Blood Atonement: Genesis 20:16
“And to Sarah he said, ‘Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother. Behold it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you and to all that you may be found to be in the right.’”
(Genesis 20:16)
In many cases, this is the kind of passage we might be tempted to pass over as simply Abimelek giving an additional peace offering to Abraham for having taken Sarah as his wife. And we might as well have glossed over the passage save for one word: tOwsV;k (kesoth). Literally, this means “covering” and in its most basic sense refers to the clothing that one would cover their body with, like a robe or a cloak. Yet, in ancient cultures, clothing also served to indicate your status in society as well as your status before God. In the ultimate sense, it reflects the work of atonement, hence after Adam and Eve have sinned, God kills an animal and makes for them clothes to wear, not simply for protection from the elements, but a sign of the work of atonement that has been promised in Christ.
Abimelek understands that he is making atonement for his sin and the silver offered is a sign that Sarah committed no sin. The principle is that there is a cost incurred when the law is broken. Just as with the civil law today, when an infraction occurs, there are fines typically attached to the infraction. If we drive too fast, we pay a speeding ticket; the worse the infraction, the more serious the fine. The seriousness of breaking a law is related proportionally to whose law is broken. Thus, breaking a county ordinance is typically not as serious as breaking a state law and breaking a state law is not as serious as breaking a federal law. In turn, most people are less concerned about being in the county jail than in the federal penitentiary. When we break the law of God, we are not offending a local, state, federal, or even an international body—we are offending the creator of the universe and his perfect, righteous character. He is infinite and thus breaking his law is an infinite offense. Thus, the fine is far greater than a few thousand silver pieces—the fine, the punishment matches the infinite greatness of the one we have offended: God himself!
Since the wages of sin is death, the payment that must be exacted for our infraction of the law of God is eternal death—eternal death not just for our sins as a whole, but eternal death for each and every sin we have committed. In the Old Testament, substitutes were offered for the sins of the people, but the blood of rams and goats could only serve as a reminder of the horror of our own sinful state. Animals died, but they were neither perfect nor infinite, and thus could not effectively stand in our place to pay the debt we owe. For thousands of years, blood flowed from the altars of the people. All to no lasting avail.
Yet, God himself provided a better substitute in his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was fully man, thus could identify with us and effectively take our place and he was fully God, which means he was without sin and infinite, thus able to pay an infinite debt. He owed God nothing, but chose to pay God everything in substitute for our sin. And thus, just as Abimelek, after making a payment of atonement for Sarah declares her to be righteous before all who would judge, so too, does Jesus Christ declare us to be righteous before his Father, the one who judges us according to his perfect law. While the atonement is more than a payment for sin incurred, said payment is a very important aspect of what it is that Jesus is doing, praise be to the Lord!
Loved ones, do not miss these shadows that God has blessed us with here in the Old Testament. We often read through these narratives without making much note of what God is pointing us toward, yet the Holy Spirit has seen fit to have these encounters recorded for all time to be both a word of instruction and encouragement for us—to not take time to notice that encouragement, misses much of what God has given us. Jesus indeed has made a covering for us, not from silver or gold nor from the blood of animals, but instead from his own blood. Let us never take for granted this remarkable gift and let us celebrate and share that gift with others, telling them about the Good News of what God has wrought for sinful man.
Dwelling where it is good to do so…: Genesis 20:14-15
“And Abimelek took a flock, cattle, servants, and maidservants and gave them to Abraham. And he returned Sarah, his wife, to him. And Abimelek said, ‘My land is before your face; you shall dwell where it seems good to your eye.”
(Genesis 20:14-15)
Here we find a very interesting event. Not only do we have a repeat of the basic event that Abraham experienced when he left the king of Egypt (with the abundance of gifts), but this time Abraham is welcomed to stay in the land rather than run out of the territory. It seems that Abimelek understands, despite the event that has transpired, that God is with Abraham and he recognizes Abraham’s presence in the land as something that is beneficial to the region and land. Indeed, in Abimelek’s action, we find the promise that God gave to Abraham that the nations shall be blessed in him (Genesis 12:2-3).
What I find is most interesting, though, is the nature of the invitation that Abimelek has made. God has already given the land to Abraham, yet Abimelek is essentially inviting Abraham to take a portion of what God has already given to him as an inheritance. How this pattern has continued through history. God has given Christians this world for care and dominion, yet so often unbelieving authorities have felt magnanimous in giving us privileges and rights within their specific territories. Indeed, we have been called to be under the authority of the rulers of our lands, but if these rulers are not acknowledging God’s ultimate authority, they are trying to usurp for themselves that which was never given to them in the first place.
Abimelek refers to Canaan as “my land.” Abraham has an equal right to claim exactly the same thing of the region, yet Abraham waits on God’s timing to inherit the land. We too are being led by Jesus to a promised land, yet we will not dwell within it until the creation of the new heavens and the new earth. For now, though, we press forward speaking to all who will hear and telling them of the truth of the real owner and master of the land. Indeed, about 400 years after the death of Abraham, Israel would enter this land as a nation and would bring judgment upon the enemies of God with a sword. When our Lord returns, those who are the enemies of God will once again face judgment, but this time not with the sword, but with the fires of Hell. In Joshua’s day, there were some Canaanites left in the land; when Jesus returns, judgment will be absolute and complete. In that day, there will be no magnanimous discussing of terms—absolute judgment will reign. Let us tell those around us as to who they must serve if they will be spared the wrath of God poured out upon their heads!
Abraham’s Fear: Genesis 20:11
“And Abraham said, ‘It was because I said, ‘no one fears God in this place and they will slay me over the thing of my wife.’’”
(Genesis 20:11)
“For this reason, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give you a spirit of cowardice, but of power, love, and self-control.”
(2 Timothy 1:6-7)
How often believers fall into the trap of fear. How sad it is when those who should know no fear of the things that can destroy the flesh of this world succumb to the terrors that it seems to present. Even here, Abraham, the “father of the faithful” (Romans 4:11), falls prey (once again) to the fear of what will happen if Abimelek finds out that Sarah is his wife, not his sister. And rather than trusting God, he falls back into his old sin of half-truths to try and cover himself.
As Christians, though, fear is not a character trait that should mark us. We have a God who is Lord of all of the heavens and who reigns sovereignly over his creation. We are in his hands and not under the power of the hands of our enemies. What confidence that should give to us, what boldness we should have as we share the Gospel of truth with our neighbors, friends, and co-workers. We, of all people, should be going out and sharing our faith; yet how often we adopt a fortress mindset and retreat our Christianity behind the walls of our church buildings. How sad it is that Christians who know the power of God in their lives can then doubt that power so greatly that they become timid and fearful and do not speak the truth into the lives of those around them.
Loved ones, love God. And whether the people in our communities love and fear God should not stop you from sharing the Gospel. What is the worst they will do? Make fun of you? Try and ridicule you? Was not our Lord ridiculed and made fun of for our sake? Will they attack you and harm you? Was not our Lord beaten for your sins and for mine? Will they kill you? Indeed, they may, but why fear those who can only harm the flesh when the God of heaven has the power to destroy both flesh and spirit? Loved ones, there is nothing to fear… go, make disciples of all men by seeing them baptized in the church and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded. There is nothing to fear from men.
Shall I, for fear of feeble man,
The Spirit’s course in me restrain?
Or, undismayed, in deed and word
Be a true witness for my Lord?
-Johann Winkler
The Confrontation: Genesis 20:9-10
“Then Abimelek called for Abraham and said to him, ‘What have you done to us? How have I sinned towards you that you have introduced this great sin upon me and upon my kingdom? Works which should not have been done, you have worked upon me.’ Abimelek said to Abraham, “What did you see that you did this thing?”
(Genesis 20:9-10)
The thing that interests me the most about this confrontation is that Abimelek does right what most Christians that I interact with seem to do wrong. When Abimelek realizes that Abraham has deceived him in this way, Abimelek does not throw a temper tantrum nor does he badmouth Abraham behind his back. Abimelek also does not try to “get even” as is so often done. Instead, Abimelek confronts Abraham and asks him what the purpose of this deception was as well as asking Abraham what he had done to make Abraham act like this.
Jesus, in Matthew 18:15-20 gives us instructions as to how we are to resolve conflicts, and in doing so, Jesus begins by instructing us to go directly to the person and speak to them about what took place with the intention of restoring the relationship that was broken. Abimelek does just that. There is no question that he is upset, but he makes the choice to go and confront Abraham in his sin. How often it is that confessing Christians are unwilling to do what this pagan is willing to do. How often it is that some of the worst back-biters are those who fill the pews of churches on Sunday mornings. How sad it is that confessing Christians so often set a poorer model than do unbelievers when we should be the ones who set the bar for the culture. We who know the love and forgiveness of God should be the first to model that love and forgiveness to the culture.
Loved ones, how is it that you respond to an offense done against you? It matters not whether we are comfortable in doing so, this is the command of Jesus we are talking about! Jesus says that if you love him you will obey him (John 14:15). Obedience forces us into places and situations which will stretch us as they are often God’s tool to sanctify us. Before you gripe and complain about one who has offended you, begin by asking yourself what you might have done to cause the person to offend you (as we see Abimelek doing) and second, ask yourself how you have offended God. As God has forgiven you, forgive the offending brother and go to him in grace seeking to restore him from his sin. They say that blood is thicker than water—the blood of Christ, though, is thicker than all.
Fearing Retribution: Genesis 20:8
“And Abimelek went early in the morning and called to all of his servants and he spoke of all the these things in their ears. The men were very afraid.”
(Genesis 20:8)
Abimelek is appropriately afraid of the threat that is given and rushes to tell his servants what has taken place during the night. The Hebrew verb that describes Abimelek telling the servants is in what is called the Piel stem, which typically indicates an intense, repeated action. One can almost imagine Abimelek, agitated and fearful, rushing down to tell his servants that they needed to get Sarah back to Abraham. There is almost a comical element to the picture in question as the king sheds all of his royal stateliness and rushes to tell his servants of what took place. The language of telling it to them “in their ears” is an idiom that reflects his making sure that everyone in his household was aware of what had taken place. Here is a man of power that has been rattled in a way that he likely has never been rattled before.
Our God indeed knows how to raise up kings but also to lay them low, humbling them into the dust (Ezekiel 17:24). Such is the way in this world that he governs by his providence. And such is still the way of God in this world. How often, both in ancient and in modern times that God has brought down kings to humble them as well as raised up peasants to positions of great influence. He is God and it is His right to do so. How pompous we get sometimes, though, thinking we are of great power and influence in this world of His.
Loved ones, take this message to heart, for none of us are free from the temptation toward pride and presumption. It matters not whether we are the pastor or president, a committee chairman in church or Chairman of the Board of a Fortune 500 company; God will drop us to our knees if we allow pride to swell in our breasts. God is not only preserving Sarah in this event, but he is also putting the powerful in their place before him. God continues to humble the proud and to lift up the humble so that His hand can be seen in the history of mankind. The key for us is to submit to that hand of providence and to the word he has given us as a guide. Then indeed, we may live faithfully before our almighty God.
Abraham the Prophet: Genesis 20:7
“Now, return the wife of this man, for he is a prophet and he will pray on your behalf so you will live. And if you do not return her, know that you will surely die—you and all who are yours.”
(Genesis 20:7)
What I find fascinating about this encounter is that even though the event took place as a result of Abraham’s lie, it is Abimelek that is threatened by God. As before, God turns this event on its head to benefit Abraham and to better situate Abraham in terms of the promise. In Egypt, Abraham was given the wealth of the kings to leave; here, he is given flocks and 1,000 pieces of silver as well as an invitation to remain on the land and God opened the wombs of those in Abimelek’s house which had been closed as Gods judgment while Sarah resided in Abimelek’s household.
Yet notice that even though the sin is Abimelek’s, his whole household pays the price and suffers judgement. And, had Abimelek not returned Sarah to Abraham, God threatens to destroy his entire household. Once again the principle of Federal Headship is illustrated by this point. Those who are under the authority of the head of the household are held guilty of his sin. The good news about Federal Headship, of course, is that those who have faith in Jesus Christ have their Federal Head in him and thus, we are no longer condemned by the sin of our forebears, but stand in the righteousness of Christ. That is good and joyful news!
Beloved, as we reflect upon these narratives, do not miss the theological principles that are contained within; God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, thus we ought to expect that he would interact with us as his people in essentially the same way today as he did more than 4,000 years ago when Abraham was walking in Canaan. Our God redeems and he does so through working faith in the lives of those he calls his own. We should never cease to be thankful for this grace.
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
-Charles Wesley
Pleading Your Innocence: Genesis 20:5-6
“‘Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister.’ And she also said herself, ‘He is my brother.’ In the purity of my heart and the guiltlessness of my hands, I did this.’ And God said to him in the dream, ‘I know that in the purity of your heart you have done this and I spared you. Also, I kept you from sinning against me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her.’”
(Genesis 20:5-6)
As Abimelek pleads his innocence, notice God’s response: “I kept you from sinning against me.” The sole reason that Abimelek can stand before God and say that he never touched or defiled Sarah is because of God’s restraining hand. In our natural element, sin will be our primary pursuit, but we are not as bad as we could be because God places his hand upon our lives and governs all of us in this world to bring about his good ends. This takes place in the life of both the believer and the unbeliever, though as the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, God moves in us not simply to restrain our sin, but to transform us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Not only is this passage a reminder that God is sovereign over the actions of unbelievers, but it is a passage that reminds us that God will preserve the lives of his own until he brings about his desired ends through us. It has been said that we are immortal until God is done with his plans in our lives. There is a certain degree of truth to this, and while this ought to cause us to live boldly for the Gospel, this does not give us license to live recklessly. It is God who knows the number of our days and the things he has planned for us to contribute to his Kingdom.
Another interesting point comes out in this passage for those who hold to a free-will theism, for how could Abimelek’s will be totally free if God is restraining his hand from doing what he otherwise wanted to do (he would not have taken Sarah as his wife if he never meant touch her). Clearly, God’s will brings about a change in Abimelek’s will and action, thus Abimelek behaves in a way that is consistent with God’s design. Typical Wesleyans would argue that man has the ultimate freedom to govern his own actions; the Bible presents a different picture here, that of God ultimately governing the people of the earth.
A number of years ago, I was confronted by a man who confronted me about my lifting every prayer before the Lord, both great and small. He contended that God had enough to do with governing the big things that go on in the world (wars, catastrophes, etc…) and that my prayers for healing or help were just distractions from God’s primary work. Beloved, such a view is not consistent with what the Bible teaches about the character of an infinite God who bids us to lay every care before his throne (1 Peter 5:7). He is the great governor over all of his creation, even numbering the hairs of our head (Matthew 10:30). Both great and small, God governs us and hears the prayers of those who know him and are called according to his purposes. It is good to be a child of the King. May we trust in His hand of protection and give Him glory for all he is and for all he has done.
Destroying a Righteous Nation: Genesis 20:4
“Abimelek had not come near to her, and he said, “Lord, will you kill a nation that is also righteous?’”
(Genesis 20:4)
Abimelek is making an interesting statement as well as having a deep theological insight. The recognition that he makes is that if God brings judgment against him as king over the people, then the people also will suffer. In the previous verse, God’s judgment is to say, “you are dead…” Most of the standard English translations floating around seem to translate this statement as “you are a dead man…” They infer from the context that individual judgment is given for an individual crime. Yet, God says, “you are dead” and Abimelek’s response is to understand that accusation as a sign of God’s judgment against his nation.
The principle at work is what is called the principle of Federal Headship. He who has authority over the nation both brings blessings and cursings upon the nation. When the head acts faithfully, the nation is blessed; when the head acts sinfully, the nation is cursed and suffers. Hence, when David disobeys God and conducts a census, 70,000 people of the land suffer and die from the pestilence that God sends in judgment (2 Samuel 24:10-17).
In an ultimate sense, this principle is demonstrated in Adam and in Christ. Adam sinned and as a result the whole of the human race has suffered the effects of the fall (as well as creation itself). Yet, through the one man, Christ, redemption is brought to all that are under his federal headship. All mankind are physically descended from Adam, thus we have all inherited his sin. Those whom God has elected from the beginning of time, who will come to Christ in faith, are those who, in faith, are put under the federal headship of Christ and thus given life.
There is typically a part of us that wants to say that this principle is not fair, and in a sense, that is right. This principle is not fair in the most basic sense of the term. What would be perfectly fair is that we would be judged according to our actions and condemned to eternal damnation—each and every one of us. Yet, God in his mercy chose to be unfair to some so that grace may be demonstrated. Thus, to those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, salvation is offered not because of us or because of our name, but because of our Great Federal Head, Jesus Christ.
All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
-Edward Perronet
‘You are a dead man!’: Genesis 20:3
“And God went in to Abimelek in a dream by night saying to him, ‘Behold, you are dead over the woman you took for she is married to a husband.’”
(Genesis 20:3)
Just as God did before, once again he protects the purity of Sarah. God ensures that the woman who will be the vessel of his promised child will have that child with her husband, Abraham, and not through a surrogate, whether Egyptian or Canaanite. Once again, the God of heaven demonstrates that he is the great shepherd over his people, protecting them from the harm that would come from the logical end of Abraham’s sin.
A question might be asked as to why Sarah submitted to her husband. She certainly saw the folly of his initial sin and to see it repeated seems a bit odd. Some may suggest that she was trusting in God’s deliverance. One also may suggest that she could have shared Abraham’s fears and thus entered into his sin willingly. We have already seen the sin of Sarah when she tried to take God’s promise into her own hands by giving her servant Hagar to Abraham as a wife. The child, Ishmael, came into the world as a result of this sin and the world has seen no end of grief as a result of these Ishmaelite children, those we now know as Arabian Muslims. How our sins so often come and haunt us.
Anyway, Abimelek (many of our Bibles wrongly transliterate his name as “Abimelech”) tries to take Sarah as a wife, likely because of Abraham’s wealth and wanting to build an alliance and thus secure Abraham’s allegiance. This was a common practice in ancient times, yet Sarah is not simply a sister, but indeed is the wife of Abraham. In this, all bets are off and God intervenes.
Loved ones, the God we worship today is the same God who protected Sarah. Now, sometimes he chooses not to protect his own in the way he protected Sarah, but he has promised to protect nonetheless and to carry each of us through whatever trial or trauma that we may face in this fallen world. God is a good God and though we often have to walk through hellish experiences in this life, we should be comforted in knowing that his hand always remains on us. Be at peace, his hand will guide and protect still today.
From Negev to Gerar: Genesis 20:1
“And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negeb and he dwelled between Qadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.”
(Genesis 20:1)
After the fall of Sodom and the surrounding cities, Abraham returns back to the west and the land of his sojourning. The Negeb (sometimes written as “Negev”) is the region to the southern side of what would become Israel. Qadesh and Shur are both on the western coast with Gerar just a little inland (not too far from Beersheba). All of these regions are part of the broader Canaanite territory and they are part of the territory that God had promised to Abraham. This is Philistine territory as well, yet again, all of this region is part of the inheritance of Abraham. In addition to this area being part of what would become national Israel, some of the area is also the territory through which Israel would travel on their wilderness wanderings. Again, God preserving his people in a place where they are surrounded by pagans.
While we may not wander leading a caravan of livestock, in a similar way, we are also wanderers in a land not our own. The culture around us typically claims to believe in God, but by the way most folks live, little of that testimony has merit. Crime, pornography, false teachings being presented as Christianity, and oppression fill our land, yet God provides for us as we walk in the midst of unbelief. In light of this, though, we are given a message to share with those we meet—one of hope, one of life, one of salvation. Because God provides for us and protects us, we have nothing to fear and nothing to hinder us from a bold testimony of faith. How often we fall short.
An interesting side note can be found in the names of the territory that Abraham is traveling between. Qadesh is derived from the Hebrew word for “holiness”—something that has been set apart for divine use. Shur is derived from the word that describes a wall around a well— something that protects the well from being destroyed. Gerar is derived from the word meaning, “to sweep away.” Indeed, these are things that are promised to Abraham’s children though the pagan nations regularly have set their hands to make poor imitations of what can really only be found in God. We are called and set apart as holy and God indeed sets a wall around us to protect us. To that end he sent his Son to suffer and die on the cross so that our sins might be washed or swept away in his grace. How significant even the names of these ancient cities are; how sad it must have been for Abraham to see the bastardizations of truth all around him. How we also ought to lament at how often truth is warped and distorted in our culture as we sojourn in a land that is not our own.
The Gospel and Brushing Your Teeth
I publicly confess that I am not overly fond of brushing my teeth. I do brush my teeth, mind you, but it is not a part of the day that I look forward to. In fact, after I got married, one of the great sacrifices that I made to please my new bride was that I agreed to brush my teeth at least twice a day. Indeed, such monumental compromises only take place when someone is very much in love. And yes, after nearly 14 years of marriage, I am still scrubbing those teeth morning and evening as a faithful expression of my love for my wife.
Now, as random a piece of information as that may seem, there is a rhyme and reason to my madness. In our theological circles, we often talk about how the Bible is “our only rule for faith and practice” and that God’s word is there to equip us for “every good work.” Now, typically, we apply this as a guide to what we believe in our spiritual life and to what we do in our gathered worship. We also tend to be quite comfortable applying this principle to moral questions and for most, it is not too great a shock for me to say that we should rely on Biblical principles to guide our professional lives and our personal interactions in the community as well. So far, so good…
Yet, if we are going to take this language to its logical end, we ought to be able to apply the Bible and its principles to even the most mundane things that we do…well, like brushing teeth. So, the obvious question is, how does the gospel inform and even transform your teeth brushing?
Most of us will be quick to think of 1 Corinthians 6:19 and cite that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and thus should be cared for. This is a good start, though it does take a passage that is talking about not engaging sexually with cult prostitutes a little out of context. So, where else might we go? Peter reminds us that we are to always be ready to give a defense of the hope of the gospel we have within us (1 Peter 3:15) and Paul teaches us that we should be well thought of amongst the unbelievers in our community (1 Timothy 3:7). One logically might infer from those statements that it might be an impediment to sharing the gospel were we to have bad breath or a little piece of parsley leftover from dinner caught in our teeth. Moreover, if we are to be “winsome” with the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:19-22), we ought to take care of ourselves in such a way that potential converts would want to fellowship with us and not see our presence as something to be dreaded. Yet, is this as far as the application of the gospel can go to the mundane areas of our life?
As Christians, we understand that we are made in the Image of God (Genesis 1:27). The idea that the scripture presents is that when we look at ourselves in the mirror or at others, we are looking at ones who represents God himself. Now, as you are reading this, don’t get a swelled head, the Bible also affirms just how far we are from a perfect representation as Christ is the only one who has done that for us. Yet, even so, it means that we carry within ourselves an inherent dignity and that as Christians, we have a responsibility to see that dignity preserved in others as well as in our own lives. God has given us these bodies and how we treat them with a certain degree of reverence ought to reflect the reverence for the one in whose image we are made. Thus, the abuse of our bodies is sinful because it reflects a lack of respect for God’s image and care for our bodies—even in simple ways like good hygiene—is an aspect of our worship, not of ourselves, but of the one in whose image we are made.
The atheist or non-Christian in our culture will have other reasons for their hygiene, most of which are quite practical, though some border on vanity. They will not, though, understand the fullness of their actions or root those actions in anything or in anyone outside of themselves. As Christians, we are ultimately “People of the Book,” and that book, the Bible, instructs us in not only the most significant things we do, but also in the most mundane aspects of our life. Of course, to be able to apply the book one must first know it, so I encourage you to drink deeply of God’s word and then apply it to things in your life both great and small. And, let the word of God, not practicality or vanity, guide your every action in all of life.
Polished But Worn
Recently, I was reading about the criminal investigation that took place around the shooting of President Kennedy. One of the investigators made note of something that I found quite striking: the shoes that President Kennedy was wearing looked as if they had been re-soled at least 10 times. To us, in our modern “throw-away” society, that sounds quite odd, since indeed it is often easier and cheaper to replace something than to repair or restore it to use. While the culture in 1963 was quite different than our own in the sense that “throw-away” was not the choice, the investigator was still struck that the most powerful man in the world would model such frugality with respect to his footwear.
As I was reflecting on this I began to reflect on the nature of relationships. How often, much like we would do with an old pair of shoes or a malfunctioning DVD player, we treat our human relationships things that can be disposed of when they no longer seem convenient and practical. How often, when we have trouble or frustrations with friends, we simply cut off relations and find new friends with whom we can do things. Even in marriages, the “till death do us part” has been superseded by “as long as we are in love” or “as long as it seems good in our eyes.” The same mentality seems to be applied to every aspect of our lives—our friendships, our jobs, and even our churches.
Yet, relationships are an interesting thing. Typically, when relationships are stressed the hardest, yet are able to survive the trial that brings them stress, they grow stronger rather than weaker. The scars are still ever-present reminders of what has been endured, though if shared, they also show as a sign to others of what can be endured in the grace of Christ. If you take the time to look around you at those friends with whom you are closest, you will typically find the evidence to support the principle—these closest ones are the ones you have not only laughed with, but you have also cried with and even bled with.
The key is that healthy and deep relationships are not easy and require maintenance. A pair of nice shoes needs to be polished at regular intervals. The polish not only serves to keep the leather shiny and to hide blemishes to the casual glance (so they don’t look shabby), but it also helps to keep the leather pliable and healthy. The polish that we apply to our own relationships is the polish of love—love that is, as is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Relationships like this also have a secondary benefit: they draw others into the relationship. People have an inherent need to be in healthy relationship with others, modeling such will naturally draw others. Our relationships may indeed be worn and scarred, but there is no battered life that the love of Christ cannot make fresh and new.
Ignorance and Vague Generalities
Of the tools at the devil’s disposal, it would seem that ignorance and vague generalities are most commonly in his hands in the landscape of the American church. Here is not simply an indictment of the unbelieving culture at large, for who should expect them to know all of the details of our Christian faith apart from an academic curiosity, but my indictment is against professing Christians who have been lulled into the false notion that they need not bother themselves with knowing the details of our most holy faith. Herein is the site of the devil’s great activity.
I read a recent set of surveys that stated that the majority of the church-goers polled could not name all four Gospels, let alone all of the Ten Commandments. Even fewer were able to name all of the books of the Old and New Testaments, let alone in order. How does one find a word in the dictionary if one does not know the order of the letters of the alphabet? How will you find a reference in Micah or Jude if you do not know where in the Bible to look? How will you know whether an idea is right or wrong if you don’t understand the basic grammar and vocabulary that is being used to communicate it? And when a bad idea is being introduced from the pulpit, how with the believer know the error if the believer does not know the details of the theology he professes?
The devil has lulled people into a sense of security within their pews and he has convinced pastors and church leaders that the most important thing in church is to keep people happy (and in most cases, entertained). Even seminaries have taken this tact, putting more emphasis on practical theology and classes in church growth than in Biblical knowledge and understanding. It would seem that a clear exposition of the Biblical text is about as unwelcome as active application to life even though such is what is most lacking in most church-goers lives. “Does it work?” tends to be asked long before the question, “Is it true?”
Yet what does the Bible expect of us on this matter? To Aaron and his sons, God instructs:
“You are to make a distinction between the holy and between the profane, between the ceremonially unclean and the ceremonially clean. You are to instruct the Sons of Israel in all the laws which Yahweh spoke to them by the hand of Moses.”
(Leviticus 10:10-11)
It should be noted that while God is directly giving this rule to the Levitical priests, as the people began to be dispersed into exile, it is a task subsumed by the Rabbi in a local community—a role that is arguably the forerunner for the Christian understanding of a pastor. In addition, since in the Christian era there is a priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5,9), the task of instructing others in the things that God has taught falls squarely upon our shoulders. This would apply not only within the context of the church where the pastor and elders are to be the teachers of the people, but also in the homes where the father is to be the primary teacher of his family. Since there are levels of authority described in this model, it is worth noting that the Father’s job is two-fold. It is first to study himself so that he can teach his family how to distinguish between the holy and the profane and secondly, to study so that he can ensure that the pastor is teaching doctrine consistent with what the Scriptures present. Not too that this principle applies not only to what his family may learn in church, but it applies to what his family learns in every aspect of their educational process (hence the difficulty with educating children in the secular, state-run school system).
Many object saying that faith is primarily about a relationship with God, not about facts, propositions, and doctrines as revealed in the Bible, thus seeking to justify some degree of ignorance in the faith. It is agreed that faith in Jesus Christ is about a relationship, but note that every relationship in which we engage is one where there are ideas, facts, and propositions that are known about the one in which we are in relationship. In fact, the deeper the relationship, the more we tend to know about the individual. The facts do not make the relationship, but without these facts, no true and lasting relationship will exist. Note too, the way that God speaks of the connection between knowledge and obedience through Moses:
“You stand here with me and I will speak to you in all of the commandment and the prescriptions and judgments which you shall learn that they may obey in the land which I give them to inherit.”
(Deuteronomy 5:31)
Moses and the leaders must learn these things (with the aim of teaching them) so that the people will put into practice the command of God in the Promised Land.
The assumption, though, that is being made is that knowledge of the law yields obedience. On one level, there is the obvious principle that you cannot obey the things you do not know. Yet, Hosea builds this idea further:
My people are ruined for they are without knowledge. For as you refuse to accept knowledge; I will refuse to accept you from being my priest. You forgot the Torah of your God, so I will also forget your sons.
(Hosea 4:6)
Notice the comment that is being made. When there is a lack of knowledge amongst the people it is not simply because it is unavailable, but it is because the people have chosen to reject the knowledge of God as it is presented to them. And as the people reject the Law of God, so too, God turns away from his people. The principle is that it is not as if God has not made his word known to his people, but that they have chosen to set their minds and hearts on other things, being satisfied with only a passing knowledge of what God teaches.
It has been my contention for some time that the relationship that the majority of American Christians have with God is one-sided and unfocused. We tend to focus our praise of God on what he has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Certainly, this is a right and a proper thing for us to do and, especially for a new believer, this is something that is tangible in their lives. At the same time, we ought not stop there. Our aim should be to worship God for who he is and for his great excellencies of character.
When I was courting the woman who would become my wife, much of our relationship revolved around the special things that we did together. At the same time, as our relationship grew, the love was built less on our common activities and more on loving the person for who she happened to be. In married life, this is an essential transition, not because the common activities cease, but because those long romantic evenings tend to become more spread out during the activity of life and raising a family. Yet, after thirteen years of marriage, our love is deeper and richer than it was when we were first courting.
In terms of our relationship with God, it works in the same fashion. Early in our Christian walk, often the passion of our love for God is built on those “mountaintop” experiences that we have, yet as the Christian walk progresses, often those mountaintops seem to become further apart. If our faith is built solely on our experience of God and not on our knowledge of God, then the Christian life often becomes a pursuit of the next mountaintop. Yet, maturing takes sanctification and sanctification takes place most commonly in the valleys of life. David relates his time in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4) as a place of darkness where he cannot see God at work. Yet it is the knowledge of God’s character as the shepherd and that the rod and staff are yet in the shepherd’s hand that gives him courage and is the basis of his trust. It is the knowledge that keeps the sheep from panic and flight.
Our culture has bought into the model that when they read scripture, the first question they typically ask is, “How does this relate to me?” or “What can I learn from this so I can have a better life?” My contention is that the first question we must always ask is, “What does this passage teach me about God and about His character?” The shift is an important one for two reasons. First, when we are focused only on personal application, we will not tend to read the whole counsel of God, but only focus on those things that can easily be applied to today. Why spend time reading the seemingly endless genealogies of the Bible, for example, if your focus is only on personal application. Yet the Apostle Paul insists that all scripture is both God-breathed and useful to every aspect of the life of the believer (2 Timothy 3:16-17)—even the genealogies! The second problem that arises out of reading the scripture primarily for personal application is that our motivation to study decreases in proportion to the comfort-level of our lives. If everything is going well, we often assume that we have gotten the principles right, so why bother challenging them?
My argument is not that we do not apply scripture to life, indeed, we must. Yet this ought not be where we begin, we ought to begin with a focus on God and then secondarily toward application and his works in our life. And since God is infinite, his word will provide us with infinite depth of reflection on his character to satisfy and strengthen our souls. And when we fail to pursue the character of God, our relationship with Him remains shallow. And when we fail to teach the character of God, the people’s knowledge of Him will be vague at best.
I began this reflection with the impoverished state of the church when it comes to Biblical knowledge. One would expect that if my supposition that Biblical knowledge is directly related to obedience (as the old song goes, “to know, know, know him is to love, love, love him”—and as Jesus states, “If you love me you will keep my commandments” [John 14:15]), the lack of knowledge that exists in the church today would betray a lack of obedience to God’s word in the church today. When one looks at the state of our country, our depraved culture, and the anaemic church in America, my point is made. When you realize that more than three-quarters of the American general public identifies themselves as “Christian” yet at the same time immorality fills our streets and rules our governments, we must conclude that something is horribly amiss.
The solution? It is not more programs or more gimmicks to get people to come to church, nor is it to water down the gospel so that everyone feels comfortable under its teaching. The solution is to combat the tactic that is being employed by the enemy and instruct people in the knowledge of God. Peter reminds us that we are to add knowledge to virtue as we seek to grow in our sanctification, building upon what God has initiated in our life.
Why Do You Despair (reprise)
“Why do you despair, my soul?
And why do you groan?
In regards to me you must hope in God,
Because again I will confess him—
Salvation is before me by my God.”
(Psalm 42:12 [verse 11 in English translations])
Once again we find the psalmist echoing the words of his soul’s despair. The Hebrew word used here literally means to melt away or to dissolve. Indeed, how it seems that our spirit does tend to melt away within us—to fade into nothingness—when the world seems to bear down against us. How easily most of us are discouraged when things seem to be falling apart around us, yet, like the psalmist, we must ask, in whom do we hope?
If our hope is in God, why then do we complain and worry? Is he not the creator of the universe and has he not said that he will provide all of our needs? What then is there left to worry and gripe about? Our ills have no power of him. Worldly powers cannot sway or God to cease believing in himself or to cease existing. No, God is and he will always be—and he will always care for his own. What then is left to fear? Are not all of our worries irrational? Indeed, beloved, place your hope in Him, for He will deliver you from the second death.
But notice what the psalmist connects with the idea of hope—confession. The term that is employed here is the word, hådÎy (yadah). This word is often translated as “to praise,” which is one of the senses of the term, but the idea that is conveyed is that we are praising God publicly by our public confession of his glorious name and wonderful works. Indeed, we are to believe in our hearts and confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9) if we are to be saved. How often confessing Christians have bought into the lie that their faith is a personal thing and thus never praise God through their living and ongoing profession of his name. Indeed, the faith by which we walk in the world is a clear testimony that he lives and rules over our days.
This psalm closes with the great and glorious reminder that salvation comes from God and from God alone. Loved ones, there are many in this world who would suggest that they can offer you salvation. There are none, though, other than Jesus Christ who has risen from the grave and has thus promised that he will do the same for those who trust in him as Lord and Savior.
Praise the Rock of our salvation!
Praise the mighty God above!
Come before His sacred presence
With a grateful song of love.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
He is God, and He alone.
Wake the song of adoration—
Come with joy before His throne!
-Fanny Crosby
A Slaughter in My Bones
“By a slaughter in my bones,
those who are hostile toward me continually taunt me.
Saying to me all the day, ‘Where is your God?’”
(Psalm 42:11 [Verse 10 in English Translations])
“Where is your God, now!” is the cry that so many of God’s people have heard, when tormented by their accusers. Even the accusers of Christ tormented him with similar words—“He saved others, let him save himself!” (Luke 23:35). “He used the power of God at other times, where is that power now!” is essentially what they were saying. Oh, how often we hear that taunt from the ignorant and the wicked around us and oh, how often we are tempted to believe their words and fear that God has left us or abandoned us to a fate of empty loneliness. Over and over they raise their horrid taunt and how the words echo in our ears and feed the fears that we have.
The psalmist will soon close this psalm with the words we are desperate to hear…that God indeed hears and is with us and will bring that salvation we so desperately long for into our day. Yet, beloved, in the midst of the darkness, God promises over and over again that he will neither leave us nor forsake us and that even during those times when we don’t see or feel his hand moving in our lives, he is still there. He says to us:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will not fear evil, for you are with me—
Your rod and your staff, they continually bring me comfort.”
(Psalm 23:4)
“Having gone , therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, until the consummation of eternity.”
(Matthew 28:19-20)
“Also, I give to them life eternal, and they will surely not perish—for eternity—and no one will snatch them from my hand.”
(John 10:28)
Often people have despaired, wondering where God is during their time of crisis, yet our ability to feel God’s presence does not limit God’s ability to be with us. Indeed, sometimes the perceived distance is designed to teach us trust and patience. Beloved, the answer to the question posed by the mockers is, “God is with me; he has neither left nor forsaken me.” How we can find our courage in those words and that great reminder. Indeed, even though death may come to us in this life, Jesus has promised to preserve us from the second death—the Father’s judgment. Indeed, what a glorious gift we are given in Christ!
God, My Rock
“I shall say to God, my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me?’
Why do I go about darkened with respect to the torment of the enemy?”
(Psalm 42:10 [Psalm 42:9 in English translations])
The term “rock” is one that is often attributed to God. Why is that? Is God cold and unmoving? No, of course not! God is described as a rock in terms of his safety and security as well as his strength. In the torrents of trouble that flood our lives in this world (remember verse 7), God provides the strength and stability that we so desperately need. He gives us shelter in times of trial and persecution and herein the psalmist takes comfort—even in the destruction wrought by God on Korah and those who revolted with him, God preserved these Sons of Korah for his purposes in the life of Israel and in his redemptive plan. As Peter writes, God certainly does know how to rescue the godly while at the same time destroying the wicked (2 Peter 2:9-10).
In addition to God being referred to as a “rock” in scripture, it should be noted that his Word—the scriptures—is also described in the same way (Matthew 7:24; Exodus 32:15-16). Not only is he the rock to cling to during the trials and torrents of life, but his word provides for us the rock foundation upon which our lives are built sure. If you want to live a life that is reckless and swayed by the winds of change, then avoid this rock with all your power, but if you wish to know a life of sublime pleasure, then God gives us a foundation upon which to build…his most Holy Word.
How often, though, like the psalmist, we go about either saying or wanting to say that God has forsaken us. It is as if God had said that in Christ all things in life would be trouble-free. Yet, this is the gospel of the charlatans, not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, Jesus said:
“If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you. If you were from the world, the world would love as one in the same. But because you are not from the world—rather I chose you from the world—for this, the world hates you. Remember the word which I spoke to you—a slave is not greater than his lord. If they drove me out, they will also drive you out. If they treasure my word, they will also treasure yours.”
(John 15:18-20)
In other words, Jesus is reminding his Apostles and us how if we are faithful to him, the world will treat us as it treated him. The world put Jesus to death; why do we feel that we should expect to be treated differently?
The psalmist, understands this, I believe, and he continues by asking himself the rhetorical question, “why do I go about darkened…”—”why am I depressed and downcast” is what he is saying to himself as he looks at the torments of his enemy. For indeed, we know that our God is a great redeemer and a rock and if we rest in him we will be held secure from all eternal dangers. One may destroy our bodies but they cannot destroy our eternal souls. Beloved, why is it that so often we lament over the trials we face, for our God is with us and he has promised us that he will use such trials to strengthen us and to mature our faith (James 1:2-4). There is indeed a time to come when we will enjoy the bliss of being in God’s presence eternally, but for now, we remain in this world for a singular purpose—to glorify God by working out the Great Commission…that of making disciples of all of the nations—a program that begins in our neighborhoods, in our homes, and in our own hearts.
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.
’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.
Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
-John Newton
Yahweh Continually Commands His Chesed and His Song is With Me
“By day Yahweh continually commands his chesed
And at night, his song is with me—
A prayer of supplication to the God of my life.”
(Psalm 42:9 [verse 8 in English translations])
How deep it is that this verse is when we come to terms with its language and sentiment. To begin with, do not miss the wonderful title that is applied to God on high. He is called by the psalmist, “God of My Life.” Indeed, what wonderful thoughts come to mind when we apply this title to our great God and King. He is the originator of each of our lives and he numbers our days (Psalm 139:16). He orders all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11) and promises to work all things out for good for those who love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28). He has the right to take me here or there for purposes revealed or known only to him and he has the right not only to use me for those purposes but also to expend my life for those purposes. Indeed, every inch of my life is at his disposal from beginning to end and every ounce of my being and my day must be dedicated to his glory alone. Indeed, he is God of my life.
And as God of me life he responds with his dRsRj (chesed) and his song. Our Bibles translate dRsRj (chesed) in a variety of ways, trying to capture the essence of the word, but the idea of dRsRj (chesed) is reflected in God’s covenantal faithfulness toward us even when we fail to be faithful to his covenant. God indeed commands that towards his own. We wander and we stray, we often choose sin, and much like sheep, we can be cantankerous and difficult to keep moving in the same direction. Yet we are never forsaken. What a wonderful promise that is given in that simple principle. When Jesus utters the words, “I will never leave nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, also reference Matthew 28:20), that reflects the consistent testimony of God’s word throughout the Old Testament towards his people:
“It is Yahweh leading before you—he will be with you, he will not let you go, and he will not forsake you.”
(Deuteronomy 31:8)
“Blessed is Yahweh, who has given rest to his people, Israel, according to everything he continually promised. Not one word failed from all his good word which he spoke through the hand of Moses, his servant. Yahweh our God is with us as he was with our fathers. May he not abandon us; may he not give us up. He will stretch our hearts toward himself to walk in all of his ways and to guard his commandments, his regulations, and his judgments that he continually commanded our fathers.”
(1 Kings 8:56-58)
Even in redeeming his own from sin, God speaks through his prophet Hosea:
“And I will sow her myself in the land and I will have mercy on Lo-Ruhamah and I will say to Lo-Ammi, ‘you are my people.’ And he will say, ‘My God.’ “
(Hosea 2:23)
Yet, the promise does not end there. God also gives to us a song in our heart.
“My strength and melody is Yahweh,
He is to me salvation;
This is my God and I will glorify Him—
The God of my fathers, and I will exalt him.”
(Exodus 15:2)
“Praise Yahweh!
Sing to Yahweh a new song—
Songs of praise in the assembly of the faithful.”
(Psalm 149:1)
And indeed, when John sees the vision of heaven, one of the things he witnesses is the elders and the 144,000 still singing a “new song” to praise our almighty God. Indeed, the words of humanity could never exhaust the praise that is due to our God for what he has done for us, let praises continually fill our hearts and flood from our lips. My our life be a constant praise and witness to the goodness of God and may the song of our hearts not be the songs of this vulgar world, but ones that speak of the glory of the world to come…a subject of infinitely greater worth and beauty.
And thus we come before him with a prayer of supplication, not only asking for forgiveness for the sins we have committed, but also humbly asking God for the needs of the day to come. Indeed, did not our Lord himself teach us to pray for such needs as daily bread (Matthew 6:11)? Not only must we not forsake the privilege of coming before God’s throne, we also must never forget what a gracious gift it is to have been given such a great privilege. Indeed, our almighty God has shone his dRsRj (chesed) into our lives and filled our nights with his song—what more could we desire?
Deep to Deep
“Deep to deep is calling with a voice of your torrents,
All of your surf and your waves have gone over me.”
(Psalm 42:8 [verse 7 in English translations])
The depths of the ocean cry out with a voice of torrents as judgment washes over the land around the psalmist, because of the wickedness of the people. He feels as if he is about to be washed away in the floods, desperately looking for a rock onto which he can cling. The rock, of course will be Christ, but how we can relate to setting in which the psalmist finds himself! How dark our lives sometimes become; how many times we feel as if things are flooding by so swiftly that the torrents will suck us into the depths of the ocean where we will drown in lonely isolation. How dark it is to be in such a place, yet such a place is where God puts us to teach us, rebuke us, and to transform us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
The language of “The Deep” is important language in the Old Testament. The word MOwh;Vt (tehom) in its most basic sense refers to the depths of the ocean or the waters contained below the crust of the earth which may come forth in the form of a geyser. On occasion, they are used to refer to deep-water springs, but once again, the same basic idea is conveyed. On a more theological level, though, the idea of “the deep” is also often used in the context of judgment. It is the water from the deep that pours upwards in Noah’s day (Genesis 7:11) and the waters above and the waters below flood the earth (a re-creation event as indeed we find similar events taking place in the Genesis 1 creation account). In addition, the Egyptians are overwhelmed by the deep as it pours over them (Exodus 15:5,8) and Jonah describes himself as being taken into the deep (Jonah 2:5). Ultimately, God has established both the waters above and the deep below (Proverbs 8:28) and will use his creation to bring about his will, often in the form of judgement against his enemies.
The deep cries out with the sound of torrents of water as the psalmist feels himself about to be swept away by the flood, yet God is merciful and he will provide a rock of refuge for you and for me and for this psalmist…yet we get ahead of ourselves. Sometimes we need to await the deluge and learn to trust that in all things God will glorify himself and honor his name amongst his people. The deep will rise up and torrents will come, but both rise and fall silent at the voice of our almighty God.
From Hermon to Mizar
“My God, my soul dissolves over me,
thus I remember you from the land of the Jordan—
From Hermon to Mount Mizar.”
(Psalm 42:7 {verse 6 in English Translations})
The psalmist is looking to the north (Hermon) and to the east (Jordan) and realizing that while enemies surround him, particularly coming from these two directions, God will be with him and will redeem him from sure destruction. Note the language that the psalmist employs—his soul “melts or dissolves” over him. The concept of the soul in Hebrew encompasses the entirety of the person’s being, physical and spiritual.
What is interesting about the language that the psalmist uses here is that while Hermon here represents the desolation of the edge of the promised land, it is the likely location where Jesus would take his disciples and be transfigured before their eyes. As with so many other things in Jesus’ ministry, he took what was considered outcast and desolate and redeemed it to the glory of God His Father. And how he also does the same in our own lives. He takes the mess that we bring to him and not only heals us, but he makes that mess holy. It is like what takes place when the master pianist sets down beside the young student of piano. While the young student diligently plucks away at a few keys, the master fills in the sounds adding life and depth and color to what is heard and such becomes a masterpiece. The student participates but the life of the piece comes from the master. Such is true in our lives as well, often in the midst of our greatest weakness.
Loved ones, how quickly, when things go badly, we tend to fall into despair. Yet, the glory of the scriptures is to point out to us that in Christ Jesus there is no reason to despair or faint for your life. God is in control and Christ will redeem his own! That is good news, for if you are trusting in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that means that Christ will redeem you and that means he will never let you go and that as messy as your life is, he will make it into something that glorifies his name. What more could one desire than that? What greater hope is there, Christian, than to know that God has you in the palm of his hand and that powers and principalities of any magnitude can do nothing to pluck you out. Indeed, our God is good—remember his good works.
Why Do You Despair, Oh My Soul?
“Why do you despair, my soul, and groan?
In Regards to me, you must hope on God,
for again I will confess him—
Salvation is before him.”
(Psalm 42:6 [verse 5 in English translations])
What is your attitude when things start going bad and our plans fall apart? Is your first response to groan in despair? Is your first inclination to lament your misfortune? Yet, is not God in control? Does he not reign from on high in the heavens? Is not God the one who orders all things according to the counsels of his will (Ephesians 1:11)? Doesn’t our God own the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10)? And does he not care for his children more than the birds of the air (Matthew 6:26)? How often our lives are marked by worry, groaning, fear, and complaint.
The psalmist is reminding us that such is not to be the mark of our life. He is looking inward and saying to himself, “Why am I griping—why do I despair—do I not belong to God?” And indeed, we do belong to God if we are trusting in Christ as our Lord and Savior, so why do we despair? Why should we worry? It is the lot of the unbeliever to worry, but not of the one who is held in the hand of the almighty God of the universe. He has promised us salvation and he has promised us that he will work all of the events in our life out for good (Romans 8:28).
Thus, Christian, with the Psalmist, I call you to wait on God, trust him to work out the events of your life. When the way before you is dark and unclear, know that he is ordering your steps and will guide you; you shall not stumble and fall while resting in Him. And know, too, that salvation comes with him and with him alone—there is no other name by which man can be saved than by the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). And if this great promise belongs to us in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20), then where is there room to gripe and groan, oh, my soul?
Call Jehovah thy salvation, rest beneath th’Almighty’s shade.
In His secret habitation dwell, and never be dismayed.
There no tumult shall alarm thee, thou shalt dread no hidden snare.
Guile nor violence can harm thee, in eternal safeguard there.
-James Montgomery
The House of God
“These things I remember
And I shall pour out my soul before me;
For I pass over and into a refuge and walk slowly as far as the house of God.
In a great voice and with thanksgiving
The multitude celebrates.”
(Psalm 42:5 [verse 4 in English translations])
The “these things” refers back to the taunting of the enemies of God’s people found in the previous verse, and here, then, is the psalmist’s response to such taunting…he pours out his soul before him. Often, the idea of pouring out is associated with a drink offering that is made, but we also find it in connection with the idea of prayer, with one’s heart and life laid before God. As Jeremiah writes:
Arise! And cry out at the beginning of the night watches!
Pour out your heart like water before the face of God!
Lift the hollows of your hands toward him over the soul of your children—
Those who are feeble from hunger at the beginning of every street.
(Lamentations 2:19)
How it is that one of our great privileges is that we can pour out our souls before God, lay the cares of our hearts before his throne and know that he hears and will answer. What comfort there is, beloved that we have a God who hears and can empathize with us in our sorrows. Thus, from the depths of his very being, the psalmist cries out before God, pouring out the depths of his life before the throne of our Great God.
The words that follow are a little vague, but they seem to be a reflection upon the various celebrations that take place during the Jewish year. During the year, there were three festivals (Passover, Booths, the Day of Atonement) where it was required that all Jews present themselves in Jerusalem if at all physically possible and then there were a variety of additional festivals where, while not mandated by Jewish Law, it was encouraged that faithful Jews come to the Temple as well. These were times of great corporate celebration and were times when the population of Jerusalem would swell to the bursting point.
The most cryptic point of the passage is the language of taking refuge in a place while slowly walking to the Temple. Some have suggested that this is a reference to the Festival of Booths, where Jews would set up tents or booths on their roof to live in for a week as a reminder of the Israelites’ years living in tents in the wilderness. At the same time, while the word I translated here as “refuge” can be translated as “tent” or “shelter,” it is not the same word that refers to the shelters that are made during the Festival of Booths. Most likely, the best way to see this is as a more general reference to the various times the psalmist has en given the privilege of worshiping in the Temple courts.
In the end, the psalmist celebrates. And this, beloved, is something that should grab our heart. How easy it is for things that are regularly done in our lives to become routine and commonplace—even good things. How often our time of Sunday worship simply becomes a matter of going through the motions—the thing we do on Sunday because it is what we have always done. Yet, the worship of God should never be stale to the believer—it should be the thing we look forward to all week long. We are quick to pour out our hearts in lamentation, let us indeed be even quicker in pouring out our lives in the celebration of the mighty God we serve.
What a mighty God we serve,
What a mighty God we serve.
Angels bow before him;
Heaven and earth adore him,
What a mighty God we serve.
-Hezekiah Walker
Where is Your God?
“My tears have been to me my food, by day and by night;
Saying to me, ‘Where is your God?’”
(Psalm 42:4 [verse 3 in English translation])
Troubles will come our way in this life, there is no doubting or arguing against that premise. We cry after we are born and those who love us cry after we have died. Troubles follow us around, even, in this world of sin and grief. And when that takes place, it is easy for us to look around and ask where God is or why he has abandoned you to such a fate. In the midst of our tears we often cry out, “Where are you, God?” Yet, often there is no answer. C.S. Lewis, as he was grieving the death of his wife, initially described this experience as a shutting of a door and then a “bolting and a double bolting.” Later, as God was dealing with his heart, he realized that the “no answer” he was getting from God was not a cold, impassionate gaze, but was a sort of a, “Peace, child, you don’t understand.” How we must learn to rest in God before the sorrows and even the joys of our life will take on full meaning.
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
-Dorothy Thrupp
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