God Will Balance the Scales - Psalms 9-11

Psalms 9:17-18 (ESV)

The wicked shall return to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

God will balance the scales of justice.  In the above two verses we have two types of people mentioned:  The wicked and the needy.    God is promising, through he pen of David, to make sure the wicked are returned to Sheol (the grave) and the needy have their hope rewarded.   The wicked, who forgot God, are punished, but the needy, who are forgotten by the wicked, are remembered by God.   The lack of hope in God will cause the wicked to perish.   The hope of the needy will be rewarded.   God balances the scales.   In our world today many of the wicked are rewarded and promoted.   Many of the needy are simply forgotten and discarded.   The rulers of the world are often desiring to promote themselves at the expense of the needy.   We play partiality in our society today.  In the early church the Apostle James even brought this out:

James 2:1-4 (ESV)

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

God does not play partiality toward mankind.   He accepts those who hope in Him and rejects those who have no time for Him.  God will balance the scales of justice.  

God Keeps His Promises - Joshua 16-20

Joshua 18:21-28 (ESV)

Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba—twelve cities with their villages: Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.

In this section of Joshua, the leader, is distributing the conquered promise land to the each of the tribes of Israel.  In the above passage we read about the cities that were included in the territory given to the tribe of Benjamin.    Passages like the above challenge our understanding of the following text from Paul’s letter to Pastor Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

It is hard to read a list of cities.  It is like we are reading a Google map and hard to see how profitable it is for training in righteousness.   How does a list of cities teach us righteousness or improve our walk or equip us from every good work?   It should be noted that these types of text were the only text Timothy had.  He was being written to in a letter from Paul that was inspired, yes.   But these Old Testament text are what Paul was referring to.   So how does the above text equipped you and I?   What spiritual lesson is here?  Is this milk, meat, honey, bread (terms used to describe Scripture)?     It would be false to think on a Sunday morning this would be the sole text of the preacher’s sermon.    Most of these names in the text mean little to us.   Most commentaries do not even handle these texts.   I have written 25 or so journal entries on this section of Joshua and have never mentioned them.   The only city listed of any consequence is Jebus .  The author of Joshua makes a point to add to that name is the name for the city, Jerusalem.   But that is the point of the text.   In the beginning of the book of Joshua we are told that God is going to give them the land.   Each one of these long lists of cities in this section is an exclamation point to that promise of God.   Let’s say we were praying over one of our friends and upcoming their surgery.  We are praying for success and that God leads the doctor’s hands and eyes.  Let’s suppose that once the surgery is over the doctor, or the patient, or a friend gives us a blow by blow account of each phase of the procedure.   The significant point is that our friend is healthy and safe.  But the salient point to the surgery is each step the surgeon completed.  Yes, each of these cities means little to us.  But they are each step of the greater picture that God kept His promise.   Knowing the truth that God keeps His promise, one city at a time, equips us for training in righteousness.  

Turning Your Back On God’s Grace Is Dangerous - Genesis 12-15

Genesis 14:13-16 (ESV)

Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Abraham’s nephew, Lot, had gotten himself into some trouble.  In reality, it was not all Lot’s fault.  He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  However, he did choose the place.  When Abraham told Lot he could take any portion of the land, Lot chose to move to Sodom.   Lot wanted the night life and moved his family closer and closer into the city.   When five kings came to subdue the city, Lot was a casualty of war.  He was taken captive.   Abraham comes to rescue him and restores him and Sodom to wholeness.  Abraham will even be blessed by both the priest Melchizedek and the king of Sodom.   Lot is the benefactor of that blessing.   Yet, soon (in chapter 19), Sodom will be destroyed by God for their wicked behavior and God will rescue Lot, again, based upon Abraham’s prayer.  What we have in these above verses is God’s grace poured out on Sodom and Lot.  Yet, it won’t be much longer that they turn their back on God and fulfill their name as Sodomites.   When people turn their back on God they will soon be filled with evil in their hearts.  Think of Judas.  He was offered and heard all the some grace, miracles and forgiveness as the other disciples and ended up the same as Sodom.  When we turn our backs on God’s grace we open our hearts to evil and Satan’s domain.   

Don’t Relax The Power of God’s Word - Matthew 5-7

Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

This section of Matthew (chapters 5-7) is referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. It covers a variety of topics and is powerful in understanding both Jesus’ mission and the believers’ purpose and practical way to live out that mission.   The above passage has so many truths to unpack but the one highlighted is very practical for today’s age.   In our society we have many teachers, pastors, clergy, priest and other religious leaders wanting to relax the commandments of God.   Obviously when Jesus is talking about commandments, He is referring to the Old Testament Law specifically for the hearers of this teaching.  But it is also applied to all of God’s laws, principles and teachings He gives us.   What Jesus is saying is that He didn’t come to abolish His Father’s Word.   He came to fulfill it.   The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were always twisting and revising the Word of God to fit their interpretations and life style.  It is nothing new for a religious leaders in our day, to also relax God’s Word to fit their life style.  Today we have a rampage of this type of relaxing.   The word used for relaxing, in the above passage is the Greek word,  lyō.  This is Vine’s  definition for it:

lyō; a primary verb; to “loosen” (literally or figuratively): — break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-)loose, melt, put off.

It is translated as follows:

AV (43) - loose 27, break 5, unloose 3, destroy 2, dissolve 2, put off 1, melt 1, break up 1, break down 

When we lyo (pronounced loo-o), Scripture we attempt to diminish the power and/or authority of it. We here someone say that a Bible passage no longer means that. We might hear them talk about the Bible has to be taken for the culture and God no longer holds to that thought today.   The relaxing of the authority of God’s Word means that there is nothing absolute.   God’s Word is absolute.   Jesus didn’t come to make God’s relative for today.  He came to fulfill God’s Word in His life in front of us so that we can fulfill all of His Word (in the power of its meaning) in front of Him.  

The Nations Rage - Isaiah 12-17

 Isaiah 17:12-14 (ESV)

Ah, the thunder of many peoples;

they thunder like the thundering of the sea!

Ah, the roar of nations;

they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!

The nations roar like the roaring of many waters,

but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,

chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind

and whirling dust before the storm.

At evening time, behold, terror!

Before morning, they are no more!

This is the portion of those who loot us,

and the lot of those who plunder us.

Our nations of the earth like to flex their muscles.   Leaders like to puff out their chests.    Political beasts like to trump the power of others.   The Psalmist said it this way;

Psalms 2:1-6 (ESV)

Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,

“Let us burst their bonds apart

and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

“As for me, I have set my King

on Zion, my holy hill.”

In this section of Isaiah we are reading about the oracles he cried out, by the Holy Spirit, against the nations that oppressed the people of Israel.  The oracles were prophetic utterances that proclaimed doom and gloom on them for their evil acts.  This above section of Isaiah’s oracle is just one example of those in this section.  This particular pronouncement is against Damascus.  The point of the teaching is that no nation is actually in charge of themselves.  God uses all nations to accomplish His will and His favor.   We ought not to fret about the nations as they flex their muscles.  God is in charge and has an oracle for them all.  

Look Into The Eyes of Those Suffering - Job 6-8

Job 6:28-30 (ESV)

“But now, be pleased to look at me,

for I will not lie to your face.

Please turn; let no injustice be done.

Turn now; my vindication is at stake.

Is there any injustice on my tongue?

Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?

Look at me!   When people feel unseen, it is as though they feel they have no value.   When Job’s friends first showed up to visit him, this is what we read:

Job 2:12-13 (ESV)

And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

When the three friends showed up they could not look at him and could hardly recognize him.   Apparently, as this first dialogue with them unfolds, they still cannot look him in the eyes.  In essence Job is say, “Please look at me. Quit looking away.  If you could see in my eyes and look deep you would see that I am not lying!”    The challenge we have as we read Job is that God has already told us that Job is righteous.  We have seen the acts of Satan come against Job.   However, his three friends show up with a particular world view.   Their view of pain and suffering is retribution oriented.  They only have the view that if someone is suffering it is because they are doing something wrong against God and God is punishing them for it.  But they are wrong.  They can’t (or won’t) change their world view just because Job claims he is innocent.   The story of Job, however, is about the suffering of the innocent (a picture of what will happen to Jesus centuries later).    Instead of changing their world view they condemn Job.  Job wants them to look at him.  Really look at him.  He wants to be seen.   He wants them to know that he innocent and He is trusting and walking with God.   Yet, his friends refuse to even look at him and hear him.   This might be as painful to him as the loss of his family, his riches and his health.   We are to look at others when they are in their grief and suffering.  We are to see them.  Yes, some may be there because of their open sin against God (think of David and the loss of the baby after his adultery).   But others might be there because Satan is trying to dissuade the innocent from following God.   We are to see them.  Don’t put your worldview onto others and make them live your view of life in their life.  See them!

Facing Hard Situations - Psalms 6-8

Psalms 6:1-3 (ESV)

TO THE CHOIRMASTER: WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDING TO THE SHEMINITH. A PSALM OF DAVID.

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath.

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;

heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.

My soul also is greatly troubled.

But you, O LORD—how long?

The above lines from Psalm 6 are meant to be the beginning of a song that Israel would sing in worship.   Most of the time, when we are studying Scripture in general and the Psalms specifically, we want to know the historical setting the passage is talking about.  So in the above lines we would often ask, “When was this in David’s life?  What circumstances are happening to David as he pens these lines?”  These are correct questions to ask and are important concerns to better interpret the studied text.   However, one commentator makes a great point about this psalm and the psalms in general:

(Understanding the Bible Commentary Series) 

Psalms generally are written not out of the particular experiences of their composers but for the various experiences Yahweh’s worshipers may face. Therefore, we should ask not, “Out of what circumstances was this psalm written?” but rather, “For what kind of circumstances is it appropriate?”

There was undoubtedly something happening in David’s life when he authored these words.  We don’t know when and where or why, however.   We are not given enough details.  We can speculate, but that is not always healthy in the interpretation of Scripture.   The point made by this commentary is one to consider.   When David pours out his heart to God asking for grace and compassion, we all can relate to many circumstances we face where we might utter these same words.  A key truth to learn from this passage might be that in times of trouble, like David mentions, we do have a God we can turn to for mercy and grace in time of need:

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We might add, as David did, But you, oh LORD, how long?   There is always the circumstances we face and the then, also, time we must face them.   The circumstance can carry a weight hard to bear.   The time we are in the circumstance, without knowing how long, can be a relentless burden.  Some suffering is but for moment.  Other suffering is forever.  When Paul wrote about his own suffering and the constant bearing under it, he wrote these words:

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Having an eternal view point always gives us a better approach to our afflictions.  But asking God for grace and knowing He will provide it NOW, is even better.   David cries out and expects God to hear him.