| << | Contents | >> |
Articles 2018-2020
Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
David was in trouble. To him it seemed like he was in both mire/quicksand pulling him downward while at the same time threatened by flooding waters to overflow and drown him. And so he cried out to the Lord for rescue (Psalm 69:3).
What he faced was his enemies’ attempts to destroy him. They demanded restitution from him of what he had not taken (Psalm 69:4). But how does one restore to someone a coat or donkey that he does not have? Couched in their demand for justice was in fact their motive to destroy God’s servant. And so today, the cry for justice arises from every quarter. Men long for it and every political system promises it. But the blood of injustice can be found in every system of man. True justice, where men treat each other as God has treated them can only be found in one place – among genuine followers of Christ (John 13:34 - 35). Here is the distinguishing mark of God’s kingdom. Here is the hope for the God-given longing cry of men’s hearts for equity, fairness, and integrity on earth.
But people generally think that man’s rule can provide it. And so ultimate disappointment resides everywhere. And the enemy’s lie is that Christians, with their love of righteousness and rejection of sin, are the ultimate expression of injustice. “Anyone who rejects my lifestyle must also reject me. How then can they reflect impartial fairness?” And so the cry goes out for Christians (like David experienced) to give what they cannot. We cannot give a rejoicing celebration of sinful lifestyles. And so couched in the growing demands of some for justice is really the motive to destroy the righteous.
And it is not as though Christians have been perfect. David certainly had not (Psalm 69:5). He had clearly failed the Lord at various times. But his main concern was that as he went through his trial, he did not cause others who loved the Lord to stumble in their faith because of him.
Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
It is such a grief to our hearts when others are hurt because of our sinful words or actions. God certainly still has His work cut out for Him in conforming us to the image of His Son. Thankfully, His love has covered a multitude of our sins. Every one of us knows what it is to be grateful that no one was around when we said or did something displeasing to the Lord.
Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face.
It is as if David was saying that if God had just left him alone, he would have had many fewer trials to face. After all, how much trouble can one get into at the national level if his main job is simply to care for sheep? But God had called him for something more. And with that call came reproach, rejection, and physical danger.
I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children;
From the beginning, David was in trouble with his siblings. Why did Samuel feel it necessary to anoint him right in front of all his older brothers? I mean, his family was so convinced that he was irrelevant to the “king anointing process”, that they did not even invite him to the event. And then notice how upset his oldest brother was at him when he asked about Goliath (1Samuel 17).
Many years later, parallel to these events, Jesus’ brothers thought He had become deceived (John 7:5). They had probably admired Him when He seemed to be simply their older brother caring for the family. But when He stepped out into national ministry, everything changed. Now they had a choice to make as He spoke both of himself and of His family in a new way. Now all who did the will of God were His brothers, and sisters, and mother (Matthew 12:46 - 50).
God’s call brings with it new realities/definitions and new dimensions of spiritual rejection and reproach as well as His grace to face them. At the root of David’s conflict was his love for God and his desire to make for Him a place of habitation.
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
Those who hated God hated David. When the Lord was left in Israel’s background under king Saul’s rule, political intrigue and division in the nation seemed subdued. But when Heaven’s new order under David began to emerge, Saul quickly felt threatened and divisions came into the light (not all division is bad). Suddenly, people had a choice – a great shift was occurring in the land. To follow David was to participate in bringing Yahweh to the forefront, to His rightful place of honor in the nation. David had determined to make a place for the Lord (Psalm 132:5).
Similarly, the greater Son of David faced the same conflict. Instead of making a place for God, religious men had made a place for commerce and financial profit in His house. And it grieved the Lord so much that He drove them out (John 2:13 - 17).
Today, many who build in the Church speak about making a place for millenials, or for families, or for the poor, or for certain ethnic minorities, etc. But again, God’s house is to be above all a place for Him. Christ, central in the midst of His people. Let us lay aside all agendas and gather to Him. And He will show us His heart for the various people He connects us to, whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, etc.
And today like in David’s day, a great shift has begun across the earth. And choices are being forced upon everyone (a quick glance at the political realm will confirm this). And in Christianity, God is arising to establish His house as the place for His dwelling, His priorities, and His mind to be made known among men. And there is great spiritual resistance both in His house as well as without.
In David’s case, while his response was to humble himself before the Lord (Psalm 69:10 - 11), the attitudes of many others were antagonistic – the men of influence (those who sat in the gate) and the rabble-rousers (the drunkards) made him the object of their scorn (Psalm 69:12). And instead of reacting, David prayed and trusted in the Lord for deliverance (Psalm 69:13 - 19). Similarly today, God is our only hope for the Church to become an expression of Heaven more than the organizational/administrative powers of men, the competing agendas of spiritually gifted leaders, and the elevation of various emphases of scripture above the overall theme of God’s emerging kingdom. If our hope is fully in Him, we will not react toward each other but have confidence in Him and His agenda among us.
David faced his circumstances and was grieved.
Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
The greater Son of David also stood alone – those closest to Him fled at the time of His greatest trial. And what did the wicked do?
They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Poison for food, and drink to make one thirstier. Such conduct expressed more than simply unkind people mistreating someone. It revealed hatred against God and those He loved. And so David began to prophesy fearful coming judgment.
Let their table become a snare before them, and their well-being (Hebrew, SHALOM) a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; and make their loins shake continually. Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their dwelling place be desolate; let no one live in their tents.
Their table, what God ultimately set before the unrighteous in Israel for their sustenance, was Christ. He was the true bread of Heaven (John 6:35). And because of their heart condition, He became to them a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense, and a snare to entangle their feet. Their eyes did in fact become darkened and they failed to discern the true Light right in front of them. And David’s prophecy that their dwelling place would become desolate was certainly fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem. Peter specifically made reference to David’s words above when he spoke of God’s judgment on Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:20). The way that he died after his rejection and betrayal of Christ was but a smaller picture of what was coming upon the nation. Fearful indeed.
While God’s judgments on the rebellious would be severe (Psalm 69:26 - 29), David knew he would come through his trial and be able to worship with thankfulness (Psalm 69:30). Here is the mark of one who has gained understanding of the Lord’s ways. The ability to look back and see God’s strategy in bringing His servant through difficulty enabled David to then look forward to the future with hope. Painful circumstances were not just coincidental; they were strategic. And they revealed God’s loving involvement with His servant.
For David to gain such insight would bless the Lord much more than would mere animal sacrifices (Psalm 69:31). And along with David, the humble as well would recognize God’s work and rejoice (Psalm 69:32).
Notice the psalmist’s closing thoughts.
Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it.
Worldwide worship will ascend to the God of heaven and earth because of His faithful work of restoration both in spiritual Mt. Zion, the worldwide followers of Messiah, and also specifically the Jewish nation – those who dwell in the physical cities of Judah. God’s present work of physical restoration of the nation of Israel is preparatory to a massive breakthrough of Heaven’s mercy among the Jewish people. And just like David recognized God’s strategy in the trials he experienced, so also shall Israel. The results among the nations will be startling. Let us look to the future with hopeful expectation of the increased manifestation of God’s work both in Israel and among the nations.
Donald Rumble – August 2018
Search Comments
This page has been visited 0064 times.
| << | Contents | >> |
10 per page