The Word for today:
Psalms 58, 59
mark this: 58:11
Q. In the Psalms, David often prays for God to judge his enemies. Is that a bad thing for David to pray?
A. No. Without judgment, there is no salvation. Unless Jesus is Judge, he can't be our Savior.
Q. How's that work?
A. Here's an example:
The judgment of Pharaoh's army, drowned in the sea, was the salvation of the children of Israel (1). The very same thing that was salvation for one was judgment for the other (2).
Here's how Psalm 76 explains it:
From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet--
when you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land (3).
But the picture of the salvation of Israel at the Red Sea was just a foretaste of the cross--when God judged Jesus in order to save us. There is no salvation without judgment.
Jesus came the first time as the Suffering Servant (4), in order to save us from our sins. He will come a second time as Judge (5), in order to save us from our enemies.
Psalms 58, 59
mark this: 58:11
Q. In the Psalms, David often prays for God to judge his enemies. Is that a bad thing for David to pray?
A. No. Without judgment, there is no salvation. Unless Jesus is Judge, he can't be our Savior.
Q. How's that work?
A. Here's an example:
The judgment of Pharaoh's army, drowned in the sea, was the salvation of the children of Israel (1). The very same thing that was salvation for one was judgment for the other (2).
Here's how Psalm 76 explains it:
From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet--
when you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land (3).
But the picture of the salvation of Israel at the Red Sea was just a foretaste of the cross--when God judged Jesus in order to save us. There is no salvation without judgment.
Jesus came the first time as the Suffering Servant (4), in order to save us from our sins. He will come a second time as Judge (5), in order to save us from our enemies.
Whether Suffering Servant or Judge, he's our Savior.
(1) see Exodus 14; (2) see 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (3) Psalm 76:8-9; (4) see Isaiah 52:13-53:12; (5) John 5:22-27
some things never change - - - some of your best work was always done in the wee hours of the morning - or was that the late hours of a sleepless night....thanks for challenging us to become all that God desires we can be...Bob B.
ReplyDeleteBob Billingsley!!
ReplyDeleteMy eternal friend! We've known each other forever and we've got forever to go! I'm looking forward to every day of it.
Tireless Guardian of our way
Thou hast kept us well this day.
While we thank thee we request
Care continued, pardon, rest.