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  • John T. Polk II 4:27 am on February 12, 2013 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , disobedience, , , , , ,   

    Psalm 107 

    Vs. 1-3 give a well-deserved praise of the LORD;

    Vs. 4-9 show God’s deliverance to the bewildered;

    Vs. 10-16 show God’s deliverance to the bowed down;

    Vs. 17-32 show God’s deliverance to the busy;

    Vs. 33-42 show God’s abundance for the blessed;

    Vs. 43 describes those who pay attention.

    This Psalm fits into the continuity of the preceding few, tracing God’s preservation of Israel through more of the Old Testament history, notably, bringing them back to Canaan after their Babylonian “captivity.” OR this Psalm is also worded in such a way that it might describe God’s salvation of any sinner with figures of speech that describe what it would mean to be saved. OR the wording may well point forward to events in Jesus’ life that would show God’s works through and about Jesus in order to convince sinners to come to Him for salvation. The historical Israelite setting is probably more fitting. The repeated formula of repentance in Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28 IS the history of Israel, AND of the churches of Christ. The repeated refrain in Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31 should be the learned lesson heeded by all of “the children of men,” that is, everyone!

    Verses 1-3: Those who thank God for His goodness and mercy (verses 1-2) are those who realize He paid their price (“redeemed”) to make them His own. The “gathering” (verse 3) easily depicts Israel gathered from all directions to re-possess their Land of Canaan (historically recorded in the Books of Ezra & Nehemiah).

    Verses 4-9: The “wandering” easily describes Israel after Egyptian bondage (historically recorded in the Book of Numbers), ending in their land with “a city for habitation,” Jerusalem (as recorded in the Books of Joshua-2 Kings). Jesus offers to satisfy the hungry and thirsty (Matthew 5:6).

    Verses 10-16: The “bondage” easily fits the Israelites’ life in Babylon as punishment for their rebellion against God’s words (historically recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Jeremiah 25:1-14). Jesus discussed the Jews’ bondage in sin (John 8:30-36) and freedom is in Him (2 Corinthians 3:12-18).

    Verses 17-32: The “affliction” easily fits Israel’s (the Northern Kingdom) crumbling to Assyrian conquest (2 Kings 17:1-23). Jesus stilled stormy seas (Mark 4:36-41), and also healed the “afflicted” (Matthew 4:24; 2 Corinthians 1:6). Congregated people should “praise Him” (in other words, “go to church”).

    Verses 33-42: Abundance, or lack, is in the hand of God, and can depend upon a people’s wickedness or righteousness. When things go wrong, the first place to look for a reason is one’s own life! “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: ‘He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.’ Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God” (2 Corinthians 9:8-11).

    Verse 43: The “wise” will “observe,” that is, pay attention to the lesson of history, and “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off” (Romans 11:22).

    All Scriptures and comments are based upon the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

     

  • John T. Polk II 4:15 am on February 11, 2013 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , disobedience, , , ,   

    Psalm 106 

    Vs. 1-5 praise God for preserving His nation;

    Vs. 6-46 trace Israelite sins from Exodus-Judges;

    Vs. 47-48 praise God for preserving His nation.

    If Psalm 105 follows God’s promise and plan from Abraham-through the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt under Moses; then Psalm 106 traces the sins of those people from their formation as a people in the Book of Exodus-to their settling in the Promised Land in the Book of Judges. The history of the Israelites is not a witness to their righteousness but a testimony of God’s plan, providence, and patience in using them until Jesus Christ was born. They were never God’s “permanent chosen people,” but a means to the end of the promised “seed,” “who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16-17).

    Verses 1-5: God is best to be praised, thanked, and remembered by “he who does righteousness at all times” (verse 3). To be remembered by God, one must remember God!

    Verses 6-12: Exodus 6-15. This illustrates how hard-hearted Israelites have been – immediately after the miracles in Egypt to release them, they desired to return when Pharaoh pursued them to the Red Sea! God completely destroyed the Egyptian army in the same Sea the Israelites had crossed: no shallow end of the pool, this!

    Verses 13-15: Numbers 11. Emphasis here is upon the phrase “soon forgot His works” (verse 13).

    Verses 16-18: Numbers 16. The challenge to the leadership of Moses and Aaron was met with the earth swallowing up the challengers, and fire from heaven consuming 250 men illegally offering incense to God.

    Verses 19-23: Exodus 32. Israel exchanged the living God “Who had done great things in Egypt” (verse 21) for “an image of an ox that eats grass” (verse 20). Go figure!

    Verses 24-27: Numbers 13-14. Because “they did not believe His word” they sent 12 spies into the Promised Land to see if they could conquer it, and even after 2 spies showed faith to then enter, the 10 spies prevailed. God made them wander in the wilderness 1 year for every day the spies had taken, and only the 2 spies with a good report were allowed to enter that Land along with all numbered under 20 years old who had come out of Egypt.

    Verses 28-31: Numbers 25. Adultery with the women of Moab prompted Jehovah to caused a plague of death come to 24,000 Israelites.

    Verses 32-33: Numbers 20:1-13. The Israelites’ constant murmuring provoked even Moses to disobey God in providing them water from a rock. This was his only sin that kept him from entering the Promised Land.

    Verses 34-39: Joshua. In conquering the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, the Israelites were to completely eradicate the Canaanites. This was not done, and the Israelites were easily influenced into idolatry by those Canaanites.

    Verses 40-46: Judges. Because of their partial obedience in the Book of Joshua, a pattern was established that when they sinned, they would be overcome by a non-Israelite people, cry out to God, who would provide them a “judge” to lead them to overcome their oppressors.

    Verses 47-48: Acknowledge God who can gather the Israelites “from among the Gentiles.” The “Praise the LORD” at the beginning and end of this Psalm shows that, in spite of their sins, God is willing to forgive those who repent and turn back to Him.

    Thought: This list of horrible sins done by God’s own people under Moses’ Law proves they were not chosen because of their inherent righteousness; God could have used “rocks” instead of people as John the Baptist said (Matthew 3:1-9); and that there is no such thing as “once-saved-always-saved” and never has been! The bad example of the Israelites is a lesson never to be forgotten by Christians (1 Corinthians 10:1-12; Hebrews 3-4).

    All Scriptures and comments are based upon the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

     

  • Ron Thomas 7:00 am on December 19, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: curiosity, disobedience,   

    Is curiosity or forgetfulness disobedience? 

     In Exodus 16 the Lord gave the children of Israel manna (food) that would sustain them while in the wilderness. He told them the manner in which they were to gather. On one occasion the manna gathered was left-over until the next day—contrary to the Lord’s expressed will; on another occasion some Israelites went out to gather—contrary to the Lord’s expressed will. What prompted this action of those left kept the manna until the next day and of those who went out to seek? Could one say it was forgetfulness or curiosity? In either case the Lord was not pleased. There is a lesson in this for us.

     

  • TFRStaff 11:37 am on March 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: disobedience, , ,   

    Hugh Fulford: Stop! 

    Excuses for not stopping

    The sign said “STOP.” I didn’t. So I said to the judge …

    1. I think every person has the right to choose his own interpretation of this word.

    2. My mother did not believe in stopping. If I were to stop, I would be condemning her.

    3. My family never stopped. If that was good enough for them, it is good enough for me.

    4. I have gone so long without stopping, I don’t think I can start now.

    5. My preacher says I don’t have to stop.

    6. My parents made me stop when I was young, so I don’t do it now. (More …)

     

    • Stanley Adams 2:08 pm on March 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I think that this says a lot about a lot of things going on. I learned my Covenants and Testaments and when the kingdom of Christ began over 45 years ago. In fact, using the old Tisdale Charts for personal work proves the point. There are a lot of divisions for us to learn, and there are a lot of things to learn about the gospel of Christ and His kingdom that were slowly being dispensed during his earthly ministry that did not make it happen. The Kingdom of Christ and of His God occurred in Acts 2 and it will continue until the Kingdom of the Church is swallowed up into the Kingdom of Heaven.

  • Richard Mansel 1:40 pm on June 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: disobedience, , invisible, ,   

    Are We Hiding From God? 

    “The little boy stood very still in the corner of the living room with his eyes closed. His mother passed by a few times, curious. Finally, she asked and he said nothing. She went over and asked sternly. He whispered, ‘Momma, you can’t see me. I’m invisible.’”

    How silly of that little boy. Is it, really? It must not be. People do the same thing to God every day. Read More

     

    • Mike Riley 1:48 pm on June 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Richard, yes many people think they are invisible to God – it’s a futile effort to think that God doesn’t see or know everything we think, say, and do.

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