So They Did

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Pete

Working my way through Exodus. Reading of the escalating signs performed by the LORD through Moses to try and convince a hard-hearted Pharaoh to let His people go. And, as perhaps expected, my focus has been on Moses and Pharaoh . . . and, to be honest, probably more on Pharaoh. He’s in a game of chicken that he can’t win. He has set his “car” on a collision course with the God of the universe and refuses to take his foot off the gas. Don’t know exactly what he’s thinking, but despite the indisputable signs and wonders performed in the land, Pharaoh’s determined not to swerve. And I know that God has hardened his heart . . . and that he has hardened his heart . . . but it’s just jaw-dropping to read of his arrogance and stubbornness even as Egypt is literally torn down around him.

But this morning, a sentence jumped off the page that reminded me that, beyond Moses and the collective obstinacy of the Egyptians, there’s a third group of people who are part of this drama playing out, the people of Israel.

Remember them? Having grown into a great multitude they had been forced into hard labor by the Egyptians as a preventive measure against any inclination toward insurrection. It was with their elders that Moses met with and told of the LORD’s plan to deliver them. And they liked what they heard, “and the people believed” (Ex. 4:31). But that belief was short-lived when, after Moses’ first meeting with Egypt’s king, Pharaoh turns up the heat on his Israelite workforce requiring them to hit their production numbers amidst impossible demands. Then, these once believing elders track down Moses and curse him, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us” (Ex. 5:21)

So that’s Moses’ starting point . . . angry, hard-hearted Pharaoh . . . angry, disheartened people. Great! The LORD has everybody exactly where He wants them.

Fast forward a few plagues and Moses is telling these same people about God’s Passover plan. Quite an incredible story of God’s plan to send an angel of death to strike the firstborn of all Egypt. And that, to avoid the disaster, they were to take a lamb, . . . a lamb without blemish, and kill it. They were then to apply its blood to the door frames of their houses so that, when the LORD passed through to strike the Egyptians, He would see the the blood on house and would pass over that door, not allowing the destroyer to strike that house. That was the plan. That’s it. Angel of death coming . . . kill a lamb and put some blood on the doorframe . . . all will be well. So, how do the Israelites respond?

And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
(Exodus 12:27b-28 ESV)

So they did. With heads bowed in awe . . . and hearts lifted in worship . . . the people heard the plan, believed the plan, and so they did the plan. And while I know this motley group would not be the most consistent testimony of faith, for right now, they believed and so they did.

So, while the drama of the plagues was primarily a showdown between a stubborn king and a sent deliverer, it also played out in the hearts of a desperate people to produce, quite literally, a saving faith. They believed God was able to do what He said He would do that night, and so they obeyed. They believed that if God said to apply the blood then all they needed to do was to apply the blood. While there had been much collateral damage in Egypt throughout the showdown, there had also been a lot of collateral faith building throughout God’s people.

That’s how our God works. And that’s why His people respond the way they do.

Because of His grace . . . and for His glory.

 

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Evidence of Friendship

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Pete

We got a bit relationally messed up when we moved down to the States 11+ years ago. We had been warned by an expert in U.S./Canadian cultural differences that we might encounter it.

In general, she said, Americans were more open about the stuff they’d talk about to acquaintances than were Canadians. To share such “stuff’ in Canada was a pretty good indicator that you were “going deep” with someone and were developing a real friendship. Not so much, down here. Here, we were told, you could be thinking you were becoming “best buds” because of what you and someone else were sharing, only to find that the next day they had forgotten your name. (Not a good / bad or right /wrong thing . . . just a cultural difference thing). Thus, on more than one occasion, the girls, or even Sue and I, would think we were connecting with someone only to find out, we weren’t. Ouch! Took awhile to get used to that.

But the fact of the matter is, depending on the culture, what we share with someone else, and what they share with us, is a pretty good indicator of the depth of friendship that is being developed. Reminded of that this morning as I read the Twenty-Fifth Psalm.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.   (Psalm 25:14 ESV)

And check it out in the NASB, or NKJV . . .

The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.   (Psalm 25:14 NKJV)

And here’s the verse in the NIV . . .

The LORD confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.   (Psalm 25:14 NIV)

The word at the center of the difference in translations literally refers to “a session.” The idea is that of a company of people in close deliberation. It implies intimacy, consultation, a sharing of secret things. Not a word, I’m guessing, that is used to describe casual acquaintances. But one that refers to those who have gone beneath the surface in revealing themselves. So, you can kind of see why some translations emphasize the sharing of a secret, while the ESV emphasizes the implication, that this is something done among friends. That the sharing of secret things is evidence of friendship.

Ok . . . so after reconciling the translation difference, time to pause . . . and noodle on it . . . and then sit back in fresh awe and wonder.

That the LORD . . . that Jehovah . . . that “the existing One” . . . would enter into intimate, secret-sharing, covenant revealing relationship with anyone speaks of the depths of the love of God and of the unbelievable privilege extended to man. That He would, as it were, extend such friendship to those once in rebellion, to those who really have nothing to bring to the relationship, testifies anew to the abundant grace that flows from Heaven’s Throne.

Think about it. Everything we know about God . . . whatever understanding we have as to His ways . . . to whatever degree we have believed and appropriated His promises . . . it all testifies to the intimate nature of the relationship the Father desires with us. These things are not known because of how bright we are . . . or how well we were raised . . . or even how much we’ve studied the Scriptures. But these things are, ultimately, known by us because of the friendship of the LORD. Because He has chosen to “confide” in us. Because He has determined to share the secrets of the things of the kingdom with us.

We know God to the degree we know God, because He has revealed Himself to us. Because He, through the finished work of His Son on the cross, and by the active agency of His Spirit on the earth, extends to us His friendship.

Can anyone say, “Unbelievable!” How about, “Thank You, LORD!”

That is the “culture” of the kingdom. For those who humble themselves in reverent awe before Him, He draws them into “conversation,” revealing Himself and His friendship to us. And guess what? He doesn’t forget our name the next day!

Let us praise His name forever!

By His grace . . . for His glory.

 

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And He Knew . . .

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Pete

They had hit the wall. The oppression had become too much. The Egyptian taskmasters had become ruthless and their demands were beyond any manner of reason. Their burden had become too great. Life for the Israelites in Egypt had become overwhelmingly “bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field” (Exodus 1:14). And so, “the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help” (Exodus 2:23).

Never been there . . . but can relate. I can’t relate to the hard labor . . . nor to the loss of freedom . . . nor to the despair of forced submission to a ruthless taskmaster. But I can relate to being in a life state that is so hard, that all that’s left is groaning and crying out for help. I can relate to hitting the wall . . . of trying to do my best . . . with all my might and strength . . . and still coming up short . . . way short . . . as in, helpless-to-help-myself-or-anybody-else short. And it’s at that point, and during those sorts of tough times, that there is comfort and hope in something I read this morning. And He knew . . .

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel–and God knew.
 (Exodus 2:24-25 ESV)

Noodle on that. God heard . . . God remembered . . . God saw . . . and God knew.

He heard their cries. The Majesty enthroned in heaven has ears to the ground for His people on earth. He is not a God who can’t hear our whispers amidst frailty and failures. Not deaf to those times when we just simply run out of gas. Doesn’t ignore “911 prayer.” Hasn’t tuned out the long, pleading petition. He is a God who hears.

What’s more, hearing their cry, He looks upon His people. He sees their situation. Knowing their frame, He is moved with compassion as He takes in their struggle.

And He remembers. He remembers His promise. He knows the call He has put on their lives when He claimed them for His own and drew them to Himself.

So, in hearing, and seeing, and remembering, He knows. He acknowledges their situation. He takes notice of their plight. He recognizes when it is time to act.

And because He hears, and sees, and remembers, and knows, I can trust . . . I can rest . . . I can wait until He brings His deliverance.

He has rescued me from the bondage of sin and death. He has allowed me exodus through the blood of Jesus applied to “my house.” He has set before me a promised land. He has purposed to conform me to the image of His Son. And He has promised to finish the work which He has begun (Php. 1:6). And so, when, not if but when, I hit the wall, I can cry out with confidence. Confidence that He hears, He sees, He remembers, and He knows.

And confident that His grace will be sufficient.

Amen?

 

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Jesus Knows the Name

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Pete

Don’t really know why . . . or where I’m going with this thought . . . but, for some reason, this morning I find myself hovering over the names of Jesus’ twelve disciples as recorded in Matthew 10. And I’m asking myself the question, “Self, what’s in a name?”

And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. (Matthew 10:1-4 ESV)

It was Thaddaeus who initially caught my eye. Thaddaeus? Who’s he? While I may not know a lot about all the apostles, at least I thought I’d recognize their names when I come across them. But Thaddaeus. Not much “brand recognition” there. If I were to be asked the question, “True or False, Thaddaeus was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples?” . . . I’d have a 50/50 chance of getting it right. And it just hit me, Thaddaeus . . . why don’t I recognize that name at all?

A little bit of digging and I come to find that, in Luke’s gospel and his Book of Acts, this disciple is referred to as “Judas the son of James.” And in John’s gospel, after Judas the betrayer leaves the upper room where Jesus and the twelve have gathered for Passover, Jesus is asked a question by one of the disciples referred to as “Judas not Isacriot)” (John 14:22). Okay . . . so Thaddaeus is Jude. The same Jude who wrote the one-page letter in my Bible. Mystery solved. Lesser known character identified. All is good.

But so what, if I didn’t know him when I read his name? So what, if Thaddaeus isn’t the household (as in “house of faith” – hold) name that Peter or James or John is? So what if, comparatively, in terms of sheer words within the Book, he’s more of a “bit player?” The fact that I had trouble with his name and that, in some ways, he’s kind of hidden in the tapestry of the New Testament story, really doesn’t matter. The realization I’m coming to as I noodle on Thaddaeus, is that Jesus knows the name.

Jesus called the name to Himself. Jesus determined to bring the name into His inner circle. Jesus sent the name out, along with the others, and gave him authority over unclean spirits, disease and every affliction, and asked him to proclaim the good news that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7). And Jesus has given the name a new name “that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Rev. 2:17).

Jesus knows the name. The name doesn’t need to be worried about making his name known . . . doesn’t need to be concerned with notoriety . . . or with his own “brand recognition.” In fact, the name prefers to be invisible that he might reflect only THE NAME — The Name that is above every name. The Name by which all, who believe, are delivered from sin and death.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Jesus knows Thaddaeus’ name. And He knows mine. And that’s enough . . . that’s more than enough!

To Him be all glory . . .

 

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Kingship Belongs to the LORD

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Pete

O’ the wonder of the Twenty-Second Psalm. That it is Jesus’ song is evident from the very first line, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” The opening lyric of the song is that “sung” by the Lamb of God upon the cross (Matt. 27:46). As such, you can’t help but walk through Psalm 22 as though treading on holy ground as you are invited to experience, up close and personal, the suffering of the Messiah.

But though there is a dark cloud over much of the psalm, just as darkness hung over the cross that day, at its foundation is a message of deliverance, hope, and victory.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!   (Psalm 22:26 ESV)

Where does that come from? Amidst the mocking and scorn . . . amidst ravenous attacks of the surrounding bulls of Bashan . . . amidst being poured out like water, heart becoming like wax, strength dried up like a fragile earthen vessel . . . amidst the pierced hands and feet . . . how can there be a hope of feasting and eating until the soul is filled? What, in the midst of this, could possibly lead to such joyful praise?

Short answer: kingship. Royal power. The right to have dominion. That the kingdom belongs to the One who suffered.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and He rules over the nations.   (Psalm 22:27-28 ESV)

Add that to your list of universal, eternal, and eventually to be recognized by everyone, truths. Kingship belongs to the LORD.

He rules over the nations. Always has, always will.

The amazing thing though, is the lengths to which the King would go to secure for Himself loyal subjects. That He would humble Himself, divesting Himself of His royal garments, for a time, that He might come among us as one of us. That He would humble Himself and take upon Himself the fullness of our experience . . . yet without sin. That He would humble Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. And that He would do this to tear down the barrier preventing entrance into His presence, the debt owed because of our sin and transgression. In His own body, He bore the penalty for our disobedience. In His flesh, abused at the hands of His creation, He was forsaken of the Father, that He might pay the wages of our sin, satisfying the just demands of a holy God.

Nevertheless, all the while, kingship belongs to the LORD.

He ruled then, even in His humility. He rules now in the hearts of men and women who are willingly submitted to His authority by faith. And, one day, He will rule such that all the ends of the earth shall know Him . . . and turn to Him . . . and worship before Him.

O’ what a King! O’ what a Savior! To Him be all glory . . .

 

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Singing Praise to the Power

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Pete

They are the words of a king. Composed by a royal songwriter, Psalm 21 exalts the LORD. The king has been given his heart’s desire . . . has known rich blessings . . . has been bestowed, by God’s grace, with glory, splendor, and majesty. Blessed forever . . . filled with joy because of the Presence . . . sure that “through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.” And at the root of such glorious praise, forming the “bookends” of this victorious song, is the power of God.

O LORD, in Your strength the king rejoices, and in Your salvation how greatly he exults! . . . Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength! We will sing and praise Your power. (Psalm 21:1, 13 ESV)

“In Your strength” the king shouts with joy . . . “In Your strength” he raises the name of the Almighty. Singing praise to the power.

A song for kings only? Or for the lips of paupers, as well. Just for the mighty soldier? Or for the helpless paralytic, too?

I also read, this morning, in Matthew 9 of a man “weak of limb” . . . unable to walk. Unless carried by friends or family, not able to go anywhere. But on this day, his friends took him up on his bed and carried him to Jesus. Jesus “saw their faith” and told the man to “take heart . . . your sins are forgiven.” The scribes present scoffed within themselves, thinking, “This man is blaspheming” . . . no one can forgive sin but God alone. Jesus knowing their thoughts responds to them . . .

“Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins–He then said to the paralytic–“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
(Matthew 9:4b-8 ESV)

And Matthew’s account moves on. But what of the lame man who got up on his own two feet and walked home? What’s he thinkin’? What’s he doing? This morning, I imagine him singing the king’s song.

Rejoicing in the LORD’s salvation . . . having been given the desires of his heart and more . . . having received rich blessings and a crown of life for his head. Granted “length of days forever” . . . robed in the glory, splendor, and majesty of another, the King of kings. Made glad, not just because of strong legs, but because He has been in the presence of God. Singing praise to the power. The power to restore useless legs . . . the power to redeem sin-stained souls . . . the power of Jesus to save.

And I see him on his face as he sings to heaven, “O LORD, in Your strength this nobody rejoices. In Your salvation how greatly he exults. Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength! This paralytic will sing and praise Your power forever!”

Sing praise to the power of Jesus Name. To the One given authority on earth to forgive sin. Graciously showing His might and strength on behalf of all who call out in faith. For our blessing . . . and for His glory.

Let’s sing the king’s song.

 

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It’s Not About the Horses

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Pete

It’s been a morning of deliverance in my readings. And while the stories of deliverance are amazing, it is the Deliverer who “steals the show.” And David, the songwriter, caps it off nicely by reminding me it’s not about the horses.

First reading, Genesis 44 & 45. All Joseph’s brothers, including Benjamin, are in Egypt for the “big reveal.” Actually it starts out as the big scare when Benjamin is accused of ripping off pharaoh’s number 2 man in Egypt. But then Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and tells them of God’s great deliverance. Though they fear for their lives as they recall their treachery in selling their brother into Egypt, Joseph tells them, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life . . . God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth . . . so it is not you who sent me here but God” (Gen. 45:5-8).

Freed from famine. Not by the latest agricultural breakthroughs or the discovery of alternative food sources. Not even by the best structured and administered relief programs. But by sending forth of a favored son. No horses.

Then I’m in Matthew 8. And the same Jesus who calms a mighty storm by His rebuke, casts out demons from two possessed and tortured men. The men are released of their spiritual bondage at the command of the Lord. Jesus says, “Go!” and the demons are exiled to a herd of pigs which then rush to their destruction.

Freed from demonic influence. Not by medication or counseling. Not by self-help programs. But by God’s favored Son. No horses.

Then, it’s Peter in prison in Acts 12. Peter’s going to be Herod’s “encore” performance. Herod has already executed James and that’s gone over pretty well with the Jews, so he has Peter arrested and imprisoned. Peter’s next. But an angel of the Lord visits Peter in his inner-prison cell. The angel says the word, or just thinks the thought, and Peter’s chains fall off. And together they walk out of the prison. Past the guards, through the gates, Peter ending up at an all-night pray meeting called on his behalf. A miraculous deliverance. An answer to prayer. A display of the Sovereign power of God over the rulers of the land.

Freed from chains. Not by some elaborate escape plan. Not by diplomacy and negotiation. Not by insurrection. But through a messenger sent by God’s favored Son. No horses.

Don’t get me wrong. There is a place for good agricultural practices and relief programs. Counseling can be life-saving and medication often effectively addresses the physiological sources of tormented behavior. And sometimes you just need to go in by force and spring the prisoner or come to a reasonable agreement to have him released. Those can all be good “horses” for the day of battle. But, at the end of the day, as David reminded me this morning, for the child of God, our faith isn’t in the horses.

Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving might of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:6-9 ESV)

There is power in the Name of the LORD our God. There is power in the Name of Jesus. And, by His grace, it is in that Name we will trust. Amen?

For His glory . . .

 

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One of These Things Is Not Like the Other . . . Or Is It?

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Pete

Been a lot of years since I’ve had occasion to watch Sesame Street (it’s still on, right?) But one of its segments came to mind as I was reading the nineteenth psalm this morning. Go figure . . . not laying that one at the Holy Spirit’s feet . . . just the way my mind works . . . or, some might contend, sorta’ works.

Anyway, as I read through and the psalm, at first, it seemed to have three somewhat unrelated sections to it. The first about the heavens, the second about the law, the third about the avoidance of sin. But as I tried to “step back,” I think I saw a flow. God makes Himself known. Known through the handiwork of His creation and through the hearing of His word. His glory is declared by His ways, the magnificence of the heavens. And His glory is declared by His will, the revelation of His word. The first resulting in eyes turned upward, blessing God as we declare His glory. The second, turning our eyes inward, recognizing our benefits as we take in His word.

And the result of such revelation? It is the discerning of error. The acknowledgement of sin. The need to plead for God’s gracious intervention . . . “declare me innocent” . . . keep me back from arrogant sin . . . let not such iniquity rule over me . .. by Your grace and power, make me blameless and innocent “of great transgression.”

So I think the song flows . . . each “verse” builds on the previous. Behold the glory of God . . . ingest the word of God . . . know the mind of God as it relates to our sin . . . and cast yourself upon God to work the work of grace that declares you blameless.

Ok . . . but where’s the Sesame Street thing? It’s in the portion concerning God’s word. See if you can find it . . .

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  (Psalm 19:7-11 ESV)

That this section is talking about God’s word is clear. It is sweeter than honey for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is to be desired more than gold for those who wish to lay up treasure in heaven. And it’s benefits are many. It revives the soul, makes wise the simple, rejoices the heart, and warns God’s servant.

And as the poet pens this tribute to the word, the Spirit moves Him to use a number of synonyms. But one of these, at first, doesn’t seem like the others. God’s word is referred to as the law, the testimony, the precepts, the commandment, the rules or judgments, and the fear. The fear? How often have I ever thought of God’s word as “the fear?” Doesn’t seem to fit. Or does it?

I like what Spurgeon says, “The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect, viz., inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it reigns.”

The word of God is a “fear generator” . . . an “awe factory” . . . a reverence producer. True? As we encounter the God of the word through the word of God, as His mind and His way is illuminated to us by His Spirit, is there not a holy fear that often prevails over our meditation? Is there not a cleansing action that occurs as we bow ourselves to Him who shows through His word that He is holy, holy, holy? Is there not reverent awe as, through His word, we experience an encounter of the divine kind with very One whose glory is declared by the heavens? I’m thinkin’. Maybe we do well to refer to our Bibles as “The Fear” more often.

. . . the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever . . .

Because of His grace . . . for His glory.

 

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His Will and His Word

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Pete

I’m reading in the first part of Matthew 8 this morning. Accounts of Jesus’ interaction with two men. Two very different men. One, a nobody, a leper. The other, kind of a somebody, a centurion. But both the same. First, they both came to Jesus in humility. The leper “knelt before Him” . . . the centurion came “appealing to Him.” Both came with a certain desperation. One was done with being unclean the other interceded for a servant who was done with being unable to walk. And both came with a measure of faith . . . one expressing faith in Jesus’ will, the other expressing faith in Jesus’ word.

When [Jesus] came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” (Matthew 8:1-2 ESV)

When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, appealing to Him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8:5-8 ESV)

The leper was convinced that, if Jesus wanted to cleanse him from his disease, He could. The centurion was equally convinced that, in order for his servant to be healed, all Jesus had to do was say the word. And it’s got me thinking this morning about the power of the Christ and how that power is manifest in His will and His word.

The Son of Man did not come into the world to condemn it, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17). That’s His will. And Jesus invites all those who are weary and heavy laden with the guilt and baggage of sin to come to Him and He will give them rest . . . rest for their souls (Matt. 11:28-29). That’s His word.

His will is to do the Father’s will (John 6:38) . . . and His word is the Father’s word (John 12:49-50). That will is that none should perish (2Pet. 3:9), and so His word from the cross, “Father forgive them for know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). That will is that we would be with Him and see His glory (John 17:24). And so, He intercedes on our behalf with words that apply His blood to the cleansing of our sin, and again affirms that we have been covered with His righteousness. And He speaks the word to our hearts through His Spirit, calling us back to the Father, making known to us the Father’s abiding love and grace.

And in that will, and in that word, is power. The power to save and to save to the full (Heb. 7:25). The power to rescue and redeem. The power to reclaim and restore. The power to renew and revive.

Mine, whether I am great in the sight of man or invisible to other men, is to come in humility and, by faith, affirm, “Lord if You will . . . just say the word.”

O the power of Jesus Name. The power of His will . . . the power of His word.

All by His grace . . . all for His glory.

 

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A Song Within A Song

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Pete

While reading Psalm 18 this morning, I encountered something which, at first glance, just didn’t seem right. It was kind of like I was “listening” to a song when all of a sudden someone hit a bad chord. The notes didn’t quite line up. The melody took a weird turn. But I’m wondering if it isn’t because I am “listening” to a song within a song.

David wrote the Eighteenth Psalm for the choirmaster’s collection. It is a song of deliverance . . . a song of victory . . . a song composed on the occasion of the LORD rescuing him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. It is a song which starts big . . .

I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.  (Psalm 18:1-3 ESV)

The victor in this passage is LORD. The conqueror is the Rock. The “hero” is the Deliverer. And David can’t help but respond with praise and adoration.

The songwriter extols the might of heaven’s great Warrior. Of the LORD’s fierce intervention on the songwriter’s behalf. The earth reels as the LORD thunders in the heavens and rides on the cherub to battle on behalf of His beloved on earth. And the LORD rescues him . . . draws him “out of many waters” . . . brings him into “a broad place.” Why? Because the LORD delights in him (18:19).

Good so far. Love the melody. God’s greatness. God’s glory. Acting on behalf of a man he delights in because of God’s grace. I’m groovin’ with the tune!

But then there’s the bad chord . . .

The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, . . . I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.   (Psalm 18:20-24 ESV)

Twang!!!! Wait a minute. Back the bus up. That doesn’t sound right. There is none righteous, no not one. All our righteousness is as filthy rags. What’s this about?

What if, at least in part, the explanation lies in the fact that this is a song within a song. A song about David, but one about the Greater David. One about the king of Israel, but one that also speaks of his offspring, the Anointed, the King of Kings? What if a second battle is in view in this song, one that occurs on a cross centuries into the future. What if the One being delivered is Christ, the Righteous One? What if the Holy Spirit worked through David to write a song within a song?

What if the song within the song is a prophetic song foreshadowing One who, though tempted in all ways as we are, was yet without sin (Heb. 4:15)? One who could truly say He was blameless and kept Himself from guilt? And that the song is about heaven’s war against the enemies from hell who thought they had won the battle on Calvary’s cross, but in fact were defeated as He was drawn from the depths and raised in victorious, resurrected, eternal life.

And what if the song is hints at our own deliverance from the enemy because we have been credited with the righteousness of Another?

For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to Your name. Great salvation He brings to His king, and shows steadfast love to His anointed (the Christ) to David (the Greater David) and His offspring (those born of the Spirit) forever.     (Psalm 18:49-50 ESV with a little PV, Pete’s Version, added in)

What a sweet, sweet song within a song!

 

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