Salt & Light Blog

Deuteronomy 33 Part One: Jesus is The Warrior King Fighting for Us

4/5/2016

The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. Exodus 14:14

Deuteronomy 33 Part One Verses 1-7
There was a tradition for a father to bless his sons before he died. That tradition went back further than Jacob to his sons and probably further back than Abraham to his sons. Now before Moses died he continued the tradition, but he blessed each tribe of Israel, his spiritual children. As with the other patriarchal blessings in Scripture, they were prophetic and meant for good. And also like other prophecy in Scripture there are multiple layers and we can see Jesus, our Lord and Savior revealed in each one. Verses 1-5 read,
This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death. 2 He said,
“The Lord came from Sinai
    and dawned from Seir upon us;
    he shone forth from Mount Paran;
he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,
    with flaming fire at his right hand.
3 Yes, he loved his people,
    all his holy ones were in his hand;
so they followed in your steps,
    receiving direction from you,
4 when Moses commanded us a law,
    as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun,
    when the heads of the people were gathered,
    all the tribes of Israel together.”
The Lord chose Israel to be His people and receive His Law. He chose us to receive His Word, Jesus Christ. He chose to indwell us and write His Word onto our hearts. His glory and presence is so magnificent and bright that when He came to Sinai His light shone on Mt Seir as well. God’s Law, His Word is like fire. It purifies, melts hearts, and divides bone and marrow. His Word is Righteous, His Law is Justice.
Moses’ blessing echoed Enoch’s prophecy. Jude verses 14-16 talked about false teachers. It reads,
It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
Who are the ten thousands of holy ones? Believer, they are us, gathered with Jesus Christ on the Day of the Lord executing justice to the nations. As God was King of Israel, He is our King too. But we don’t reject Him for earthly kings. Jesus is our Christ, our King of kings. His fiery Word is written on our hearts and executed by our lives. His presence rests in us and shines out for the world to see. He is obvious in us. The Edomites and Ishmaelites could see The Lord’s glory on Sinai; the world can see His glory in us.
Verse 6 reads,
“Let Reuben live, and not die,
    but let his men be few.”
This short blessing for the descendants of Jacob’s eldest son says they will endure. Although they were on the outskirts of The Promised Land, faced many battles and hardship, they would endure. They wouldn’t endure because of their strength but because of God’s power. We do not persevere because of our might but The Lord’s. It is He who strengthens us and it is He who is glorified in the victory when we are weak.
Believer, I know you’ve struggled. I know you’ve been blessed. I know you have suffered through trials and I know you have overcome and conquered. How do I know? Because The Lord saved you, He resides in you and He is glorified through every circumstance of your life when you abide in Him and let Him be The Lord. Paul described it this way in his letter to the Philippians,
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12-13).
Verse 7 is Judah’s blessing.
And this he said of Judah:
“Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,
    and bring him in to his people.
With your hands contend for him,
    and be a help against his adversaries.”
God hears you when you pray. Your prayers are not mere venting or whining opportunities. They are a conversation with The Lord your God. Prayers unite the church and call God to fight for us. Your prayers have great effect and impact! James 5:13-16 read,
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working
Prayer is the first line of defense in the war with the enemy. During a recent battle, I was praying constantly. God spoke to me and to several other people for me. The word I received was always the same. God said, “I will fight for you, you only have to be silent. I am defending you. I am God; I am your Justice.” God does fight for you. Your prayers are powerful because they let you let God be God for you.
Prayer also allows you to act, to obey and fight for the lost, the weak, and those in need. Judah was not only blessed to be a praying people but a people who fought for others against the enemy. Jesus was born out of Judah. He prayed for us (John 17:20-26). He laid down His life for us. He resurrected for us. And He fights for us. If we are glorifying Him, if He lives in us, we ought to be doing the same, praying for and fighting for people, even loving them to the point of laying down our lives if it comes to it. 1 John 3:16-18 reads,
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
There is so much to glean from these blessings that it would be a shame to gloss over each section and take it in all one sitting. So we will continue the chapter tomorrow.
Believer, The Lord fights for you. He conquers your adversary. He saves. His Word is in you, inscribed on your heart, purifying your soul, renewing your mind, and living out in your hands. Let Him shine into the world. Show the world who Jesus your Warrior King is.

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1 Kings 21 Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard

1/12/2016

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You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down. 2 Samuel 22:28 Photo by Denise Hogan

1 Kings 21
Ahab was greedy, selfish, and egocentric. Jezebel was manipulative, cunning, and narcissistic. Together the evil they perpetrated was worse than any king before Ahab and worse than any person on the face of the earth before him. (1 Kings 21:25). That is not a title any of us might want for ourselves. The bible tells of some really horrible acts but Ahab and Jezebel outdid them all. Although Ahab was king and had wealth beyond what most of us will ever experience, he was not content. How many of the filthy rich are? How many of us are? Verses 1-4 read,
“Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.”
Did Ahab need that vineyard? Could he have found a place for a vegetable garden somewhere else? He didn’t need it, he wanted it. Naboth’s inheritance was well cared for and precious because of it. our inheritance, our eternal life when well-tended is priceless to us and should be desired by the world. But Ahab couldn’t have Naboth’s vineyard because it was not his to inherit.
Ahab thought he could use his position and wealth to gain whatever he wanted but Naboth obeyed the Lord before he obeyed his king. I can’t imagine it was easy to tell the king no, but the Lord commanded it. And Ahab reacted like a brooding brat and sulked on his bed, even refusing to eat as if he were mourning a death instead of hearing “no.”
Ahab’s other half would have none of it. Her power rested with her husband. If he looked weak, she looked weak. So she devised a plan. Verses 5-10 read,
“But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
Let’s look at this story through prophetic eyes of the Holy Spirit. Naboth is a type of Christ (a foreshadowing and representation of Jesus Christ), his vineyard is salvation. Ahab represents the Roman government and Jezebel the chief priests and Jewish council. As we read let’s keep this in mind.
Ahab was morose and pouting but he didn’t see what action he could take. Jezebel though hated the idea of anyone having more power than her husband, which meant they had more power than her. She loved the power she held as queen. She was not only going to have Naboth killed, but she was going to do it by having him accused and sentenced for blasphemy. Blasphemy was the most grievous crime one could be accused of and worthy of capital punishment.
The chief priests and the Jewish council loved the cushy relationship and power they held in the Roman government. Although the Roman’s completely discounted the Lord God, the priests didn’t regard God either, they regarded the Law and the politics of their religion. They didn’t want Jesus usurping the Roman government and forcing them to get in bed with a new king.
Jezebel carried out her plan. Verses 11-16 say,
“And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.”
Ahab didn’t kill Naboth directly but he was responsible for his murder and he was thrilled because that meant that Naboth’s inheritance was now his to take. But God didn’t let him just take it and not face his sin. Verses 17-24 describe what happened.
“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.”’
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. 21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 22 And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.”
Elijah confronted Ahab with his sin and told him what the consequences would be. Ahab considered Elijah is enemy because the Lord spoke through His prophet and consistently made Ahab see his actions were not right. Ahab was an evil man. He is described in verses 25-26.
“(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)”
What would Ahab do now? Here was Elijah telling him he knew Ahab had murdered Naboth in order to steal his vineyard. Would he murder Elijah? Would he throw him in prison? Would he torture him? Verse 27 records Ahab’s response.
“And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.”
This wicked man was contrite? What? This man who was more dedicated to evil than anyone before him was repentant? So how did God respond? Did He say, “Well sorry isn’t good enough” or did he give Ahab a list of requirements so that he could be saved from his own death sentence? Verses 28-29 record the Lord’s answer.
“And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”
Ahab humbled himself and the Lord forgave him. The man who had committed himself to self-promotion, malevolence, and power had humbled himself before The LORD. God accepted his remorseful attitude and forgave him. He delivered Ahab from his death sentence, but promised that his sons (those who followed in his evil) would still pay.
Ahab, like the gentiles received the Lord’s inheritance because he accepted God’s word, recognized his sin and repented. There is nothing you could do that would be so bad God would not forgive you. If God could forgive Ahab, don’t you think He could forgive you? I have believed the enemy’s lie that I was the most evil person in the entire world, but Ahab actually was! God forgave him when he humbled himself. God forgave me when I humbled myself. He can and will forgive you too.
No one is beyond redemption. God sent Elijah to Ahab and He sends us to the world. We cannot assume that someone is outside of God’s reach. He has no bounds. Nothing is impossible for Him.

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Psalm 69 Suffering for Jesus is not Fun but it is Good

7/29/2015

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Psalm 69

Although Jesus promised us we would be hated for His sake, (Matthew 10:21-25) He didn’t say we wouldn’t feel the sting of that animosity. Suffering for Jesus is not called suffering because it’s enjoyable. David felt overwhelmed with the enmity and hostility of his enemies. Verses 1-5 read,

“Save me, O God!
    For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
    with waiting for my God.

4 More in number than the hairs of my head
    are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
    those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
    must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.”

We know God is with us, yet sometimes at the height of suffering we can wonder if we will ever reach the end of it. We can wonder if The Lord will ever deliver and avenge us. If faith we easy or automatic everyone would have faith. The enemy lies to us and about us. The world of haters finds false reasons and flawed assumptions to hate us. But we know we do not need to hide our wrongs from The Lord and we couldn’t if we wanted to. It is futile to hide our shortcomings from the world. If they think we haven’t ever fallen as they do, then they wouldn’t see how God has saved us and how He can save them too.

That doesn’t give license to sin. We are citizens of Heaven, representatives of God, and ambassadors of the church. We live and walk in obedience to Christ. We don’t hide our sin, but we also live in a manner that honors our Father’s name and doesn’t shame our Brothers and Sisters. Verses 6-12 say,

“Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
    O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.”

The deeper our passion for Jesus, our fervor for The Father, and our zest for The Spirit the more the world will despise us and be repulsed by us. They will call us fools, the will shake their heads and think we are ridiculous. Even our blood families will talk about us with derision. They see our behavior and it is peculiar. It makes no sense to them that we would submit to God, one another, or them. It makes no sense that instead of fighting back we would offer ourselves for more beatings. But we are meant to stand out from the world.

We are meant to look, act, and sound like Jesus. It isn’t always easy to be the butt of the joke but we know the Truth. We just can’t be like the world imprisoned to lies and ignorant of the chains and oppression they are under. For us, suffering is temporary. It is knowing that which allows us to make it through. For the believer, suffering for righteousness’ sake has purpose and that purpose is great. We can rejoice and continue to live as Jesus lived with love and virtue. We do not earn salvation through our uprightness, we are saved because we have faith in Jesus. Romans 5:1-6 says,

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

We know that suffering is necessary and good. We know that The Holy Spirit uses it to conform us to Christ’s image. And in Him we can tell the world about how wonderful He is, how He saved us and can save them too. Those awesome purposes mean that there are times when we may suffer longer than we would like. But faith reminds us that misery and affliction will end at the perfect time. Verses 13-18 read,

“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
    or the deep swallow me up,
    or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant;
    for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
    ransom me because of my enemies!”

The lost are headed toward the eternal pit. They are not aware of why they might suffer. But The Lord uses their suffering to bring them to a place where they realize they can only call out to Jesus to be saved. He uses us, our entire lives including our suffering and our response to suffering to demonstrate His saving power to the world.

When we suffer, we call out to The Lord, we don’t try to numb or relieve the pain by our own strength. We do not seek the answers or provisions of the world. We seek the Kingdom of God, His will, provision, strength, healing, and joy. When we seek God first, everything else falls into place and worry about our distress becomes foreign to us, the children of Almighty God. (Matthew 6:25-34).

We can’t look to the world for compassion, provision, or anything we should be receiving from The Lord. They hate us because they hate Jesus. They hated Him so completely and utterly that they wanted to murder Him in the most horrific and tortuous way a person could be killed. But they didn’t take Jesus’ life, He gave it. We like Jesus must be ready to do the same. We must be willing to suffer for Jesus’ sake which is the sake of the whole world. Verses 19-21 read,

“You know my reproach,
    and my shame and my dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
    and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.”

Verse 21 presages Jesus’ agony on the cross. He endured that torture for us. When He cried out that He was thirsty they gave him sour wine, vinegar instead of wine. First mixed with gall and myrrh to decrease his pain, but Jesus refused it. (Matthew 27:34). Then later he accepted sour wine without the gall to prolong his suffering. (Matthew 27:48). Neither was to slake his thirst. The world may offer us money, power, and revelry, but none of it is for our true benefit. Let them seek their profit from the world, eventually all their wealth, all their rich foods, and all their false power will be a stumbling block. They will either fall on their knees before Jesus or be thrown into the pits of Hell. We cannot be like them and therefore send them to Hell ourselves. Verses 22-28 describe it.

“Let their own table before them become a snare;
    and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
    and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
    and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment;
    may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be enrolled among the righteous.”

The sinner will never be counted with the righteous. Only those made good and holy by Jesus’ blood will be in the Book of Life. Everyone starts out with the opportunity to be saved. God, our Father has chosen that all can be saved by Jesus. But many will not listen to the urgings of The Holy Spirit. Many will close their ears and harden their hearts against Him and so they will be blotted out of the Book of Life and instead die eternally.

For us who humble ourselves before The Lord, admit our sin, and let God be our God, He saves us. He keeps us and carries us through the suffering. He won’t save someone who won’t admit they need saving. He helps those who ask for His help and rescue. Verses 29-33 read,

“But I am afflicted and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.”

So Believer, do not be afraid to suffer. Do not be afraid to call out to The Lord for deliverance. Call out to Him and praise Him for His Salvation. Let the world know how great our Lord is. Let the church know how good The Lord is. Verses 34-36 read,

“Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
    and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36     the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”

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Psalm 68 The Lord of Angel Armies Brings Us Victory

7/28/2015

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Psalm 68

We praise the Lord because he defeats the enemy and He saves His people. This Psalm is a song of military victory for Israel as she sang The Lord’s acclaim and glorified Him. But more so this Psalm is a song of spiritual victory, a messianic prophecy of Jesus’ victory over Satan, sin, and death. Verses 1-6 read,

“God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
    exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”

God is our Almighty Lord of Hosts, He is pictured here marching out in lead Israel to defeat the enemy. As Israel left Mt. Sinai and trekked through the wilderness toward The Promised Land they sent the Ark of the Covenant three days ahead of them to secure their safety in the dangerous terrain. And each time they set off Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when they camped for the Ark rested and so did they behind it he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (Numbers 10:33-35).

He is extolled as the triumphant military champion. In Judges Chapter 5 Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise for the victory over the Hazinite army who were swept away by a river, and Sisera their commander who fled in terror and was killed by Jael, a woman. Many verses in their song are echoed in this song.

The Lord is praised as our Justice and Avenger. He is the Father to fatherless, Defender of the widow. He lifts up the humble and humbles the prideful. He fights for the ones who depend on Him. He is our strength. He gives the sojourner a home in Him. And He frees the prisoners and leads them to the Promised Land while all those who oppress and fight His children shall thirst and suffer without Him. Verses 7-10 recall the great things God has done for His people.

“O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.”

God doesn’t have to help those who help themselves. He wouldn’t force His assistance on anyone. He helps those of us who need Him. Those who call on Him for righteousness, for justice, and redemption. God, our Deliverer rescues those who are humble enough to need His deliverance. Even the weakest among the Lord’s people are victorious conquerors. The strong man of the enemy cannot defeat the frailest woman or smallest child of God. In Judges Chapter 4 Deborah, a woman led the Israelite army, and Jael, a woman killed the commander of the enemy’s army. They relied on the Lord for their strength and He brought them victory. Verses 11-14 read,

“The Lord gives the word;
    the women who announce the news are a great host:
12     “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil--
13     though you men lie among the sheepfolds--
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
    let snow fall on Zalmon.”

Zalmon means dark, it is a forested hill near Shechem. (Judges 9:46-49). To have a snow fall on a black forested hill gives us the picture of God’s pure holiness overcoming the evil dark of the enemy, Jesus’ blood washing us white as snow.

Verses 15-18 further give us a picture of Jesus’ salvation.

“O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God desired for his abode,
    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high,
    leading a host of captives in your train
    and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.”

Mount Sinai is the mountain where God visited Moses and gave him the Law. It is the place that represents Zion our eternal home with God where He dwells with us face to face. The enemy cannot hope to go there. God’s enemies can only seek home and shelter in lesser places which will one day be burned up. (Hebrews 12:18-24). This Psalm as it describes our Lord of Hosts describes Jesus Christ. He is our Redeemer, our Deliverer, and The Rider on the white horse. (Revelation 19:11-16). Jesus came down to earth before and He will come again. He saves those who call on Him and makes us victorious with Him. But until he comes again, He has given us gifts. He gave us The Holy Spirit. He gives us abilities such as prophecy, teaching, evangelism, healing, and mercy to edify the church, glorify Him by making us like Him, and bring the lost to Him. Paul described it in Ephesians 4:1-16, he even quoted verse 18 of this Psalm in Ephesians 4:8. Verses 10-13 of Ephesian 4 read,

“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

It is not by our own strength we are saved. It is not by our own gifts, skills, and abilities we walk in Jesus. It is by The Lord. Our Father chose and anointed us. (Ephesians 1:3-5). Jesus is the propitiation the appeasement and payment of our sin so we can be saved. (1 John 2:1-2). The Holy Spirit transforms us to be holy, He teaches and guides us. (Romans 8:29-30). It’s not us who makes us conquerors, it is The Almighty God, Lord of Hosts who conquers for us. That is why we praise Him. That is how the whole world hears. Verses 19-27 read,

“Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,
    that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”

24 Your procession is seen, O God,
    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary--
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
    between them virgins playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in their throng,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.”

We can trust the Lord to defeat the enemy because when Jesus gave up His life on the cross, it was done. When Jesus rose from the dead the enemy was crushed. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, His people were equipped for the war. And When Jesus returns the enemy will know he is defeated and will be chained up and powerless. The enemy has no power over Believers. (1 John 5:18-19). He tries to chain us and oppress us. But we are free in Christ. We cannot be chained against our will. We are more than conquerors. The enemy cannot touch us without our approval. But he still fights us. He still tries. He doesn’t want us releasing any of his prisoners and bringing them into their new royal status as citizens of Heaven.

One day we will all sing our praises to Jesus forever. One day we will celebrate victory eternally. One day we, the true kings will be with our Sovereign, the King of kings for all time. Verses 32-35 read,

“O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!”

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Psalm 65 Jesus is our Salvation

7/25/2015

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Psalm 63:5-8 on photo of Cross at sunset by Donna Campbell

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.” Psalm 63:5-8

Psalm 65

The Lord is our Salvation in every sense of the word. Believers, we are all tempted. And sometimes we all give in to those temptations. But God Who Saved Us, is still our Salvation. We are human, He is The LORD God. We have needs. We can’t live without food and water. We can’t survive exposed to the elements without relief. But God is Righteousness, Worthy, and, Able. God is our Creator and Sustainer. He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Like all of us, David also gave in to temptation at times. In fact some of his sins were so grievous that we might wonder how this man could be called a man after God’s own heart. He committed adultery and had a man killed so that he could have the object of his lust for himself. That’s the stuff of a Lifetime movie. But He asked the Lord for forgiveness. And God forgave him and restored him. Verses 1-4 read

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
    and to you shall vows be performed.
2 O you who hear prayer,
    to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me,
    you atone for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
    to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
    the holiness of your temple!”

God is so good! He is holy. He is loving. He is righteousness. When we contritely ask for forgiveness, He freely forgives. In the Old Covenant the priest had to offer sacrifices for sin, guilt, and thanks. Those sacrifices were Israel’s part of the bargain. Today, we are forgiven once and for all when we ask. And when we recognize our sin, our penitent prayer reminds us of God’s deep merciful love. He draws us closer to Him as we praise Him and worship him in thanksgiving for all our needs, including forgiveness, provision, protection, and healing,

Two nights ago, I got angry about two different issues. I did not take those angry thoughts captive. I let the anger grow, I mulled it and molded it. I opened myself up to the lies of the accuser, our enemy. And that stewing anger simmered and became bitterness and hopelessness. Last night I found myself contemplating the lies of the enemy to the point of such deep despondency that I wanted to act on it. I gave in to temptation and fed my depression. This morning I woke up and prayed for forgiveness even though I still felt the misery. And God my Salvation spoke to me. He reminded me of James 7-10.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

He had already forgiven me but my repentance allowed me to acknowledge and appreciate the sin and God’s mercy and grace. And in my sorrow over my sin I can praise Him. And He is there in my praise. (Psalm 22:3-5). And He replaces my mourning with His joy, the ugliness of my sin with the beauty of His grace, and the remnants of my act to His glory.

We sin, but God still loves. We couldn’t hold up our end of the bargain and keep the law. So God in His profound love sent Jesus. Jesus lived perfectly, not by being religious, but by perfectly loving and never falling short. He never sinned and so He could be our propitiation, our Mercy Seat. He died and paid the price for our wrongs, our imperfections. And He rose again and conquered sin, death, and Satan. That is truly AWESOME! Verses 5-8 describe Jesus,

“By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
    O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
    being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.”

Jesus is God our Salvation. He is our hope. In Him we have salvation, eternal life, and the Kingdom of Heaven. The entirety of creation was made by, through, and for Jesus, and He sustains all of it. (Colossians 1-15-17). Creation answer to Jesus. He spoke and healed. He spoke and forgave. He spoke and brought peace. He spoke and calmed the wind and the seas just as He, our God spoke and created the world. (Mark 4:35-41). Everyone who saw and heard Him, even those who refused to acknowledge His divinity we in awe of His miracles, teaching, and words. There is not a person far enough east or far enough west that will not see the greatness of the Lord, who will not hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor see the might of His work. Isaiah 45:22-24 says,

“Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn;
    from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
    a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
    every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

24 “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
    are righteousness and strength;
to him shall come and be ashamed
    all who were incensed against him.”

Salvation is the greatest of God’s works. And it is not His only awesome deed. He created the world He gives life, and He sustains life. He makes the sun shine, the rain fall and the earth produce, not only for the saved but for the lost, not only for the rich but for the poor, not only for the king but for the commoner. Verses 9-13 read,

“You visit the earth and water it;
    you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
    you provide their grain,
    for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
    settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
    and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty;
    your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
    the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
    the valleys deck themselves with grain,
    they shout and sing together for joy.”

God’s creation speaks to His splendor and might, even if we do not. (Romans 1:19-20, Job 12:7-12, Psalm 19:1-6). But how can we keep His love, mercy and greatness within us? He created the world. He created each of us uniquely and amazingly. He made a way for us to know Him and to love Him. He lived, died, and resurrected for us. He gave us eternal life.

Do not let sin keep you from Him. Remember you are forgiven, humble yourself and repent. Then praise Him. Shout with joy. Don’t leave to the rocks and trees. Praise the Lord, your Salvation, Creator, Sustainer, and Peace.

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Psalm 61 Jesus is Our Rock and Salvation

7/21/2015

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Psalm 61

David wrote so many beautiful Psalms, songs, and poems to the Lord and many of them were prophetic. He was a prophet. (Acts 2:29-31). David is a “type of Christ” that is, he was a prophetic symbol, a foreshadowing of Christ. He was not Christ. He was not a Christ or God. Much of what he did prefigured Jesus, His ministry, and His life. So it is natural that so much of his writing would be messianic prophecy. That is what I read in this Psalm titled, Lead Me to the Rock. Verses 1-3 read,

“Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
2 from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
3 for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.”

The Lord saves us when we cry out to Him. He waits for us to recognize our need of Him. And when we call on Him, He meets that need. Joel 2:30-32 speaking of The Day of the Lord puts it like this,

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.”

Does that mean we only have to cry out and that’s it we’re saved? No. it means we cry out because we recognize our need and we believe Jesus is the Christ, God our Savior sent by God to deliver us. We believe He is who He says He is and that He died and rose from the dead for us. In Romans 10:9-13 Paul writes it this way,

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Believer, when we pray God hears us. (1 John 5:13-15). He is our Rock. He is higher than we are. We can’t depend on ourselves for security or refuge. We can’t save ourselves. Only Jesus can save us from the enemy. Only He is qualified to be our Savior. Acts 4:12-13 says,

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

David was a great king. He had all the money any man could ever want. He had power ad authority given to him by God. He had amazing talents and wonderful gifts. He was a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14). But He still needed the Lord to save Him. His faith in God, his dependence on God, and his friendship with God aligned his heart with God’s will. He cried out to God for salvation and God saved him. God gave David eternal life. Verses 4-5 read,

“Let me dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”

David longed to be in the tent of the tabernacle worshipping God. David loved to worship the Lord. That is evident in his life and in his Psalms. The tent was the Tabernacle, God’s holy and anointed place, where His presence dwelled in the Old Covenant. But in the new covenant God’s doesn’t indwell a tent or a building, He indwells His children. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 says,

“Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

We take refuge in Him, He shelters us with His wings. The Ark of the Covenant was in the Tabernacle. The Ark though made by men by order of God was the physical representation of The Lord, God. On the lid or mercy seat were two cherubim whose wings were stretched out toward one another. (Exodus 25:10-22). It is under those wings, the wings of the mercy of God that David took his refuge. Hebrews 9:1-10 describes the Ark and its purpose. Today, no one knows where the Ark of the Covenant is. We do not need that holy relic because we have Jesus, God With Us. He is our mercy seat in the New Covenant. There is a reason no one knows where the Ark is. I believe that God either destroyed it or took it up to Heaven because Jesus is our mercy seat now. Hebrews 9:11-14 reads,

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

God gave us a heritage, an inheritance in Jesus. When we are saved, God adopts us as His children and makes us heirs with Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3-14). He gives us a legacy. As we glorify Christ, the world comes to know Him through us, and people who receive the gift of eternal life because of our lives, testimony and witness are our legacy. We didn’t save them, but we were part of God’s great work to bring them to Himself. His name lasts forever. Jesus is eternally our King. Our lives are eternally His. Verses 6-8 read,

“Prolong the life of the king;
    may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God;
    appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

8 So will I ever sing praises to your name,
    as I perform my vows day after day.”

It is because of the lessons we learned from Moses’ life David’s life, and all the other great men and women of faith that we believe today. It is because of the person who shared the gospel with us, the person who lived a life of worship, and the person who disciples us that we believe. It is because The Father called us, Jesus died and lived for us, and The Spirit opened our eyes that we believe.

Jesus’ name and glory lasts forever. He gave us eternal life as well as holy and royal heirs with Him. Jesus sits on the throne of God forever as our Sovereign Holy King. Guess what! We get to sit there with Him! His kingship is shared with us. Revelation 3:20-22 says,

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Don’t stop praising God. Don’t only praise Him in private but in public for everyone to see His awesome power, love and salvation. You Believer, are the holy temple of the Lord. You are standing on the Rock of Jesus. You are heirs with Him. You are royalty. Jesus is the Rock. He is God With Us. He is the eternal King of kings. He is I Am.

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Psalm 45 Jesus Our Valiant Warrior King Reigns Forever

7/5/2015

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Psalm 45

This Messianic Psalm was a love song used to celebrate the wedding of a king, likely Solomon. But the description given of the king is one far better a far above any earthly king. It is about our King of kings, Jesus. So it is far more than a love song, it is an Agape song.

The Psalmist was excited to write this, he described his heart as overflowing with verses to his king. When the Holy Spirit gives us a word, a praise, or a message, He also gives us the eagerness to share it. He flows out of the fullness of our hearts in delight to touch others. And since this song is prophetic scripture we know it is breathed by God, our Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Verses 1-2 read,

“My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.”

Jesus was not a physically beautiful man (Isaiah 53:2). Yet He was far more beautiful than any man has ever been or could be. He was perfect, holy, and loving. That spiritual beauty far surpassed His physical form to emanate to everyone around Him. He spoke with grace to those who needed it. He acted with grace to everyone. All we have to do is acknowledge we need His grace and He gives it to us freely.

Jesus is not only a graceful King, He is a mighty and majestic warrior. He is the King who leads His army. Verses 3-5 describe Him this way,

“Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!

4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
    in the heart of the king's enemies;
    the peoples fall under you.”

I can picture Him on His strong white stallion leading the angel armies to defeat God’s enemies for us. (Revelation 19:11). His sword on His thigh ready to be drawn. His sharp arrows always meeting their target. He not only charges the enemy, He teaches us to defeat him as well. The great and mighty works of God are possible for us as His children. We are victors and conquerors with Jesus. (Romans 8:37). Satan has so much of the world in chains but they can be freed from that slavery by the blood of Jesus. We have the sword of the Word of God to battle. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the enemy. We are warriors for the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave us the right and authority to use His name in the battles. He gave us the ability to fight and win. Jesus promised us this in John 14:12-14

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Believer, you have the right and the ability in Christ to do free the prisoners of the enemy. You have the responsibility to exercise the gifts God gave you for the Kingdom.

Jesus is our majestic and undefeatable King. Nothing can usurp His thrown. He is righteous, holy, and anointed. He reigns now and forever. One day, we will reign with Him. (Revelation 20:6). Verses 6-9 describe Jesus’ magnificence and His worthiness.

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.”

Jesus was anointed by The Father for the purpose of our salvation. His robes are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia because that is what Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea anointed Him with when they buried Him after the crucifixion. (John 19:38-42). But those oils of sadness and death are given to us as a gift, an oil of gladness that erases our mourning. (Isaiah 61:3).

Jesus is our bridegroom and we are His beloved and adored bride. He gives us a place of honor, He takes away our shame and sin and gives us an esteemed place in His Kingdom. He takes us out of the world where we once lived in and gives us a royal position as His cherished bride. We look, not at our past, at our earthly position, but to our new place with Jesus our King. Verses 10-15 say,

“Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father's house,
11     and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12     The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
    the richest of the people.

13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
    with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
    as they enter the palace of the king.”

We are no longer who we were. Though we do not deserve it, Jesus gave us virtue. He looks at us and He doesn’t see ugliness, sin, or shame. He sees us as virtuous, beautiful and humble royalty. We have the privilege of being in Jesus presence. Only His bride may enter the most intimate of places with Him. Only His bride may know Him so personally. That relationship is exclusively ours with Him. But the people looking on should see that special closeness and desire it. They should see the gifts God gave us, they should notice the favor we’ve been granted and want it too. And they can have it, we can lead them to the King’s palace and teach them to submit to Him and be saved. Our royal position is not meant to be horded and secreted away. We have the royal obligation to give our Lord and King heirs.

Believer, do you see Jesus as the Valiant Warrior King? Do you see yourself as His royal bride? He is and you are. It is a joyful position and it is one that carries great honor, privilege, and responsibility. But we are able because Jesus loves us so passionately that He gave us His Holy Spirit. In Him we can. In fact we should not be able to withhold our exultation. Like the psalmist our hearts should overflow with Him.

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Psalm 22 You May Feel Alone, But God Will Never Forsake You.

6/12/2015

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Psalm 22

Psalm 22 is a Psalm with deep significance. It is read aloud each year at The Passover Seder. Every faithful Jewish person knows it, the way every student from my generation knows The Gettysburg Address, or the Pledge of Allegiance. It is the psalm that Jesus quoted as He hung dying on the cross when He gave His life for us. He only had to say that first sentence and every Jewish person in attendance who had just celebrated the Passover Seder remembered the Psalm and couldn’t help but see the prophetic words manifested.

Verses 1-2 read,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.”

There are times when we feel as if God has left us, when we feel as if we are suffering with no end, crying out to God with no answer. But we know that isn’t true. Abandonment is a lie from the devil. God will never leave us.

Jesus knew God wouldn’t and couldn’t forsake Him. He is God. He took all our sins upon Himself and at that moment He represented the conflict between God and man. God doesn’t forsake us, we forsook Him until we accepted the gift of Salvation. God is Holy and He is good beyond what we can fathom. Man is separated from God by sin. Verses 3-5 read,

“Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

The Old Covenant called for a relationship based on laws. It was getting to know who God is by following the law. Israel could trust God because He gave the Law, He led them through the wilderness, He anointed them with the Law, and He delivered them to The Promised Land. The Jewish nation got to know God and could have faith in Him, because when they cried out He answered.

When we cry out to God, when we call on the name of Jesus, He redeems us. He removes our sin. We are no longer sentenced to death. We are destined for eternal life. Romans 8:1-4 says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Jesus, the Son of God came to earth and was like us. He experienced life like us, yet He remained sinless through it. He followed the law perfectly but refused to give in to the ritual rules and tradition that the Pharisees worshipped. Jesus completely empathized with us. The religious hated Him. The powerful despised Him.

David cried out about his enemies and haters taunting him. And when he did, He described what was happening to Jesus as He chose to give us His life for the New Covenant which would allow us to know God on a level more intimate than the Law could. Verses 6-8 read,

“But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Now read Matthew 27:41-43

“So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Psalm 22:9-13 read,

“Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
10 On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.”

From before we were born God chose us. He has been sovereign over us, and He makes us His glory. (Romans 8:28-30). The devil, our enemy seeks to destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8-11). He wants to use suffering to hurt us, yet God uses it for our good.

Jesus suffered and His anguish was good for us. His torment on the cross, His death for us, is the crux of the New Covenant. We can suffer horribly. It will never be worse than what Jesus willingly suffered for us. Our suffering is often the consequences of our own poor choices, but Jesus was innocent. He agonized for us. We may feel alone through our tribulations, but we are not. Jesus understands. The Holy Spirit has sealed us for eternal life. Verses 14-18 read,

“I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;
    a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet--
17 I can count all my bones--
they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them,
    and for my clothing they cast lots.”

I have felt like that, my heart melted and completely alone in the midst of people who want me devastated. I was not alone. David felt it. You’ve probably felt like that. And my God, Jesus Christ underwent it. Matthew 27:33-36 describes His torment.

“And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.”

God is our Salvation! Jesus our Messiah was pierced for our transgressions! (Isaiah 53:5). We need Him and He answers. He is with us. He never leaves. He understands. He cares. He saved us from Satan. He was hated, yet He loves us. We have been and are hated if we truly are the image of Christ. (Matthew 10:22). He saved us and we respond by glorifying Him, by praising Him, and by testifying to who He is. The devil despises us. God adores us. Verses 19-24 read,

“But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dog!
21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred
    the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
    but has heard, when he cried to him.”

Jesus gives us eternal life. Life, not only on this earth, but forever on the New Earth. Salvation is for all of us, none have to be excluded, Jew or gentile, rich or poor. All we have to do is call on Jesus. Verses 25-31 read,

“From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
    May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before you.
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
    even the one who could not keep himself alive.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
    that he has done it.”

You are not forsaken. God has not and will not abandon you. You have not been rejected. Give your shame to God and let Him make you new. You can trust in Him. He understands. He cares. He loves. He is with you, now and always.

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Deuteronomy 33 Part One: Jesus is The Warrior King Fighting for Us

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Psalm 69 Suffering for Jesus is not Fun but it is Good

Psalm 68 The Lord of Angel Armies Brings Us Victory

Psalm 65 Jesus is our Salvation

Psalm 61 Jesus is Our Rock and Salvation

Psalm 45 Jesus Our Valiant Warrior King Reigns Forever

Psalm 22 You May Feel Alone, But God Will Never Forsake You.

Donna Campbell

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