Psalm 119:97-112

 

Psalm 119:97-104 Mem:  Walk in the Word of God, not in the path of man. 

This stanza begins with the words of one who is seeing Scripture at work in his life in very real ways.  “Oh, how I love Your law!”  I have felt that myself; I have seen it in believers young and old.  When the light comes on, the direction they seek is found, or the path is made clear, there is a deep joy in the heart that cries out, “I love this Book!”

The joy of the Psalmist centers around the clarity he finds in Scripture as opposed to the confusion he finds elsewhere.  God’s people know there are two ways: truth and falsehood (v104), good and evil (v101).  His enemies, his teachers, and the ancients (v98-100) are those whose wisdom is always lacking. 

Rather than following them and going astray the Psalmist has kept his feet from their way (v101).  He has not departed from God’s judgments (v102).  In fact, as strongly as he loves God’s law, with the same intensity he hates every false way (v104).  He has found the word of God to be completely satisfying (v103)

We should consider this ourselves.  The world’s teachers can be quite intimidating to be sure, given their status and power.  After all, the evil and false way is the way of destruction, Broadway Avenue on which most of our acquaintances travel (Mt. 7:13).  And those who travel that road are never happy about those few do-gooders who travel the narrow way of affliction (Psa. 123:3-4; 1 Peter 4:3-4).

In youth it is our peer group exerting pressure to walk with the majority in their pleasures.  In college it is the professor who has crafted a philosophy that denies God and exalts man.  In the workplace it is the successful entrepreneur whose proven track record in attaining wealth and power is the only path to follow.

And yet, do you feel the confidence of the man of the Word?  By God’s commandments, testimonies and precepts he cannot be touched by any of them.  The longer he lives the sweeter are God’s words.  They fit reality.  They keep him from trouble.  They give him success with his Creator for he is taught by God Himself (v102).

He will not be diverted.  The Scriptures are his meditation all the day.  He is confident as he walks the narrow path.  “The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide” (Psalm 37:31).  Do you walk with this confidence?

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 119:105-112 Nun:  Shine the light of God’s word on your daily path.

Life’s afflictions can be so unrelenting, so difficult.  It seems the Psalmist emphasizes this in this stanza.  He is afflicted “very much” (107).  Fear for his life is constant (109).  Those who afflict him are unmerciful (110).  In the context provided by the opening verse, we can say that he feels he is in the darkest of dark nights.

Several years ago, my wife and I got caught out at night on a trail in Montana.  We had been able to see our way through open areas in the fading light.  But when we entered a thickly forested area; it was pitch black.  We had to spend the night on the trail until morning light.  It would have been good if I had done what I tell others to do: always take a flashlight!  It’s a no-brainer.

Likewise, there are times when we feel as if we are in a dense forest of affliction.  We lose our sense of direction.  We feel we must go on, and yet the darkness is so intense all we can do is wait it out.  Unless, of course, we have had the foresight to pack along a flashlight. 

The Psalmist has his flashlight.  It is the word of God (105).  He is committed to walk in the light (106) to the end of his journey (112).

It is important to note what the Word does for God’s people when they are in the darkness.  They are able to see both their feet and the path they walk.  It reveals to us the exact place we are now in our pilgrimage. 

To use the hiking metaphor again might help us to understand the blessing of the Word.  When hiking it helps to have a map that informs us of the entire journey, as well as a compass to give us our bearings.  These give the big picture.  Every now and then along the way, we may stop for rest and look ahead to see where we are headed.  But then, when we begin again to walk, our eyes must have their main focus on where our feet are at that moment on the trail.  Otherwise, we stumble.  If it is dark, we lose our way and our situation becomes impossible.

We often liken God’s word to a map and a compass, and that it is.  But it also sheds light on the immediate situation.  How vital it is that His word be part of our daily walk.  How important it is that God’s word be hidden in our hearts and fresh in our minds, so that we have His light for every step along the way.

Romans 12

Question #9: What walk is worthy of the gospel? Rom. 12:1-15:13

This question about the “walk” and the next question about the “work” of those who believe the gospel indicates we have come to the “application” section of Romans.  I have good friends who object to that word “application,” reminding me that it is all “application.”  I could call this the “practical” section but again I would be corrected in the same way.  How about the “visible” section.  Justification and sanctification are “spiritual” works done by God, in the heart, that can’t be seen.  So here we see the work of God in producing fruit in the lives of believers.  These are matters which should be evident.

The diagram shows us a critical truth in this concluding section of Romans.  Romans 12-16 are built on and securely attached to Romans 6-8.  Remember that those chapters told us that whereas “justification” declared us to be righteous before God, in Christ, that God’s intent was that we would “made righteous” (5:19).  As we were reconciled to God through the death of Christ, so we would be saved by His life (5:10), saved to live the new “resurrection life” God has given us in Christ (6:4). 

Paul has dealt with the question of Israel, as we have noted, an essential question, But now, in 12:1-2, he reconnects us with the victorious truths of Ch. 6-8.  Romans 12:1 says, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  “Present” is the same word and concept we saw in Rom. 6:12-14.  Romans 12:2 says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  This is the same truth given in Romans 8:5-11, that we must set our minds on the things of the Spirit.  We have to think differently than the way we have learned to think from the day of our birth.  We are no longer “natural” people, controlled by the flesh and incapable of pleasing God.  We have died to sin and been raised with a totally new life, the life of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:20).

And I want to share this admonition.  Even if you were raised in a Christian family, with godly parents, who disciplined you properly, this applies to you.  I have heard people give testimony of their salvation, saying that because of their upbringing they weren’t bigtime sinners, doing drugs and alcohol and living immoral lives.  If this is your attitude, you don’t understand how deep is the sin in these bodies of ours, and I encourage you to repent of this thought. 

Romans 11

Romans 11 tells us that the story for Israel is not yet finished.  God’s plan for both Israel and the Gentiles is being worked out.  God is keeping His word to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

·       There is a remnant of believing Jews today in the Church, 11:1-10.

The concept of the “remnant” is important in Scripture when considering the place of Israel in God’s plan for the ages.  In Israel’s darkest times, when overcome by enemies and seemingly destroyed as a nation, God still promised a remnant and fulfilled that promise time and again.  In this passage we are reminded of Elijah who repeatedly said he was the only righteous man left in the Northern Kingdom in the days of King Ahab.  Yet God corrected him, telling him there were seven thousand who were true to the Lord.  Paul notes that as he writes, there was a remnant of Israelites who were true to the Lord.  As is the case to this day, they were believers in Christ, now in the Body of Christ, the Church.

·       Salvation has come to the Gentiles, 11:11-22.

Furthermore, we see that this time of Israel’s national rejection of Christ has had the amazing benefit of the salvation of many Gentiles, which is also true to this day.  The fall of Israel means riches for the Gentiles, as the Apostle says, “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (11:25).  This comes with a warning, to the Gentiles, the “visible” Church, that if they are not faithful the same thing can happen and Israel can be grafted back in to the tree.  Don’t misunderstand what is said here.  The tree is the people of God, Israel.  The Gentiles are grafted into the tree.  Our place is dependent on God’s plan in bringing the Savior through Israel.  Scripture indicates a future “falling away” (Mt. 13:36-43; 2 Thess. 2:3) will be part of paving the way for God’s plan for Israel, which is …

·       All Israel will be saved, 11:23-32.

Israel’s current situation is this: blindness in part has happened to Israel.  When Paul says “all” Israel will be saved this seems to be very literally prophesied in Scripture.  Here are but a few passages to consider: Isa. 59:20; Zech. 3:9-10; 8:1-8; 13:8.  There are three attitudes or mind-sets we should have in all of this.  First is our consideration of Israel, even today: concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.  Second is our view of God: the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.  The working out of this plan, “the mystery of God,” is done precisely so as to show the sovereign wisdom and faithfulness and mercy of God.  This is His doing.  And thus, third, we should lift our hearts and voices in praise to God.  Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! … For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen.

Romans 9:30-10:21

If it was not God’s fault, then why did Israel reject Christ?

·       Israel was ignorant of faith, 9:30-33.

This is a conclusion to the preceding verses of Rom. 9. “What shall we say then?”  Gentiles have become righteous (justified) because, having no written law, they attained to the righteousness of God by faith.  This is what Rom. 1-8 already explained.  But the Jews, having the written law, mistakenly assumed that they could keep the law and thus attain to the righteousness of God.  But justification is never by works.  Thus, Israel stumbled over Christ who came to offer righteousness by the grace of God, a righteousness received only by faith.

·       Israel was ignorant of Christ, 10:1-13.

This is an amazing passage.  Israel had a great zeal for God but it was misguided (not according to knowledge, v2).  Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes.  The purpose of the law given to Israel was to point them to their need of Christ, the Savior, the One promised to Adam and Eve and throughout the Old Testament.  The Apostle Paul proves this by using the Old Testament. 

If you want to be righteous according to the law you must live by the law (v5, quoting Lev. 18:5 and Ezek. 20:11,13,21).  But no one could do this.  God, through Moses, had even warned the Israelites, just before they entered the land, that they would not be able to keep the law.  Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day (Deut. 29:4). 

But, you might ask, why did God give them the law if they could not keep it?  As we saw in Romans 7, it was to point people to Christ, to trust the Savior.  Moses said this in Deut. 30:11-14, the very passage quoted by Paul in Rom. 10:6-8.  Israel needed to admit her inability.  Being righteous on her own was like trying to reach into heaven to bring the Savior down or reach into the abyss to bring Him up.  It would not be done.  Instead, the answer was in their hearts.  The greatest command was to love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength.  This would have led them to put their trust in God.  Rom. 10:9-10 are clear: heart-faith in Christ is the only means of righteousness.  Two other OT quotes reaffirm this message to Israel (v11: Isaiah 28:16; v13: Joel 2:32). 

·       Israel was ignorant of God’s plan, 10:14-21.

In Paul’s day and to this day, Israel must hear and believe the gospel of God’s grace.  They need to hear the gospel because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (v17).  Israel did hear, and as the chapter concludes, those who did not seek God found Him (Gentiles) but Israel was constantly disobedient and contrary.  Israel’s rejection of Christ was because of Israel’s unbelief.