starts by lamenting,

O God, why have you rejected us forever?

Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

Remember the nation you purchased long ago,
the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—
Mount Zion, where you dwelt.

Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,
all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. (Psalm 74:1–3)

He then talks about the complete destruction of the temple, and how God was nowhere to be found.

But in verse 12, the psalm turns as he sings,

But God is my King from long ago;
he brings salvation on the earth.

In verses 13–17, he recalls the power of God, how he delivered them from Egypt, and how he created all things.

Finally, he closes the psalm once more with a plea for mercy.

There are some interesting things about this psalm. And in it, I think we can learn some things about God’s mercy.

The main thing is that we don’t receive God’s mercy based on our own merit.

Nowhere in the psalm does it say, “We’ve been good so please show us mercy.”

Rather, he asks for God’s mercy for his own Name’s sake. He says,

How long will the enemy mock you, God?
Will the foe revile your name forever? (10)

In other words, “By allowing these people to destroy your temple and defeat your people, your name has suffered. People no longer hold your name in honor.”

And so he says later,

Rise up, O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools mock you all day long.

Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,
the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually. (22–23)

The psalmist also asks for God’s mercy based on his promises. At the beginning, he said,

Remember the nation you purchased long ago,
the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—
Mount Zion, where you dwelt. (2)

He was saying, “You redeemed us and promised to make us your own. You promised to dwell among us. Remember now those promises and help us.”

Finally, he asked for God’s mercy based on his compassion.

He sang,

Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name. (21)

None of us deserve God’s mercy. But though we fall, God is merciful. So let us never give up hope when God seems to have abandoned us.

Rather let us turn our hearts to him and plead for his mercy.

And just as he delivered the Jews, he will deliver us.

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Psalms

Discouraged by the evil we see.

Psalms

It can be discouraging at times to see all the evil that is in this world. To see people who prosper despite having no fear of God at all. People who only look out for themselves and don’t care who they hurt.

And when we see them prospering, it’s easy to start saying, “What’s the point of doing what’s right? What’s the point of following God when I’m struggling, and those who don’t give a rip about God are doing well?”

That’s what Asaph struggled with and Psalm 73 describes his struggle with the evil he saw.

He starts the psalm with his conclusion.

Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart. (Psalm 73:1)

In other words, when all is said and done, God is good. And those who follow him and keep pure hearts before him will see his goodness in their lives.

But then he talks about his struggle, saying,

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.

For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (2–3)

And in the next few verses, he talks about how all the wicked people he saw seemed to have no struggles at all. They were healthy and rich, with none of the burdens that most people have.

This despite how proud and violent they were. This despite all the evil that came out of their hearts and mouths, saying,

How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything? (11)

So Asaph cried out,

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments. (13–14)

But as he came into the presence of God, all of these thoughts melted away like the mist as he realized their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.

How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!

They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies. (18–20)

In short, their time will come. Their prosperity lasts only a moment compared to eternity, and then all will see just how temporal it all was.

When Asaph realized this, he felt so stupid for envying the wicked and questioning God. But then he said,

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory. (23–24)

The nice thing about God is his patience. That though we sometimes question him and his goodness, he doesn’t give up on us. He continues to stand by us and lead us until the day we see him face to face.

As Asaph realized all this, he sang in praise,

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds. (25–28)

Lord, whom have I in heaven but you? Lord, it’s so easy to be jealous of those who do evil, because their lives seem to be so good. But Lord, it is good to be near to you.

Let me never envy the wicked, no matter how good their lives may seem. Instead, Lord, be my desire above all things. Be my strength and portion forever. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

When Christ reigns

Psalms

Psalm 72 is a song written by Solomon that looks forward to the time when Christ, the great King, reigns.

So often we look at the people ruling or governing our nations, and all we are left with is disappointment.

People that should be looking out for our interests and the interests of the nation only look out for themselves. The only time they look out for others is if they feel that it’s toward their benefit.

But here we see Christ reigning in true righteousness. A king who judges justly and looks out for those who are afflicted and needy. A king who does so because he truly cares about them (Psalm 72:1–4, 12–14).

We also see a king whom under the righteous prosper and will find blessing. I like verse 6 where it says,

May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.

But most of all, I like verse 17 where it says,

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.

One can’t help but think that Solomon had in mind God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 where he said,

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2–3)

In Christ, we will see the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. And so Solomon closes with this benediction:

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen. (18–19)

Amen. Come soon Lord Jesus.

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Psalms

Our hope and confidence

Psalms

Psalm 71 is probably not the most well-known of the Psalms, but the more I read it, the more I like it. It shows the hope and confidence that the psalmist had from knowing God, even during the darkest of times.

He wrote,

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalm 71:1–2)

I love verse 5 where he writes,

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.

And as he prays for deliverance from his enemies, he once again sings,

As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more. (14)

In a world where people often lose hope because of what they’re going through, this verse resonates with me: “As for me, I will always have hope.”

Why did he have that hope? We see the answer in verse 20.

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

So many times people get angry with God for the trials they have to endure.

But here, the psalmist expresses confidence in God’s goodness. That though God allowed him to go through many trials, that God would raise him up once again.

And so throughout the psalm we see his heart of praise towards God, as he sings things like,

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God? (19)

And,

My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered. (23)

How about you? In the midst of what you’re going through now, have you lost hope?

Or like the psalmist, are you filled with hope and confidence that God will see you through?

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Psalms

Hurry up, God!

Psalms

I debated briefly whether to give Psalm 70 its own blog entry, considering it’s very similar to the latter part of Psalm 40. But I don’t think I really commented much on that part of Psalm 40, so I decided to write a few thoughts here.

The thing that strikes me is how urgently David wants God to answer his prayers. He says,

Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me. (Psalm 70:1)

And again,

Come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay. (5)

It gives me some comfort that David prayed much as I do.

“Hurry up God! Can’t you see my need. I need your help NOW!”

And considering how he was constantly on the run from his enemies, it’s easy to see why he felt things were so urgent.

It’s also comforting to see that though deliverance probably didn’t always come as fast as David wished, it did come.

The same is true with us. God may not always answer as quickly as we’d like. But if the need is there, he will deliver us.

Are you waiting for an answer to prayer? Are you feeling God is a bit slow? Or very slow, for that matter?

Don’t be afraid to be honest with God in your prayers. Don’t be afraid to say, “Hurry up!”

But know that though God’s timing is not always our own, he is faithful. He will not let us down in the end.

So let us wait in hope for his answer.

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Psalms

The cry of Christ

Psalms

Psalm 69 is largely, though not completely messianic. In it we see many references which are applied to Christ in the New Testament.

We see his suffering on the cross in which he starts sinking into death. He cries out to God, but there is no answer. His eyes are failing, and his throat is completely parched. (Psalm 69:1–3)

He’s completely surrounded by his enemies who hate him for no reason (4) and his own brothers mock and reject him (8).

In Christ’s cleansing of the temple, we see his zeal for his Father’s house (9).

He was scorned, disgraced, and shamed by the people (19), and when he asked for drink, he was given vinegar mixed with gall (21).

And Peter of course uses verse 25 to refer to Judas in Acts 1.

So in this psalm, we see the cry of Christ as he suffered on the cross.

But we also see our salvation. Because through the cross, all of our sins are paid for. And because of the cry of Christ, we can also sing his song of praise.

I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.

This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live! (30–32)

He then closes by singing,

Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,
for God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.

Then people will settle there and possess it;
the children of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell there. (34–36)

A new Jerusalem is coming. Not only for the Jews but for all who believe in Jesus and his work on the cross and love his name. And there our salvation will find its ultimate fulfillment.

Lord, I thank you for my salvation that you bought with your blood and at great cost.

Lord, though you were innocent, yet you died for me. Lord let me never take that for granted.

May my life to you be praise each day. And everyday let me proclaim through my life and my words what you have done. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

A God of power…and mercy

Psalms

As I read Psalm 68, two things strike me. First, God’s power.

It starts out with a prayer showing God’s power to cast down the enemy.

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God. (Psalm 68:1–2)

Then in talking about how God led the people out of Egypt and into the promised land, it says,

When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel. (7–8)

The psalmist then bursts out singing,

Summon your power, God;
show us your strength, our God,
as you have done before. (28)

And again,

Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. (34–35)

As I look at all this, the power of God makes me stand in awe.

But in the midst of this psalm, we see something else. God’s mercy.

A father to the fatherless,
a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing. (5–6)

In talking about leading the people to the promised land, it says,

You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.

Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God,
you provided for the poor. (9–10)

But perhaps the verse that I like most is the one that says,

Praise be to the Lord,
to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens. (19)

It is awesome to think of the power of God. That he is in control and that he can truly do anything.

But it is even more awesome to think of his mercy and grace towards us.

That he looks down upon us and that he actually cares for us. That he sees our burdens and takes them upon himself.

That he sees our needs and provides. That he sees our loneliness and gives us his presence. That he sees our captivity and sets us free.

Lord, I thank you that you are a God of power. That you can do all things. But I thank you even more that you care for us and love us.

Lord, may I sense more of your presence in my life. May I see more of your power in my life. Show me your strength as you have done before.

But let me also see more of your mercy. And let me share what you’ve given me with those around me. May they see in me your power and your mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

Blessed that all may know

Psalms

Psalm 67 starts out much as the priestly blessing does in Numbers 6:24–26.

The psalmist writes,

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us. (Psalm 67:1)

What’s interesting to me is the reason for his request.

that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations. (2)

So many Christians pray, “Bless me Lord,” for purely selfish reasons.

But the psalmist prays, “Lord, show your grace to us. Bless us. Show your pleasure with us. Because when people see your hand of grace upon us, they’ll see your goodness and desire a relationship with you too. And not only will we know your salvation, but they will too.”

As he looks towards that day, he sings,

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you. (3–5)

And as he sees all the nations turning their hearts toward the Lord, he sees something else: God’s blessing on all who fear him.

Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him. (6–7)

Lord, show me your grace in my life. Lord, draw me close to yourself, and may your face shine upon me.

And as you do, Lord, let others see you in me and be drawn to you as well. Let your life shine through mine. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

The God who brings us through trial

Psalms

Nobody likes trials. At least, I can’t say I do. But in Psalm 66, we see the rejoicing of God’s people having come through those trials.

The psalmist sings,

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.” (Psalm 66:1–4)

He then points out the reasons for his rejoicing. He tells the people,

Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!

He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him. (5–6)

The obvious reference is to God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and how he made a way of escape for them through the Red Sea.

In doing so, he showed his power not only to Israel, but to all the nations. And so the psalmist warns,

He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him. (7)

He then looks back to their time of bondage in Egypt, and perhaps also to their time of wandering in the desert, and as he does, he sees God’s hand in all that happened. He writes,

Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance. (8–12)

It’s interesting to me here that he says it is God that brought about their troubles. It was he that brought them into prison and let people rule over them.

This is not to say that God is directly responsible for evil in our lives. Evil is part and parcel of a broken world.

But nothing passes into our lives without passing through the hands of God first. And God sometimes allows evil to come into our lives.

Why? Because he hates us?

No. To refine us. To purge out of our lives all of our pride and sin in order that we might become the pure and holy people that he desires.

But even through the fire, he never takes his hands off of us. Rather, he preserves us and keeps our feet from slipping to destruction. More than that, he will bring us out of our trials victorious.

Having come through the fire, the psalmist then offers his sacrifices of praise to God. But not only that, he shares his experiences with all those who would hear. He sings,

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.

Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me! (16–20)

How about you? What trials are you going through now? Know that whatever you may be going through, God still has his hand on you.

So don’t lose heart. Cry out to him. Pour out your heart to him and you will see his deliverance.

And when you do, be sure to let all those around you know what he has done for you.

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Psalms

The God who saves us and fills us

Psalms

It’s hard to tell in what situation Psalm 65 was written. It’s possible it was written after a time of famine or drought as a result of God’s judgment, followed by a time of repentance and blessing.

The psalmist starts with praise to God for his mercies. He sings,

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.

You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.

When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.

Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple. (Psalm 65:1–4)

Here the psalmist looks back on their sin and God’s judgment. I love verse 3. “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.”

We were overwhelmed and overpowered by our sins. There was no escape for us from the judgment to come. But “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Now he draws us near to himself and he brings blessing in our lives. We no longer live in fear of him. Rather we look upon him in love for his mercy and grace.

And the psalmist looks forward to the day when all will come before God in heaven and rejoice over his great mercy (verse 1).

He then says,

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas (5).

The rest of the psalm looks at God’s power in creation and his sustenance of it through the water he pours down to bless the earth.

But as I read this, I see something else.

I see the most awesome of deeds that our Savior did for us. His death on the cross for our sins. And because he has done so, he truly has become our hope in this dying world.

Now, just as he pours out water from the heavens to bless the earth, he pours out the living water of his Holy Spirit upon us and fills us with Himself each and every day.

Through his Spirit, he brings forth abundant fruit through us as he pours out his grace upon us and all those whom we touch.

Lord, I thank you for your grace that you poured upon me to save me from my sins. That when I was powerless to save myself, you saved me.

Lord, fill me with your Spirit. Let your Spirit overflow in my life that I might bear your fruit and touch those around me.

Thank you for the joy that you pour into my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

No escape

Psalms

One of my all-time favorite shows is “Columbo.” They often show it on “Mystery Channel” here in Japan.

In it, the criminals always think they have devised the perfect crime, only to see it come unraveled thread by thread in the hands of Columbo.

That’s what I think about when I read Psalm 64. David wrote of the wicked,

They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, “Who will see them?”

They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”

Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning. (Psalm 64:3–6)

But as with Columbo, God quickly unravels their plots and turns them against themselves.

But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be struck down.

He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done. (7–9)

Haman found this out in the book of Esther as his “perfect plan” to destroy the Jews came crashing down upon his own head.

But sometimes justice comes longer than we’d like. We see criminals get set free in our court systems and wonder where God is in all of this. What’s he doing about this?

But let us remember that God will never let slip what has happened. And he will bring about justice whether it’s in this life or in the next.

So don’t fret when you see all the injustice in the world. Though the justice of mankind may fail, God’s never will. So as David said,

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him! (10)

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Psalms

Where we place our trust

Psalms

Psalm 62 has always been another of my favorite psalms and songs. In a time of great trouble (when was David ever NOT in trouble), he sang,

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1–2)

The thing that strikes me is the words, “in God alone.”

David had lived long enough to realize that people are not always faithful. That things like money and wealth cannot always be depended upon.

He wrote,

Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them. (9–10)

In other words, it doesn’t matter if people are great or small; you cannot always lean on them. Sometimes they will betray you.

But even if they never do, death claims us all. The day will come when you will have to learn to stand without them.

And though money, whether honestly or dishonestly gotten by, can seem to buy happiness for a while, it too will eventually leave you empty.

So David says I do not put my trust or hope in these things. Instead, he says,

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him. (5)

And he tells us as well,

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. (8)

Where do you place your trust? In people? In wealth? In yourself? All of these are false refuges. And in the end, they will fail us.

There is only one place, one person worthy of our trust. And so David closes by saying,

One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.

Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done. (11–12)

Let us place our trust in the one who will never fail.

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Psalms

The God who is where we are

Psalms

In Psalm 61, it seems that David is once again on the run. Apparently, he was already king at this time, so it’s likely that he wrote it when he was in exile during the time of Absalom’s rebellion.

And he cries out,

Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint (Psalm 61:1–2)

That second stanza strikes me. “From the ends of the earth I call to you.”

Obviously he wasn’t at the literal ends of the earth. But David was far from home, and far from the tabernacle that he loved.

Yet he knew it didn’t matter where he was. God would hear him. And so in his distress, he cried out to God, saying,

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. (2b–4)

In other words, “I find my safety in you. And I long for your presence. But right now, you seem out of reach. Please lead me to yourself.”

How many times do we feel the same way? We feel abandoned. We know our safety is in God, but he seems far away.

Sometimes like David, in our desperation, we make vows to God, saying, “If only you’ll hear and help me, I’ll do this or that.”

It’s important to keep those vows if we make them, but it’s even more important to know that they are unnecessary. That we have a heritage from God that comes by grace, and that is available to all who fear and love him.

A heritage of hope and peace in the midst of trouble.

A heritage in which God calls us his children and in which he promises to answer our call.

And a heritage in which we will reign with Christ forever someday. (2 Timothy 2:12)

So when we are in trouble, when God seems far away, let us remember these things. He’s much closer than we imagine.

By His Spirit, he will lead us to the Rock that is higher than we are, and from that high place, we will see all our troubles for the specks of dust that they really are.

And when we do, as David said, we will ever sing in praise of his name. (61:8)

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Psalms

Remembering our times of victory

Psalms

We’re taking a brief jump to Psalm 108, basically because it’s a combination of Psalms 57 and 60.

Verses 1–5 come from the latter part of Psalm 57 while verses 6–13 come from the latter part of Psalm 60.

Whether it was meant to be a medley of the two psalms or David created new music for the combination of the two, I don’t know. One wonders though why he would do this.

I have two guesses.

One is that it was written at the same time as Psalm 60 after Israel’s defeat at the hands of their enemy. And perhaps, David was recalling his time when Saul had him trapped in the cave and God delivered him.

So as he was struggling with doubt and despair after defeat, he turned his thoughts to the time at the cave, and was basically saying to himself, “Don’t get discouraged by this defeat. Look at what God did for me in the past. If he delivered me before, he’ll deliver me now.”

The other possibility is that it was written after both incidences. And now looking back on both, David was singing a psalm of praise to God for all that he had done for him.

Whatever the case may be, I think it’s important that like David, we remember our times of victory. That in times of trouble, we recall how God delivered us in the past.

And that after times of deliverance, we remember to thank God for what he’s done.

Why?

Hope.

Remembering these things give us hope for the future when things look grim.

Without hope, it’s hard to go on when we face trials in our lives.

But with hope, we can face anything that comes against us, knowing that God’s on our side and that he will help us.

What victories have you had in your life? Take the time to write them down. Write down the times God has answered prayer. Write down the times God has delivered you. Praise him for it.

By doing so, when you face trials in your life, you’ll find them easier to bear.

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Psalms

In the face of defeat

Psalms

Psalm 60 is a bit unusual in that if you look at its title, it seems to have been written in a time of victory. And yet, when you look at it, the Israelites seem to have suffered a terrible defeat.

And so they cry out,

You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us;
you have been angry — now restore us!

You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking. (Psalm 60:1–2)

Why did they suffer this defeat? We don’t know. The Bible doesn’t talk about any mistakes they made. For that matter, it doesn’t mention this defeat at all other than in this psalm.

All we can say is that there are forces out there that will fight against us, and there are times when we will lose battles.

But there are two things to remember.

First, God has not rejected us, though it may sometimes feel that way.

And second, though we may lose some battles, we will ultimately win the war.

In response to the Israelites’ cry, God responds,

In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.

Moab is my washbasin,
upon Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph. (6–8)

In short, “Victory is in my hands. I have chosen you as my own, and I will deliver your enemies into your hands.”

And so despite feeling as though they were rejected by God, they cried out once again to God for help, saying,

Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.

With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies. (11–12)

In faith, they then went out again, not in their own strength, but in God’s. And God granted them victory.

Have you suffered defeat recently? Don’t get discouraged. Get up and stand, not in your strength, but in God’s. Ask for his help once more. And you will find victory in your life.

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Psalms

When we see injustice

Psalms

One thing that I think frustrates us all is to see a person that we know is guilty be set free by a judge.

Perhaps the police or prosecutors mishandled the case, or perhaps the judges or juries themselves were corrupted. And we cry out at the injustice.

This is nothing new. For even David, in this psalm, cries out against the same thing. He wrote,

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?

No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth. (Psalm 58:1–2)

Why are things this way?

For one, all are born sinners. From the time we are born, we are pulled astray by our own sinful desires. (3)

What’s more, though God has told us what is right, we close our ears to him (4–5).

And so David cries out for God’s judgment against them.

But as with David, we can take comfort that that day will indeed come. God will come and the wicked will be swept away. On that day,

Men will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.” (11)

Is it hard to wait? Yes. Is injustice frustrating to deal with? Certainly.

But let us not give up hope. And as David wrote in another psalm,

Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away. (Psalm 37:1–2)

Rather, let us continue to trust in God and do good, delight ourselves in him, and commit each and every day to him. (Psalm 37:3–5)

And even in these evil times, we will see his work in our lives and in the world around us.

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Psalms

Though friends may betray you

Psalms

We don’t know when Psalm 55 was written, but it’s possible it was written during Absalom’s rebellion against David.

During that time, one of David’s former counselors, a man named Ahithophel, turned his back on David and sided with Absalom. A possible reason for this, I have noted in another blog.

And now in exile, David is in despair, saying,

Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
hear me and answer me.

My thoughts trouble me
and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy,
at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me
and revile me in their anger.

My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death assail me. (Psalm 55:1–4)

After further laments, he says,

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as we walked with the throng at the house of God. (12–14)

And again,

My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.

His speech is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords. (20–21)

It’s a painful thing to be betrayed by a friend. To have someone whom you loved not only turn their backs on you, but go out of their way to hurt you.

They put up a front pretending to be your friend, but when your back is turned, the knife goes in.

It can be especially painful if it’s not just a friend, but a husband or wife. And maybe because of their betrayal, you find it hard to ever trust anyone again. Not only people, but God himself.

But remember that Jesus himself knew the pain of betrayal, suffering at the hands of Judas. And so Jesus knows exactly how you feel.

More than that, he will never betray you. Rather, he will always be faithful to you.

David knew this, and so he sang,

But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me. (16–18)

In other words, though others may turn their backs on us, God never will. So David tells us,

Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall. (22)

And he concludes by crying out in faith,

As for me, I trust in you. (23)

Have you been betrayed? Are you finding it hard to trust again? Don’t let your pain consume you.

Instead, put your trust in the One who will not fail you. Cast your cares and your hurts upon him, and he will bring healing in your life.

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Psalms

Two misconceptions of God

Psalms

Psalm 50 reads a lot like the message of the prophets in terms of its contents. And it tackles two common misconceptions people have of God.

In the first part, God is seen coming into the courtroom, calling the defendants before him.

Who are the defendants? In context, the people of Israel who were under the covenant of Moses.

But all of us too will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so it would be well for us to take into consideration what he says.

The first misconception God addresses is that he only desired outward signs of religion. That rituals such as sacrifices were all that he really wanted. But he told the Israelites,

I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats? (Psalm 50:9–13)

Basically, he’s saying, “You make all these offerings, but you don’t understand why I require them. I don’t require them because I’m hungry, poor, and needy. Everything belongs to me, anyway.

“If I needed food, I’d know where to find it. But the truth is, I don’t even need food. That’s not why I ask you to offer them.”

Then he tells the Israelites what he really wants.

Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me. (14–15)

In short, have hearts filled with thanksgiving. Acknowledge me as your God, as your provider, and as your savior. Stop trying to live for yourself and by your own strength and wisdom.

He then blasts those who merely look religious, but who in their hearts despise God. He says,

What right have you to recite my laws
or take my covenant on your lips?
You hate my instruction
and cast my words behind you.

When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.

You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.

You speak continually against your brother
and slander your own mother’s son. (16–20)

In other words, “You say all the right things. You sound like you honor me. But then you go out and live your own way.”

To put it into modern terms, “You worship me on Sunday, but live your own way the rest of the week.”

God is not so impressed by religious ritual and outward appearances. He’s not impressed by how often you go to church, by how much you give to the church, or by how many Bible verses you know. He wants your heart.

And if he doesn’t have that, everything else means nothing to him.

God then addresses the second misconception people had of him. He said,

These things you have done and I kept silent;
you thought I was altogether like you.

But I will rebuke you
and accuse you to your face.

Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces,
with none to rescue. (21–22)

Put another way, “You’ve mistaken my silence for approval of your evil. I’ve been patient with you waiting for you to repent, but if you don’t, judgment will come. And when it does, it will be too late to repent.”

But then God comes back to his original thought,

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God. (23)

What does this mean for us?

The first step to salvation is acknowledging God as God. To stop living as if we are independent of him. But to live in gratefulness and humbleness before him.

And as we do, it prepares us for the way of salvation as expressed in Christ.

The day of judgment is coming. So as James wrote,

Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

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Psalms

What money can’t buy: Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalms

As the old saying goes, “Money makes the world go round.” But the psalmist here reminds us of another more important truth. “There are some things that money can’t buy.”

He writes,

No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him —
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough —
that he should live on forever
and not see decay. (Psalm 49:7–9)

In short, no one can buy eternal life. All of us, rich or poor, wise or foolish, powerful or weak, whoever we may be, will someday die. And much as we’d like to, we can’t take our money with us.

What’s more, it will not buy us a place in heaven. All the money in the world cannot pay the penalty for our sin.

Only one person can. God. And so he came down to this earth, and he paid the penalty for our sin, not with money, but with his blood shed on the cross.

It’s amazing to me the insight the psalmist had into this, even before Christ came. He wrote,

But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself. (Psalm 49:15)

Though the psalmist had no knowledge of Christ, nevertheless he says with confidence that we will live on to be with God through the ransom he himself pays.

And so he writes,

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;
for he will take nothing with him when he dies,
his splendor will not descend with him.

Though while he lived he counted himself blessed —
and men praise you when you prosper —
he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of life. (Psalm 49:16–19)

How about you? Do you envy those with wealth? Are you seeking it yourself? Or do you have it, and are making it your life purpose to just make more and more?

Remember the words of the psalmist.

A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)

Having money and wealth is by no means bad. It can be used to do a lot of good in this world and for God’s kingdom.

But let us understand that money is definitely not everything. There are more important things in life. And there are definitely things that money cannot buy.

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Psalms

When God dwells within us

Psalms

Psalm 48 was probably written after an attack was made upon Jerusalem. And it praises the greatness of God who protected her.

It exults,

Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain. (Psalm 48:1)

After praising the beauty of Zion in Jerusalem, it says,

God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.

When the kings joined forces,
when they advanced together,
they saw her and were astounded;
they fled in terror. (3–5)

The psalmist then sings,

As we have heard,
so we have seen in the city of the Lord Almighty,
in the city of our God:
God makes her secure forever. (8)

What can we get from this?

Just as God watched over and protected the city he made his dwelling in, he watches over and protects us.

For God no longer lives in a temple within a city, he lives within human hearts.

And though our Enemy may rise up to attack us, God will make us secure if we’ll just put our trust in him.

So in times of trouble, let us not live in fear, but rather “meditate on his unfailing love.” (9)

In his eyes, we are his beautiful dwelling place and his joy, not to mention his precious children, and he will not fail to defend us.

And when we see his deliverance, let us not forget to thank him for his goodness, remembering always that,

This God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end. (14)

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Psalms

Sing and shout!

Psalms

Yesterday morning, I was on the train listening to a worship song and I was really getting into it, singing along.

Of course, I didn’t do this out loud. I was just mouthing the words, but nevertheless, I noticed a strange look from the person sitting next to me. (I don’t know. Maybe people in Japan just don’t do this.)

Anyway, I really didn’t care what he thought, so I just kept on going.

On Sunday, our pastor was talking about shouting and singing things with conviction. He asked, “If you’re at a baseball game, are you going to whisper, ‘Go team go’?”

No, you shout it with conviction.

(Just to give a little background, in Nishinomiya where I live, there’s a baseball team called the Hanshin Tigers, and the fans are crazy. All game long, they are cheering and singing. Actually, all Japanese fans do this, but the Tiger fans are especially crazy.)

Anyway, that’s what I thought about as I read Psalm 47. I don’t think you can just say this psalm in a whisper. It’s the kind of psalm you have to sing and shout out loud.

Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy. (Psalm 47:1)

And again,

Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises. (6)

It’s hard to miss the exuberance of this psalm. No less than four times in one verse are we exhorted to sing to our God.

Why all this excitement? Why all this joy? For one thing, we praise him for who he is.

For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth. (2)

We also praise him for what he has done.

He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. (3–4)

In context, this is talking of God bringing Israel into the promised land.

But for us as Christians, God has given us victory too. Victory over Satan. Victory over sin. And ultimately, victory over death.

More, because of his love for us, we have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven.

Not only that, we have a life worth living here on earth as we follow him. As Paul wrote,

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:9–10)

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s something to sing and shout about.

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Psalms

When all is chaos around us

Psalms

Chaos.

Children screaming. Sick spouses. Deadlines and pressure coming in from all sides.

Sound familiar?

We all face the clamor of life from time to time. And sometimes the whole world seems to be crashing in upon us.

If that weren’t enough, we look at the news and see stories of war and natural disasters occurring left and right. And in the midst of it all, God can get lost.

I don’t mean that God loses his way, of course. But like Peter being faced by the crashing waves when he stepped out of the boat, we lose sight of Jesus. And we start to panic. We start to drown.

What is the Psalmist’s solution to this?

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)

In other words, stop for a moment. Be still. Stop looking at the circumstances around you and look at God for a minute.

Instead of looking at how big the problems around you seem, look at how big God is. And when you do, what will you find?

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1–3)

As we look around us,

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall. (6)

And yet,

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. (7, 11)

So often, as we focus on our problems, we forget that God is truly in control. That nothing is beyond his power.

He has but to lift his voice, and this world would melt. He has but to say, “enough,” and all war will cease, and all will come to judgment.

So let us be still before God. Quiet our fears. Cease our questions. And see how big our God truly is.

Know that God is within us and we will not fall. That he will help us.

That he has given us the deposit of his Spirit who flows like a river in, through, and out of us, doing his work in our lives and in the world around us.

As we do, he will bring us joy and peace in the midst of any circumstances we may be going through.

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Psalms

Bonded to Jesus

Psalms

It says in the title of Psalm 45 that it was written for the wedding of a king. But in it, we see the wedding not only of the king it was written for, but the wedding of the great King of kings.

We are called the bride of Christ, and in this passage, we see both our groom, and how we are to respond to him as his bride.

In the first part, we see the description of the king, and in it we see many pictures of Christ. It shows him as a man of grace, saying,

You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. (Psalm 45:2)

It also shows him as a mighty warrior.

Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.

In your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.

Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet. (3–5)

And it shows him as our king.

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. (6–7)

These last two verses in particular are attributed directly to Jesus in the book of Hebrews (1:8–9).

But then the psalmist talks to us, Christ’s bride, saying,

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. (10)

The idea behind this actually comes from Genesis where God says that when people get married, they are to leave behind their parents, be joined to their spouse, and become one with their partner.

Of course, the passage in Genesis specifically talks of the man doing this, but we see here that it applies equally to his wife.

When we are bonded to Christ, we are to leave behind all ties that would keep us from truly being one with him.

I’ve been truly fortunate to grow up in a Christian home, but I know others who in deciding to follow Christ have had struggles with their parents over becoming a Christian.

Others have had to leave behind friends that would have held them back from following Christ.

Ideally, of course, we wouldn’t have to literally do that. Ideally, they would see Christ in us and decide to follow him too.

But there are times when we have to say to our family and friends, “I’m sorry, I can’t go the way you are going. I’m following Christ.”

The psalmist goes on to tell the bride,

Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord. (11)

What kind of beauty is this? Physical beauty? No. As Peter said in talking to wives,

It should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. (1 Peter 3:4)

And we are to honor him with our whole lives, since he is our Lord.

He then sings,

All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.

In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her —
those brought to be with her.

Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king. (13–15)

Why is the bride glorious? Because she has been clothed and made beautiful by the king who has chosen her.

This passage reminds me of what Christ has done for us, who,

…loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25–27)

May we ever live lives bonded in this way to our King.

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Psalms

Why is this happening to me?

Psalms

“Why is this happening to me?”

Have you ever felt that way? The psalmist certainly did.

The background of Psalm 44 is unclear. Apparently, it was at a time when the people were trying to serve God and yet found themselves being defeated by their enemies.

And basically, they said, “We remember all the stories of how when we first came to Canaan that you were with us. All the nations here were driven out, not by our strength, but by yours, out of your great love for us.

“You’re our King. And like our ancestors, we put our trust in you, not in ourselves for our victory. You are the one we boast in. You are the one we praise.

“Why then, are you no longer with us? We go out to battle, but we fall. All those around us mock us, and we are disgraced.

“If we had turned our backs on you, if we had followed other gods, we could understand it. But we’ve done none of this.

“Why have you forsaken us? Why do you hide your face from us? Help us.”

In short, “Why is this happening to me? I’m trying to follow you. I haven’t turned my back on you? Why is my life falling apart?”

And no answer is given here. But there is a hope given in the book of Romans. In Romans, Paul quotes verse 22 of this psalm.

Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

And then he says,

In all these things (trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and even death) we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37–39)

God never promises us as Christians that we’ll never have hardship. He never promises that we’ll never go through suffering. On the contrary, he guarantees it. (John 16:33; 2 Timothy 3:12)

But no matter what happens to us, God promises to bring us through. And nothing can or will separate us from his love.

That’s where our hope lies.

So when you’re struggling, cry out to God as the psalmist did. But whether God seems near or not, whether he seems to be hearing you or not, cling to his promises.

Our feelings constantly change. Namely, there are times when we feel God seems close and times when he doesn’t. But God and his promises never change.

So as Paul wrote in another passage,

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Categories
Psalms

Depression

deer

Depression. All of us go through it at some point in our lives. Some go deeper into it than others.

The writer of Psalms 42 and 43 was no exception, and he writes about it in utterly striking pictures.

He starts by saying,

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God. (Psalm 42:1–2)

I saw an interesting note in a commentary by Adam Clarke.

He said that when a deer is being hunted and is utterly exhausted and parched with thirst, it will go to a river or brook as its final place of refuge and will actually plunge into it and keep only its nose above water.

Sometimes we feel the same way. We feel attacked on all sides and we are utterly exhausted. And in our exhaustion and fear, we pant for God and desire to plunge ourselves into his arms.

And yet, sometimes, we feel that no matter how hard we look, he is nowhere to be found. Like the psalmist, we cry out,

When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:2)

In our depression, our food becomes stale in our mouths, and tears become our only food.

We then remember the good times. Those times we went to church and rejoiced with our Christian friends. Those times in prayer alone where God seemed so tangible, we felt we could touch him.

But now, we feel like we’re drowning in the midst of a storm, with wave after wave crashing down on us until we feel there is no hope.

Sometimes we try to pick ourselves up, and like the psalmist say,

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5–6)

But then we plunge immediately back into depression saying to God,

Why have you forgotten me? (42:9)

What can we take from all of this?

I think the first thing to remember is that you’re normal. You’re not the only person to go through these kinds of feelings and struggles.

One of Satan’s biggest lies is, “You’re alone. You’re the only person that ever goes through these feelings.”

And because we feel alone, we feel ashamed. That no one could identify with us.

But this psalmist surely could, and I think that’s one reason why God had this psalm put in the Bible. To remind us that we are not alone. That others have felt as we do.

So what do we do?

One thing is to continue choosing to believe in God’s goodness. Three times in these two Psalms, the psalmist tells himself,

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.”

Remember that he is your God, your Savior who loved you so much that he sent his Son to save you.

Remember also his goodness to you in the past. How he has delivered you from problems before. And remind yourself,

By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me (42:8).

In other words, in the light of the good times, and the darkness of the bad, God never abandons us. He is with us whether we feel him or not.

So pray as the psalmist did,

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (43:3)

Put another way, “Lord, I can’t see you or where you’re leading. Please shine your light on me. Show me where to go. Keep me from believing the lies that would make me think you’ve abandoned me. And lead me to where you are.”

One last thing. When you’re depressed, be sure to share with your Christian friends your feelings.

Remember that as the body of Christ, they are the hands, feet, ears, and mouth of God in this world, imperfect vessels though they may be.

And as you do, you’ll find that you’re not as alone as you thought.

Categories
Psalms

Being merciful

Psalms

We now come to the end of the first book of psalms (there are five all together).

And David starts it by writing,

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;
the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)

Jesus put it another way.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

What is mercy? There are two ideas to the word mercy. One is showing compassion to those who are weak, sick, or poor.

The other idea is withholding punishment from those who deserve it.

We see both of these ideas in this psalm. David says of those who show mercy to those who are weak, God will show mercy to them when they themselves are weak. (1–3)

But David also cries out,

O LORD, have mercy on me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you. (4)

So often, like David, we cry out for mercy. But how often are we ourselves merciful to others?

How often are we like those David describes in verses 5–9. Who speak of those who have hurt us with malice.

Who when we see them suffering, say, “Good. He deserves it. I hope he dies.”

Who whisper gossip about them and exaggerate the wrongs they’ve done against us.

Or who, when we see our friends suffering, instead of comforting them, accuse them as Job’s friends did. Who say they must have sinned or that they lack true faith in God, otherwise they would be healed.

Even David struggled with the idea of mercy at times. So many times we see him in his psalms rail against his enemies. Ironically, he even says,

But you, O LORD, have mercy on me;
raise me up, that I may repay them. (10)

We don’t have to justify these kinds of statements of David. One thing about the psalms is that they are honest expressions of human emotions.

The key is that though David did indeed express his feelings of anger and frustration, he did not act on them except in justice.

We too may get frustrated or angry with others. But as God showed us mercy, so we are to show mercy to others.

And when we see people who are weak and in need of our help, we are to help them as God helped us when we were powerless to save ourselves. (Romans 5:6–8)

How merciful are you?

Categories
Psalms

Song of a Savior

Psalms

In this psalm by David, we see his suffering and deliverance. But we also see the song of our Savior as he sings about his suffering on the cross and his resurrection.

Psalm 40 starts out with David praising God for his salvation, singing,

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God. (Psalm 40:1–3)

In the same way, Jesus looks back upon the cross and his sufferings there and sees his patience rewarded as his Father resurrected him from the dead never to know death again.

Now because of his work,

Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. (3)

And so they have. Throughout the years, people have looked to Jesus’ work on the cross and have been saved.

He then says,

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (4)

Ever since the time of the Fall, people have either trusted in false idols or looked to themselves for their salvation. But the psalmist says here that these things cannot save.

Rather, it is the person who looks upon and puts their trust in the Savior that will be saved.

All this was according to God’s plan that he had laid out before time began.

Then, in verses 6–8, it says,

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.

I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

This passage is quoted in Hebrews 10, and the writer there comments that while the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament were required by law, nevertheless, they were a mere shadow of the work that Christ would do on the cross.

A quick note here. Many comments have been made on the “piercing of ears” as quoted in the Psalms, and “a body prepared for me” as written in Hebrews.

The reason for the change comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible which the writer of Hebrews quoted.

When the translators changed the Hebrew to Greek, they changed “my ears you have pierced” to “a body you have prepared for me.”

Why they did so is unknown. Some have claimed that it was a copyist’s mistake. Others have said that it was a paraphrase, as the Greeks couldn’t understand the meaning of the piercing of ears.

There are numerous other theories, but little agreement, and more qualified people than I have written on this. Here is one idea I favor, however.

The piercing of ears seems to refer to Mosaic law where if a servant who was to be set free desired instead to stay with his master for life, he would have his ear pierced as a sign of his voluntary, lifelong submission (Deuteronomy 15:16–17).

Perhaps, if the Greek translation did paraphrase here, the idea was that David wanted to serve God forever with the body God had given him.

Not because he was forced to. But because he deeply loved his Father and wanted to please him.

In the same way, Jesus wanted to serve his Father by going to the cross, and the Father provided him a human body to do so.

Again, Jesus did this, not because he was forced to, but because he loved his Father and wanted to please him.

And now he lives to serve his Father forever. (Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28)

Having died for us, he then proclaimed God’s righteousness, his salvation, his truth, and his love to all. (9–10)

For the final verses, it goes back to the cross, and his suffering there. Having taken our sins upon himself and counting them as his own, he suffered for us. (12)

And he begs God not to forget him, but that he would be vindicated before those who hated him, and that God would be glorified by those who loved him. (13–17)

The Father, of course, answered his prayer, and now because of Jesus we can rejoice in his salvation and truly shout, “The Lord is exalted.”

To that, I say, “Amen.”

Categories
Psalms

True repentance

Psalms

There may or may not be any direct connection between Psalms 38 and 39, but both seem to be dealing with David’s attitude toward God’s discipline in his life, and so I place them together here.

We don’t know what the situations were in which these psalms were written, but I would guess that it was after the incident with the census. This is pure speculation, however.

But as in Psalm 29, David seems to be suffering God’s discipline because of a sin he committed.

And he prays,

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

For your arrows have pierced me,
and your hand has come down upon me.

Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
my bones have no soundness because of my sin.

My guilt has overwhelmed me
like a burden too heavy to bear.

My wounds fester and are loathsome
because of my sinful folly.

I am bowed down and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.

My back is filled with searing pain;
there is no health in my body.

I am feeble and utterly crushed;
I groan in anguish of heart. (Psalm 38:1–8)

One verse that strikes me here is 18, where David says,

I confess my iniquity;
I am troubled by my sin. (38:18)

Some people take their sin lightly. They may “repent,” but are merely trying to wipe their dirt off on the mat of grace. Yet in their hearts, they are not troubled at all by the sin they committed.

But David’s heart troubled him when he sinned. And like Paul in Romans 7, his heart cried out in remorse when he fell. That’s a true heart of repentance.

In Psalm 39, we see more of his response to the suffering he went through. And at first, he said nothing, for fear that he might bring disgrace upon God’s name among the wicked.

Perhaps he felt by confessing his sin before them, it might give them the opportunity to blaspheme God.

Or perhaps he feared that by complaining about the discipline he was receiving, that it would reflect badly on God.

But in the end, he cried out,

Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Each man’s life is but a breath.

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. (39:4–6)

Here David confesses how his distorted perspective led him into sin.

If indeed this was written following his sin with the census, he could’ve been referring to how all his efforts to build up his military strength was a waste of time. How all his pride in what he had and what he had accomplished was worthless.

For all these things were temporary. All would pass away.

And so he prayed, “Lord, never let me lose perspective again. My life is but a breath. Let me not sin by focusing on things that are temporary.”

And then he prayed,

But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:7)

In short, “I no longer look to the things that are temporary for my hope. For my satisfaction. From now on, I look to you.”

He then closes by weeping before God, asking for forgiveness. And God did. For as John wrote,

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

How about you? Does your sin trouble you? Does God’s discipline turn your eyes from temporal things to eternal things?

Let us be like David. Let us turn our eyes and our hearts from sin to the things that are eternal and bring true life.

Categories
Psalms

Frustrated by the evil we see

Psalms

“What’s the point of following God and doing what’s right, when I’m struggling and so many people I see doing their own thing are prospering?”

So many times we feel that way. We look at all the people doing evil around us, and they seem to be enjoying life, and we compare their lives to our own struggles and we wonder what’s the point of following God.

But in Psalm 37, David gives us words of encouragement as he looks back upon his own life. He writes,

Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong (Psalm 37:1).

Why?

For like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away. (2)

And he admonishes us,

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret — it leads only to evil.

For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. (7–9)

In other words, don’t get angry when you see the wicked around you prospering. Don’t fret about it.

Because when you do, you start to become bitter, and it leads you down a slippery slope in which you are tempted to give up your faith and to start living your own way.

But while evil men will eventually be cut off, you will find blessing if you continue to hope in the Lord.

And so David tells us,

Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (3)

Put another way, “Don’t throw away your faith when you see the wicked prospering. Continue doing what is good, and trust that God will reward you.”

He then says,

Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart. (4)

David’s saying here, “Make God your chief desire. Seek him above all things. And if you do, he’ll give you all your heart desires.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll give you a new Ferrari if you seek God.

But as you delight yourself in God, some of the things that you once thought were so important will not seem so important anymore. And the things that are truly important, God will bless you with.

Moreover, the gifts he gives will not leave you empty as the things of this world will. In short, if you make God your chief desire, that’s when you’ll find true satisfaction in life.

And so David says,

Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (5–6)

You may feel unrewarded, but know that if you commit your way to him, he will not forget. And the day will come when all will see what you have done and praise God.

When you’re feeling jealous of the wicked because of their prosperity, remember:

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous. (16–17)

David then encourages us,

If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. (23–28)

How about you? Are you frustrated by the evil you see? Then remember these words:

Wait for the LORD and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off. (34–38)

I like that last part. For those who follow God, there is a future. And it is good. But there is no future for the wicked.

So let us not fret over the evil we see. Rather, let us be still, be patient, delight ourselves in God, and put our trust in him each day.

And as we do, we’ll find a life that’s truly worth living.

Categories
Psalms

The goodness of God

Psalms

In the first half of Psalm 36, we saw the evil of mankind. In the second half, we see the goodness of God.

I love how David describes the character of God here.

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep. (Psalm 36:5–6)

In this world we see so many whose love is shallow. Who prove to be unworthy of our trust. Who do what is good and just only when it suits them.

But God is not like that. His love extends to the heavens, and his faithfulness has no bounds. His righteousness stands firm no matter the situation, and his justice swallows up all who would do evil.

Yet within his justice, there is room for mercy and grace.

O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is your unfailing love!

Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light. (6–9)

After the flood, God promised never to destroy the world through water again. And despite our sin, he shows us mercy, waiting for us to repent.

More, in his unfailing love, he didn’t wait for us to turn to him, but he reached down to us, sending his Son to provide the way of salvation.

Now, everyone, both rich and poor, powerful and weak, can find refuge and salvation in him. And in him, he not only provides our needs, but fills us with joy, life, and light.

Lord, I thank you for your goodness. You were the fountain of life to me when I was dying. You brought light to my darkness.

Lord, reveal my sin to me and forgive me. Extend your mercy, grace, and goodness to me that I might know true joy and life. And help me to extend all you’ve given me to those around me.

Let me be your vessel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Categories
Psalms

The evil of mankind

Psalms

As I write this, a major story in the American sports world is the arrest of an NFL star named Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez is charged with murder.

It seems quite unreal to me. I am by no means a New England Patriots fan. (Actually, I can’t stand them).

But it’s unbelievable to me that someone could have such a blatant disregard for life, that he would plot and carry out the murder of another person.

Hernandez is, of course, innocent until proven guilty, but things don’t look good for him right now. All the evidence that we know of points to him and two others murdering another man.

I couldn’t help but think of that as I read Psalm 36. David wrote,

An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong. (Psalm 36:1–4)

Do all these things relate to Hernandez’s case? That is yet to be seen. But it shows the heart of so many who do evil.

Evil starts with a lack of fear in our hearts for God. When we refuse to acknowledge God in our lives, then just about anything goes. We are free to do almost anything.

The only thing that would restrain us would be a fear of punishment or our conscience. And apart from God, our consciences inevitably become warped.

Some people’s consciences are warped to a lesser degree than others, but they are warped nonetheless. And they become blinded to what is truly good and right. As David wrote,

For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin. (2)

How do we flatter ourselves? We think of ourselves as better than we really are. Or we think we are perfectly justified in all our actions.

The result? We can’t even detect, no less hate the sin in our lives. And in our sin, we cease to be wise and to do what is good.

If the prosecutors are right, Hernandez was so angry with the victim that he murdered him.

Part of the reason it seems so unreal to me is that if this is true, not only did he destroy another man’s life, he destroyed his own.

He was rich and had everything he needed from a material standpoint. He worked with a good organization. He seemed set for life.

Yet he couldn’t forgive the grievance he had against the victim, and that grievance became more important to him than anything else.

That includes his fiancée and his 7‑month‑old daughter who will now be without a husband and father if he is found guilty.

But when we commit ourselves to a course of evil, that’s what happens. When we fail to reject what we know is wrong, we destroy ourselves and end up hurting the ones we love.

How about you? You probably haven’t murdered anyone. But how about in your heart?

Do you hold anger and unforgiveness in your heart? Jesus said that if you do, you have murdered that person in your heart. (Matthew 5:21–22)

Aside from that, are you giving yourself to other destructive tendencies in your life?

Do you fail to fear God, saying, “Oh, he’ll forgive me. It’s okay?”

Have you been justifying yourself for actions you know are wrong? Are you committing yourself to a path you know is wrong?

Let us be wise. Let us fear God and do what is right, not giving in to the evil that infects our world.

Categories
Psalms

When people hate us

Psalms

When I was a kid, I had a friend that I would often hang out with. But by the time we hit junior high school, we had kind of drifted apart, and it soon became evident that he really didn’t like me. To this day, I’m not completely certain why.

How do we deal with these kinds of people?

David certainly experienced this. Though David did nothing to deserve it, he experienced the wrath and hatred of King Saul. And it was perhaps during his time of fleeing from Saul that he wrote this psalm.

David opens by praying,

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

Take up shield and buckler;
arise and come to my aid.

Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. (Psalm 35:1–3)

One thing that we see about David is that when dealing with those who hated him, he always left the fighting in God’s hands. He said, “Lord, please fight for me. You be my defender.”

Even so, it was probably difficult for him to remember to do this and not take things into his own hands, and so he prayed,

Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” (3)

In other words, “Remind me Lord that you’re on my side. Remind me that you will deliver me so that I don’t try to avenge myself.”

What’s really amazing to me is his attitude towards those who hated him.

Yet when they were ill,
I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting.

When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother.

I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. (13–14)

You actually see this attitude when David heard about the death of Saul. When he heard of Saul’s and Jonathan’s death, he not only mourned for Jonathan who was David’s best friend, but he wept for the man who had tried to kill him.

It is the kind of attitude, in fact, that Jesus had. In fact, I see a lot of Jesus in this psalm.

Like David, Jesus had false accusers coming against him (11), and people mocking and slandering him (15–16).

And yet, he prayed for them, even as they were crucifying him.

God calls us to do the same. In 1 Peter, the apostle wrote,

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21)

In particular, Peter is talking about suffering for doing what’s right. And he’s saying that because Jesus endured suffering in order to save us, we should also endure suffering for righteousness’ sake.

But we also see in this passage more on how Jesus responded to those who hated him. And in this, we are to follow in Jesus’ steps as well. How did Jesus respond?

“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;
when he suffered, he made no threats.

Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:22–23)

How about you? When people hate you and hurt you without cause, do you follow in Jesus’ steps?

Categories
Psalms

The One worthy of our praise and our trust

Psalms

I’ve noted this before, but if you’ve noticed that we’ve “skipped” Psalm 32, we really haven’t.

I wrote about a number of the psalms when going through the life of David, so if you’re interested, just do a quick search on this blog under Psalm 32, and you’ll find it there.

I love how the psalmist opens this song. He sings,

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him. (Psalm 33:1)

I like that second line. “It is fitting for the upright to praise him.”

In other words, it’s only right that those who love the Lord and have been made righteous by his blood praise him.

And it doesn’t matter to God how we do it. We can do it on the harp or lyre (or in these days, the guitar or piano).

We can sing to him acapella. Or for those of us who are tone deaf, we can simply give a shout of praise. (Although I don’t think God minds an off‑tune song that comes from the heart.)

The psalmist then writes why it is fitting for us to worship him. We worship him because he himself is righteous and good. Every word he speaks is right and true.

Not only that, unlike many of us, his actions actually match his words. God is no hypocrite.

But not only is he righteous, he continually chooses to love us even though we fall. Though we may fail him, his love towards us never fails.

We also worship him because he is our creator, and for the great power he showed in creating all things.

And we praise him for his great wisdom. Nothing ever catches God by surprise, and because of that, his plans and purposes stand firm.

It is because of this last, that we see he’s worthy of something else. He is worthy of our trust.

It’s hard to trust someone who is wishy‑washy. Who panics when things start spinning beyond his control. Who is always changing his mind in an attempt to deal with things beyond his ken.

But because God sees all, because he knows all, and because he controls all, he is a rock upon which we can stand.

So those whom he has chosen and who belong to him are blessed. As David wrote,

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance. (12)

He knows our name. He sees us from heaven and considers all we do. Not because he’s waiting to blast us for every mistake we make. But because he loves and cares for us. And he’s just waiting for us to turn our face to him.

But so often we don’t. We place our trust in other things. And yet too often, these things let us down. The psalmist wrote,

No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save. (16–17)

In contrast,

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine. (18–19)

This is no guarantee that we will not go through suffering. But in the midst of our suffering, we can know that he has not forgotten us. His eyes are always on us, and he will deliver us.

And even if we do not find his deliverance here on this earth, we will find our ultimate deliverance when we reach our final home in heaven.

As Paul wrote,

“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

And so the psalmist closes by saying,

We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you. (20–22)

To that, I say amen and amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

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Psalms

Placing ourselves in God’s hands

Psalms

When David wrote Psalm 31 is a matter of speculation, as are most of his psalms.

At a guess, it was written during his flight from Saul, and based on verse 21, perhaps after his flight from Keilah. (1 Samuel 23)

This is purely speculative, however.

The things that strike me from this psalm is that in the midst of his pleas for help, David time and again affirms his complete trust in God.

He says,

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. (Psalm 31:5)

And again,

I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands. (Psalm 31:14–15)

All of ourselves go through struggles in our lives. And it’s so easy to place ourselves in our own hands. To take the driver’s seat of our lives and try to control our situation ourselves.

But in life and in death, David fully committed himself to God.

He said, “My life is in your hands, Lord. People are trying to kill me, but I know that as long as you want me here, they will not succeed. I refuse to take control of my own life, even if it costs me my life.”

And you see on two occasions in 1 Samuel where David had the chance to take control of the situation, to kill Saul and put an end to his vendetta against David. But David refused.

Jesus showed this same submission to his Father when he went to the cross. Though not strictly a Messianic psalm, nevertheless, you see some glimpses of Christ in David’s experience.

Like David, he was a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. (Psalm 31:10)

Like David, he was despised. (Psalm 31:11)

Like David, he was abandoned by those he called friends. (Psalm 31:11–12)

Like David, people slandered him and plotted to kill him. (13)

Like David, he cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me!” (22)

But like David, Jesus refused to take things into his own hands. He placed himself in his Father’s hands, and with his dying breath, quoted verse 5, saying, “Into your hands, I commit my spirit.”

And because of his submission, we have hope.

Hope that we will ultimately not be put to shame for trusting in him (17).

Hope in his goodness toward us (19).

And hope in our salvation (22–23).

So let us cry out as David did,

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:24)

And let us put our full trust in him.

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Psalms

When God disciplines

Psalms

Looking back, I really should have put this psalm back in the life of David. I missed it somehow.

It has been conjectured that Psalm 30 was written just after David’s sin in conducting a census of the people out of the pride of his heart (1 Chronicles 21, see also 2 Chronicles 3:1 and the notation made at the top of Psalm 30).

And in this psalm, we see David’s response to God’s discipline.

It seems here that when God afflicted Israel with the plague, that David too was struck, although no mention of this is made in 2 Samuel or in 1 Chronicles.

But after being healed, David praises God, saying,

I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

O LORD my God,
I called to you for help and you healed me.

O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit. (Psalm 30:1–3)

Later, he writes why he was struck. He says,

When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” (6)

Here, it wasn’t a confidence in God that made him feel secure. It was confidence in himself and the army he had built up, thus leading him to count his fighting men.

But through the circumstances God had put him through, he now realized where his true security came from.

O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. (7)

And so David humbled himself at the Lord’s discipline. Looking back, he said,

To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:

“What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help.” (8–10)

When God saw David’s repentant heart, he responded in mercy, forgiving David’s sin. As a result, David responded with praise.

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever. (11–12)

What can we get from this?

I think before I say anything else, I should make clear that just because you’re sick doesn’t mean that God must be punishing you for something. Often times, that’s simply not the case, as we saw in Job.

But God will sometimes use illness to cause us to stop and see the wrong direction our lives are taking. And so it never hurts to take a look at your life during times of sickness and trouble to pray, “God is this because of something I have done? Is there unconfessed sin in my heart?”

And if God reveals something to you, then like David, we need to humble ourselves before him.

But if he doesn’t, then you can probably take it as a sign that this sickness or trouble is coming from some other source.

Why do I say this? Because God doesn’t delight in torturing us. He doesn’t take pleasure in seeing us suffer. And if he is indeed using suffering to get us to turn our faces back to him, he is quick to forgive when we do.

He doesn’t say, “Well, if you haven’t figured out your sin, I’m certainly not going to tell you.”

Nor does he say, “You’ve finally repented, but I’m going to make you suffer more just to make sure you learn your lesson.”

As David wrote,

His anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. (5)

Always remember that God doesn’t discipline us because he hates us, but because he loves us and wants the very best for us.

So let us respond to his correction with humble, repentant hearts.

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Psalms

The awesome God…who cares about you

Psalms

Many people in Japan think I’m strange, but I love thunderstorms. I love hearing the lightning flash and the thunder roar. Of course, this is much cooler indoors than out. 🙂

I was looking at the Amplified Bible today, and it had an interesting note.

It said that this psalm was called the “Song of the Thunderstorm,” and was “sung during an earthshaking tempest which reminds the psalmist of the time of Noah and the deluge.”

And throughout Psalm 29, we see the awesomeness of God.

David starts with a call to worship,

Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:1–2)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t use the word “ascribe” very often, and it seems that every time I see this psalm, I have to think about what it means.

Basically, it’s saying, “Recognize the glory and strength of God. Recognize the glory that is due to him. And worship him for the beauty of his holiness.”

I wonder how often we think of the “splendor” or “beauty” of holiness.

But when we see what God is, and what we were originally created to be, there’s no other word we can use except, “beautiful.”

Right now we are but a marred figure of the image of God. Yet even so, we can sometimes see glimpses of his beauty as we look at people.

How much more beautiful is the One who is unstained by sin.

David then talks about God in nature, the roar of his voice, and the power and majesty of it.

He describes the lightning that flashes and the thunder that shakes the earth, and how in the midst of the storm, even the mighty trees are broken, their branches made bare, and their pieces “dancing” in the wind.

Through all this, David imagines hearing other voices, the voices of angels in heaven’s temple calling out “Glory,” as they worship the King upon his throne.

But if there’s one thing that strikes me, it’s how David ends this psalm.

He sings,

The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace. (29:11)

What strikes me about this verse? That the God who is awesome, the God who is holy, the God who is almighty… he cares for me.

He cares enough for me to give me strength when I am weak. He cares enough to give my soul peace when I am anxious and fearful.

When I am weak, he is strong. And as the Amplified Bible puts it,

The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people.

Lord, you are awesome. You are mighty. You are holy. And yet you love me.

Thank you for that. That though I am small and seemingly insignificant, yet to you, I am highly significant. Enough so, that you came down to this earth to die for me.

When I am weak, be my strength. When I am in the storm and am fearful and anxious, grant me your peace. I love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

Crying out in times of trouble

Psalms

Sometimes as we pray, it seems that God is slow in answering. Or that perhaps he’s just ignoring us.

We see this here in Psalm 28. David cries out,

To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. (Psalm 28:1–2)

What exactly his situation was, we are not sure, but how often do we pray as David did?

“Lord, are you hearing me? Why are you silent? Please listen to me. Don’t you see me calling to you?”

He then pleads for God’s justice in his life.

Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back upon them what they deserve. (3–4)

A lot of times in the Psalms, we see David asking for God’s punishment on his enemies, and we wonder how this fits in with the idea of loving our enemies.

I think there are a couple of things to keep in mind here.

First, though David sometimes prayed against his enemies, he always left justice in the hands of God. He never took it into his own.

Rather, in his life, he consistently showed a heart of compassion and mercy toward his enemies. You see this in his treatment of both Saul and Absalom.

Second, though God certainly understands our cries against those who hurt us, it touches his heart more to see us pray for them.

Having poured out his heart to God, however, we see the joy flooding back into David’s heart. Why? Because he knew God had heard him, and that he would answer.

Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. (6–8)

He then does what we should all do in our times of prayer. He turns it from praying solely for himself, to praying for the people he cared for, in this case, the nation he was ruling.

He prayed,

Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever. (9)

We would do well to remember that though we may be hurting, there are many people around us who are hurting too.

So let us pray not just for ourselves, but for the people around us. And let us reach out with God’s hand of mercy to touch them as God has touched us.

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Psalms

Waiting on God

Psalms

It has been said that when we fear God, we need not fear anything else. And we see this so clearly in Psalm 27.

David starts by singing,

The LORD is my light and my salvation —
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life —
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (Psalm 27:1–3)

Even in the midst of trouble, David’s first thought was not of his deliverance from his problems, but of seeking God’s face. Of having sweet fellowship with his Savior. He prays,

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple. (4)

So often, especially in times of trouble, our prayers are, “Help me.”

But in times of trouble, David cried out, “I want you. I want to look upon you. I want to know you.”

Why? Because he knew that if he put himself in God’s hands, God would take care of him. He sang,

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD. (5–6)

I like how the NASB puts verse 8.

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”

Here we see God calling out to us, saying, “Seek me.”

How often do we miss out on peace in our lives because we fail to do just that? Instead, we focus on our problems and in the process become overwhelmed by them.

How much better would our lives be if we took our eyes off of these things, turned our eyes toward God, and said, “Your face, O Lord, I will seek?”

For though those around us may abandon us or let us down, God never will. As David sang,

Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me. (10)

Then after praying for God’s guidance and deliverance through his troubles, he proclaims,

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (13)

It’s so easy to say, “God is good,” when things are good. But how often do we proclaim his goodness when things are bad?

But because David has his eyes firmly fixed upon God, even though things were rough, he could still say, “God is good.”

And so he tells us who are struggling as he did,

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. (14)

Lord, through times of trouble, help me to wait on you. Help me to keep believing in your goodness. Help me to remember that you’re always with me, though I can’t always see or feel you.

Lord, my one desire is to know you. Help me to hear your voice as you call to me. And give me a heart that seeks you always. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalms

Blameless, under God’s grace

Psalms

Psalm 26 is another psalm where I wish I knew when David wrote it.

Did he write it during the time of his flight from Saul? Or from Absalom? Or did he write it at some other time in his life?

Looking at what he says, it would seem to make sense that this happened during his flight from Saul. For in these verses, he sings,

Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have led a blameless life.

I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

Test me, O LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth. (Psalm 26:1–3)

Because of his failures with Bathsheba and Uriah, it would be much easier to see him singing this during his time fleeing from Saul. Certainly, he could say these things with much more confidence back then.

But what intrigues me is the idea that perhaps he wrote this song after his sin with Bathsheba. That it happened during his flight from Absalom.

And if that is so, then he truly understood the depth of God’s forgiveness. That God had indeed washed him as white as snow. That God had blotted out his iniquities as he had asked. (Psalm 51)

So when he talks about his blamelessness, he says this with confidence not based on the fact that he was, but on the basis of knowing that God had forgiven his sin and remembered his sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34)

Now by God’s mercy, he was back on track, living the life that God had intended for him, and he could praise God saying,

I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, O LORD,
proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds. (6–7)

And he could say with confidence,

My feet stand on level ground (12).

So many times we look at our lives, and we see our failures. We see our sin.

And Satan would accuse us, saying, “See! You’re no good. Look at yourself. Look at what a mess you made out of your life.”

During those times, let us look Satan in the eye and tell him, “What you say is true. But God has already forgiven my sin, and no longer remembers it.

“You have no right to accuse me anymore when my Judge doesn’t. So get away from me Satan and take your accusations with you.

“I’m God’s child now, and I’m forgiven. And in his eyes, I’m blameless.”

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Psalms

Crying out for God

Psalms

I often wish that we had a little more insight as to the background of the songs that David wrote. Some of the psalms have the background written in the title. This one, unfortunately, does not.

But what strikes me in Psalm 25 is the cry in his soul for God in the midst of the troubles in his life.

He sings,

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
in you I trust, O my God. (Psalm 25:1–2)

In other words, “Lord, I give my everything to you. Everything that I am, I lift to you. And in you, I put my complete trust.”

It’s so easy to say those words. It’s so difficult to live them.

So often I take back from God what I once surrendered. So often, I lack in faith, failing to trust him completely.

Yet despite my failings, it is the cry of my heart, just as it was David’s.

He then prays,

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long. (4–5)

Here we see the humility of David.

So often we think we know it all. That we don’t need to inquire of God.

But David humbles himself and says, “I don’t know everything. I don’t know the best path to take. Please teach me. Please guide me.”

Why did he seek God’s ways and path? Because of his love for God, and his desire to please him. He said, “You are my God my Savior. My hope is in you.”

Then in the midst of this psalm, he pleads,

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD…

For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great. (6–7, 11)

I wonder from these verses if perhaps David wrote this during his flight from Absalom.

Perhaps he saw how his sin with Bathsheba, though forgiven by God, had nevertheless led to the events that led to his exile.

And so once again, he prayed, “Lord, don’t hold my sin against me, though I know it was great. Forgive me. Not because I deserve it, but because of your love and mercy.”

So often we look at our own lives, and see how our sins, though forgiven, have nevertheless brought about the trouble we are in. And we wonder if God has truly forgiven us.

God has. And he will have mercy on us on the day of judgment though we don’t deserve it.

But that doesn’t mean he will necessarily take away the consequences of what we’ve sown in our lives here on earth.

Nevertheless, he will stand with us through the things we’ve brought upon ourselves, as he did with David.

And so David said,

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant. (8–10)

In other words, even though we sin, as long as we seek him, he will never give up on us. He will continue to lead us and teach us.

Of course, the big difference between us and David is that we live not under law, but under grace.

And so though we fail to keep his law, nevertheless his love and faithfulness towards us never changes. As Paul wrote,

If we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

David then closes by asking for God’s protection, saying,

Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you. (20–21)

As he started the psalm, so he finishes. By putting his soul in the hands of God, and his hope in God as well.

Through the trials that we go through in this life, may we do the same.

Categories
Psalms

Making way for the King

Psalms

In the last psalm, we saw God as a loving shepherd. Here we see him as king.

On what basis does he claim that title? That he is our creator. David sang,

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters. (Psalm 24:1–2)

Just about everyone acknowledges that if you make something with your own materials and with your own hands, what you create belongs to you.

In the same way, God created everything, including you and me, and so rightfully, we belong to him. And one day we will have to give an account to our King.

Who will be able to stand before God on that day?

The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.

They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob. (Psalm 24:4–6)

Note here that it’s not enough to live a “good life.” You also need to acknowledge God as your King. As your God. As your Savior.

Not only that, you need a heart that seeks his face.

That is what is important to God. That we would put our faith in him, trusting in him each day.

That’s what saved Abraham in the Old Testament. It’s what justified him before God, even though Abraham himself failed many times.

And it’s what saved and justified everyone who followed him, even down to our day.

It is these people that God says will receive blessing from him and be vindicated on that day.

How about you? Have you made room in your heart for him as your king? David wrote,

Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty —
he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:7–10)

Let us open the gates to our hearts and make way for our King to not only enter, but to have his way in our lives.

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Psalms

Our Shepherd

Sheep and shepherd Psalm 23

Psalm 23 is probably the most famous psalm in the book. Probably because of the intimacy it displays between God and us.

In other psalms, we see God as king. As judge. As avenger. As warrior. But in this passage, we see him as a shepherd.

It has been pointed out that being called sheep is not exactly a compliment. Sheep are among the stupidest animals in the world. They are completely lost without their shepherd.

And that’s what we are. We’d like to think of ourselves as smart and better than others. That we don’t need God. But without God, our lives will go to pieces. We are hopelessly lost without him.

David starts by saying, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

Not just “our shepherd.” But, “my shepherd.”

In other words, though we may be one of many sheep, God cares intimately for us. And as in the story of the lost sheep, when one of us strays from him, he cares enough to pursue us and rescue us. (Luke 15:3–7)

And because he cares for us, David says we shall lack nothing we need.

Jesus reiterates this saying that if our Father takes care of the birds of the air and clothes the flowers of the field, how much more will he take care of us? (Matthew 6:25–30)

Not only that, he gives us peace and rest. Sheep will not lie down if they are anxious or afraid. But a good shepherd soothes their fears and anxieties and allows them to lie down in peace.

And when we’re tired and exhausted, when we’re feeling burdened by life’s problems, David writes that he restores our soul.

He gives us what we need not to just make it through the day, but to be totally refreshed as we face the new day and its challenges.

As our shepherd, he also leads us. He shows us the right path to walk upon, a path that leads us where we need to go in life.

This is not to say that the path will always be pleasant.

The interesting thing here is that David says that the path sometimes leads us right into the valley of the shadow of death. Through times when things seem dark. Through times when there seems to be no hope.

But David says, “Even though I go through these dark places, even as I face death itself, I will not fear.”

Why?

“Because you are with me.”

He writes,

“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).”

Shepherds often used their rods to protect the sheep from predators that would attack them, and they would use the staff to guide the sheep.

And so even as David went through the dark times (and he had many), he says, “I see your protection and your guidance even then.”

And though God may not take all adversity from us, David says that even so, he provides all we need and more. He sings in verse 5,

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Because of all these things, David sings with confidence and joy,

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (6)

How about you? Have you made God your shepherd?

Only in him will you find the peace, joy, and contentment that we all seek.

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Psalms

The God who understands suffering

Psalms

Our pastor was continuing his message series on suffering yesterday, and he made an interesting point.

“Just because God doesn’t ‘cooperate’ with us, doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist.”

That is, just because God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want, doesn’t mean that he isn’t there. Nor does it mean that he doesn’t care.

And that’s what I see in Psalm 22. Here, David cries out,

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. (Psalm 22:1–2)

But despite God seeming silent and distant, the psalmist affirms,

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.

To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. (3–5)

In other words, “I still believe you’re there. And you are the same God that our ancestors trusted, and they were not put to shame. So I’m going to keep trusting you, even though I can’t see you or what you’re doing right now.”

Still, David pours out his troubles before God, but in them, we see something else. We see Jesus whom this psalm foretells.

It foretells his state on the cross (14–17).

It foretells his mocking, and the casting of lots for his clothes (7–8, 17–18).

And it foretells his ultimate triumph and the salvation and blessing that would come because of his sacrifice (22–31).

Jesus, himself, as he was dying on the cross, quoted this psalm and applied it to himself, when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

What can we get from this?

When we are suffering and God seems distant and uncaring, those feelings are just that. Feelings. And they are not true. God is there. And he does care.

David sings,

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (24)

God doesn’t make light of our sufferings. Nor does he ever hide his face from us. Rather, he hears our every cry. And he feels and understands our every pain.

How do I know? Because Jesus himself suffered. He too had feelings of abandonment by his Father. He too knew what it meant to go through pain.

And just as God used all that Jesus went through for his glory, he will use all our sufferings for his glory too, if only we’ll keep trusting him.

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Psalms

Remembering where victory and blessing come from

Psalms

When things are going badly, our thoughts often quickly turn towards God. But what about during times of victory and blessing?

Do our thoughts turn quickly in praise towards God? Or do our thoughts turn towards ourselves, and how great we are?

Even David fell into that trap (see 2 Samuel chapters 11–12, and 24), but here in Psalm 21, he kept in mind just where his victory and blessing came from. He sang,

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!

You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.

You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—length of days, for ever and ever.

Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. (Psalm 21:1–6)

Not only did David remember where these things came from, he remembered why God blessed him.

For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. (7)

Where do your thoughts turn when you find victory in your life?

Do you find yourself boasting in yourself and your wisdom and strength? Or do you find yourself praising God for what he’s done?

Do you find yourself putting more faith in yourself and what you can do? Or do you find yourself putting more faith in God and what he can do?

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Psalms

The key to victory

Psalms

It seems that David wrote Psalm 20 on the eve of a battle. And here, the people pray for God’s blessing on him as he and his army go out.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.

May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God. (Psalm 20:1–5)

It’s a beautiful prayer, but after it, David reminds them of what the key to victory is.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm. (7–8)

So many times we make our plans without God’s counsel, and just say, “Okay God, bless our plans. Make them successful.”

Then when our plans fall apart, we wonder why God didn’t answer our prayers.

But here, David reminds them that the key to success is in putting their trust not in their own power and strength (nor in their own wisdom for that matter), but in putting their faith in God.

And that while those who trust in themselves will fall, those who put their faith in God will rise up and stand firm.

How about you? Are you putting your faith in your own wisdom and strength, and simply asking God to bless you? Or are you putting all your faith in God?

Are you seeking his face, not only in the battles you face, but in the planning as well?

Let us make God and his Word the foundation for all we do, not our own strength and wisdom.

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Psalms

How God reveals himself

Psalms

Psalm 19 is another one of my favorite psalms and it powerfully shows how God reveals himself to us.

First, David shows us how God reveals himself through creation. He sang,

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1–4)

I think this passage is primarily what Paul was thinking of when he wrote,

What may be known about God is plain to [all], because God has made it plain to them.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:19–20)

Sometimes people ask, “What will happen to those who have never heard about God? Will God judge them too, when they’ve never even heard the name of Christ?”

The answer to this is, yes they will be judged, but not on the basis of never hearing about Christ.

They’ll be judged on the basis that when they looked at creation, they knew in their hearts that it couldn’t have been an accident, nor could it have been created by the idols made by their own hands. And yet they rejected that knowledge.

When people reject the knowledge that God gives them, he is under no obligation to give them any more.

If he chooses to do so, it’s purely a matter of grace, not of some right to knowledge that we have.

(Actually, any knowledge of himself that God gives to us is purely a matter of grace, anyway).

I will say, however, that if a person, say in Africa, who has never heard the gospel looks up at the sky and says, “I didn’t make this world. No one I know could have made this. It’s impossible that the things I created with my own hands have made this. Whoever you are that made all this, please show yourself to me,” that God will respond one way or another.

Why? Because it is his desire that all be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4)

If you have any doubts about that, just look at the story of Cornelius in Acts 10.

He knew nothing of his need for Christ. Yet because he acted on the knowledge that he did have, God reached down to him and gave him the knowledge of Jesus that he needed for salvation.

God reveals himself to us through creation, but he also reveals himself through his Word. And just as with creation, people need to choose to believe his word or reject it.

We can either say that it’s perfect and trustworthy, or that it’s not. (Psalm 19:7)

We can either say it’s right, or that it’s not. (Psalm 19:8)

We can believe it gives joy and light to our lives, or that it doesn’t. (Psalm 19:8)

David, of course, chose to believe the former. Many others do not. But how we view God’s Word shapes our view of God for the good or bad. And if we reject his Word, then we come out with a distorted view of who God really is.

But when we see God for who he is, we love him, and want to please him as David did. And so David closes this psalm with a prayer, saying,

Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:12–14)

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Psalms

To be like Him

Psalms

As is often the case with David, he wrote Psalm 17 when he was in trouble, and people were pursuing his life.

One thing that strikes me about David is he refused to lower himself to the level of his pursuers. He refused to become like them. He wrote,

Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed.

Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. (Psalm 17:3–5)

So many times, we think, “There’s no other choice. I have to bend the rules a bit if I’m going to deal with those who hate me. Otherwise they’re going to walk all over me.”

But David continued to do what God had said was right, and left his vindication in God’s hands. He cried out,

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. (6–9)

Then we see the strongest desire of this man whom God called, “a man after his own heart.”

David basically said, “Go ahead, Lord. Let my enemies have the temporary treasures of this world that they seek. But as for me, this is what I want: I desire to see your face.

“And the one thing that will satisfy me is to wake up and to see that I have become just like You whom I love.”

There’s a song I love that says,

When I grow up I wanna be just like you.
I wanna learn to love the way you do.

I’d like for people to say with a smile,
“He’s surely his Father’s child.”

And when I grow up, I wanna be just like you.

That’s God’s desire for us too. Paul put it this way,

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

May our goal in life not be the things of this world. And let us not lower ourselves to the level of those who hate us, becoming like them.

Rather, let us become more like the Father who loves us, so that when others see us, they see Him in us.

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Psalms

The Path to Life

Psalms

Everyone wants a life worth living. That’s what David found, despite all his troubles, and in this psalm he shows us how to find the path to life.

In short, the path to life is not primarily a way of living. It’s a person. And so David sang,

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing. (Psalm 16:2)

There is an utter joy in these words. “You are my Lord.”

Some people think that joy comes from ruling yourself. But true joy comes from submitting ourselves to God, and making him our king.

Why? Because as David recognized, apart from God there is no good thing. He is the author of all that is good.

James agrees, saying,

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. (James 1:17)

As such, there can be no joy apart from Him who is the source of joy.

Yet many people seek just that, joy apart from God. They seek it in the gods of this world: money, possessions, and pleasure among others.

These are not bad things, but apart from God, they prove to be empty in the end to those who pursue them.

And so David says, “I don’t idolize these kinds of people, no matter how successful they may seem, because in the end, they find only sorrow and suffering. Rather, I delight in those who follow after you.”

He then turns his face up to God and sings,

“Lord, you are what I seek more than anything else. You are my inheritance. The thing I receive from you and treasure more than anything else is my relationship with you. That’s what makes this life worth living.”

Sometimes people look at the commands of God as burdensome, but David didn’t see it that way. Rather, he said,

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:6)

Because of his relationship with God, it was a joy to obey him. And he saw that these commands were not meant to take away joy, but to give him joy. To show him how to live the way God intended life to be lived.

As a result, he was glad to hear what God had to say. He listened to his counsel and with God by his side, he could never be shaken despite his circumstances.

Not only that, he had hope beyond the grave. He wrote,

You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay. (Psalm 16:10)

Of course, this was fulfilled in Jesus’ resurrection, but Jesus promised that because he lives, we will live also. (John 14:19)

David sums this all up by singing,

You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

Do you want to know the path of life? It’s not found in keeping a bunch of religious rules or by following a number of religious practices.

Rather, it’s found in the person of Jesus Christ. And when we find him and make him our Lord, that’s when we find a life worth living.

As Jesus said, “I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life.” (John 14:6)

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Psalms

A life of holiness

Psalms

I once heard someone describe the word holiness as “wholeness.” That when we live a holy life, that’s when we’re whole, because we’re living the way that God intended us to live.

I mentioned yesterday how when people reject God, their view of good and evil get distorted.

In contrast, here in this passage, we learn some basic things of what being whole is all about.

Why is this important? Because of how David opens Psalm 15. He writes,

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? (Psalm 15:1)

In other words, not just anyone can enter into God’s presence. The writer of Hebrews made this very clear when he wrote,

Without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

What is holiness?

It’s walking blamelessly.

No one can justly accuse you of doing wrong.

This is not to say that no one will attempt to. Jesus was perfect, yet his enemies still found reasons to accuse him.

The key word here is “justly.” Can anyone justly accuse you of doing anything wrong? Or are you blameless in their eyes?

It’s doing what’s righteous.

Holiness is not just avoiding doing the bad. It’s doing what you know is right. James wrote,

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. (James 4:17)

It’s speaking the truth from the heart.

Are you a lover of truth? Or do lies, even “white lies,” easily slip out of your mouth?

I’m not saying that we should callously speak truth with no regard to the other’s feelings. But we are to speak the truth to people… in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

It’s avoiding slandering people.

How often do you talk behind someone’s back, whether it’s a coworker, a customer, or even your spouse? Holiness avoids that kind of talk.

It’s admiring those who do right, not those who do evil.

Who are your role models? Who do you strive to be like?

Are you seeking to be like those who love and serve God? Or are you striving to be like those who have rejected God in their hearts? Whose values are you taking on in your heart?

It’s keeping your word, even when it’s not convenient.

Even when it’s painful, you do what you said you would.

It’s being generous, helping those in need.

It’s not taking advantage of another’s difficult situation, but touching them with God’s love.

Finally, it’s being honest and just.

Treating all as God would, no matter their station, and no matter what possible profit it might be to you to act otherwise.

David says that this kind of person will be whole and as a result will never be shaken.

How about you? Are you holy?

The good news is that if you belong to Christ, he makes you holy and righteous in God’s sight through his blood. That’s in the legal sense.

But in the practical sense, Peter says that,

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

In other words, we don’t have to make ourselves holy in our own strength. God empowers us to live a holy life.

So each day let us strive for holiness.

And as Peter went on to say,

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5–8)

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Psalms

When we reject God

Psalms

Psalms 14 and 53 are nearly identical with a few changes here and there, so I’m grouping them together here.

In these psalms, we see the results of people rejecting God in their lives. Who say in their hearts, “There is no God.”

The Bible calls such people “fools.” And the idea is not one of intellectual deficiency, but of moral deficiency.

Because when people reject the idea of God in their lives, it inevitably leads to moral corruption. David writes,

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1)

“Now wait a minute,” you might say. “I know some perfectly ethical people who don’t believe in God. And some non-Christians I know are better than some Christians I know.”

That may be true. But comparing people to each other is one thing. Comparing our “goodness” to the holiness of God is a different thing entirely. And compared to God, our stains of sin become glaringly obvious.

The unforgiveness we hold in our hearts towards those who hurt us.

The lack of consideration we can show for our spouses.

The fits of temper that we let loose from time to time.

The selfishness that permeates our actions in the workplace and at home.

Need I go further?

“But these things are only natural. Everyone does these things. Nobody’s perfect,” you might say.

But that way of thinking, that these things are only “natural,” is the result of a corrupted nature. They were not natural in the beginning when God created us. But when we rejected God, they became, “natural.”

That’s moral corruption: when what is sinful becomes thought of as natural.

We can make up all kinds of excuses for our actions. But the truth remains, we are corrupt and our actions vile in the sight of God.

And as long as we keep God out of our lives, our sense of right and wrong will remain a corrupted version of what is truly right and wrong.

We cannot separate ourselves from the source of goodness and claim that we know goodness. People have tried, and they have always failed miserably.

What is the result of all this? Death. And ultimately, judgment. Because God will come again and judge this earth.

Those who belong to Him will rejoice on that day. But for those who rejected him, they will only have fear and dread.

Because on that day, they will see just how corrupt they are compared to a holy God, and all of the justifications that they use to explain their actions will be shown for the empty excuses that they are.

So let us not be fools. Let us acknowledge not only God’s existence, but his rightful place as king in our lives. As Solomon put it,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

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Psalms

God…Where are you?

Psalms

It’s very interesting, the timing of this psalm, if only for the reason that our church is starting a new message series today called “God…Where are you?”

And that’s exactly the sentiment that David had in Psalm 13. He wrote,

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalm 13:1–2)

Sometimes I think we make superheroes out of some of the characters of the Bible.

We look at people like David and think that he always felt close to God. That every time he went through problems, he nevertheless sensed God’s presence in his life, and was comforted.

But everyone, and I mean everyone, goes through desert experiences in their lives. Times when they wonder where God is. Times when their prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. Times when God seems to be nowhere to be found.

And we like David cry out, “God, where are you? Why are you hiding from me? Don’t you see? Don’t you care?

“Every day I’m wrestling with my thoughts, my fears, and my despair. How long will this go on? Help me Lord! I can’t make it without you.”

What do we do when God seems distant?

In short, just hold on. Keep trusting that he loves you though you can’t see it or feel it at the moment. More than that, choose to rejoice though you don’t feel like it.

“How can I rejoice when I don’t feel like it?”

I won’t say it’s easy. But I think David gives us some hints here. He sang,

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me. (5–6)

David recalled to his mind what God had done for him in the past and thanked him for his goodness. And as he did, he realized that this same God who had delivered him in the past would deliver him from his present troubles.

In the same way, when God seems distant, we need to recall what God has done for us in the past.

We should especially recall what Jesus did for us on the cross. That he loved us so much that he came down to this earth as a man and died for our sin.

If Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to do that, how can we think that he could ever stop loving us? And how can we not believe he will deliver us now?

There’s one other thing I think we should remember. When we rejoice even though we don’t feel like it, God takes more pleasure from that than when we worship out of our feelings of closeness to him.

What’s more, when we choose to believe in his goodness even though we can’t see it, that’s when faith truly grows.

And it’s at that point that God shows himself to us once again.

I love a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, because it captures this idea beautifully. It says,

These are the places I was so sure I’d find him
I looked in the pages and I looked down on my knees
I lifted my eyes in expectation
To see the sun still refusing to shine,

But sometimes He comes in the clouds
Sometimes His face can not be found
Sometimes the sky is dark and gray

But some things can only be known
And sometimes our faith can only grow
When we can’t see

So sometimes he comes in the rain
And we question the pain
And wonder why God can seem so far away
But time will show us, he was right there with us.

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Psalms

Who is master of your tongue?

Psalms

In Psalm 12, David laments the lack of godly, faithful men. And the one area he focuses on is the tongues of those around him. He said,

Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue that says,
“We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips — who is our master?” (Psalm 12:2–4)

David then compares the words of his neighbors to the words of the Lord, saying,

The words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times. (6)

If we claim Jesus as our Lord, he should also be Lord of our tongues. Is he? Are our words like silver refined in the fire until they’re completely pure as Jesus’ were?

Or do lies, boasting, deception, and slander mark our lips? Do gossip, complaining, and inappropriate jokes flow from our mouths?

Paul wrote,

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

What’s been coming out of your mouth today?

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Psalms

Refusing to give in to fear

Psalms

Psalm 11 reminds me somewhat of what happened to Nehemiah.

In an attempt to get the Jews to stop their work on the walls, their enemies bribed a priest to make Nehemiah think his life was in danger and to get him to hide in the temple. But Nehemiah said,

Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go! (Nehemiah 6:11)

In the same way, David wrote,

In the Lord I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:1–3)

David and Nehemiah had one thing in common. They refused to give in to fear. Rather, they put their trust in the Lord.

People would have had them panic, saying, “Everything is falling apart! What are we going to do?”

But they stood firm, and would not be moved. David wrote about the confidence he had, saying,

The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth;
his eyes examine them.

The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion. (4–5)

In other words, “God is here. He sees what’s going on. He’s in control. He is watching over me, and he will deal with those who would do me harm.”

Then he finishes by saying,

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. (7)

How about you? Do you have a similar confidence in the Lord? When the world around you seems to be falling apart, do you give in to panic?

Or have you made the Lord your refuge? Have you put your complete trust in him, knowing that he has his hand on you even if you can’t see it?

As Isaiah wrote,

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

Let us not be like the Israelites who gave into their fear.

Let us instead be like Nehemiah and David who put their full trust in the Lord who is faithful.

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Psalms

Abandoning ourselves to God

Psalms

In Psalm 10, we see again many of the questions of Job. David cries out as Job did,

Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1)

He then questions why the wicked seem to prosper, though in their pride, they reject God and cause misery to so many.

And in verse 12, he pleads,

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted.

But after that, he says something interesting.

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.

The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. (14)

That third phrase really strikes me.

The victims commit themselves to you.

The word “commit” is very interesting. It is, in fact, the only time in the Old Testament that it’s translated that way. Literally, it means “to abandon.”

The idea is that these people are in such desperate straits, they come to an end to themselves. They let go, and completely surrender themselves to God.

And as they do, David says,

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed. (17–18)

That word for “encourage” is a very rich one. The Amplified version puts it this way: “You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts.”

When we abandon ourselves to God, it allows him not only to encourage us, but to prepare our hearts for the plans he has in store for us and to direct our steps.

What does it mean to abandon ourselves to God? I think it first means to give up our questions, and to surrender them to God.

To say, “I don’t understand why these evil things are happening. I don’t understand why you seem to be so far off. But I will trust you, anyway.”

That was the lesson Job learned.

It also means to give up trying to solve things in our own wisdom and strength.

So often when we are hurt, we think the logical thing is to hurt the other person back.

But to abandon ourselves to God is to give up our “right” to revenge and to leave justice in God’s hands. To trust him to do what is right with those who hurt us.

Oswald Chambers sums all of this up this way,

The true test of abandonment or surrender is in refusing to say, “Well, what about this?”

Beware of your own ideas and speculations. The moment you allow yourself to think, “What about this?” you show that you have not surrendered and that you do not really trust God.

But once you do surrender, you will no longer think about what God is going to do.

Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions…

And once you do get to the point of total surrender to Him, you will be the most surprised and delighted person on earth.

God will have you absolutely, without any limitations, and He will have given you your life.

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Psalms

The God who is just

Psalms

If there is one theme in Psalm 9, it’s God’s justice.

David says of God,

You have sat on your throne, judging righteously. (Psalm 9:4)

And again,

He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. (8)

And yet again,

The LORD is known by his justice. (16)

This is not to say that we do not see evil in this world. We do. But David says of God,

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.

For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted…

the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. (9–12, 18)

In other words, justice may be delayed in our eyes, but it will come. And though we may go through times of trouble, we can know that God is still there and has not abandoned us.

Though we may suffer and it seems that God is distant, he is not ignoring us, but he hears each cry we make. He has not forgotten us, but he will rise up to act on our behalf.

And when he does, let us remember to thank him for what he has done, as David did, who at the end of his trial sang,

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (1–2)

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Psalms

A prayer from the Psalms: Who am I?

Psalms

Whenever I go back to Hawaii, I love to look at the stars at night. You just can’t see them so clearly from where I live in Japan.

On a normal night, you might see two or three, if that many. If you’re lucky, you might actually get to see Orion’s belt.

But whenever I see the stars in all their glory, I marvel at them as David must have as he wrote this psalm.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. (Psalm 8:1)

Then like David, I think of how big God is, and how small I am. And I marvel at how the God who created all this could actually care about me.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:3–5)

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to a song that was based on this psalm and it totally captures my feelings.

Who am I that you are mindful of me
That you hear me, when I call

Is it true that you are thinking of me
How you love me, it’s amazing.

Lord, thank you that you are mindful of me. That you actually bend down and listen to me when I pray. That you actually think of me. That though I am lower than the angels, yet you crown me with glory and honor.

Not because I deserve it. But because you love me.

Lord, may I never take your love for granted, but may I always stand in awe of your love for me. In Jesus name, amen.

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Psalms

Letting God be the judge

Psalms

One thing that we generally see in David’s life is that he let God be the judge. He rarely went out to take things into his own hands. (The lone exception being when Abigail had to stop him from taking revenge on her husband Nabal).

And here we see this same attitude. Though people were pursuing him to kill him, yet he placed himself and his enemies in God’s hands, letting him be the judge between them.

David wrote,

Awake, my God; decree justice.

Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high.

Let the Lord judge the peoples.

Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. (Psalm 7:6–8)

He then expresses his confidence that God, “who probes minds and hearts” (9) would judge justly, bringing the evil people plan back upon themselves. He then finishes with praise, singing,

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17)

Let us be like David, trusting in the one who searches hearts and minds, and leaving judgment to him.

Thoughts of revenge will only consume us and take away our joy. But when we leave things in the hands of the One who judges justly, we can find peace and joy through the most difficult of circumstances.

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Psalms

When suffering seems long

Psalms

Psalm 6 was written by David, but it could’ve just as easily been written by Job for all the sentiments it expresses.

Like Job, David seemed to be suffering from some kind of physical illness and apparently, there was no end in sight.

Further, while it seemed that God was bringing discipline into his life, there seemed to be no reason for it that he could see. (David never does confess any sin in this psalm).

And if that weren’t enough, his enemies were using the opportunity of his suffering to attack him.

Despite his suffering, however, David never does question God’s justice as Job did. He recognized that God really owed him nothing, that in fact, what he deserved was God’s wrath.

And so he makes his plea for deliverance not based on his own righteousness, but on God’s mercy and unfailing love. He cried out,

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?

Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 6:2–4)

And in the midst of his prayer, he finds God’s reassurance. He writes,

Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace. (8–10)

I remember hearing a Christian comedian, Mark Lowry, talking about his favorite verse. It was, “And it came to pass…”

Interpretation: “Our sufferings aren’t here to stay, they will pass.”

Obviously this is not great biblical interpretation, but it is true. When we cry out to him, God in his mercy will hear. And all our pain, all our sufferings, they will pass.

Lowry sings his own “psalm” saying,

There’s a place inside
Full of tears I hide
That I’ve only cried alone.

But I know that He’s near,
And I know He hears,
And I know these tears won’t last.

This pain today
Will be swept away because
This too shall pass.

As night turns into morning,
We will see the truth at last,
That troubles come to everyone
But they only come to pass.

This too shall pass.
This too shall pass.

And the tears that fall like raindrops now
Will finally dry at last.

This too shall pass.

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Psalms

Petitioning the King

Psalms

Psalm 5 is probably one of my favorite psalms. I still love to sing the old chorus that goes to the King James Version.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:1–3)

As I look at this psalm, I get the picture of a person coming into the king’s courtroom, asking for justice and help.

Bowing before him, they cry out, “My King and my God, have mercy on me. I need your help. Listen to my plea.”

There is an air of utter humility there, but also of loving trust.

“Lord, in the morning when I get up, my first thought turns to you. I lay down my requests before you and wait in expectation knowing that you do love me, that you do care, and will answer my cry.”

What problem David was going through at this time, we don’t know. But as usual, when he faced troubles, fears, and anxieties, he turned to his King. And so should we.

We can come before him not because we are more righteous than the people that hurt us, but because of his great mercy towards us.

And though people may hurt us and lie to us, we can know that God will never do so. He is a good King and will grant us justice when we cry to him. And he will spread his wings over us.

David prayed,

Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (11–12)

As I read this, I think of the parable of Jesus where he talked about a woman who sought justice from an unjust judge. And it was only after harassing him day after day that the judge granted her the justice she sought.

Jesus contrasts that judge with our loving Father, saying,

Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.

However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7–8)

There were times when David had to wait day after day, year after year for God to deliver him from his troubles. But he never lost his faith in God.

Morning after morning, he kept coming before God with his petitions. God in his love heard him. And ultimately he delivered him.

When we face troubles in this life, may we too have the faith of David, knowing that God hears, that he cares, and that he will answer.

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Psalms

Peace

Psalms

In a world of turmoil, peace can be hard to find, especially when it seems like everyone is against you. Or even just one person, be it your boss, your husband, your wife, or even a friend you’ve been fighting with.

David certainly knew that feeling throughout his life, facing adversity from Saul and Absalom among others.

And so he cries out to God,

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? (Psalm 4:1–2)

Perhaps in the midst of his troubles, people were mocking his faith in God, saying, “God can’t deliver you from this…if there is a God.”

We face the same thing today, with people not only seeking false gods from other religions, but also the gods of money, sex, and power, among other things.

And they mock us for seeking after God, especially when they see the problems we sometimes go through.

But David tells his enemies,

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. (Psalm 4:3)

In other words, “You may mock my faith, but I belong to him. And you will see. He will answer my prayers.”

He then tells himself and us who sometimes suffer mocking and hurt from others,

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. (Psalm 4:4)

It’s okay to be angry. Jesus himself got angry sometimes.

But in our anger, we are to keep ourselves from sin. We are to search our hearts and attitudes in silence before God, and ask him to purify us from anything that would stain our hearts.

Bitterness is one thing in particular that we need to guard against. When we allow ourselves to become bitter, it spreads out into our lives like a cancer. And so we need to ask God to take it out before it can do so.

He then says to offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord. It’s interesting to me that to Jesus, offering right sacrifices, or anything to the Lord for that matter, meant keeping right relationships.

He told us,

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.

First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23–24)

Sometimes people will hurt us, and though we make every effort to reconcile with them, they continue to hurt us.

In that case, we just need to put our trust in the Lord that he will deal with that person in his time. Revenge has no place in our lives.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t keep our distance from those who hurt us. David certainly kept his distance from Saul when Saul was trying to kill him.

But like David, we are not to harbor resentment or bitterness against those who hurt us. Instead, we need to trust in God and put the situation and that person in his hands.

And don’t be like some who would doubt God’s goodness in the midst of trouble, but daily pray as David did,

Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. (Psalm 4:6)

Put another way, “Lord turn your face upon me. Let me know that you’re here and you care. Because when your light shines on me, ‘the things that surround become shadows in the light of you.’”

And when you have that attitude, God’s joy will fill you and like David you will say,

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

How about you? Do you know God’s peace today?

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Psalms

Yielding to our rightful King

Psalms

Yielding. It’s not a word people like to hear. Especially when it comes to what we feel are our rights. My body. My life. My way.

And when anyone tries to make us yield, we fight as if our lives depended on it.

And when it comes to God, our lives do depend on it. If we want a blessed life, we need to yield to God as our King.

In this passage, however, we see how many people fight against God instead of yielding to him.

The psalmist writes,

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together against the LORD
and against his anointed, saying,

“Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” (Psalm 2:1–3)

That’s how many people think when it comes to God.

“He’s trying to bind us. He’s trying to make our lives miserable. Let’s throw off these chains and shackles he’s trying to bind us with.”

It’s been that way for centuries, from the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden, to the cross of Calvary, and even to our present day. And the day will come when all the nations will come together to fight against God one last time.

But,

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.

He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

“I have installed my king on Zion,
my holy mountain.” (Psalm 2:4–6)

In other words, all our fighting, all our striving, all our efforts are in vain when it comes to fighting against the Lord.

God has established Christ as King, and now says to him,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.

Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.” (Psalm 2:7–8)

All the world will be subjected to the Son. Some will yield in love and awe. Others will surrender with fists clenched and teeth gnashed. But all will yield.

So how should we respond?

Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.

Kiss his Son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment. (Psalm 2:10–12)

In other words, knowing that Jesus will triumph, we would be wise to yield now while we still have the choice.

To honor him and serve him with the awe and reverence he deserves. He is, after all, our rightful king. He created us and so we rightfully belong to him.

All that we have, even our very lives, are gifts from him. So why not yield?

All will kneel whether they want to or not. And if people persist in their rebellion against their rightful King, they will be destroyed.

But as the psalmist says,

Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:12)

When we yield to him, we find peace, we find joy, and we find life.

We don’t lose anything by yielding. We gain everything.

How about you? Will you yield to your rightful king today?

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Psalms

The way of blessedness

Psalms

And so we head full-on into the Psalms.

We have already touched on those where we knew their historical contexts, so if you notice that we seem to skip a few here or there, we actually covered them earlier.

I’m thinking of adding to the blog menu to make things easier to find, but I won’t make promises on when that will happen. Hopefully soon, however.

In this, the first psalm, it talks about the way of blessedness. How do we find blessing?

We need to watch where we walk, stand, and sit. The writer says,

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers. (Psalm 1:1)

In other words, who are you keeping company with? Whose examples are you following? What path are you standing on?

This passage is not saying that we should avoid non-Christians altogether.

For one thing, that would be impossible. For another, it would be impossible to reach them for Christ if we’re avoiding them.

But the question we need to ask is, “Are they influencing us, or are we influencing them?”

Are we starting to take on their attitudes, or are they starting to take ours? Are we taking the path they’re walking on, or are they starting to be swayed by the path we are on?

The writer here tells us not to be influenced by the ungodly. Instead, we should be influenced by the Word of God.

He says we should “delight in the law of the Lord,” and “meditate on his law day and night.” (2)

Every day, we should be immersing ourselves in God’s word. Reading it in the morning if possible.

And as we walk, ride the train, drive our car, or even as we just do housework, we should be reflecting on what God has been teaching us, and asking, “God, what are you saying to me today?”

As we do so, we’ll be like a

tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither —
whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:3)

The picture is a tree that is purposely placed where it can get lots of water. And because it is so near the source of its life, it yields its fruit in season and prospers.

In the same way, when we place ourselves near the Water of Life, the Living Water of the Holy Spirit, he fills us, and we bear his fruit.

Does this mean that we’ll never face problems? Of course not. We just saw in Job that though he did all the things Psalm 1 talks about, he still suffered greatly.

But as it says in verse 6,

The Lord watches over the way of the righteous.

Though Job may have felt abandoned by God, God had never left. He was still watching over Job and even prevented Satan from doing more damage to Job’s life.

And by staying near those streams of Living Water, Job eventually was restored and bore fruit once more.

So let us watch where we walk, stand, and sit. And let our lives be filled by the One who gives true life.

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Job

Healing

Job

After his encounter with God, it was a time for healing for Job. But to God, it wasn’t just about the healing of his body, or the healing of all his personal hurts from the tragedies he had suffered.

It was about the healing of relationships. God told Job’s friends, “You were wrong about Job. More than that, you were wrong about me and my purposes for Job.”

That must have been sweet music to Job’s ears, to be vindicated like that. But then God told them,

So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves.

My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. (Job 42:8)

One wonders how Job felt when he heard that. Did he readily pray for his friends? Or was there still hurt there that made it difficult for him to do so?

I tend to think there was still a lot of hurt there. They had spent the better part of the day, or possibly weeks (how long did this conversation last, anyway?) ripping on him and his integrity. And now God was saying to pray for them?

But it was only when he forgave his friends and prayed for them that the healing began, not just in his relationships with his friends, but in every other area of his life.

I think there’s a very important principle to learn from that. When we’ve been wounded by others, it can be very easy to get bitter and to hold on to that bitterness.

But God calls us to forgive them. And not only to forgive them, but to pray for God’s forgiveness in their lives for what they did to you.

“But Bruce, you don’t know what they’ve done to me. You don’t know how much they hurt me.”

No I don’t. But God does. And though they were wrong, God calls you to forgive. Why?

Because you will never know healing in your own life otherwise.

Bitterness not only affects your relationship with the person who hurt you. It affects every other part of your life.

Bitter, unforgiving people are affected not only emotionally, but often times physically as well. Unforgiveness has been linked with higher blood pressure, ulcers, and heart disease, among other things.

One of my favorite quotes is this: “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Do you want healing in your life? Learn to forgive.

Is it easy? No.

You may need help from your pastor. Or a counselor. But most of all, you’ll probably need help from God.

But when you forgive, that’s when the healing in your life begins.

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Job

What really matters

Job

God… enter stage right.

I kind of wonder if the reason that Elihu started talking about storms was that he actually saw a storm approaching, the very storm, in fact, from which God spoke.

Some people may question why I tend to say that Elihu, in the main, was right. The answer is basically found in chapter 40, where God asks Job,

Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself? (Job 40:8)

Which was the whole reason why Elihu was so upset with Job in the first place (32:2), and the theme of his whole speech. Also, much of what Elihu said in the latter part of his speech, God repeats here.

Namely, “Who are you to question me?” God asks Job,

Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?

Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer me. (Job 38:2–3)

And again,

Who has put wisdom in the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart? (38:36)

And yet again,

Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him! (40:2)

In other words, “Job, you’re spewing out all these words, but you have no idea what you’re talking about. What’s more, think for a minute Job. Who gave you the ability to even reason? I did. Yet you think you can argue with me?”

And throughout these chapters, God reminds Job just how small and limited he really is.

Job wasn’t there when God created the world. He had no knowledge concerning how God put things together or of the laws of nature that God set in place (38:4–11).

His experiences were similarly limited. He had not entered the depths of the sea nor explored the breadth of the earth, nor had he ever visited outer space where the sun resides. He had never even gone as high as the clouds (38:16–24).

What’s more, he had no power to control nature, to grow grass, make it thunder or rain, to bring out the stars, or provide food for the animals (38:25–41).

He never created any of the animals. He never gave the ostrich its speed, the ox and horse their strength, or the eagle its ability to fly. He didn’t even have the ability to tame all the animals in the world (chapter 39).

And if he couldn’t even contend with the behemoth (it’s not clear what God is referring to here, perhaps the hippo or the elephant) or the leviathan (perhaps the alligator or an extinct type of sea reptile), how could he hope to contend with their Creator (chapters 40–41)?

Faced with his own limitations and inadequacies, Job humbled himself before God and said,

I know that You can do everything,
and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You…

I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. (42:2–3)

What can we get from all this?

I’ve mentioned this before and it’s worth repeating. Job never did get the answers to why God had allowed him to suffer. He was now sure that God wasn’t punishing him for anything. But other than that, he knew nothing.

God never sat him down and said, “Now what really happened is that I was having a conversation with Satan, and…”

And yet, in the end, the whys didn’t matter to Job anymore. What did matter to him?

My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you. (42:5)

In other words, “God, the whys are not so important to me anymore. What’s important is that I now know that you are here, and that you do care.

“You are so much greater than I am. You know so much more than I ever could. And you had no obligation to come meet with me. But you cared enough to do so, anyway.

“And so now, I’ll just humble myself before you, and lay all my questions to rest.”

We may never understand the whys to all our questions. God may never tell us. But there are three important things that we should never forget in the midst of our trials and sufferings.

  • God is in control, and he knows what he’s doing, even when we don’t.
  • God is here, even when we can’t sense his presence.
  • God does care.

Let us never doubt these three things. That’s the message of Job in a nutshell.

May we, like Job, hold on to these truths through the trials and sufferings we face in this life.

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Job

God’s justice, our arrogance

Job

Many people today dispute God’s goodness, if not his existence, by saying, “If God exists, and if God is good, then why is there evil in this world? Why doesn’t he just wipe out all evil from this world? Since he doesn’t, either he doesn’t exist, or he isn’t good.”

It was an issue that Job touched on in chapters 20, 21, and 24 where he complained that many evil people do not get what they deserve here on earth. But Elihu answers here,

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. (Job 34:12)

And he makes a very salient point in verses 14–15 as he notes that if God were to exact perfect justice right now, no one would survive (34:14–15).

As it is, we do see evidence of him punishing the evil. And God shows no partiality to anyone. All who sin will eventually pay for what they’ve done.

But if he does, in his mercy, remain silent for a time, how can we criticize him for that, when we too would have to be destroyed? (34:18–29)

He then compares the humble man who repents before God for his sin, with Job who instead questions God’s justice. And he says, “Should God reward you for this attitude? You’re speaking like the wicked.”

In chapter 35, he then points out the contradiction in Job’s words.

On one hand, he’s claiming God will clear him if he could only face him. But on the other hand, he questions God’s justice.

Either God is just and will clear Job if he’s innocent. Or he’s unjust and won’t care if Job is innocent or not. (35:1–2)

He then addresses the arrogance of those who would say, “If God’s unjust, why do good?”

Job, I must say, never actually said this in so many words, but Elihu points out that if what Job said is true, that the evil are not punished for their sin, that would be the logical conclusion.

But Elihu points out to Job that when God calls us to be righteous and flee wickedness, it’s for our good, not for his.

While he will judge us for our deeds and our sin does affect our relationship with him, our deeds affect us and the people around us much more than they do him.

And so when we choose to disobey his commands, we only end up hurting ourselves. (Job 35:6–8)

On top of that, Elihu notes that though people often cry out in their suffering, many nevertheless don’t turn their hearts to God. They remain arrogant in their attitudes toward God and so God doesn’t respond to their cry.

He then criticizes Job for this very type of attitude, saying, “Should God answer you when you question his justice?” (35:9–15)

Then in chapter 36, he reaffirms that God will repay the wicked according to their deeds, and that though people may be afflicted and the righteous suffer (something Job’s friends refused to admit), God would eventually lift them up. (36:6–7)

He then gives Job warning. That if God is using this time of suffering to chasten him, God will not be silent as to the reasons.

(I think Elihu does indirectly acknowledge here that God has been silent toward Job as to why he has been suffering.)

But he tells Job that if God does tell him that he needs to repent, he should not be arrogant and harbor resentment for God’s discipline lest he perish for it. (36:8–13)

He further warns him that his attitude of criticizing God’s justice could lead him into sin. (36:17–21)

Finally, he closes by telling Job, “You are in no position to judge God and why he’s allowing your suffering.” He says,

God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?

Who has prescribed his ways for him,
or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’? (Job 36:22–23)

And again,

How great is God—beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out. (Job 36:26)

He continues,

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding. (Job 37:5)

He then concludes by saying,

Tell us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.

Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?

Now no one can look at the sun,
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean. (Job 37:19–21)

In other words, “You want to confront God? Your understanding is so small and darkened, you wouldn’t be able to make a reasonable case. You’d be swallowed up by a wisdom and understanding that is far beyond yours. By a holiness that is much greater than yours.”

What do we get from this? It is sheer arrogance on our part to question God’s justice. We know too little and are too sinful to question a holy God. We are simply in no position to demand any answers from God.

So what do we do with our questions? Hard though it may be, we need to humbly put them aside and put our faith in God.

Believe in his goodness. Believe in his justice. Trust in his wisdom.

And know that if we do these things, our faith will ultimately be rewarded. As Elihu says to close his speech,

The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.

Therefore, people revere him,
for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?” (Job 37:23–24)

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Job

Suffering, humility, and grace

Job

There are a lot of problems in trying to interpret Job, and one of the biggest problems is what to do with Elihu.

I’ve seen commentary that basically call him a big windbag full of hot air, which is why (they say) Job, his friends, and even God essentially ignore him.

And I’ve seen other commentators commending him, saying that his speeches were a precursor to God’s own confrontation with Job.

I’m more inclined, after reading everything, to go with the idea that Elihu basically said what was right.

I think the key verse for me is found in chapter 32, where it says of Elihu,

[He] became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.

He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. (Job 32:2–3)

What was he angry about? Two things.

First, that Job questioned God’s justice.

Second, that Job’s friends never refuted Job’s wrong ideas about God. All they did was say he was a sinner, and that God was punishing him for it. This without any shred of proof.

In chapter 33, he addresses Job’s complaints that God had made himself Job’s enemy for no reason, and that God wouldn’t answer Job’s complaints.

Elihu replies by saying God does speak; it’s just that many times, we aren’t listening.

Elihu mentions that God sometimes uses dreams to speak, perhaps referring to the nightmares that Job had been experiencing. The purpose of these dreams?

To turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:17–18)

In the same way, Elihu says that God also speaks to us through our suffering in order to chasten us.

Some commentators take these words as Elihu’s backhanded way of saying to Job, “You’ve sinned, and that’s why you’re being punished, so repent.”

But perhaps what spared Elihu the fate of Job’s friends was that he wasn’t saying the trials Job was going through were the result of some great sin he was trying to hide, but rather that God was using these trials to purge out the sin and pride latent in all of us.

And Elihu points out to Job that God was not doing this because he is our enemy. Rather, he loves us and is constantly working to save us. He tells Job,

God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times—to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them. (33:29–30)

What’s more, there’s an element of grace in all this.

In verses 23–25, we find an interesting passage where Elihu talks of a mediator that not only teaches a man what is right, but intercedes for him saying,

Spare them from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for them (33:24)

And because of that intercession, that person can pray and find favor with God. And when they do, they cry out,

I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.

God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life. (27–28)

Isn’t this the picture of salvation God gives us in the New Testament?

What I take from this is that God doesn’t allow trials into our lives for no reason. He allows trials to humble us, and to remind us that we are all sinners in need of grace.

And if we ever doubt his intentions as Job did, let us remember that it was God that found a ransom for us that saved us from death and hell. A ransom that cost his own Son his life.

So when we face suffering in our lives, remember that God allows it not because he hates us. Rather in his love, he will use it both to save us and refine us. And as Job himself said,

When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

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Job

A final defense

Job

Job gives his longest speech here, and you could call it his final defense.

In chapter 27, he once again reiterates his contention that he is undeserving of all this suffering.

He then tells his “friends” that he hopes that they will someday suffer as they claimed the wicked do for making these false accusations against him.

And while he says these things in generalities concerning the wicked, by linking his friends as his adversaries, he’s indirectly saying to them, “What hope will you have when you are cut off, and God takes away your life? Will God listen to your cry?” (Job 27:8–9)

He then basically repeats back to them all the curses they said come upon the wicked.

Having done that, he goes on in the next few chapters to give a further defense of himself.

He talks about wisdom in chapter 28, about how though men can find precious jewels in the depth of the earth, the treasure of wisdom is beyond them without God’s revelation. They can’t even comprehend its worth without God’s help.

But Job says, “God has revealed wisdom to us. What is it?”

The fear of the Lord — that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding. (28:28)

We see here that though Job has his complaints, he does not deny what true wisdom is. He still holds fast to his fear of the Lord.

But over the next three chapters, he once again voices his complaint about why he is suffering.

He starts in chapter 29 by talking about how his life was before, how he had been well respected, and how contrary to his friends’ accusations, he had done what was right.

He had shown generosity to the poor, given mercy to the widows and the fatherless, and stood up for the weak and powerless. He had thought that because of all that, God would continue to bless him.

But in chapter 30, he talks about how God stripped him of everything. How everyone now mocks him, and how God now refuses to respond to his cries.

He then pleads his case from the latter part of chapter 30 through 31.

“Didn’t I help the poor? Didn’t I weep for those in trouble? Haven’t I kept my eyes pure?

“If I have done wrong, if I have been adulterous, or denied people justice, or failed to be generous with the widows and poor, if I made money my god, if I worshiped false gods, if I rejoiced over my enemies’ suffering, if I hid sin in my heart, then fine, punish me. I would deserve it.

“But I haven’t done anything! Here’s my defense. I sign it. Now if you have anything to accuse me of, just tell me already!”

I think if there’s one thing to get from all this, it’s this: Job’s friends were wrong in thinking that only the evil suffer.

But Job was wrong in thinking that just because he didn’t deserve to suffer, that he wouldn’t.

We’re living in a broken world filled with earthquakes, tornadoes and natural disasters. We’re living in a world filled with sickness and death.

We’re living in a world filled with broken and evil people. And as I’ve said before, what they do affects us.

We also have an enemy in Satan, and he has lots of help from his demons. They also have an impact in our lives.

And with us living in this kind of world, God never promises that we won’t suffer. On the contrary, he promises the exact opposite.

Jesus himself said,

In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33)

Note he says, “You will have trouble.”

Not, “You might possibly have a problem now and then.”

He says, “You will have trouble.”

And we have trouble for all the reasons I mentioned above.

You may be the wisest, most righteous person on earth. But it doesn’t preclude you from suffering.

Jesus was wisdom and righteousness incarnate. Yet he suffered. Are we above him?

Some people think Jesus suffered so that we don’t have to. But that’s not true. Jesus suffered that we might be redeemed. And Jesus suffered that one day all things might be made new.

But that day is not yet. And until that day, all we can do is wait in hope. But know that throughout whatever you may be suffering through now, that day will come.

Paul put it this way,

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.

But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:18–25)

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Job

Incomplete and distorted

Job

We finally come to the last of the speeches by Job’s friends.

Essentially, Bildad totally ignores all that Job said, and just says, “God’s great. God’s pure. But you. You’re just a dirty worm. Dirty. Impure. A mere maggot in his sight.”

Job retorts, “Wow! What great wisdom! I’m just stunned by your insight. Of course God is great and awesome. His power is beyond imagining. I’m nothing compared to him. But I still don’t deserve all this suffering, and nothing you say can make me say that I do.”

As I look at Bildad, I see two things.

First, his idea of God was incomplete and distorted.

While it is true that God is great and we are nothing compared to him, and while I suppose from our view, we are but maggots and worms compared to him and his holiness, nevertheless, he doesn’t see us that way.

How do I know? Because when God took on flesh, he spent most of his time ministering to those whom others considered “worms” and “maggots.”

He reached out to the prostitute who was about to be stoned and granted her mercy and a second chance.

He extended the hand of fellowship to the cheating tax collector whom everyone despised.

He ate with and gave his time to the other notorious “sinners” in Israel. And because of that, their lives were changed.

But even more than that, he went to the cross for us when he didn’t have to.

He was pure. He was holy. He didn’t deserve to die. But he went to the cross anyway. Why? Because he saw us as worms? Because he saw us as maggots?

No. Because he saw us as pearls of great price, and he was willing to pay any price in order to save us.

I once heard a Christian comedian talk about his favorite song, which to him encapsulated the message of Christianity.

“What song is that?” he asked. “It must be one of the great songs of the church. Something like…” (taking a deep breath, and singing in a very solemn tone…)

I come before thy throne of grace…
And throw myself upon my face.

I know that I am but a worm.
So step on me God and watch me squirm.

(With apologies to Martin Luther’s “A mighty fortress is our God.”)

“No,” he said. “I believe it can be summed up in one phrase. One song.”

Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong.
They are weak, but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

Granted, it is not the whole of the gospel. But it’s where it starts. Because if God didn’t love us, there would be no gospel at all.

And it’s this love that we need to take to a world that is hurting.

That is what Bildad failed to do for Job (and this is the second thing I note concerning Bildad).

For while Bildad simply telling Job, “God loves you” would have probably done no good, Bildad showing the love and compassion of God would’ve done Job a world of good, and let him know that yes, God is still here. And God still cares.

How about you? Is your view of God incomplete and distorted? Do you see God’s greatness, and see yourself only as an insignificant worm in his sight?

God doesn’t see you that way at all. He loves you.

And he wants you to take that love to the people around you. Not just through your words. But through your actions.

Do you know God’s love in your life? And do people see God’s love through you?

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Job

The frustration of dealing with an invisible God

Job

After being severely blasted by Eliphaz, in which Eliphaz for the first time levels specific (if completely baseless) accusations against Job, Job cries out once again for a hearing before God. He said,

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling!

I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say to me.

Would he vigorously oppose me? No, he would not press charges against me.

There the upright can establish their innocence before him, and there I would be delivered forever from my judge. (Job 23:3–7)

Here we see Job once again defending his innocence and his strong belief that God was fair. That if he could only present his case to God, God would affirm his innocence.

But Job goes on to say,

But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. (23:8–9)

In other words, “Where are you God? In the midst of all my suffering, where are you? Why do you seem so much against me?”

And that is the frustration of dealing with an invisible God.

There are times in our trials that we nevertheless sense his presence and are comforted.

But there are other times for reasons we can’t understand and that God never explains when he seems distant from us. We pray, and our prayers bounce off of the ceilings. We read the Bible and it seems dry.

And we start to wonder like Job, “Why are you so against me? If I did something wrong, just tell me already!”

How do we deal with that? There are no easy answers.

The thing that impresses me about Job, however, is that throughout his questioning of God, throughout his feelings of abandonment, throughout his feelings of even being persecuted by God, he never once even contemplated walking away from God.

And in the midst of all his questions, complaints, and even bitterness, he would still come out with statements of faith such as,

But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (23:10)

And so despite all that happened, he continued to say things like,

My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. (23:11–12)

I think that’s the attitude we need to take as well. When God seems distant, when God even seems against us, we need to nevertheless cling to him.

We need to keep believing in his ultimate goodness. To keep believing that he is just. And to keep believing that though we may be suffering now, in the end, he will bring us forth as gold.

So let us not turn aside from him when trials come. Let us not walk away when he seems nowhere to be found. Let us not depart from the words he has spoken.

Rather, let us continue to treasure his words and seek him. And the day will come, as it did with Job, that we will find him once again.

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Job

A hard truth

Job

As we continue to go through Job, Job’s friends continue to hammer along the same line, insisting that Job must have done something wrong to deserve all the problems he’d been suffering through.

But in the midst of their arguments and Job’s counterarguments, we face a question that is never really answered, and it’s one I’ve noted before.

The question: Why is it that God doesn’t do more? Why is it that when people do evil, we don’t always see them suffer for it.

Zophar’s answer is quite simple. “Sure the wicked may prosper for a while, but eventually they will suffer for it.”

Job comes back by asking, “Really? Then why do I see so many wicked people living on, growing older, and becoming more powerful? Why is it that they’re enjoying their lives in safety and prosperity, even though they show disdain for God?

“You say that their children suffer for their evil actions. But why don’t the evil themselves suffer? They don’t care what happens after they die. Why doesn’t God punish the evil themselves?”

Job then closes chapter 21 by saying,

So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood! (Job 21:34)

He continues this line in chapter 24 and ends it by sarcastically throwing their arguments in their faces and saying, “Okay, now I’m affirming what you said. The wicked will get their just deserts. Fine. Now how are you going to prove it?”

The hard truth is that there are many wicked people that prosper. That don’t get their just deserts here on earth.

And while we can console ourselves with the fact that they will indeed face judgment before God someday and receive justice, it’s still hard to understand why God doesn’t punish them now.

The ultimate answer is, “I don’t know.”

When you look at the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:24–30, Jesus does seem to imply that it would be impossible to take out the tares (evil people) in this world without causing harm to the wheat (those who belong to God).

Perhaps one way to look at it would be this: through the evil that people commit and the harm that they cause, some people actually turn to God.

People that would not have otherwise given a second thought to God get their world shaken, and as a result turn their eyes on the One they had long ignored.

I’ve long felt that many Japanese people, in particular, are that way. The percentage of Christians in Japan is very low (less than one percent), and I’d guess that the majority of those that come to Christ do so as a result of some crisis in their lives.

That said, I’m not completely satisfied with the answer, nor do I feel it’s complete.

What I do think it shows, however, is that God knows more than we do. He has purposes and reasons that we don’t know or can even understand.

It is, in fact, one of the main points of Job. That we as his creatures with finite knowledge are in no position to question our creator who has infinite knowledge.

We’ll definitely be tackling this more in later blogs.

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Job

A Redeemer

Job

This is one of the more remarkable passages in Job to me. Because though Job has no knowledge of Jesus (who of course had yet to be born), yet he cries out his faith in a Redeemer.

First, he once again blasts his friends for failing to support him in his time of trouble, and for being blind to his situation. But in the midst of all this, he cries out,

Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.
Who else will put up security for me? (Job 17:3)

It’s a bit unclear exactly what picture Job is giving here. Generally, the idea of being a pledge and putting up security carries the idea of a guarantee.

We see in Genesis, for example, that Judah made himself surety for his brother Benjamin. He guaranteed with his life that Benjamin would be returned to Jacob.

And when Joseph threatened to take Benjamin as his slave, Judah pleaded to be taken in Benjamin’s place, because of his promise to Jacob.

In the case of a loan, sometimes a third party would act as a guarantor for the borrower. If the borrower defaulted, the third party would pay.

It seems here, though, that the picture is of a person that would put in a pledge on the accused’s behalf professing his belief in the accused’s innocence.

What exactly this pledge was for is not clear. Perhaps it was required by the judge simply for the purpose of saying that a trial was actually necessary and that the person should not be automatically condemned.

Or perhaps it was for the purpose of paying recompense if the accused was found guilty and could not pay for the damages himself.

It is a very unique picture Job presents here, because God is both the judge that demands the pledge from the guarantor, and is the guarantor himself.

But that is exactly what Jesus did for us. Though he is God, and all judgment has been given to him by the Father (John 5:22), nevertheless, he stands as our guarantor.

And when we proved to be guilty and unable to pay the price, he paid it with his own blood.

Anyway, in the midst of all Job’s complaints at how God had been unjustly punishing him, he amazingly cries out in faith,

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;

I myself will see him
with my own eyes — I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25–27)

Sometimes in the book of Job, you kind of wonder if he believed in an afterlife. And it seems his views are a bit confused depending on his mood.

But here, he seems to proclaim loudly that there is something after death. And that after his life was over, he would be vindicated by his Redeemer.

We too have that same hope. Though we may go through trials and struggles, in the end, our Redeemer lives and he will stand on the earth. On that day, he will speak up for us before the Father, saying, “I have paid the price for their sin.”

And because of that, as Paul wrote, there will be no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus.

I love the song by Keith Green that says,

There is a Redeemer,
Jesus, God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One.

Jesus my Redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Hope for sinners slain.

When I stand in Glory,
I will see His face,
There I’ll serve my King forever,
In that Holy Place.

Thank you oh my Father,
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit,
’Til the work on Earth is done.

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Job

Miserable comforters, a true Comforter

Job

After hearing Eliphaz’s words, Job once again tears into his tormenters saying,

“I have heard many things like these;
you are miserable comforters, all of you!

Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What ails you that you keep on arguing?

I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my head at you.

But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief. (Job 16:2–5)

In other words, “Stop already. You keep repeating the same things over and over and it’s not helping. If you were in my place, I could do the same thing to you and tear you apart with my words.

“But I wouldn’t do that. I’d have compassion on you. I’d encourage you. I’d comfort you. Why don’t you do that for me?”

He then laments how bad his life is, but at the end of this chapter, he says something interesting.

Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.

My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as one pleads for a friend. (19–21)

As bad as his friends were in comforting him, he believed that there was someone in heaven pleading his case for him. That there was someone who was faithful who was interceding for him.

And it was true. The Bible says that we do have someone who intercedes for us. Paul writes in Romans 8,

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26–27)

When we like Job are suffering, when we don’t know how to pray, and when all our friends let us down, there is one who intercedes for us: the Holy Spirit. And he intercedes for us in accordance with the Father’s will.

What is the result?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

So many times we only look at verse 28, but fail to see why it is that God works for our good. It is because the Holy Spirit himself is interceding on our behalf.

Are you like Job, feeling like God has abandoned you? Like God is in fact against you?

Know that it is not true. The Holy Spirit himself is interceding for you. And because of that, you can know with certainty that God is working for your good, even if you can’t see it right now.

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Job

Pride in what you think you know

Job

After more of Job’s moanings in chapter 14, Eliphaz speaks up again, and once again proclaims that only the wicked suffer.

But what I find even more interesting is how he begins the chapter. He says,

Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?

Would they argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value? (Job 15:2–3)

And again,

Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?

Do you listen in on God’s council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom? (7–8)

Eliphaz says this to criticize Job, but everything he said could have been applied to himself. He was the one acting as if he had been the first one ever born. He was the one acting as if he had listened in on God’s council and had a monopoly on God’s wisdom.

And yet, he would find out later that he had been dead wrong about Job. That it was he himself who had been filled with empty notions and hot air. That it was he who had spewed out useless words and speeches with no value.

What about us? Do we walk around thinking we know better than everyone else? Are we quick to say our platitudes of wisdom, when all the while it is we who are walking around blindly to all that is really going on?

For many of us, like Job told his friends, wisdom would be to keep our mouths shut.

Am I saying that we should never share the wisdom we have with others? Of course not. But part of wisdom is knowing when and how to say something.

And wisdom knows much better than to speak when it really doesn’t know what it’s talking about. Wisdom waits until it has all the relevant information before speaking.

How about you? Are the words you speak really full of wisdom? Or are you just full of hot air?

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Job

Judging others

Job

The assault on Job and his character continues.

This time Zophar takes his shots, and he basically continues the line started by his friends. Namely, that Job must have sinned and that God is punishing him for it.

And after a scathing reply mocking their wisdom and refuting the idea that he himself was ignorant of God’s power and wisdom, Job goes on to say,

But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.

You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you! If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

Hear now my argument; listen to the pleas of my lips. Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

Would it turn out well if he examined you? Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?

He would surely call you to account if you secretly showed partiality. Would not his splendor terrify you? Would not the dread of him fall on you? (Job 13:3–11)

In other words, Job was saying, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You claim I’ve sinned when I haven’t. I’d rather speak to God. At least I know he’s fair.

How would you feel if God were to put you on trial? How well could you stand up before him?”

And Job was right. They were making baseless accusations against Job. And if God had called them to the dock, they would not have stood at all. We actually see this at the end of the book.

We would do well to remember the dangers of judging others.

Sometimes people do the same thing to others that Job’s friends did to him. They’ll say things like “The reason you are sick and are not getting healed is because you don’t have enough faith. If you had enough faith, God would heal you.”

Even worse are those that would say as Job’s friends did, “You must be hiding some secret sin. That’s why you’re sick.”

But God will call to account all who judge others without basis.

Paul wrote,

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’”

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.

Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. (Romans 14:10–13)

Paul, of course, is specifically talking about not judging people concerning disputable matters. Paul does say in other passages, however, that if a person is clearly in sin, we are to confront them (1 Corinthians 5).

But we have no business passing judgment on people, making blanket statements about their spiritual lives when we have no evidence of wrongdoing.

Because when we do, instead of helping our brother or sister, we put a stumbling block before them in their walk with God, just as Job’s friends did with him. And God will call you to account for that.

How about you? Are you passing judgment on others without basis?

Jesus tells us,

Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment. (John 7:24)

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Job

Waiting to punish?

Job

As I look at the complaint of Job here, I see a way of thinking that many people have. Job said,

You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.

But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind: If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished. (Job 10:12–14)

Job also complained,

Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man, that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin? (5–6)

So many people, like Job, think of God as someone who is just waiting for us to mess up so that he can blast us. Sure he will bless us when we do good, but if we do one bad thing, BAM!

But the interesting thing is that God wasn’t like that toward Job at all. In chapters 1 and 2, we see it was Satan who was accusing Job. God was the one who was actually defending him.

Even today, God defends us against those who would accuse us. We saw this in part yesterday, but it bears repeating. Paul tells us in Romans,

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:1, 33–34)

So let us cast aside forever the idea that God is watching over us, just waiting for us to make a mistake so that he can blast us.

He’s the one defending us. And there is no condemnation at all for those who belong to him.

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Job

The need for a mediator

Job

In this passage, we see more of Job’s frustration bubbling over at God. On one hand, he recognizes God’s sovereignty in this world. But on the other hand, God seems so distant.

Job said,

When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

If he snatches away, who can stop him?
Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ (Job 9:11–12)

Not only that, Job felt like God was torturing him for no good reason. He said,

Even if I summoned him and he responded,
I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

He would crush me with a storm
and multiply my wounds for no reason.

He would not let me catch my breath
but would overwhelm me with misery.

If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him? (16–19)

Further, it seemed like God was delighting in his misery.

When a scourge brings sudden death,
he mocks the despair of the innocent. (23)

Ultimately, it seemed to Job that God was simply being unjust.

It is all the same; that is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked’…

When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges.

If it is not he, then who is it? (22–24)

It’s easy to criticize Job, but considering all that he went through, I think most people, even the strongest of Christians, would feel that way.

Still, there is some truth in this chapter that would be well to remember. First, no one can stand before God and claim to be righteous. Job said,

But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God? Though they wished to dispute with him, they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.

His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? (2–4)

Many people think that they’ll be able to stand before God on judgment day and give a reasonable defense for themselves.

But on that day, he will lay out before us every evil thought, every evil deed, and even every incident where we failed to do what we knew was right.

And when he does, and we compare our lives to his holiness, we will know that there is nothing we can say to defend ourselves. All our excuses, all our logical arguments, and everything we could say will be revealed for the shams that they are.

Many on that day will find themselves saying the words of Job,

How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?

Though I were innocent (compared to others, that is, for no one is truly innocent), I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. (14–15)

Job knew he could not stand before God and be found innocent, and so he cried out,

If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (33–35)

He didn’t have that mediator. But we do. Paul wrote,

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

He also wrote,

Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

None of us can stand alone before God and be proclaimed guiltless before him. All of us deserve to be condemned.

But Jesus is our mediator. And he tells the Father, “I’ve paid for their sin on the cross.”

Now the Father says to us, “You are no longer condemned. Your sins are forgiven.”

Not only that, in Jesus, we have someone who suffered like we do. Unlike us, however, he was completely blameless, and yet suffered anyway.

So in Jesus, we have someone that understands our pain in suffering. He understands our confusion. He understands our feelings of abandonment. And he reminds us that he went through every emotion we’re going through.

As the writer of Hebrews wrote,

Because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

And again,

For we do not have a high priest (in Jesus) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15–16)

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Job

Right…and wrong

Job

Eliphaz gives the first speech to Job, and the thing that strikes me is that at times, he says things that are quite right.

In fact, Paul quotes the words of Eliphaz in 1 Corinthians 3:19 where he says,

He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away. (Job 5:13)

Eliphaz also spoke truth when he told Job,

Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal. (5:17–18)

Solomon said much the same when he wrote,

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:11–12)

But the problem, as we’ve mentioned before, is that none of this applied to Job. God was not punishing Job for anything at all. Job had done nothing wrong.

As a result, instead of these “words of truth” helping Job, they made him feel worse.

First, he felt attacked by the very friends he expected help and comfort from (chapter 6).

But second, their words made him feel like God was being unfair. That God was picking on him for some sin he wasn’t even aware of (chapter 7).

What am I trying to say? Be very careful how you wield your words of “truth.” They may indeed be true. But are they truly relevant to the situation?

You may have the best of intentions, but if your words of “truth” are not applicable to the situation, they will cause more harm than good, and God will hold you accountable for them.

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Job

Oversimplification and false accusations

Job

I must admit that I somewhat dreaded coming to the book of Job. Not because of the topic, but because of the layout.

Basically, you have nearly 30 chapters of people arguing with each other in literal circles, saying essentially the same things time and again.

As anyone who has been following this blog knows, this is intended to be more of a devotional commentary than an in-depth one, so I’ve debated long and hard how to handle this.

I’ve decided to do this: I’m going to first hit chapters 4–31 as a whole, and then over the next few days go over those chapters again, and as things strike me from the individual chapters, I’ll talk about them.

I’m not sure as of yet whether I’ll actually address each chapter in this blog, take them in chunks of 2 or 3, or skip over some chapters entirely. We’ll go as God leads.

Essentially what you see in these chapters, as I’ve said, is an argument between Job and his friends. When they saw his suffering and heard his complaint, they responded by telling him why they thought he was suffering.

What they said can be wrapped up in these three verses:

When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state. (Job 8:4–6)

In short, “Your children sinned, and that’s why they were punished. You must have sinned too, and you’re being punished for it. But if you’ll just repent, things will be all right.”

And throughout this whole section, Job’s friends talked about how God always punishes the wicked for the evil that they do, and that it is they who suffer on this earth.

But there were two problems with this line of reasoning.

First, it’s gross oversimplification. For as Job points out, while the evil are indeed eventually punished for their deeds, it doesn’t always happen in this lifetime.

Furthermore, because of the evil that men do, others are affected. People go naked and hungry; they have their children taken into slavery; innocent people are murdered; and husbands and wives become victims of their partner’s unfaithfulness (chapters 21 and 24).

So to say that only the wicked suffer is simply not true.

The second problem was even more serious. Job’s friends were not only guilty of oversimplification, they were also guilty of making false accusations.

In chapter 1, God had said concerning Job,

Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. (Job 1:8)

God was not punishing Job for any sins he had committed. In God’s eyes, he was innocent. So Job’s friends were dead wrong in accusing Job of evil.

Job called them on it saying,

Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong. (Job 6:24)

And they couldn’t point out a single sin. Eventually, much later in the argument, in their desperation to prove they were right, they threw out accusations against Job that had absolutely no basis (22:5–9).

They then concluded by saying, “You must have done these kinds of things. That’s why God is punishing you.”

What do we get from all of this?

The problem of why the righteous suffer is not an easy one. But it is not going to be solved by simply saying, the evil are punished and the righteous are preserved. It’s simply not true.

There is something much deeper going on, which we see in chapters 1 and 2. Namely, that there are spiritual forces that have malevolent intentions against us.

Add to that the fact that we are affected by the evil that the people around us do, and we see two additional reasons for why people suffer here on earth, besides God’s punishment on those who do evil.

Why doesn’t God do more to stop these malevolent spirits and evil people? God never answers that in this book. What answers he does give will be seen later in his response to Job in the final chapters.

But the second thing to take from this is to be extremely careful about making accusations against people, especially those who are hurting.

Because not only will it hurt our relationships with them, but God himself takes a dim view of people who falsely accuse others, as we will see at the end of Job.

Dealing with the issue of evil in this world, and why we and people we love suffer is not easy. But let us be careful not to deal with it as Job’s friends did, through oversimplification and false accusations.

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Job

What we cannot see

Job

In this chapter, Job is really at a point of despair. Almost all that was dear to him had been stripped from him.

His children were dead, his wife was of no comfort, he had lost his possessions, and now he was covered with sores from head to foot. I think that would’ve been enough to break any man.

And here, Job pours out his soul. He curses the day he was born and wishes that he had been stillborn.

Although he was by no means suicidal, nevertheless, he did wish that when he finally fell asleep at night, he would never wake again.

But each day, he did awake, and things were no better. And he wondered why it is that people have to live like that—living only to see misery and bitterness in life.

He then asked,

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in? (Job 3:23)

In other words, “I can’t see the purpose of my own life. Why has God given me life, when all I have is trouble and there seems to be no way out?”

He concludes by saying,

For sighing has become my daily food;
my groans pour out like water.

What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded has happened to me.

I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil. (24–26)

That was his view from down on earth.

But what of heaven’s perspective? This is something, interestingly enough to me, that is never shown to Job.

He never knew that God was actually very proud of him. That God actually boasted about him among the angels and to Satan himself.

He never knew that God allowed these trials not because God was against him, but because God was so confident that he’d make it through.

And he also never saw the fact that despite all that happened to him, God’s hand was still very much upon him. That though Satan would have destroyed him, God refused to let him do so.

So often as we face trials in our lives, we can’t understand why things are happening to us. It seems like God is against us. That he either no longer loves us, or that he simply no longer cares what happens to us.

But let us never forget that God never stops loving us. That he instead looks upon us as a proud father and that he believes in us.

More than that, let us never forget that he will never take his hand of protection from us despite all that happens to us, and will never, ever let us go through trials beyond what we can bear.

As Paul wrote,

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

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Job

When friends mourn

Job

In the book of Job, we see three of his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. When they heard about Job’s troubles, they decided together to go and visit him. And when they saw the state he was in, it says,

They began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.

No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. (Job 2:12–13)

Although there are a lot of negative things we can say about his friends throughout the book of Job, one thing we can say is that they truly cared about him.

And in the first few days they were with him, they did the best thing they could. They shut up and just stayed with him.

When they got in trouble was when they started opening their mouths and started spouting off their “wisdom” to him.

I think there’s something to be said about that. When our friends are mourning because of the troubles they are going through, most times, they don’t need our words of advice. They don’t need our “wisdom.” More than anything else, they just need us to be there and to listen.

Sometimes they will say stupid things in their pain and anguish. Sometimes they may even question God and his wisdom.

But for the most part, they don’t need us to condemn them or criticize them for voicing their pain. They just need us to be there to understand them and to sympathize with them.

And if we’ll just do that, showing God’s love to them by just being there and understanding them, they’ll usually come around and recognize God’s presence and love through us.

Paul puts it this way,

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)

So when people around us are struggling through loss and pain, let us use our mouths much less, and use our ears and arms of comfort much more.

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Job

Why we worship

Job

Having completed the history of Israel in the Old Testament, we now go back in time and look at the life of a man named Job.

When he lived is uncertain, but considering how long he lived (well past 150), he was probably born after the flood and probably around the time of Abraham.

The Bible says of him,

This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1)

He was also very prosperous and blessed by God, and was considered to be the greatest man in the East. (1:3)

But he was soon about to find his peaceful life completely disrupted. When God pointed out how righteous he was to Satan, Satan accused Job of only being so righteous because God had blessed him. He then said,

But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face. (1:11)

God gave Satan permission to do so, and Satan struck both his family and possessions. What was Job’s response?

He wept. He mourned. And then he fell down in worship, saying,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised. (1:21)

Having failed to get Job to sin, Satan then said to God,

A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face. (2:4–5)

Once again, God gave him permission to do so, and Satan struck him with boils.

At this point, his wife reached the end of her patience and said,

Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die! (2:9)

But Job responded,

You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (2:10)

The life of Job brings up a very important question. Why do we worship God? Why do we follow after him? Is it only for the blessings that he gives us?

Job wasn’t like that. He worshiped God not because of what God had done for him. Rather, he worshiped God because he was worthy of that worship.

Whether God blessed him or not, God was worthy of Job’s worship and trust, and so Job continued to worship and follow him even in the midst of all his trouble.

How about you? Why do you worship God? Do you worship God simply because you feel blessed by him? Do you follow God solely because you think it’s to your profit to do so?

Or do you worship him because of who he is? Do you follow him because he is worthy of your trust?

A true worshiper worships God not simply because of what he has done for them, but for who he is. And a true worshiper will continue to believe in his goodness, even when life is falling apart around him.

What kind of worshiper are you?

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Malachi

If we fail to listen

Father and son

After all of the rebukes God gives the people, he ends this book with a warning.

He warns them that the day of judgment will come. Those who persist in their evil will be condemned, and at that point, there will be no hope for redemption.

With no “branch” or “root” left to bring any hope of life, they will face eternal death.

But to those who fear the Lord, they will find healing to all the wounds they suffered here on earth. Evil will be a thing of the past, and their joy will never again be taken from them.

So God tells the people,

Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. (Malachi 4:4)

In other words, “Because judgment is coming, remember what I’ve told you. And do what I’ve commanded.”

Of course, we are no longer under the Old Testament law, but there is still one command God has given us that we must follow. What is it? The apostle John tells us,

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. (1 John 3:23)

Malachi then closes by predicting the coming of Elijah, which was fulfilled when John the Baptist came, preparing the way for Jesus. And God warns the people,

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. (Malachi 4:6)

As we saw in chapter 2, there was a breakdown in marriage, with husbands divorcing their wives, and here we see there also was a breakdown between fathers and their children, perhaps related to the former problem, as we see in society today.

As God told the Jews, one reason he joined people in marriage was that they would have godly offspring.

But with the breakdown in marriage and the family, the children were growing up not only with broken relationships with their fathers, but with broken relationships with God.

And with a whole generation growing up like this, with parents and children failing to listen to God, society would soon come under a curse.

That’s exactly what we’re seeing in American society. A nation that started “under God” is very swiftly falling faster and faster away from him. And it will find God’s judgment along with any other society that fails to listen to God and his Word unless they repent.

How about you? What kind of heart do you have?

Do you have a heart turned toward the word of God?

Or do you too ignore what God has said to us?

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Malachi

Futile?

Scroll

Sometimes as we follow God, we become disappointed and discouraged. And if we’re not careful, it’s easy to become cynical as well.

That’s what happened to the Israelites. They were saying to themselves,

It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?

But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it. (Malachi 3:14–15)

Perhaps they thought they were doing all that God had required of them.

They went to the temple. They made sacrifices. They celebrated the Jewish festivals commanded by the Law of Moses.

But they weren’t seeing blessing in their lives. Instead, they saw those who were not trying to please God prosper.

As a result, they were saying, “What’s the point? It’s futile trying to serve God. Nothing good ever comes out from it.”

Part of the problem, of course, was that though they did the actions, their hearts were not in it.

As we’ve seen, they were offering blemished sacrifices. They were not giving full tithes to God, if they were giving at all.

And while they kept some of God’s commands, they broke others such as marrying people from unbelieving nations.

Despite all this, they had the gall to say that they were doing what God had asked, and to ask why they weren’t being blessed.

How often do we do the same? We claim to be doing what is right, when in reality, we are doing things half-heartedly.

We claim to be obeying God, when in reality, we pick and choose which commands we want to obey.

Then we complain when we don’t see God’s blessing in our lives.

But others of us may be doing all that God asks of us, and we still don’t see his blessing. And we ask why. What does God say?

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.

A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.

And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Malachi 3:16–18)

In short, “I do see, and I do remember. And for those who are faithful to me, they will be my treasured possession, and on the day of judgment, they will be able to stand before me without shame.

But those who are not faithful to me will be treated exactly as they deserve.”

What do we do when we feel discouraged? How do we keep from getting cynical?

I think the main thing is to stay in Christian fellowship. Share with your brothers and sisters what you are feeling. Share with them your frustrations. And listen to what they have to say.

They may point out areas in your life where you’re not being as faithful as you think you are. Or they may simply just encourage you to stay the course, reminding you that God is faithful, and that he will reward you.

But let us never let cynicism pull us away from God. Rather, let us keep our eyes on him, following him to the end.

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Malachi

Is tithing Biblical?

Tithing basket

Some people may see this and wonder, “Why are you talking about tithing? That was Old Testament law. The New Testament says nothing about Christians tithing.”

That’s true.

When Malachi was talking to the Israelites, he was talking to people under Mosaic law.

Some people point to Abraham tithing to Melchizedek, who the writer of Hebrews uses as a type of Jesus (Hebrews 7), and say this proves that since tithing was before the law of Moses, it’s applicable to the Christian too.

I’d be more convinced if the point of the passage were that Christians should tithe. It isn’t. It’s merely pointing out the superiority of the Melchizedek priesthood to the Aaronic one.

To take this passage and say therefore “All Christians should tithe” seems to be stretching things beyond the limits of the passage.

That said, I think that there are some things to point out about tithing that are applicable to the Christian today.

First, God does ask us to support our churches, and namely our pastors.

As we saw in Nehemiah, the people were not supporting the Levites and as a result, they had to leave their posts in the temple and work in their fields just to survive.

If we force our pastors to split their time between ministry and supporting their families, who does that hurt? Not just them. It hurts us as well.

Paul wrote (and this is New Testament),

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17–18)

In 1 Corinthians 9:7–12, Paul says that while he and Barnabas did work to support themselves, they had every right to be supported through the ministry they were performing.

That’s why God told the Israelites,

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. (Malachi 3:10)

The food wasn’t for God, who doesn’t eat. It was for the priests and Levites who worked there.

Second, there seems to be an attitude that some Christians take saying, “This is my money. And since I’m not required to tithe, I’m not going to.”

But remember this: As a Christian, your whole life belongs to God. You were bought with a price, the blood of Jesus.

That means that everything that you have really belongs to Christ. You are merely his steward. So it’s not your money at all. It’s God’s. You see this in the parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14–30)

And while people often think of this story solely in terms of using the spiritual gifts God has given them, remember that another gift (though not a spiritual one) that he has given us is the ability to make money.

As a result, he will hold us responsible for how we use the money we have earned.

God reminded the people of this by sending them poor crops.

And he told them, “You’re taking what is really mine and using it for yourselves alone. That’s why you’re struggling so much. But if you’ll remember who all this really belongs to, I’ll send so much blessing upon you that you can’t contain it.”

How about you? Do you feel your money belongs to you? That it’s yours and yours alone to use for your purposes.

Remember who you belong to. And remember that as a result, your money is his as well.

Not ten percent. But 100 percent.

Are you using it solely for your purposes. Or for his purposes as well?

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Malachi

Where’s the justice?

Malachi

Many times people ask, “If God is good, why is this world so bad? If he’s so just, where’s the justice?”

It’s not a new question. People were asking it in Malachi’s day. God told them,

You have wearied the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17)

How did God answer this charge?

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.

Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:1)

In other words, “You’re asking where I am. You’re wondering why I don’t do anything about the injustice in this world.

Well, I will be coming soon. I will appear in your midst right in your very temple.”

This was fulfilled when Jesus came, while the messenger who prepared the way for him was John the Baptist.

But then, God asks a very piercing question.

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. (Malachi 3:2)

Here he’s saying, “You’re waiting for me to come and bring justice and are complaining that I am long in coming. But when I come, will you be ready?

Because when I come, I will be like the fire that purifies gold and silver. I will be like the soap that washes away all the sin that I see.

Can you stand when I come with this cleansing fire? Can you stand when I come to wash away all the evil in this world?”

For those who belong to him, his priests, he said that he would purify and refine them. (Remember that as Christians, we too are called his priests).

But then he said,

“So I will come to put you on trial.

I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)

In short, the time of judgment will come. And all who have done evil will be condemned. So the question again is, will you be able to stand before him when he comes?

When people challenge you on the justice of God, that’s the question you need to put to them.

“Think about what you’re asking. You’re asking him to wipe out all evil now. But that means that if there’s any evil in you at all, you need to be wiped out too (unless you’re going to claim to be perfect). Is that what you really want?”

The only reason God hasn’t come to bring judgment yet is simple. He’s waiting for as many people as possible to repent. And so he closes this passage by saying,

I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. (Malachi 3:6–7)

In other words, “I should have wiped you out a long time ago because you have broken my laws and commands.

It is only because I am unfailingly patient and merciful that you have not been destroyed.

But don’t mistake my patience for injustice. Because the time of judgment is coming.”

The question is, are you ready?

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Malachi

Acting treacherously against your spouse

Broken heart

We come to a pretty painful topic for many people. Around 50% of marriages, even among Christians sadly, end in divorce. The percentage is much lower in Japan, where I live, but even here, the total is rising.

In this passage, God addresses two things. First, he said,

Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?

Judah has broken faith. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the LORD loves, by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. (Malachi 2:10–11)

We mentioned before in Ezra and Nehemiah that even the leaders and priests in Israel had started to intermarry with the people around them.

Why was this wrong? Basically because these foreigners were leading Israel into idol worship, which was what caused their exile in the first place.

Nehemiah, when he saw this, sharply rebuked the people saying,

Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned?

Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. (Nehemiah 13:26)

What was Nehemiah’s point?

Even the strongest believer in God can be led into becoming unfaithful by an unbelieving spouse.

That’s why it’s very dangerous for a Christian to marry someone who is not.

And it was for that reason that God strictly forbade his people from marrying idol-worshippers.

But there was something even worse about these marriages. Malachi wrote,

Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears.

You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?”

It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. (Malachi 2:13–14)

The people were wondering why God seemed against them. Why he didn’t seem to accept with pleasure what they offered him. And God makes it very clear.

Not only did they marry these idol-worshippers, but they had broken faith with the women they had married in order to do so.

In doing so, they had broken faith with God since they had made their vows before him. And so God told them that he was standing as a witness against them.

He then reminded them that it was he who had started the institution of marriage and that when they got married, it was he who made them one flesh.

So not only did they belong to each other, they belonged to him. And he made them one so that when they had children, they would grow up in godly families and learn to have a strong relationship with God like their parents.

Divorce has a terrible effect on children. And many times it not only warps a child’s view of marriage, it also warps the child’s view on God as well.

God reveals himself as our loving Father, but so many children of divorced parents can’t relate to that because they rarely see their father. They think God is like their earthly father. Unfaithful to his promises and never there when you need him.

God then makes crystal clear his feelings on divorce.

“I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 2:16)

God hates divorce. He hates adultery. He hates domestic violence. He hates anything that breaks faith with our spouse.

I find it interesting here that he focuses on the men more than the women.

Certainly, part of the reason was that in those days, it was the men who had the power to divorce their spouse, not the women.

But I think there’s another reason. God puts primary responsibility of keeping the marriage strong on the husband. We see this throughout scripture. Peter himself said,

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)

Husbands were divorcing and abusing their physically weaker partners in Malachi, and God condemned them for it.

How about you? Are you in any way acting treacherously against your wife? Are you in any way acting treacherously against your husband?

Let us be faithful not only to our partner, but to the God who joined us together.

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Malachi

Your role as God’s priest

Malachi

Some of you may look at today’s title and say, “I’m not a priest. This has no relevance for me.”

But if you are a Christian, you are God’s priest. Peter says of you and me,

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

And so this passage is very much relevant to you and me as Christians.

Here, God rebukes the priests because they were not doing what he had called them to do.

Their problem was the same as the rest of Israel: they were failing to honor God with their lives. But God particularly rebuked them because of their position.

Because they were priests, they were held to a higher standard than everyone else.

God talked about the covenant he had made with the priests, “a covenant of life and peace” (Numbers 25:12–13). And he told them,

This called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.

True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. (Malachi 2:5–7)

What does God expect of us as his priests? And what is our role? Here, it is clearly laid out for us.

First, he expects us to revere and stand in awe of him. In short, to honor him.

Although God calls us his friends, he is much more than that. He is our King and our Lord as I mentioned in my last blog.

Gordon MacDonald once noted that “The most costly sins I have committed came at a time when I briefly suspended my reverence for God.”

As God’s priests, we can’t afford to do that.

Second, he expects us to walk in peace and uprightness before him. This flows from the first expectation. If we honor God, we will walk righteously before him and in peace with him.

Unfortunately, that’s not what these priests did. They had suspended their reverence for God, and as a result had no qualms about offering him sacrifices that were lame and diseased.

What is our role as God’s priests?

We are to be people that instruct others in God’s ways.

People ought to see God in our lives and seek to hear God’s word from us. Obviously, if we are not honoring God with our lives, no one will ever do this.

Our lips should preserve knowledge.

But that will be impossible to do if we don’t know God’s word. So linked with this role is the idea that you study God’s word and know it intimately so that you can share that knowledge with others.

This is not just the role of the pastors in the church. Every Christian should be doing this, because all of us are his priests.

We are to turn people from their sin.

When we see others falling into sin and going down the wrong path, we are not to just ignore it and pretend everything is all right. God calls us to warn them.

They may listen. They may not. But God requires us to warn them. (Ezekiel 33:7–9)

The priests in Malachi’s day failed miserably in these things.

Instead of turning people from their sin, and instructing them in God’s way, they caused the people around them to stumble.

What about you? What kind of priest are you?

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Malachi

What God deserves

Malachi

In this passage, we see one of the main problems that the Jews had, and it filtered down to everything that they did.

What was their problem? They failed to honor God. They treated him as something less than the great God and King that he is.

And so God said,

A son honors his father, and a slave his master.

If I am a father, where is the honor due me?

If I am a master, where is the respect due me? (Malachi 1:6)

And of all people, the priests said, “What are you talking about? How are we not showing you honor? How are we showing contempt for your name?”

They were probably thinking, “Hey we’re doing our job. We’re offering the sacrifices. We’re doing what we’re supposed to. What more do you want?”

But God said,

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong?

Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? (Malachi 1:8)

In the laws God gave to Moses, he demanded that the people sacrifice perfect animals. Yet, the people had such little respect for God, that they gave him all the animals they didn’t want, the lame and diseased animals.

So God said, “You show more honor to your governor than you do to me, your King. Your governor wouldn’t accept less than the best. Why do you think I would?”

More than that, the people were saying,

‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible…What a burden!’ (Malachi 1:12–13)

The people weren’t offering these things out of their love for God. Rather, it had become a burden to them. And so instead of honoring God, they showed contempt for him through their actions.

But God told them,

I am a great king…and my name is to be feared among the nations. (Malachi 1:14)

How about you? How do you see God? I think there’s a balance that we need to remember in our relationship with God.

Jesus says that he calls us friends. Many people embrace that, and they should. It’s a rare privilege we have to be friends with the King.

But at the same time, we do need to remember that he is the King. And as King, he deserves our honor. And that means giving him our very best, not our leftovers.

I’m not just talking about money. But also about our time. And our very lives.

What are you giving God? Do you give him the honor he deserves?

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Malachi

Questioning God’s love

God's love

And so we come to the end of Israel’s history in the Old Testament.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s not entirely certain when Malachi was written, but it was definitely written after the temple was rebuilt in the days of Ezra.

Most likely it was written in his time or in the time of Nehemiah. The issues in Malachi are seen both in Ezra and Nehemiah, but especially in Nehemiah.

And God starts out with a striking statement.

I have loved you. (Malachi 1:2)

So many of us seek love in our lives. Sadly, some people go their entire lives never finding it. But if they had only looked in the right place, they would have found not only love, but unfailing love in the love of God.

I have loved you.

No matter what struggles you may go through, no matter what sins you have committed, no matter how you may have failed, God’s love never changes. He has loved you. He does love you. And he always will love you.

But the Israelites couldn’t see this. Instead, they answered cynically,

How have you loved us? (Malachi 1:2)

Why did they ask this?

Despite the fact that God had returned them to their land, things were still not great. They were still under Persian rule, and were hardly prosperous. Their crops were poor, and they were just struggling to survive.

How often do we question God’s love in our lives?

“If you love me, why am I struggling so much? If you love me, why is my life so bad?”

Yet God points out something to the Israelites and to us as proof of his love. He said to them,

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” (Malachi 1:2–3)

What does God mean by “I have hated Esau”? Did he really hate him? No. In actuality, he blessed Esau. (Genesis 33:9)

But when it came to choosing whose line it was going to be through whom Jesus would come, God had to choose either Jacob or Esau, and he chose Jacob while rejecting Esau.

Why? Because Jacob was better than Esau? Hardly.

Throughout Jacob’s early life, we see that he was a con man who first tried to live doing things his way. (Genesis 25, 27)

When he then got in trouble because of it, he had to flee, and at that point God revealed himself to Jacob.

But instead of fully submitting himself to God, Jacob tried to make bargains with him instead. (Genesis 28:20–22)

That pattern didn’t change for a long time. Yet God still chose him and continued to love and work with him.

He did the same with Israel. Though they were unfaithful to God, doing things their own way, yet he never took his love from them.

Yes, he punished Israel for what they did, but he didn’t give them all that they deserved for their sin which was destruction.

Meanwhile he gave Esau’s descendants exactly what they deserved for their sin, a desolated land.

So what was God saying?

“Do you want proof that I love you? I gave Esau’s descendants what they deserved. But you, I didn’t give you what you deserved. I gave you what you didn’t deserve. In short, I gave you my grace.”

And he says the same to us when we doubt his love.

We don’t deserve God’s love. We don’t deserve God’s forgiveness.

And yet despite our unworthiness, he chose to send Jesus to die for our sins.

Now he looks at you and says, “I have chosen you. I have saved you. And I will never, ever give up on you.”

That’s grace. That’s God’s love for you.

Paul put it this way,

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. (Ephesians 1:4–8)

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Nehemiah

When the emotion fades

Mountaintop

When I lived in Hawaii, I would sometimes go to church camps up in the mountains. And they would be great times of worship and of teaching.

I would usually come back on a spiritual high, ready and willing to serve God.

Then real life hit. And God, who had seemed so close that I could touch him, suddenly seemed to become more distant.

The emotions of the moment faded, and many times, not much in my life ultimately changed.

That’s what happened to the Jews. They had come off a time of celebrating God’s goodness. Then they had a real emotional time of repentance.

During that time, they all signed a contract before God. In the contract, they said that they would obey all the commands of God.

They promised that they would not intermarry with the idol-worshippers around them and that they would keep the Sabbath.

They also promised that they would bring their tithes and offerings to support the priests and Levites in their temple work, and that they would not neglect the house of God.

After all this was done, they had a great celebration, dedicating the new wall they had built.

For a while, things went well. But then real life hit. The emotions started to fade.

Not only that, Nehemiah, their governor, had been called back to Babylon to serve Artaxerxes once again.

And when Nehemiah came back later to see how things were going in Jerusalem, what did he find?

The people had stopped supporting the Levites (and the musicians), and so they had stopped serving in the temple and had gone back to work in their own fields.

Not only that, people were working and doing trade on the Sabbath.

If that weren’t enough, the people had started intermarrying with the idol-worshippers from other nations.

What were the priests doing about all of this? Nothing.

In fact, one of the priests himself had married the daughter of one of the enemies of the Jews (a man named Sanballat), who had tried to stop the building of the wall.

The priest’s father (or perhaps grandfather—the Hebrew word is not clear), Eliashib the high priest, had allowed another enemy of the Jews, Tobiah, who had also tried to stop the work Nehemiah was doing, to actually live in the temple courts.

Nehemiah was furious when he saw this.

He kicked Tobiah out from the temple courts and had those rooms purified, putting them back to the use they were intended for.

He then kicked Eliashib’s son out from the priesthood.

He also got the people to start tithing and keeping the Sabbath again.

What can we get from all of this?

It’s so easy when we’re on a spiritual high to make promises to God about how we will commit ourselves to him from now on.

But what do you do when the emotion fades?

God is not impressed by promises we make when we’re on spiritual highs. He’s looking at what we do when we’ve come back down to earth.

Are we still living for him? Are we still committed to him? Or have we reverted back to our old patterns?

Are we letting things into the temple of our bodies that we shouldn’t?

Are we marrying ourselves to the things of this world that would lead us away from him?

Are we putting money or work ahead of our relationship with God?

That’s what happened to these Jews. And it can happen to us if we’re not careful.

How about you? How do you live when the emotion fades?

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Nehemiah

God’s grace in the midst of our unfaithfulness

Nehemiah

In this passage, we see the people coming before God to confess their sins. And in this prayer, we see two things: the unfaithfulness of the Jews and God’s grace.

The prayer starts with how God created everything, and then chose one man Abram to start a nation. It then talks about how the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, but how by God’s grace he delivered them and led them through the desert.

But despite all the miracles he performed, the people wanted to go back to Egypt and return to their lives as slaves. And instead of worshiping God as he is, they made an idol and called that God.

Yet God showed grace even then, providing them food and water in the desert and continuing to lead them.

He then brought them into Canaan, a land of milk and honey, but there they turned their backs on God once more, killing his prophets and serving their own gods.

As a result, God handed them to their enemies, but when they cried out to God in their distress, once again in his grace he saved them. But the time came when finally he sent them into exile. And so the people prayed,

But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.

Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. (Nehemiah 9:36–37)

Now they came before God with repentant hearts, seeking to renew their covenant with him.

It’s amazing to me that God would show so much grace to them. If I had been God, I would’ve given up on them. But he never did. Even now, he has not given up on these people he has called.

And I think that it’s a good thing. Because I’m just as bad in my own way as the Israelites. I stumble in my sin, and I fall. Like the Israelites, so often I harden my heart and do what I know is wrong.

Yet though I am unfaithful, God remains faithful. And he never gives up on me. For that, I am truly grateful.

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Nehemiah

Joy of the Lord

Joy of the Lord

After the wall was built, the Jews came to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets as commanded by God in Leviticus 23.

And on this day, Ezra the priest read the law of God to the people. Several things strike me as I read this.

First, the reverence that people had for God’s word and for God himself.

When Ezra opened up the book to read it, everyone stood up. They then listened attentively while he read.

And when Ezra praised the Lord, they bowed down with their faces to the ground.

How often do we have that kind of reverence for God and his Word?

When we come before him, do we come with the humble hearts that these people had? And are our hearts turned to what he would say to us? Or do we let ourselves get distracted by other things?

I’m also struck by the need of good teachers of God’s word.

In verse 8, it says that as the Levites read from the book of the law, they made it clear and gave the meaning so that everyone could understand what God was trying to say.

That need is still great in the church today: people who can take God’s word and make it simple enough for all who hear to understand and grasp.

The third thing that strikes me is the response of the people.

When they heard God’s word, they wept as they realized how much they had violated God’s law and brought disaster upon themselves.

Do we have the same response when God shows us the sin in our lives? Do we weep in repentance?

Or have we become hardened to our sin?

But the final thing that strikes me is that God does not wish us to wallow in our sorrow.

Rather, he wishes us to revel in his joy.

Nehemiah told the people,

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

There would be a time for repentance, and we see this in chapters 9 and 10.

But God wanted the people at that point not to wallow in their sorrow for their failures, but to delight in his goodness and faithfulness to them.

When we sin, we should humbly repent before God.

But let us not remain in our tears and regret.

Let us instead remember the cross and how Jesus took our punishment for us.

Let us remember his grace and how he saved us.

And as we do, God will restore our joy.

God does not give us his word simply to make us grieve for our failures, or to take the joy out of our lives.

Rather, it’s his deepest desire that we would come into close fellowship with him and to know his love and his joy.

As Jesus said,

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10–11)

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Nehemiah

Remaining spiritually vigilant

Nehemiah

The walls of Jerusalem were now completed. But even so, Nehemiah refused to let his guard down.

He put two men he knew he could trust, his brother Hanani (who had told him of the troubles of Jerusalem in chapter 1) and a man named Hananiah, to watch over the defense of the city.

In doing so, he told them,

The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them.

Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses. (Nehemiah 7:3)

The idea, of course, was that no one could attack the city when people were just getting up and were unprepared to defend the city, and to also make sure that people would be extra vigilant since they were guarding the areas near their own homes.

What Nehemiah did in staying vigilant is also important for us.

We may have rebuilt our spiritual walls and be standing strong in our faith. But we can never let our guard down.

Satan is always waiting for the opportunity to take us down, and he is patient. He will wait for a time when we are not so vigilant, and then he will attack.

He did this with David, for example, when he fell into sin with Bathsheba.

So as Paul wrote,

If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Let us also take the words of Peter to heart who warned,

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

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Nehemiah

Lies, discernment, and strength

Nehemiah and wall

With the walls near completion, the enemies of the Jews made one last attempt to stop the work.

First, they tried to lure Nehemiah out of the city where they could ambush and kill him.

Four times they tried to get him to come out, and when Nehemiah refused, they threatened to report him to King Artaxerxes, that he was planning to become king of Jerusalem.

Perhaps they looked at the prophecies of Zechariah (Zechariah 9) and pointed to them as proof that Nehemiah was seeking to become king.

But Nehemiah rebuffed the accusation, secure in the knowledge that one, he had no such plans, and two, that King Artaxerxes trusted him. So he called their bluff, and indeed, that’s exactly what it was.

Next they bribed one of the priests of God to tell him to hide within the temple for sanctuary against his enemies. But Nehemiah refused for two reasons.

First, as the leader, he couldn’t be seen as hiding from his enemies as it would have hurt the confidence the people had in him.

Second, it was against God’s law that he enter the Holy Place, and by doing so, he would’ve sinned against God, again discrediting him among the people.

They then tried in turn to weasel their way into his confidence by sending their spies to speak well of them to Nehemiah, and when that didn’t work, to intimidate him.

But Nehemiah prayed to God, saying,

Now strengthen my hands. (Nehemiah 6:9)

And God did. Despite all the efforts of their enemies, the wall was completed. And everyone, even these enemies, acknowledged that it was through God’s help that the wall was rebuilt.

What can we learn from this?

Satan will often try to keep us from God’s work. He’ll try to throw lies at us to tempt us to sin or to cause us harm.

How do we combat that?

We need discernment and wisdom from God. And the way we do that is through his Word and through constantly being connected to him through prayer.

As we read his word and pray, not only can we discern the truth from lies, but we can discern what the will of God is in our lives.

And when Satan attacks us and tries to intimidate us, we need to come before God as Nehemiah did, and ask for his strength.

So each day, as we go out into this world to do God’s will, let us seek his discernment and wisdom, and look to him for our strength.

If we do, there is no way Satan can stop us.

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Nehemiah

Division

Nehemiah

Satan wasn’t having any success trying to stop the Jews’ work on Jerusalem’s walls through outside attacks. So he tried another tactic. He brought division between the Jews themselves, namely between the rich and the poor.

Essentially, the poor among the Jews were suffering because they didn’t have enough money to buy food, particularly with a famine going on at that time, and also because of taxes they had to pay.

As a result, they were selling off their fields and homes just to be able to have something to eat. When they no longer had any land to sell, they started to sell their own sons and daughters into slavery.

As Nehemiah considered the situation, he realized that the real reason things were so bad was the attitude of the nobles and officials.

They were taking advantage of the problems with the poor in order to enrich themselves. Namely, they were taking the pledges people had made for the loans they were giving.

But God had commanded them,

When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. (Deuteronomy 24:10)

Yet despite God’s commands, these nobles and officials had no qualms about taking their neighbor’s land and children when these people couldn’t pay off the debt.

As a result, Nehemiah gave them a major tongue lashing, to which they had no answer.

To their credit, however, they repented and gave back everything they had taken from their fellow Jews.

Nehemiah himself, though he had a right to have a lot more food as governor in Jerusalem, refused to take it because it would’ve been a burden on the people.

Instead, he daily invited 150 people to dine with him.

He also never lorded over the people as their governor. Rather, he worked beside them to help rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.

What can we learn from this?

If Satan can’t stop us from doing God’s work by directly attacking us, he’ll try to get us to attack each other.

He’ll divide us and get us so busy fighting each other that we don’t have time to do the things that God has asked.

How do we prevent that from happening? By having the kind of heart that Nehemiah had. A servant’s heart.

So let us not be looking out only for our own interests. That kind of attitude leads to division.

Rather let us look to serve one another in love.

Paul put it this way,

Serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13–15)

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Nehemiah

Rebuilding in the face of opposition

Nehemiah and the trumpet

Under Nehemiah, work on the walls of Jerusalem began. But it wasn’t long before the opposition started.

We see this at the end of chapter 2 when the Jews’ enemies tried to accuse them of rebellion.

That accusation no longer had any teeth behind it, however, with Nehemiah leading the efforts under the authority of Artaxerxes himself.

So in chapter 4, they tried to discourage the Jews by mocking them, calling them weak, and questioning their ability to rebuild their walls.

But when the Jews continued to work and had in fact built up the wall to half its height, their enemies tried stronger tactics, threatening to attack them when they least expected it.

In the face of this opposition and the size of the task, some of the Jews began to falter, saying,

The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall. (Nehemiah 4:10)

So Nehemiah took action.

He posted guards to protect the laborers and even armed the laborers themselves.

They also set up a system where if there was trouble, a trumpet would blow and all would rally to defend the people being attacked.

But beyond these practical things, Nehemiah also encouraged the people, saying,

Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. (14)

And with all this, the work continued on.

What can we learn from this?

I think it’s important to realize that Satan’s tactics haven’t changed very much over the centuries.

And when we start to rebuild the spiritual walls of our lives, Satan will first try to discourage us. He’ll tell us we’re too weak to change.

He’ll say, “What are these feeble Christians doing? Will they restore their walls? Can they bring their marriages back to life? Can they bring back to life all the things they tore down because of their sin?”

If that fails to discourage us, he’ll start to attack and bring trials and troubles in our lives in order to stop us.

How do we respond in the face of this opposition?

First, remember that while Satan is strong, God is stronger. He is “great and awesome,” and he will help and deliver us.

But we have to fight. We need to clothe ourselves with God’s armor and refuse to surrender to Satan’s attacks.

Second, remember that we have brothers and sisters to help us.

Tell them your struggles. Ask them to pray for you. Let them rally around you and support you when you feel under attack. And do the same for them when they’re under attack.

Satan gets angry when we rebuild our spiritual walls.

Let’s not be intimidated by him.

Rather, in God’s strength, and with the support of others, let us rebuild our walls and become the people God has called us to be.

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Nehemiah

Rebuilding the walls

Nehemiah

Nehemiah had a massive task ahead of him as he looked to repair the walls around Jerusalem.

But it was an important one. As long as the walls were down, the Jews were defenseless against their enemies. And so after three days of rest, he started to inspect the damage.

After doing so, he told his fellow Jews his plan to repair the walls. And taking heart from Nehemiah’s words and the authority they had received from King Artaxerxes, they started to work side by side to repair the walls.

What can we get from these chapters? I think there are a few things.

First, like Jerusalem, we are people with broken spiritual walls. And as long as those walls are broken down, we are vulnerable to the attacks of the Enemy.

He has no mercy on us, especially since we have declared war on him by becoming Christians. He will keep attacking our weak points, trying to get us to fall and to drive us away from God.

For some of us, it’s a struggle with our temper. For others, it’s a struggle with lust. For others, it’s a struggle with unforgiveness. For yet others, it’s a struggle with bitterness.

Whatever your struggle may be, they are broken walls in your life and must be repaired if you are to become whole as a Christian.

Like Nehemiah, we need to take a careful look at our lives in the light of God’s word and see just where the damage in our walls is.

Where are we often falling to temptation? What are the areas Satan is attacking us in?

Satan isn’t stupid. He doesn’t waste his time attacking us where we’re strong. He attacks us where we are weak.

So inspect your walls and see what needs to be repaired.

Second, know that the King is on our side and that he has given us the resources to repair the walls.

Peter put it this way,

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Finally, not only is God on our side, but we should be working side by side with our brothers and sisters to rebuild the walls in our lives.

James wrote,

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

In other words, we ought to be accountable to one another. Find a Christian you can trust and share your struggles with them. Have them pray for you. Do the same for them.

And as you do, you’ll find the walls in your lives starting to be rebuilt.

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Ezra Nehemiah

The power to change hearts

Nehemiah and Artaxerxes

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the book of Ezra, at least by the interpretation I’ve been going by (namely that Xerxes and Artaxerxes are Xerxes I and Artaxerxes I respectively), is not chronological.

Chapter 4 of Ezra gives us the background to the beginning of Nehemiah.

After Ezra came to Jerusalem with the initial blessing of Artaxerxes, opposition arose.

Ezra was told by Artaxerxes to use the gold and silver he had given them in order to buy things for their sacrifices at the temple.

Artaxerxes then told Ezra that whatever was left over could be used for whatever seemed best to them (Ezra 7:15–18).

Under Ezra, the people then started to rebuild the walls and foundations of Jerusalem using the money that Artaxerxes had given them.

But opposition arose.

The enemies of the Jews sent a letter to Artaxerxes telling him that if they were to complete these walls, they would rebel against Persia.

They then pointed to Israel’s “history of sedition,” and requested that Artaxerxes look for himself in the Persian records (Ezra 4:14–15).

Artaxerxes did look, and came to the conclusion that the Jews would be a threat if they rebuilt their walls, and so he immediately commanded a stop to this work.

And so we come to Nehemiah.

Years had passed, but Artaxerxes was still on the throne, and the walls that Ezra had been building up were now torn down.

The gates were also burnt down, leaving the Jews vulnerable to any attacks by their enemies.

Nehemiah was a Jew who was a cupbearer to the king. Basically, he brought wine to the king, and tasted it before giving it to the king to make sure it wasn’t poisoned.

Although it may seem a simple job, as a cupbearer, he was considered a high official in the court, and obviously had frequent access to the king.

Also, because of the position of trust he was in, he was often taken into the king’s confidence and had influence with the king.

One day Nehemiah’s brother came with news from Jerusalem about the state of trouble the people were in.

When Nehemiah heard this, he wept, prayed, and fasted before God. He confessed the sin of his people and prayed for favor with the king, namely that his heart toward the Jewish nation would be changed.

This was no small prayer.

It was Artaxerxes after all that had ordered the stoppage of the work on the walls.

Yet God answered.

Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah’s troubled face and asked him what was wrong.

Nehemiah was frightened because it was actually a capital offense to come before the king with less than a cheerful face.

But because of the respect that Artaxerxes had for Nehemiah, he was concerned for his well-being.

With that, Nehemiah breathed a quick prayer for help (I hardly think he prayed for an hour before the king before presenting his request) and told him about the situation in Jerusalem.

And God gave Nehemiah favor in Artaxerxes’ eyes.

What changed Artaxerxes’ heart?

There’s no explanation for it except that God had heard Nehemiah’s prayer.

Perhaps having seen Nehemiah’s humble and loyal service over the years also helped sway Artaxerxes.

Maybe he felt with Nehemiah in charge of the situation, rebellion would not happen after all. Surely this highly trusted Jew would not make this request if he thought rebellion would be the result.

And with that, Artaxerxes gave his blessing.

What can we get from this? I think two things.

First, what may seem insignificant to the kingdom of God can turn out to be very significant.

If Nehemiah had proven himself untrustworthy to the king in his position as cupbearer, there’s no way Artaxerxes would have trusted him when he made his request.

But because Nehemiah had been faithful and loyal as his servant, Artaxerxes trusted him.

You may think that what you’re doing at your job has nothing to do with God’s kingdom.

But by serving faithfully, loyally, and with excellence, you show the people around you what a Christian is, and it will make an impact.

If on the other hand you are unfaithful, and give less than your best, it will have a negative impact on how people view God.

Second, prayer has the power to change hearts.

You may look at your husband, your wife, your boss, or the other people around you and think it’s impossible for God to work in them.

But if you pray for them, and you live a consistent example of Christ to them, it gives God a free hand to work in their hearts.

Is there someone in your life that you long to see change in?

Be an example to them of what a follower of Christ is. Pray for them.

And you will see God work in their lives.

Categories
Ezra

Marrying ourselves to the world

Weeping in rain

This is one of the more difficult passages in the Bible.

God says that he hates divorce, and yet Ezra basically commands those who had taken foreign wives to divorce them.

In some cases, they were to even send away the children that were born to those marriages.

Why did Ezra do this?

I think the main thing to note is that based on the commands God had given the people, these marriages were not lawful.

God had specifically told the people not to intermarry with the people from Canaan (Exodus 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 7:1–6).

Why? Because they were doing atrocious things that God did not want his people to get involved with. Child sacrifice and prostitution were two examples of this.

So in God’s eyes, these were not legitimate marriages.

The book of Malachi confirms this idea.

It’s not certain when Malachi was written, but it was probably written sometime during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

In Malachi, God said this:

Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. (Malachi 2:11)

Right after saying this, Malachi lights into those who divorced their wives.

Some believe that what was happening was that the Jews were divorcing their wives in order to marry these idol-worshipping women.

If this is so, it makes the marriages even more illegitimate. In short, it was adultery in the eyes of God.

The result of all this?

Basically, by marrying these idol-worshippers, the Jews were falling into the same habits that caused their exile (Ezra 9:1–2).

You can understand then why Ezra immediately fell into mourning, and what he meant in his prayer of repentance on behalf of the people.

He prayed,

What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this.

Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices?

Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?

Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant.

Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence. (Ezra 9:13–15)

And so in chapter 10, Ezra called for a purging in Israel.

All those who had taken idol-worshipping women as their wives were to send them and their children away.

You see a powerful picture of the misery of the situation as the people wept in the rain repenting before God in chapter 10.

What can we get from this?

First, I am NOT saying that if you are married to a non-Christian, you should divorce them.

Unlike the Jews, we are no longer living under Mosaic law. Instead we are living under the new covenant of grace.

And the apostle Paul clearly teaches us that as long as our unsaved spouse is willing to live with us, we are not to seek to leave them.

Rather we should pray that they too may be saved. (1 Corinthians 7:12–16)

But there is a principle that we need to be aware of.

When we marry ourselves to the things of this world, it pulls us away from God.

Sometimes these things look beautiful, just as these foreign women looked beautiful to the Jewish men. But when we attach ourselves to them, they pull our hearts away from God.

For some people, they marry themselves to money. They make money their top priority in life.

Others marry themselves to possessions.

Others to power.

And of course, some set aside their relationship with God in order to pursue a romantic relationship with a non-Christian.

But by doing these things, we commit adultery against God.

We’re essentially saying to God, “These things are more important to me than you.”

How about you? Are you in love with the things of this world? What is it doing to your relationship with God?

Let us purge from our lives all that would pull us away from a relationship with him.

Categories
Ezra

The gracious hand of God

Ezra

We now return to the book of Ezra.

Xerxes is now dead (he was assassinated by the commander of his own royal bodyguard), and his son Artaxerxes is now on the throne.

At that time, Ezra, a priest of God living in Persia, made the decision to return to Jerusalem in order to teach the people there God’s word.

One phrase that we see over and over again in these two chapters is “The gracious hand of God.”

We see it as King Artaxerxes granted Ezra everything he asked as he made his trip to Jerusalem.

Artaxerxes gave him an abundant amount of silver and gold to buy all the things they needed to make their sacrifices to God. He also gave him wheat, wine, olive oil, and salt as well.

God’s gracious hand was also seen in sending a man named Sherebiah and two other men who brought in a number of people to help serve in the temple.

And God’s hand was seen as he protected Ezra and his contingent from bandits on their return back to Jerusalem.

Why was God’s hand upon them? Ezra told Artaxerxes the reason.

The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him. (Ezra 8:22)

Ezra had set his heart on seeking God. He had devoted himself to studying God’s word, and it was his heart’s desire that all would know what God had said.

As a result, God blessed him.

How about you? Are you seeing God’s hand on your life?

If not, can you say you are truly seeking him?

Are you making him the center of your life? Does your day begin and end with him? Are you devoting yourself to his word and his work as Ezra did?

It is as you do these things that you will see God work both in you and through you to touch the people around you.

Categories
Esther

Working for the good of the people

Esther

The book of Esther finishes with a brief passage talking about Xerxes’ greatness and of Mordecai’s.

What strikes me here is the last verse where it says,

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. (Esther 10:3)

To many people, being a leader is all about perks. About being served.

But to Mordecai, who certainly enjoyed perks and people serving under him, leadership meant much more.

It meant serving the people. It meant looking out for their good, not just his own. And it meant making sure that his people were cared for.

This was what he had impressed upon Esther in chapter 4, and it was how he carried himself as a leader.

How about you?

As a husband, parent, teacher, boss, or whatever position of leadership you may hold, how do you carry yourself?

Do you look out only for yourself, demanding respect from the people around you?

Or do you work for the good of the people under your leadership?

You notice that it was because Mordecai looked after his people’s good that he was held in high esteem.

You cannot demand respect of people. It must be earned. And the way to earn their respect is to look out for their good, and to care for them as Jesus did.

Paul put it this way,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3–4)

Categories
Esther

Celebrating God’s goodness

Give thanks to the Lord

Feasting. Joy. Celebration.

These are words you see again and again in this chapter.

After the Jews succeeded in defending themselves against their enemies, they celebrated their salvation.

Not only that, but Mordecai and Esther started the first annual celebration not required by the law of Moses, Purim.

In commanding the start of this new holiday, they said,

These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city.

And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews — nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. (Esther 9:28)

What can we get from all this?

Basically, we should never forget God’s goodness in our lives.

Not only that, we should pass on our stories of what he has done in our lives to the next generation.

So often we pray for things, and when God answers our prayers, we give him a brief thank you and then completely forget about it.

That was something that Mordecai and Esther didn’t want to happen. And so they commanded that Purim be celebrated annually so that people would never forget.

When God does good things in your life, write them down.

It might be a good idea to write down your prayer requests, and to take note of how God answered them.

Then, say during Thanksgiving, take the time to go over what you wrote and thank God for them during your celebration. Or do it during Christmas, if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in your country.

And make sure to share with your children all God has done for you.

But above all, let us always remember and pass on what Jesus did to deliver us from our sins.

It’s so easy to start taking it for granted.

But Jesus paid such an awful price that it’s something we should never take for granted.

During Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, be especially sure to celebrate your salvation.

But let us not just do it during those times, but all throughout the year.

As David wrote,

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)

Categories
Esther

The God who defends us

Esther and Xerxes

Now we come to the dramatic scene in which Esther reveals her identity and makes her plea for her people before Xerxes.

I’m guessing that by this time, most of her fears are gone, as Xerxes has by this point shown her great favor.

Still, perhaps there was a little doubt in her heart whether he would side with Haman or with her.

It must have warmed her heart to see the concern Xerxes showed when she told him that she and her people were in great danger. Xerxes answered hotly,

Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing? (Esther 7:5)

Haman must have been stunned to hear himself named, and in the next instant must have realized that Esther was a Jew.

Xerxes made the same realization at the same time, and was so upset that he walked out of the room to clear his mind.

Haman knew he was in deep trouble and so he went to Esther to plead for his life.

Esther meanwhile must have been terrified, thinking that Haman was coming to attack her, and it was at this point that Xerxes came back into the room.

And when he saw Haman near Esther (a serious breach of Persian protocol; no man was ever to come within seven steps of the queen), and perhaps seeing a look of terror on her face, he immediately exclaimed,

Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house? (Esther 7:8)

One of Xerxes’ servants spoke up at that moment, telling the king about how Haman had built gallows to hang Mordecai, who had saved Xerxes’ life.

At which point, Xerxes said, “Hang him on it.”

Esther then brought Mordecai before Xerxes, and he made Mordecai prime minister in Haman’s place.

Once again Esther pleaded for her people, and though Xerxes couldn’t repeal the law he had made (he was not above the law), nevertheless, he gave Mordecai and Esther the authority to at least nullify its effects.

Mordecai and Esther made a new law that said that the Jews had the right to defend themselves.

Some people have interpreted this law to mean that the Jews also had the right to exterminate the women and children of those who tried to destroy them.

But it likely means (as the NIV reflects) that the Jews could defend themselves against those who tried to attack them, their wives, and their children.

The right to take plunder was also probably added as an extra deterrent to those who would think about trying to attack the Jews.

Despite this provision, it should be noted that none of the Jews actually did plunder their enemies.

Some people have also criticized the hanging of Haman’s sons.

I should point out, however, that they were actually killed while trying to destroy the Jews (Esther 9:5–10).

Their dead bodies were then hung as an example to all those who would try the atrocities they had tried to commit.

What can we get from all this? Two things.

First, just as Xerxes rose up to defend his wife and her people, so God rises up to defend us.

When the Enemy comes up against us to destroy us, God doesn’t leave us helpless. Instead he fights for us and he will cast down the enemy. Such is the great love God has for us.

Second, although Xerxes was on their side, the Jews still had to fight.

In the same way, though God is on our side, we still have a spiritual battle to fight. Because of this, God calls us to arm ourselves with his armor (Ephesians 6:10–18).

So when we’re under spiritual attack, let us take heart. God is with us.

And let us gird ourselves with his armor, fighting the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

Remember that because of him, we have already won the victory.

Categories
Esther

The God who controls chance

Esther

Haman threw his lot to determine the day that he would destroy the Jews. Then God threw his own lot into the picture.

After Haman returned from his banquet with Xerxes and the queen, he was on top of the world.

He must’ve been thinking of how important he was to be the only other person invited to Esther’s banquet besides the king.

Not only that, she seemed to have a request to make, and she so recognized Haman’s importance, she wanted his help too.

But as he was returning home, he once again passed by Mordecai, and he saw that Mordecai, despite Haman’s plan to execute the Jews, still didn’t show him any honor, nor did he show any fear.

And so upon the advice of his family and friends, he decided to go before Xerxes the next morning to ask permission to hang Mordecai.

But that night, by chance, Xerxes couldn’t sleep. And so, by chance, he happened to ask that the record of his reign be read to him.

As it was being read, Xerxes was reminded of how Mordecai had saved his life by uncovering the plot to kill him.

But he noticed something missing in the record, namely that no reward had been given to Mordecai.

So he asked if any of his advisers were nearby, and by chance, Haman happened to have just arrived to make his request to hang Mordecai.

Xerxes asked Haman what should be done for the man that he wanted to honor, and Haman in his pride assumed that Xerxes was referring to him.

And so he thought of the grandest thing he could think of, only to find out too late that it was Mordecai that Xerxes was thinking of.

As a result, Haman was humiliated that day. He was forced to parade Mordecai around the city shouting, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

What can we learn from this?

There certainly were a lot of coincidences in this story. Or were they?

I prefer to call them Godincidences. God stepping into time and space and intervening in his creation to achieve his purposes.

Keeping Xerxes awake at night. Putting the idea of going over the Persian chronicles. And finally bringing Haman in at just the right time, not only to preserve Mordecai’s life, but to humble Haman.

God intervened in Esther’s time, and he still does it today.

With God, nothing is left to chance.

Categories
Esther

Courage

Esther

If there was one quality that both Mordecai and Esther had, it was courage.

Whether you agree or not with Mordecai’s decision not to bow to Haman, it did require courage not to do so, especially in the face of the pressure he received from the royal officials.

And here, he admonished his cousin Esther to have courage too.

When Esther heard that Mordecai was in mourning, she immediately sent her servants to find out what was wrong.

Mordecai then told her of the coming disaster, and asked her to intercede for them before the king.

But there was a problem. Esther hadn’t seen the king in a month.

Whether it was that he was simply too busy, or that perhaps his attention was being taken by one of his other concubines at the time, not only had Esther not seen Xerxes, she wasn’t sure if he wanted to see her.

One wonders what seeds of doubt might have crept into her heart at that time.

Did she start to wonder if Xerxes had found out about her Jewish background, and had passed this law in order to get rid of her?

According to Persian law, it was forbidden to go before the king without invitation. To do so meant death, unless the king extended his scepter to that person.

Still, in Persian history, it was not unheard of for a person to send a letter to the king asking for an audience.

Esther could have done so, but apparently, she didn’t have enough confidence in her relationship with Xerxes to do even that.

So, with all of these things possibly running through Esther’s mind, you can understand her reluctance to go before Xerxes on behalf of her people, and she told Mordecai as much.

But Mordecai told her,

Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13–14)

Hard words. But Esther did what she had always done, and followed the words of Mordecai. She told him,

Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do.

When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)

People often criticize the book of Esther not mentioning the name of God, but I think there’s little doubt that this time of fasting also included seeking God’s favor.

And God answered. She probably went before the king, heart threatening to beat right out of her chest.

But when Xerxes saw Esther, he extended his scepter to her. And with that act began the salvation of her people.

What can we get from this?

Sometimes we face hard decisions in our lives that require courage. Sometimes, like Esther, we face hard words that challenge us to do something that we know is right. And it’s so much easier to just do nothing.

We make excuses for why we shouldn’t act. Sometimes, those excuses even make a lot of sense. There are (seemingly) good reasons for not doing what God asks us to do.

But courage means doing what God has asked us to do no matter the cost.

For Esther, it meant going before Xerxes even possibly at the cost of her life.

There were no guarantees that Xerxes would spare her life. But Esther entrusted her life to God, doing what he wanted her to do.

We too have no guarantees that if we do God’s will, everything will turn out happily. Sometimes life gets much harder.

Jesus lived perfectly within the will of God, but he was mocked, beaten, and killed.

Many of his followers suffered the same fate, despite being in God’s will.

But as Mordecai said, God has placed us where we are to do his will.

So let us follow him, like Esther did, no matter what.

Remember the words of Jesus who said,

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. (Luke 9:23–24)

Categories
Esther

Two proud men

God gives grace to the humble

It’s very interesting to me that one chapter after I praise Mordecai for honoring the king, I have to criticize him for his pride and stubbornness in not doing so for Haman.

The Bible is silent on why Mordecai refused to kneel before Haman, but we can make some guesses why.

This is, of course, speculation on my part so feel free to disagree with me (and more than a few do), but I find it hard to believe it was because Haman was expecting worship as God.

For one thing, Xerxes was the one who had ordered the people to pay Haman honor. For another thing, I can’t imagine that Xerxes would order that people honor Haman in a way that he wouldn’t demand for himself.

We also see later that Xerxes raises Mordecai to second in command in the kingdom, but it seems highly unlikely that he would do so if Mordecai refused to kneel before him as he refused to do for Haman.

So what was the reason for Mordecai’s refusal? If you look at Mordecai’s family history, it seems that he was related to King Saul, the first king of Israel.

As you may recall, God ordered Saul to destroy the Amalekites, whose king was Agag. Saul failed to do so, and God stripped him of his kingdom for his disobedience. (1 Samuel 15).

As a result, not only was there a long history of hostility between the Jews and the Amalekites, but there was also a personal element to this hostility between Mordecai and Haman.

My guess is that it was this that caused Mordecai to balk at bowing before Haman and paying him any honor.

In short, it was his pride.

Haman, meanwhile, apparently had his nose stuck so high in the air as he walked that he didn’t even notice Mordecai’s slight until the royal officials informed him of it. At which point, Haman became furious at this lack of respect.

And when he found out that Mordecai was a Jew, he determined not only to kill Mordecai, but to wipe out the Jews as well, probably because of the hostility between their peoples.

Haman allowed his pride to guide his actions, and it ultimately led to his downfall.

Mordecai also allowed his pride to guide his actions, and it very well could have led to the destruction of the Jews apart from God’s grace.

I wonder if Mordecai realized just how wrong his attitude had been as he wore sackcloth and ashes as he mourned by the king’s gate. (Esther 4:1)

What about you? What guides your actions?

Does God’s Spirit and his Word guide your actions?

Or does your pride?

If we let pride rule in our lives, it will cause ruin in our lives.

How many marriages have fallen because of pride? How many relationships? How many careers and ministries?

Let us learn to be humble. Humble before God. Humble before others.

As James wrote,

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. (James 4:6)

Categories
Esther

Honoring those in authority

Esther

Having said what I did about Esther and Mordecai yesterday, some of you may think that I have little respect for them.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

While I’m not sure I can agree with all of their decisions, there is a lot to be said about their overall character.

I could say the same of many of the great characters in the Bible, including Abraham, David, and Paul, among many others.

And here we see some of the character of Mordecai.

He hears a plot against the king by two men who seemed to have a grudge against him. He then warns Esther, who in turn warns the king, saving his life.

One wonders what Mordecai’s true feelings concerning Xerxes were.

He knew about Xerxes’ ill treatment of Vashti and of Xerxes’ attitude toward women in general. (Just think about the number of women that passed through his bedroom doors during the contest alone.)

Xerxes also certainly wasn’t a God-fearer, nor was he a peaceable man according to history.

And yet, Mordecai, regardless of his personal feelings, nevertheless respected the office of the king, something that the two would-be assassins definitely didn’t do.

So when he heard of the plot, he immediately took steps to prevent it.

We find out later that though he saved the king’s life, the king didn’t give him a second thought until much later.

Yet we see no hint of resentment or bitterness in his heart. To him, he was only doing what was right, namely, honoring those in authority.

The apostle Peter wrote,

Show proper respect to everyone… fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

Sometimes, we feel that the people in authority don’t deserve our respect. We complain about the things our president does, or our boss does, or our parents do.

But here, God makes it clear that we are to honor them anyway.

Why? Paul adds these words,

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.

The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)

In other words, we honor those in authority out of our fear of God, and the fact that he is the one that ultimately put them in authority over us.

Are there people that God has placed over you that you struggle to submit to?

God doesn’t call you to submit out of your reverence for them necessarily, although it certainly helps if you can do so. He calls you to submit out of your reverence for God.

Submission can be a difficult thing.

But let us submit ourselves to those in authority, and in so doing, show our reverence for God.

Categories
Esther

Working because of us or in spite of us?

Esther

As I was looking through one of my commentaries getting background for the book of Esther, one of them mentioned some of the moral issues people have had as they studied this book.

It also noted that the name of God is not mentioned once in the entire book and addressed some of the possible reasons why.

One possible reason was that it was written as an explanation to the Persians for the Feast of Purim, and that they were not so interested in the religious aspect of things.

Another interesting reason that the commentary proposed was that perhaps God really wasn’t actively involved in this entire episode.

Rather it was showing how people were trying to do things in their own wisdom and strength while pushing God to the side.

This wouldn’t be the first time we see this in the Bible.

Certainly, most of the book of Ecclesiastes was that way. But you also see this in the life of King Saul, and even people like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Looking at the book as a whole, I’m not convinced that God was not involved. I personally think he was.

The question then becomes, did he sanction every action that Esther and Mordecai took? And that, I’m not entirely certain of.

Chapter 2 includes some of my biggest concerns.

One question is how voluntary was Esther’s decision to become part of the “contest” to become queen?

Did she have a choice? Did Mordecai push her in that direction?

If so, there is a serious issue in that God forbade this kind of marriage to heathen people. We will see this later in the book of Ezra.

It should also be noted that once she was in this “contest,” there was no getting out even if she didn’t win.

After spending the night with the king, if she didn’t find favor with him, she would become one of the concubines of the king for life, even if she never saw him again. And she probably would never see him again.

This is hardly the kind of situation they should have been aiming for.

If it wasn’t voluntary, then why did Mordecai insist that she hide her identity?

The only thing I can think of is that he wanted her to become the queen, and being a Jew would be a hindrance to that.

But did he really want her to be queen, considering God’s feelings on intermarriage with ungodly people?

If she had been up front with the Persians, it might have been possible she would’ve been dismissed before even seeing Xerxes, thus escaping becoming his wife, or being put into his harem.

Some might say, “But if she hadn’t become queen, the Jews would have been slaughtered.”

But there are two points that should be made here.

Mordecai makes it crystal clear to Esther in chapter 4 that if she did nothing, deliverance for the Jews would come from somewhere else.

Wouldn’t that equally apply to the situation in which Esther did not become queen?

Second, if she had been up front with her background, would Haman still have plotted to destroy the Jews knowing that the queen was one?

My point is this: Is God working in us because we are in line with his will? Or is he working in us in spite of our decisions?

Like I said, I do believe God was working in the situation. And since Esther was already queen, I think he chose to use her.

But I’m equally convinced that had she not been queen, he would’ve worked out the Jews’ deliverance another way.

Am I then trying to disparage Esther and Mordecai, saying that they were terrible people?

No. They were probably people who were trying to do their best in bad circumstances.

But just because they were doing their best doesn’t mean they were always doing what was right.

And in this case, they were probably doing what was right in their own eyes, rather than God’s, just as the people in the book of Judges did (Judges 21:25).

What can we get from all this? Be careful about what you do.

Judge everything you do by God’s Word. Judge things by what he says is right, and not by what you think is right.

You may justify what you do by your circumstances. You may even point to the fact that God used you to do something good.

But again, the question is, did he use you because you were in line with his will, or in spite of the fact that you weren’t?

Categories
Esther

Honoring your wife

Xerxes waiting for Vashti

We are now hitting the book of Esther.

I must admit it took me by surprise that assuming, as many people do, that the Xerxes mentioned in Esther is Xerxes I, that these events happened during the time of Ezra.

Somehow, I always thought it happened well after Ezra and Nehemiah.

I will say here, however, that there is some disagreement on whether it was Xerxes I or not. Some believe he was Artaxerxes I and some believe he is Artaxerxes II.

For the purposes of this blog, I’ll go with the traditional view that it was Xerxes I.

In this passage, we see the background to Esther’s rise as queen.

Xerxes was holding a great banquet for all of his nobles and officials. It seems that during this feast, he was attempting to impress all of these people with his wealth and power.

But in doing so, he chose to call his queen to the banquet in order to basically parade her beauty in front of them all. But to his humiliation, she refused to come.

When he asked his advisors to advise him on what to do, they said,

Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.

For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’

This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord. (Esther 1:16–18)

They then counseled him to permanently banish her from his presence in order that,

all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest. (20)

Xerxes agreed, issuing the proclamation while adding that,

“Every man should be ruler over his own household.” (22)

What do we get from all this?

So many husbands are like Xerxes, who treat their wives not as people, but as things. Despite this, they demand respect from their wives, some even quoting scripture while doing so.

But while God does indeed command that wives respect their husbands, it would be much better for husbands to worry about how they’re treating their wives than how their wives are treating them.

If husbands were the kind of leaders that Jesus was, and as God has commanded us to be (Ephesians 5:25–28), do you think they would have much of a problem getting respect from their wives?

If you treat your wife not as an object, but as a person that you value highly, if you sacrifice your own needs to meet hers, if you love her as Christ does, how do you think she’ll respond?

So many people are caught in a downward spiral in their marriages.

The husbands don’t love their wives, so they don’t respect their husbands.

The husbands don’t feel respected, so they show less love.

The wives feel less love, so they show less respect.

And the cycle goes down in an endless spiral all the way to divorce.

May I suggest husbands, if you’re reading this, that as the leader in the household, God calls on you to be the one that stops that spiral downward?

That instead of showing less love because you feel no respect, you should start showing more love?

I would bet that if you start to do so, your wife will start showing you more respect.

It may take time, however, as there are probably years of wounds that have to be healed.

She’ll be wondering, “How long will this last? Is it just a phase? I’ve been hurt so often by him. Can I really trust him?”

Husbands, keep at it. Win her trust once again.

It’ll probably have to start with setting aside your pride and apologizing to her.

Tell her, “I haven’t been loving you as I should. Will you forgive me?”

And ask for God’s help in the process.

Wives, if you are reading this, then maybe God is calling you to stop the downward spiral.

It’s not easy. We men can be pig-headed and hard-hearted. But pray for us.

And ask God to help you find at least one thing, however small, that you can respect him for. Then voice that respect to your husband.

You may be amazed at how such a little thing can make such a big difference.

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Zechariah

The bringer of victory, life, and light

Zechariah

As we come to the conclusion of Zechariah, we see the second coming of Christ and the time of the Millennium.

It starts once again with the nations rising up against Jerusalem to crush it, and in so doing, half of its inhabitants will be sent into exile.

But then, Jesus will return, and as he sets foot on the Mount of Olives, it will split in two.

The lights will dwindle, but God himself will bring light to the earth, so that even at night, it will be light. As it says in Revelation,

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:23)

Not only that, but from Jerusalem will flow living water. This is probably the same thing that was written about in Ezekiel 47:3–11 which we have looked at earlier.

God will then fight for Israel, casting down its enemies through plagues.

I kind of wonder from verse 12 if God will turn the nations’ nuclear weapons against themselves. It certainly sounds like some kind of nuclear disaster, anyway. But this is pure speculation on my part.

But anyway, from that point on, people from all over the earth will acknowledge him as King, rejoicing in his goodness.

The Feast of Tabernacles was one of rejoicing out of gratefulness towards God. Rejoicing in how God brought his people out of slavery to Egypt, and gratefulness for his presence with them as he kept them safe through their time in the desert.

We too, will rejoice at how God brought us out of slavery to Satan’s kingdom, and brought us through the trials of life until the day he finally makes all things new.

For all those who refuse to turn to God, however, they will only find judgment.

What can we get from all this?

God is the bringer of victory. Though Satan fights against God and us, God will triumph.

He actually has already triumphed. He triumphed when Jesus died on the cross, but Satan just doesn’t want to admit it.

But whatever trials we may go through, we know that we have victory. And not only will we have victory over our trials, but we’ll have victory over sin and death itself.

As Paul said,

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

God is the giver of life. Just as the water will flow out from Jerusalem and make even the Dead Sea fresh and alive, God’s Spirit will flow into our lives and give us life.

But for all those who are apart from God, they will be cut off from life, and find only misery.

Finally, God is the giver of light. When all is dark, and we have no hope, he gives us light to see and restores our hope once more. When we can’t see our way and which path we should take, he shines the light on the right path.

Lord, thank you that you give us victory, life, and light.

Let us cling to you every day, and as we do, make us holy unto you. May we be pure before you, set apart for your purposes as we live our lives each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Zechariah

Purified

Zechariah

In this passage, it continues talking about the repentance of the Jews. That during the last days, by God’s grace and the blood of the one they had pierced two thousand years ago, they will be purified and cleansed from their sins.

All idolatry and all the false prophets will be wiped out from the land, and it will truly be a land holy to the Lord.

But before that could happen, the Good Shepherd had to be struck, and the flock scattered.

That’s exactly what happened to Jesus. He was arrested, and all his followers fled. He was mocked, whipped, beaten, and ultimately crucified.

And because the Jews had rejected their Savior, God’s hand fell against them, and their nation was destroyed.

Even so, God’s grace continues to shine through. Though many Jews will perish, there will be a remnant of those who will follow the Messiah, and God says of them,

This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.

They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ (Zechariah 13:9)

God never does promise that we won’t go through times of trial and trouble. In fact, Jesus warned us, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)

But God will use them to refine us and make us into the pure ones he created us to be. And when we call on him, he will answer.

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Zechariah

That we may see

Zechariah

In this passage, we see a glimpse of Israel’s future.

Sometimes people think that God has abandoned Israel, and that God’s promises to them have all been transferred to the church. But that’s not true. As Paul said concerning Israel,

As far as election is concerned, they (the Jews) are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:28–29)

And so in this passage we see how the blinders will be taken off their eyes that they might see again.

It starts with God’s protection over the Jews in the final days when the nations come against Israel to destroy it. But God says that when that happens, the nations will be the ones hurt and sent reeling. (Zechariah 12:2–3)

That will begin the taking off of the blinders, as all Israel will realize that it is God who is protecting them. The day will come when they will say,

The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God. (Zechariah 12:5)

And as they continue to see God’s salvation in their lives, they will make another realization. The Messiah that they have been longing for has already come. That two thousand years ago, they crucified him.

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.

They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10)

At that time, Israel will repent and recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and all Israel shall be saved. (Romans 11:26)

As I look at this, I marvel at the grace of God. Though Israel will not be looking for him, or at least will be looking for him in all the wrong directions, nevertheless they will find him.

Not because they deserve it, nor because they are better than anyone else, but because of God’s love and mercy.

It’s the same with us. He pours out his Spirit of grace and mercy on us that we may see and repent. And when we see Jesus as our Messiah, our Savior, then we like the Jews will find salvation.

As the old song goes,

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost,
But now I’m found.
Was blind, but now I see.

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Zechariah

When we reject the Savior

Silver coins

God loves word pictures. Jesus showed this through his parables. You also see this throughout the prophets.

And in this chapter, we see yet another example of this.

It starts with a picture of the devastation of Israel represented by the falling of the forests and trees.

From the forest of Lebanon to the oaks of Bashan to the thickets of the Jordan, all would fall and be ruined.

(The forest of Lebanon is linked by rabbis with the second temple that was built in Ezra’s time as it was built of cedars from Lebanon. Bashan was a land east of the Jordan, which had been taken over by the Israelites after the king of that land, Og, had attacked them.)

Why? The answer is given in the rest of the chapter. The people had rejected their Messiah. Zechariah apparently took on the role of a shepherd to illustrate all of this to the people.

God told him to take charge of a flock marked for slaughter, which represented Israel. They were marked for judgment because they had rejected God.

This judgment is probably seen in the intertestamental period all the way down through the Roman empire.

And then in the midst of this, appears the Messiah, as represented by Zechariah. He comes wielding two staffs, “Favor” referring to God’s favor on the people, and “Union” representing the unity of Israel as a nation.

He gets rid of the bad shepherds that had hurt the flock (perhaps the false prophets, priests, and wicked kings that Israel had had), and looks after the flock, especially the oppressed.

But his flock detests him, and so he lets them go their own way. He takes away his favor from them, and the result is the destruction of the nation under Titus in A.D. 70.

In pay for his services, he is paid thirty pieces of silver, the price for a slave, and considered a trifling amount. (When it says “a handsome price,” it’s said sarcastically).

This was then thrown to the potter at the house of the Lord.

All of this, of course, points to the betrayal of Jesus and how he was sold for thirty pieces of silver, and how that silver was used to buy a potter’s field that was used for a burial ground.

The unity of the nation was thus shattered and not restored until the twentieth century. And the time will come, when another false shepherd will arise who cares nothing for the flock.

This probably refers to Antichrist, who will eventually be cast down and punished for his treatment of Israel.

In this passage, we see not only the results of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, our Savior, but what happens when we do so.

God reached down to us through Jesus to save us from Satan’s oppression. But if we reject him, he will leave us to the consequences of our sin, and judgment will come.

We will not know his favor, nor the strength that comes from the unity of his people. Instead, there will only be destruction and death.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way,

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26–31)

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Zechariah

All of God

Zechariah

In this passage, Zechariah talks further about the salvation of Israel. But the thing that I notice here more than anything else are these words…

It is the Lord who…

The Lord Almighty will…

I (the Lord) will…

In his name…

In other words, all that we have is from God and God alone.

It is from God that we receive the spring rains and food from the earth. (Zechariah 10:1)

It is the Lord who will punish those who would lead his people astray, and it is the Lord who will take care of his flock. (Zechariah 10:3)

It is the Lord who will strengthen, save, and restore us. It is the Lord who will answer us when we call. (Zechariah 10:6)

It is the Lord who will call us, gather us to himself, and redeem us. (Zechariah 10:8)

And it is in his name that we will live securely. (Zechariah 10:12)

Why does he do all these things for us? Is it because we’re so deserving of it all? No, it is all because of his grace.

Everything that we have, everything that we are, it is all of God and all of grace.

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Zechariah

The Prince of Peace

Jesus on donkey

In this passage, we see more prophecies of Jesus, some of which were fulfilled in his first coming, while others are yet to come.

It says in verse 9,

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

This was fulfilled, of course, when Jesus came into Jerusalem shortly before he was crucified.

Why a donkey, and not a horse? Basically, in those days, a king rode horses during times of war, while they would ride donkeys in times of peace.

Jesus came into Jerusalem not as a conquering king, but as the Prince of Peace.

And when Jesus comes again, he will come in defense of his people, and bring war to a final end.

In verse 10, it says,

I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken.

He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10)

To those who are held captive and in despair, he will bring freedom and hope. Why?

Because of the blood of my covenant with you. (Zechariah 9:11)

This is probably pointing back to the covenant made under Moses, which is all the Jews in Zechariah’s time knew.

But it’s worth pointing out that the sacrifices under the old covenant were shadows of the new covenant made in Christ’s blood.

And it is through Christ’s blood that all of us who were held captive in Satan’s kingdom were set free and given hope.

And so God says of his people Israel, but also of us,

The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.

How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women. (Zechariah 9:16–17)

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Zechariah

The God who watches over all

Zechariah

This passage starts with the people’s eyes upon the Lord, looking to see what he would do.

And here we see how God would bring Alexander the Great to bring judgment upon Syria, Tyre and Sidon, and Philistia.

The prophecies here detail the route Alexander took in his campaigns. He started with Hadrach (probably a place in Syria) and Damascus. Then he conquered Tyre and Sidon.

Tyre had been a place that even the Assyrians and Babylonians could not conquer, despite sieges of five and thirteen years respectively. But Alexander managed to conquer it within seven months.

Alexander then went on to conquer the Philistines (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and Ashdod were all cities there).

He ended the Philistine monarchy, and depopulated the cities before bringing in other people to live there in the Philistines’ place.

But then it says in verse 8,

But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces.

Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch. (Zechariah 9:8)

In the midst of Alexander’s campaigns, Jerusalem was spared.

Josephus tells the account of how God appeared to the high priest in a dream and told him not to fear but to open the city gates and to go meet Alexander when he came.

The high priest went out with purple and gold clothing, while the rest of the priests went out in white linen.

When they did, Alexander approached the high priest, and kissed the name of God that was on the golden plate that was on the priest’s headpiece.

When asked why he did so, he said that he had had a dream in which he had seen a person wearing the same clothing bidding him to cross Asia and conquer the Persian empire.

Alexander then allowed the Jews to keep living according to their own laws, and also made them exempt from taxes every seven years.

What can we get from this? God is truly the one who watches over all and is in control.

To those who defy him will eventually come judgment. But to those who humble themselves before him, he will protect them.

He did so for the Jews and he will do so for us. As David wrote,

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:7–8)

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Zechariah

Saved to be a blessing

Zechariah

The book of Zechariah is full of warnings and admonitions. But as we have seen, it also has words of encouragement as well. And in this passage we see a bit of both.

God starts with words of encouragement, telling the people that Jerusalem would indeed be restored and that it would become a place of joy and safety for those who lived there.

More, he told them that those who had been scattered would be brought back, and that they would be his people and he would be their God once again.

For those who had a hard time imagining it, he reminded them that he is the God that can do all things, saying,

It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me? (Zechariah 8:6)

And so he charged the people,

Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built. (Zechariah 8:9)

God tells us the same. That through his power, we have been saved. And now, we are to take courage, even in the face of opposition, and to become the temple that God intended us to be, holy and set apart for his use as he dwells within us.

But then he said,

Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. (Zechariah 8:13)

Before we were saved, our lives were cursed by sins, and we cursed others by the sins we committed against them. But God tells us that now that we have been saved, we will become a blessing to them instead.

That’s the same promise that God gave to Abraham. That he would bless him and make him a blessing to those around.

God wants the same for us. So he tells us,

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.

I hate all this, declares the Lord. (Zechariah 8:16–17)

In short, he calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. And as we do, people will be drawn to us and to him.

Zechariah closes the chapter by saying,

Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’ (Zechariah 8:22–23)

One day, people will say that of the Jews.

But may the same be said of us, as we live our lives each day.

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Zechariah

False piety

Zechariah

Many people criticize Christians for hypocrisy, warranted or not. But to God, it is a serious issue.

In this passage, we see the returnees who had been exiled to Babylon coming before Zechariah and asking if they should continue fasting in the fifth and seventh months as they and their parents had done for the previous seventy years.

But God replied to Zechariah,

Ask all the people of the land and the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?

And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?” (Zechariah 7:5–6)

In other words, “You did these religious rituals, but it meant nothing because it didn’t come from your heart. It was just a show.”

The word “hypocrite” originally meant a “stage actor.” And that’s what these exiles were. They pretended to be pious, but in reality, they were not.

Then God reminded them of what he had commanded their forefathers before the exile.

This is what the Lord Almighty said:

‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’

But they refused to pay attention. (Zechariah 7:9–11)

And God warned them that it was because they had hardened their hearts that they had been sent into exile in the first place.

‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 7:13)

What do we take from all of this?

God isn’t impressed with our pious religious rituals. He’s more concerned with our daily lives. How do we treat others? Do we show mercy and compassion to others? And are we concerned with true justice?

I was watching a movie today, Amazing Grace, about William Wilberforce’s efforts to get the slave trade banned in Great Britain.

As I think of Wilberforce’s life, I think that’s the kind of thing God wants from all of us. Wilberforce had compassion on those who were being shipped and dying as slaves, and worked hard for its abolishment.

We may not have the same kind of influence on a country-wide scale as Wilberforce did. But we do have influence with every single person that we touch. At home. At work. In our neighborhoods.

Do people see the compassion and mercy of Christ in our lives?

That’s what God wants from us. And that’s what’s ultimately going to change this world: the body of Christ showing his love and compassion to all we come in contact with.

Let us not be hypocrites who merely go to church, read the Bible, and pray.

Let us be people who are filled with God’s compassion and mercy. And let’s make a difference in this world that God has put us in.

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Zechariah

He who will come again

Zechariah

One of my favorite Easter songs is “Rise Again,” by Dallas Holm. In the last verse of the song, it says,

Go ahead
Say I’m dead and gone.
But you will see that you were wrong.

Go ahead,
Try to hide the Son.
But all will see that I’m the one.

’Cause I’ll come again.
Ain’t no power on earth can keep me back.
’Cause I’ll come again.
Come to take my people back.

In this passage, we see something of Christ’s return.

In verses 1–8, we see the judgment that will come upon the earth and its kingdoms.

If we compare this passage to Revelation 6, we see that the white horses represent war; the red horses, violence and bloodshed; the black horses, famine and death.

The dappled horses probably correspond to the pale horses of Revelation, perhaps symbolizing death by plagues.

But terrible as these things are, God is in control.

Until now, believe it or not, this judgment has actually been held in check by the hand of God.

But the time will come when he fully releases it upon all the earth and we’ll experience a time of trouble beyond what we’ve ever known.

But after all this, Jesus will come again, and he is represented here by someone of the same name, Joshua (which as I’ve mentioned before is the Hebrew version of the Greek name Jesus).

Joshua, as we’ve seen, was the high priest at the time. But Zechariah was told to make a crown for him and to put it on his head. And as he did, he was to make a prophecy of the one he symbolized, the coming Messiah.

Unlike Joshua, who was merely a priest, and unlike Zerubbabel who was merely a governor (not even a king, though he was of royal blood), one was coming who would be both king and high priest.

Zechariah said of him,

It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne.

And there will be harmony between the two. (Zechariah 6:13)

The temple mentioned here is probably the temple written about in Ezekiel 40–43, not the one Joshua and Zerubbabel were building. And Zechariah says that at the time this new temple is built, Jesus will be the perfect king and priest.

What do we take from all this? Hope.

We look at the world around us and see all the trouble surrounding us. We look at our political leaders, and we see people that cannot be fully trusted. The words “honest politician” are seen as an oxymoron.

Ministers of Christ don’t always have the greatest reputations either. Many are often scoffed at with all the scandals that we have seen in the church, and people often look for the first sign of hypocrisy in them.

But when Jesus comes, he will reign in righteousness, and his holiness will be beyond reproach. Through him, we will all see what the Father is truly like.

So let us not get discouraged by all the wars, disease, famines, and natural disasters that we see. God is in control.

And let us not be disheartened by the corrupt political and spiritual leaders that we see either. Jesus is coming back.

So let us focus on him, rather than all these other things. If we focus on these other things, it’s easy to lose hope. But when we focus on him, our hope can never be taken from us.

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Zechariah

The purging of all evil

Zechariah

Happy Easter for those of you across the international date line. I celebrated Easter yesterday in what turned out to be a very long (but great) day, so I didn’t get around to doing this blog.

Anyway, the visions kept coming to Zechariah, and this one concerns the purging of evil from Israel.

In the first vision, Zechariah saw a flying scroll that on one side listed the curses for stealing, and on the other listed the curses for swearing falsely.

Although it lists only two of the ten commandments God had given Moses, those two commandments are probably representative of all the commandments. For as James put it,

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)

Perhaps these two sins were particularly representative of the Israelites of that time. Or perhaps, it had a broader meaning of hurting your neighbor (stealing) and despising the holiness of God (using his name to make false oaths).

Two things to note from this vision. First, because of the size of the scroll, there was no excuse for anyone not to know judgment was coming. Anyone could easily read it.

Second, judgment is certain. God said,

I will send [the curse] out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name.

It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones. (Zechariah 5:4)

In the second vision, God shows Zechariah how he would purge all evil from the land.

Zechariah saw a basket that represented evil in the land. And within it, we see the source of the wickedness (represented by a woman) trying to rise out, only to be pushed back in by the angel.

Then two women carried it out of Israel to bring wickedness to a place where it would be more welcome, the land of Babylonia.

What can we get from all of this? First, the day is coming when evil will be dealt with. Satan will fight God to the bitter end, but no matter how hard he fights, he will be overcome.

Second, let us purge ourselves from the evil that is within us. God has made it crystal clear how he feels about sin, and that judgment is coming because of it. We have no excuse for not knowing.

So as Paul said,

Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

There is a balance in this of course. We do not purify ourselves by our own efforts alone. In our own strength it would be impossible.

But God does give us the strength and ability to live holy lives for him (2 Peter 1:3–4).

And as he carried away evil from Israel in Zechariah’s vision, so he will carry evil from our lives as we follow him. This is the process called “sanctification.”

As Paul also wrote,

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)

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Zechariah

Filled to do His work, in his power

Menorah

The more I’m reading Zechariah, the more I’m starting to love it. This is another great passage that’s rich in meaning.

The temple was still under construction at this time, and the people were still facing opposition.

It was uncertain whether Darius would continue to allow the rebuilding project, and perhaps Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah at that time, was growing discouraged.

But at that time, God gave Zechariah a vision of a golden lampstand, like that of those found in the temple.

But while the lampstands in the temple constantly needed to be refilled by the high priest, these lampstands were filled by two olive branches.

And then the angel gave Zechariah this message:

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain?

Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.” (Zechariah 4:6–9)

In other words, God was saying, “Don’t worry. You’re not going to complete this project because of your own strength or by the power of those who support you. Instead this project will be done by my Spirit working in you.

And though you may face giant obstacles, they will become level before you. Thus, when you bring out the capstone to this temple, you will know that it was by my grace that it happened.”

The NASB puts verse 7 this way,

He will bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ (Zechariah 4:7)

To those who were discouraged by the slow start, and by how pale this temple seemed in comparison to the one built by Solomon, God said,

Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel? (Zechariah 4:10)

In other words, “What you have done, and what you are doing may seem small and insignificant. But don’t despise small beginnings.

And don’t despise the things that I have called you to do, no matter how small they may seem. For I rejoice when my people do my work, and you will be rewarded.”

Zechariah then closes with an explanation of the lamp and the two olive trees at the beginning of the vision.

When he asked about them, and particularly the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes pouring out golden oil, the angel replied,

These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth. (Zechariah 4:14)

This is in reference to Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, two men that God had chosen to serve him and to complete the project of the temple he had given them.

But to me, the most significant thing is this: Oil is often used as a symbol of God’s Spirit. And here we see two men of God whom the Spirit filled and from whom his Spirit poured out to do his work.

In the same way, God fills us up with his Spirit by his grace. And through us, his Spirit pours out to do his work: to touch the lives of the people around us and to make a difference in this world.

As we do, God’s will will be accomplished not by our own might and power, but by his Spirit flowing through us.

So let us do his work, not despising the day of small things. And through his Spirit constantly pouring in us and through us, we will make a difference in this world.

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Zechariah

Free from accusation

Joshua the priest

This is probably one of my favorite passages in the entire Old Testament, basically because of how rich in meaning it is for us who are Christians.

In this passage, Joshua, the high priest was standing before the Lord, and Satan was hurling accusations against him.

What’s more, they were probably true accusations, for Joshua was standing before the Lord with clothes stained with sin.

But at that point, the Lord said,

The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you!

Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire? (Zechariah 3:2)

Very interesting to me that it says, “The Lord said, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan.’” Could it be that this messenger (angel actually just means “messenger”) was Jesus himself?

At any rate, the Lord rebukes Satan, saying, “This is a man I’ve already saved. How dare you accuse him!”

The messenger then tells those around to take off the filthy clothes from Joshua, and he said to Joshua,

See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you. (Zechariah 3:4)

He then charged Joshua,

If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. (Zechariah 3:7, NASB)

The interesting thing here is that He first cleansed Joshua, and then He charged him to follow after and serve Him.

God promised that if he did, Joshua would continue as the high priest for His people. Not only that, he would have free access before God.

One final thing. It’s ironic, but then is it really ironic for the God who knows and plans everything?

He tells Joshua of another Joshua that would come. (Jesus is simply the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua).

He said that this “Joshua” would come in all the wisdom of God (the seven eyes on the stone) and in a single day, he would wipe out sin forever by his death on the cross.

And when Jesus comes back and reigns, we shall finally find true peace. (Zechariah 3:8–10)

What can we get from all of this? We all, like Joshua, stood before God, stained with sin. Satan stood against us hurling accusations against us.

But when we turned to Christ, Jesus became our advocate, defending us, and rebuking Satan.

He then took off our filthy garments and clothed us with righteousness, not because of anything we had done, but because of what he had done on the cross.

And now, having already been cleansed, we are urged to follow him and serve him as his priests. As we do, we find that we have free access to Him along with all the saints.

Paul put it this way,

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. (Colossians 1:21–23)

Categories
Zechariah

Wall of fire, glory within

Zechariah

This message, along with all the others in the rest of this book, came to Zechariah during the rebuilding of the temple.

Here, we see a vision of horsemen going out to see the state of things in the world. What they saw were nations at peace and at ease, which may have been disturbing to God’s people, since God had talked of shaking the nations.

As a result, an angel of the Lord asked,

Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years? (Zechariah 1:12)

And the Lord spoke words of comfort to him (and to all the Jewish people) that indeed he would bless the people, that his house would be rebuilt, and that the towns would once again prosper. (Zechariah 1:13–17)

He then promised judgment on the nations that had conquered Israel, saying,

I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment. (Zechariah 1:14–15)

Thus in verses 18–20, he promises to strike down the four nations (horns) that had come against and scattered his people.

There’s some dispute on who these horns represent, but it seems to make sense that it is the nations of Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, and Persia.

But it is chapter 2 that really strikes me.

The Lord continues to talk about the restoration of his people, and he says that they would be so prosperous, they wouldn’t be able to set up walls around the city because of the sheer number of people and animals that would live there.

But beyond that, the Lord said,

I myself will be a wall of fire around it, declares the Lord, and I will be its glory within…whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye. (Zechariah 2:5, 8)

And again,

Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you. (Zechariah 2:10)

I love these words. God himself is a wall of fire around us. He is our protection and our shield. He fights those who come against us.

And he is our glory within. The Holy Spirit himself lives within us and shines through us.

As David put it,

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (Psalm 3:3)

Categories
Haggai

Though all is shaken

Signet ring

The book of Haggai ends with a word of encouragement to Zerubbabel.

Perhaps Zerubbabel saw the opposition that was rising up against the rebuilding of the temple and of Jerusalem and he was getting discouraged.

But God told him,

Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.

I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother. (Haggai 2:21–22)

In short, he was saying, “Zerubbabel, things may seem tough now, but I will shake the heavens and earth. I will tear down kingdoms and shatter their power.”

Then he said,

‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. (Haggai 2:23)

A signet ring was a ring that kings would use in those days to sign documents. It was a symbol of his authority.

So God was telling Zerubbabel, “While I will cast down kings and thrones, I have chosen you to become a symbol of authority for my people.”

In the short run, he used Zerubbabel to lead the people in Jerusalem in the rebuilding of the temple and their lives. In the long run, it was through Zerubbabel that Jesus the Messiah came.

Just before Jesus left to go back to the Father following the resurrection, he told the disciples,

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)

Why is this important? Just as God chose Zerubbabel as his servant, he has also called and chosen us. What has he called us and chosen us to do?

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19–20)

This world has been shaken by war, turmoil, and strife. And things will only get worse. But though all is shaken, let us never fear the future.

Instead, let us remember that all authority has been given to Jesus. And let us do as he has commanded us, going out, preaching the gospel, and making disciples until the day he returns.

And as Jesus said,

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)