If we truly believe what God says to be really real then I wonder why we cower when we are mocked for faith living and made to feel “less than” by the arrogant? If we believe that God is the Supreme Judge over all His creation and Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, assigned by God to this position after returning to heaven as the Redeemer of our souls, then truly “Whom then shall we fear?”
We remember now what David wrote in a previous psalm of praise to God;
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:1-5
What David sought; God provided to all of us through Jesus, Our Deliverer!
We are joint heirs with Jesus when we say yes to Him in surrender. God’s justice was done at the cross, depriving evil of its bonded hold on us, with deliverance from our sins by His Son, Jesus! The more we read and believe; the more we realize that God’s justice is for all who believe, repent, and live for Jesus. (John 3:16-17) What God desires for us, the prophet Amos declared; “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” The people of Amos’ day had no reverence or regard for God. Their offerings and sacrifices were given from hearts far from God as they continued in their sins of idolatry worship with insane, wild parties. It did not go well with them then and sin does not go well with us now. Sin cannot be a part of a human created by God “in His own image”. Sin doesn’t fit.
That’s why God’s justice is so powerful, like a mighty river, that rolls over the enemy’s obstacles likened to a giant river that powerfully rolls over the rocks and ridges underneath as if they were pebbles and sand. God’s justice cleanses humbled, repentant hearts completely, by washing away all our sins “just as if” they never occurred. Wow! “This is how Israel tells it—
Psalm 129, The Message
A song of ascents.
1-4 “They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young”
—this is how Israel tells it—
“They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young,
but they never could keep me down.
Their plowmen plowed long furrows
up and down my back;
But God wouldn’t put up with it,
he sticks with us.
Then God ripped the harnesses
of the evil plowmen to shreds.”
5-8 Oh, let all those who hate Zion
grovel in humiliation;
Let them be like grass in shallow ground
that withers before the harvest,
Before the farmhands can gather it in,
the harvesters get in the crop,
Before the neighbors have a chance to call out,
“Congratulations on your wonderful crop!
We bless you in God’s name!”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
What a mighty God we love and serve! What a gracious, loving, compassionate Judge we stand in in front of with a healthy fear and awe because of how powerful He is against the Enemy. We face skirmishes daily with the Evil one who continues to tempt the faithful with obstacles thrown in our walk with God. But we have the resurrection power of God who lives in us to overcome!
Here’s why, ICYMI! It is Almighty God who sent His Son from heaven to earth to seek the lost. His work from God was to redeem us by willingly and obediently lay down His life for ours, as a perfect without sin sacrifice to set us free from our sins. The Lamb of God became the ultimate, once and for all, Sacrifice for all the sins of the world. We need only to repent to be saved and set free!
From the cross to the grave, Jesus paid it all but there was still more to come! God always finishes what He starts. On the Third Day of laying in death; God’s final blow to His Enemy was delivered when He resurrected Jesus from death to life!
After “kicking around the King of kings”, Jesus rose from the grave to greet His followers alive and well, scars and all! The women who went were shocked to see the grave empty and terrified of where they took the Body of their Lord. “He is not here, he has risen, just as He said…Remember…” (See Luke 24) Jesus first words to his devoted, beloved, when they saw Him alive and well, were, “Don’t be afraid, it’s Me; now, go and tell the others!” Justice had been served by the One and only Judge with all authority to make freedom happen—He delivered us! Because “God wouldn’t put up with it”, the ravages of sin and death, all the chains and harnesses of sin were broken at the cross!
The Psalmist recalls Israel’s long suffering. From the time Israel was enslaved in Egypt to their current circumstance; they have suffered much at the hands of hostile nations who oppose God. Yet their enemies have not succeeded in their efforts to destroy Israel; not do they hold God’s people permanently in bondage.
God watches over Israel and is faithful even when most are not faithful to Him. The Enemy “withers like grass that sprouts on the flat, sunbaked housetops and “where no plow can prepare a nurturing soil to sustain the young shoots”—so there is no harvest. These curses are not retaliation for a personal slight but rather a desire for judgment against God’s enemies.
Our response? We should acknowledge the true injustice in the world and long for God’s redeeming and redemptive work to overturn and overcome it all! Trust God who is The Judge who will make it happen in ways we cannot now dream or imagine. But He will. Trust Him.
And all God’s people said, “I trust you, Jesus.”
Lord,
You have given us insight by Your Holy Spirit that beckons us to go deeper in our knowledge and faith in You no matter what is happening around us. You have certainly no given up your authority to the limited powers of evil. I believe. I’m listening for you. The One Thing that I seek is all of you dwelling in all of me. Cleanse me, renew my mind, refresh my soul, and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within me knowing you are at work in all others as well. To you be all glory, honor, and praise!
In Jesus Name, Amen
