The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 83:1-2,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads."
Asaph calls out to God for justice against Israel's enemies. He calls the enemies of Israel God's own enemies in that Israel was God's chosen people. Although God used other nations to get the attention of wayward Israel, Asaph now calls for God to bring his vengeance against them. "May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." Verses 17-18.
Certainly Asaph felt Israel's treatment at the hands of her enemies warranted a response from God. Asaph was looking for some justice.- a righting of the wrongs perpetrated by Israel's enemies. It appears to me that all mankind feels a deep need to see justice done, a righting of the wrongs. While this world is filled with culprits, there always exists a felt need for justice.
Perhaps this is why we are told so often in the Scriptures that people rejoice when God comes to bring his justice:
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness. Psalm 96:11-13
As I think of these things, it comes to mind that a sinner like me faced the justice of God for my own sins. What a horrifying prospect! How thankful I am for Jesus Christ who took my punishment on himself on that cross. God's justice for my sin was visited upon him and now I stand forgiven with the same righteousness as Jesus Christ himself! He has redeemed me from God's justice! All this for simply embracing him in faith.
How unfathomable!
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads."
Asaph calls out to God for justice against Israel's enemies. He calls the enemies of Israel God's own enemies in that Israel was God's chosen people. Although God used other nations to get the attention of wayward Israel, Asaph now calls for God to bring his vengeance against them. "May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." Verses 17-18.
Certainly Asaph felt Israel's treatment at the hands of her enemies warranted a response from God. Asaph was looking for some justice.- a righting of the wrongs perpetrated by Israel's enemies. It appears to me that all mankind feels a deep need to see justice done, a righting of the wrongs. While this world is filled with culprits, there always exists a felt need for justice.
Perhaps this is why we are told so often in the Scriptures that people rejoice when God comes to bring his justice:
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness. Psalm 96:11-13
As I think of these things, it comes to mind that a sinner like me faced the justice of God for my own sins. What a horrifying prospect! How thankful I am for Jesus Christ who took my punishment on himself on that cross. God's justice for my sin was visited upon him and now I stand forgiven with the same righteousness as Jesus Christ himself! He has redeemed me from God's justice! All this for simply embracing him in faith.
How unfathomable!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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