Beware Oh Mighty Men - Psalms 51-53

Psalms 52:5-7 (ESV)

But God will break you down forever;

he will snatch and tear you from your tent;

he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

The righteous shall see and fear,

and shall laugh at him, saying,

“See the man who would not make

God his refuge,

but trusted in the abundance of his riches

and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Psalm 52 starts out like this:

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?

The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

God is speaking to the might man.   This is the one who rejects God and still thinks they own the world.    We can spot them in politics.  We can spot them in sports.  We can spot them in entertainment.   We can spot them in the military.  We can spot them in corporate America.    We, regretfully, can spot them in religious circles.   And we can spot them in families.  These are people who flex and spread out their peacock feathers for all to see.   We stare in amazement. We applaud them.  We invest in them.  We bet on them.  We hide behind them. We vote for them.   We love them.    

But King David is the writer of this song and he calls them out.  However, guess what?  He was a politician.  He was an entertainer.   He was a military man.  He was religious man.  He was a family man.  Whenever David failed it was because he was flexing on his own might and not the power and might of God.   David, like in Psalm 51, is calling himself out as well.  He was a might man.   Remember what he called his inner circle?  

2 Samuel 23:8 (ESV)

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

1 Chronicles 11:10 (ESV)

Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

In the above text, however, we see what David thinks of mighty men who try to fight on their own.  God will eventually bring them down.  And those who once feared them and would hide in their presence, will now come out and laugh in their face.   This is the plight of the might man who rejects God and embraces evil.  We might physically fear them.  We might cower to them.  We might run when them come.   We might try to win them over and get on their good side to exploit them.  But in the end, we, like God will laugh at those who fight with their might and reject Him.  Note how David’s son, Solomon, would say it latter:

Proverbs 1:24-27 (ESV)

Because I have called and you refused to listen,

have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when terror strikes you,

when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

Victory Is Guaranteed - 2 Samuel 5-9

2 Samuel 8:3-8 (ESV)

David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

Obviously we can see that David had a secret weapon.  David had God on His side.   The above line in the above paragraph states that wherever David went, he had victory.  Imagine that formula for us today.  Imagine that we can have victory wherever we go.   Business and industry would love that.  Politicians would love that.  Athletes would love that.  Parents would love that.  Yet, these positions or categories are not what is guaranteed success.  It is those who follow God.   This phrase will be repeated of David in a couple more verses:

2 Samuel 8:14 (ESV)

Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

David had victory because David followed God.  As long as he did that, he could know he had victory.  There is going to come a time in this book of 2 Samuel that this will not be true.  But that is because he will, later in this book, fail to follow God.  Our formula for victory, as a believer is very simple: Follow God and we will have victory.   It was said this way in the first psalm:

Psalms 1 (ESV)

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

David, himself, said this way in Psalm 15:

Psalms 15 (ESV)

A PSALM OF DAVID.

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right

and speaks truth in his heart;

who does not slander with his tongue

and does no evil to his neighbor,

nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

in whose eyes a vile person is despised,

but who honors those who fear the LORD;

who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

who does not put out his money at interest

and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

We can claim victory before we even fight if before we even fight we are walking with God. 

God Is Working With Nonbelievers - Exodus 17-20

Exodus 18:1-9 (ESV)

Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. And when he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

When Moses was found out about his killing of an Egyptian, he ran away to the land of Midian.  He came to the home of Jethro, who happened to be a priest of Midian.  This meant he was an unbeliever.   Jethro gave Moises his daughter, Zipporah, and he had two sons with her.  It was Jethro’s sheep Moses was tending when he saw the burning bush. It is at that bush where God called Moses to go back to Egypt and do the miracles in front of Pharaoh, demanding that he let God’s people go.  

This all happened while Jethro cared for Moses’ wife and Moses’ two boys, Jethro’s grandsons.   Moses life can be divided up into three sections:

• 40 years in Egypt, in Pharaoh’s court

• 40 years in the wilderness tending Jethro’s sheep.

• 40 years leading the people of God in that same wilderness

We don’t know exactly how long the miracles in Egypt took place.  But it would have been relativity short timespan. However, Moses’ and his family were separated as a result.  

Here are some things we can learn:

1. God sometimes ask us to serve Him at the cost of our family.  That is completely foreign to our mindset. 
2. God sometimes uses non-believers to support the work that believers do.  That is completely foreign to our mindset. 

God used Jethro to accomplish a task for Moses. In the above passage we read of their being reunited.  However, God is about to bring Jethro to faith in Him, based upon the work that Moses did in Egypt.  God is about to bring Jethro to the place to give great wisdom to Moses about his leadership.   So, the last take away is this:

    3. God brings non-believers into our lives, just so He can eventually bring them to faith.  

Never doubt how God uses the non-believing world to accomplish the tasks He has designed for the believer.   

See God’s Glory - Know God’s Grace - 2 Corinthians 1-3

2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (ESV)

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Paul, in 2 Corinthians, is responding to challenges to his Apostleship and, therefore, his authority to instruct them.  He has already made some practical rational for his authority, but in the above he makes a huge theological argument.  As one commentary stated:

In contrast to Moses, Paul proclaims the gospel with boldness because he knows that the glory of God that is now revealed through his ministry need not be veiled, since by means of the Spirit of the new covenant, it produces life rather than judgment and death.

This tent-maker, past Pharisee, is now asserting himself as better than Moses.  How can he do that?  Because Moses had to veil the glory of God that shone on his face and Paul is declaring the glory of God.    In Moses’ day the glory of God showed judgment on mankind.   In Paul’s day the glory of God brought grace to mankind.  Paul wants them to not only see God’s glory, he wants them to be changed, from one degree to another, into that glory.   The authority of his apostleship is not wrapped up in his name recognition, his title, his personality, or his status in life. It is based solely on his message of the glory of God being revealed to mankind through what he is teaching.    In their rejection of Paul they were, in essence, rejecting God’s message.   The message of God’s glory is our message.   It is seen in the risen Christ.  That gives anyone authority to speak.  

Preaching the Gospel Comes With Suffering - Mark 13-14

Mark 13:5-10 (ESV)

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

Jesus has just predicted that the Temple in Jerusalem was going to be destroyed. He didn’t say when.   We know by history it will be about 35 years later, in 70 A.D. that the Temple was destroyed.  We don’t know if this is the time He is referring to, or if He was referring to a Temple in the end times.  What we do know is some signs that He said would take place in prior to the Temple being destroyed.  But, again, we don’t know what end He is referring to.  There are great arguments for many interpretations.   What we do know is that before this all takes place several things are going to take place.  In the above verses we have some of those things:

1. False teachers will come to lead them astray. 
2. False christs will come claiming to be Jesus. 
3. These false teachers and false christs will lead believers astray. 
4. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Nations will rise up against nations. 
5. Earthquakes will be increased.  
6. Famines will take place. 
7. Believers will be delivered over to legal courts.   
8. Believers will be beaten.
9. Believers will bear witness of Christ before authorities.
10. The Gospel will be preached. 

Jesus calls all the above, simply the beginning before the end, birth pains.   God intends to use trauma and tragedy to bring forth the proclamation of the gospel.   Note the last verse:

And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

That is the key to the timing of all this.  The question is, was that what happened at Pentecost ... 

Acts 2:5

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

... and therefore the Temple falling at 70 A.D. was the time He was referring to?  Or, will there be another time, after all nations hear the gospel, in the end times? 

Whenever it takes place there is going to be devastation and trauma.  But for the purpose of furthering the Gospel.   God uses suffering to spread the Gospel.  That is our take-a-way from these verses.   In order for the Gospel to be heard, suffering must be had. 

What Does God Do With Bad Servants? Jeremiah 22-26

Jeremiah 23:1-4 (ESV)

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.

God will replace those who do not do their job for Him.  Note here:

1 Samuel 15:10-11 (ESV)

The word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night.

God puts men in place to serve Him.  If they fail to serve or serve in the wrong way (as in the above shepherds) he will remove them.  

God removed Shebna from ruling:

Isaiah 22:15-18 (ESV)

Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him: What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock? Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master’s house.

God removed Eli and his two sons, because of their evil:

1 Samuel 4:17-18 (ESV)

He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

God removed the elders of Israel:

Isaiah 3:13-15 (ESV)

The LORD has taken his place to contend;

he stands to judge peoples.

The LORD will enter into judgment

with the elders and princes of his people:

“It is you who have devoured the vineyard,

the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

What do you mean by crushing my people,

by grinding the face of the poor?”

declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

God will remove those He chooses to serve Him who fail to do so.