steadfast

When you are backing away from a bully, the worst feeling in the world is when your back touches the wall.

Israel had received some advanced notice that not one but three armies were on their way and intent on their destruction.  Their king, Jehoshaphat, calls for a nationwide fast to seek help from the LORD (2 Chronicles 20:3-4) and at the assembly the king prays a candid but desperate prayer calling upon God to keep his promise (2 Chronicles 20:6-12).  It contains three questions: "Are you not . . .?", "Did you not . . .?" and "Will you not . . .?".  

The prayer ends with their back against the wall, but their eyes focused, not on the bully, but on their Savior.

2 Chronicles 20:12b

"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

To which God answers through the Levite Zechariah who then spoke through the Spirit our call to worship this week:

2 Chronicles 20:17

You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

They go out to battle, led by worship.  They sing:

2 Chronicles 20:21b
“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.”

For, God's promise of "steadfast love" (ḥeseḏ) cannot be broken . . . and they watch as their enemies consume each other!  

delivered

 This week we begin worship with:

Psalm 34:4-5

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

With these two verses David explains what happened to him, when he sought protection from God, and encourages others to do the same.  

Empty handed and alone, he escaped Saul, and went to seek the provision, if not the protection, of the Achish, the king of Gath.  Yes, that Gath, the home of Goliath, whom he had slain.  He sought the protection of the Philistines!

And yes, by the time he reached Gath, he was carrying the very recognizable sword of Goliath.  For, on the way, he was given the sword by Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:8-9).

But rather than receiving protection, the court of king Achish identified David as a dangerous enemy.  David quickly understood that he was in danger.  So, he pretended to lose his mind, and by acting insane, he was allowed to depart.

He left and went to the Cave of Adullam, where a band of soldiers began to rally around him and from which he emerged beginning to seek God (1 Samuel 22:3).  The remaining chapters of 1 Samuel continue to descend ultimately to a stunning defeat when David's wife and daughters are captured, and at which:

1 Samuel 30:6
And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

It was from this pit that God began to lift him up to reign over Israel.  And it is for that reason, the pinnacle verse of this Psalm is an invitation for us to:

Psalms 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

 

husband

 This week we begin worship with:

Isaiah 54:7-8

For a brief moment I deserted you,

    but with great compassion I will gather you.

In overflowing anger for a moment

    I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”

    says the Lord, your Redeemer.

This is not the "brief moment" when you were overlooked for a promotion, or when your stock pick did not work out, or your date for the prom backed out.

This is an epic God-sized moment, when He cast off Israel because she forsook His covenant with her (Ezekiel 16).  Chosen and cared for from birth (Ezekiel 16:5-7), Israel took her place among the nations, but trusted in her own beauty and prostituted herself (Ezekiel 16:14-15).

But after this "brief moment", God calls her back:

Isaiah 54:4-6

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;

    be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;

for you will forget the shame of your youth,

    and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

For your Maker is your husband,

    the Lord of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

    the God of the whole earth he is called.

For the Lord has called you

    like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,

like a wife of youth when she is cast off,

    says your God.

He calls her back to a renewed covenant that is eternal:

Isaiah 54:9-10

“This is like the days of Noah to me:

    as I swore that the waters of Noah

    should no more go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,

    and will not rebuke you.

For the mountains may depart

    and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

    says the Lord, who has compassion on you. 

relents

This week we begin worship with:

Joel 2:12-13

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with

fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your

garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow

to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

When? “Yet even now, . . ”.  It is never too late in this life to repent. Never will God turn you away.  Never.

What?  “with all your heart”.  He wants all of you.  Not one bit should be held back. Not one bit is too far gone to be revived and made new. 

How?  “rend your hearts and not your garments.” A priest would tear their priestly garments to defend the honor of God when they heard someone speak blasphemy (Matthew 26:65)  We are instead to tear down any pretense that we are sovereign from within our own self.

Why? “abounding in steadfast love” Because God loves you, He will prevent the disaster that awaits the unrepentant soul.  He will “relent” (nāḥam), and take pity on you.  

The word is also properly translated “repent” (KJV).  God will prevent your punishment because it would be wrong of Him to do it.  We come to understand in the New Testament that it would be unjust.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.