Psalm 14

Psalm 14

We continue to read the difficult psalms. They are difficult not because it is hard to understand them, but because they describe a difficult situation ‘till the last moment it is not obvious that GOOD will prevail.

Here is another, and I can say – the ultimate example.

It begins with a very straight statement: the Fool says in his heart – there is no God. Since the rest of the psalm is a farther description of the foolishness, we need to spend time on understanding the basics of it.

The word for Fool – Hebrew NaBaL – comes from a verb to fade, to fade away. It is a person who does not have own strength, he is falling down, and faints… Therefore, his decisions are not “solid,” there is not real substance in what he says or does. He is not even will to admit openly his rejection of a presence of God. He says it in his heart. At the same time, we need to remember that a heart of man is a decision-making organ. So, his plans and their execution is based on the fact that he doesn’t recognize any higher power over him. It comes from the usage of the word God in the Bible.  

Very often Christian make a little mistake thinking that God refers only to the one true God. Bible uses the same word speaking of false deities and even humans. At one time the LORD told Moses that he – Moses – is going to be god for pharaoh, and his brother Aaron will be his prophet (Exodus 7:1, note: there is no “like” in the original text). The word God in the Bible can identify any power stronger than us. Since the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit is definitely stronger than us – he is the God.

That’s the reason to point out the foolishness of a wicked man – he thinks that he is the ultimate power in this world. He “relies” on himself only.

If a person believes that he is the ultimate authority in his own life (and, as a result of absence of God, in the life of others), no wonder that his life goes south… vv. 1a – 4 pictures a terrible situation of moral collapse in society. This can happen when most people are under the spell of atheism. These verses became the background for St. Paul list of biblical proof-texts for the dominance of sin in human life (Romans 3:10-23).

Yet, even being neglected, the LORD looks down from heaven. He is searching for a single person who has an understanding, who seeks after God (v. 2). Understanding here means to be prudent or wise. That’s how Samuel describes the actions of David and his “platoon” in comparison to Saul’s commanders (1 Samuel 18:30). God is looking constantly for the people who are going to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

Rejection of God can not bring comfort to a soul – as a result, they are in terror. He is with the generation of the righteous. Meaning that He leaves the wicked on their own – they are in terror because the environment they create. Proverbs picking up the theme say that the wicked falls by his own wickedness (11:5b). Following that St. Paul concludes that God simply gives up the rebels against Him to their own lust and sins (Romans 1:22-25).

The wicked still tries to attack the poor. Poor can be both an economical, social and spiritual condition (Matthew 5:3). But Living One is the refuge for the afflicted. He is the provider, provider of financial and spiritual support and safety.

Seeing that, people can testify that salvation comes from Zion – the place of the fellowship between God and man (Isaiah 2:2-3).   

The psalm ends with a sobering reality – Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be glad. This WILL happen when the LORD restores the fortunes of His people. What does it mean? It means that His people needed to be restored… They screwed up… So, the fool(s) is everyone of us when we think of ourselves to high [feeding our own pride], or too low [dismissing the image of God]. But God is the Living One – He generously gives live to the people who walked away from Him. He is the One who gives reason to rejoice and be glad.

PSALM 87

Psalm 87

There are two main parts:

(a) vv. 1-3 – Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

(b) vv. 4-7 – Zion vs. other nations 

A. Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

Holy mountain – mountain is a higher ground, remember that the first great judgment was the Flood. After the Flood Noah builds the altar – mini-mountain – lifting up or elevating the place of worship above the ground as a remembrance of the Flood.  

  City founded by the Living one – interesting to notice that the first city was founded by wicked Cain, build on a spilled blood of his brother Abel. It should not be surprising for us – the great technological progress needs a sacrifice. So, should Christians leave cities? No, for our city of found by Jesus, who didn’t sacrifice “a brother” but spilled His own blood for our citizenship.  

    The gates are protected by Himself – if the gates are secure, the city/citizens are safe. He is protecting us by His Word and Sacraments – marking the perimeter of the city.  

      City of God is a place where the glorious things are spoken – it is easy to understand the claims of the pagan deities: many sacrifices, lots of smoke (and mirrors). Yet, Jesus has a different glory – dying for the ungodly, see Romans 5:6-8.    

 

B. Zion vs. other nations

vv. 4: 5 geography pointers

Rahab – Egypt (see Isaiah 30:7) – West

Babylon – East

Philistia and Tyre – seashores

Cush – Ethiopia – deep south

Dr. Martin Luther commented on this: it shall be a city as wide as the earth is, and in it shall be born Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, residents of Tyre, and peoples of other lands and tongues. (RPL, p. 206)

v. 4b-6: Zion IS a birthplace for the God of LIFE is the founder of the city. Two things here: first, Zion is a place where the first commandment can be fulfilled – Genesis 1:28a: be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth. Second, It is paralleled with the idea that other places are places of spiritual death, as a place of absence/rejection of God.  

 

Conclusion:

v. 7: the words of singers and dancers (!).

Two words about dancers – it might look like a discotheque reading. It reality, we have a dance to perform every Sunday (at least), it’s called Divine Service or Liturgy. When a congregation is standing up in a proper time, when it sits down, when clergy, elders, and laity move in the appointed way – it is a liturgical and biblical dance.  

All my springs are in YOU: Springs are the sources of life in the desert climate: no water – no life, very simple.

Jesus identifies Himself with the springs of the living water – John 7:37-39.

He is the founder of the City of God – Revelation 21:10-14.       

 

Prayer: Thanks be to YOU, our heavenly Father, because You have called us into the Church of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and have begotten us again unto a lively hope through the Gospel. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may remain living stones in this Your spiritual temple to our last day, and cause us to rejoice over Your salvation. Amen.  

SHINING NEW BEGINNING!

Shining New Beginning

Dear brothers and sisters!

2025 is here. January begins with the feast of Epiphany [technically, it begins with the Circumcision of Jesus on January 1st, but I’ll make my point]. Thinking about Epiphany, we celebrate the arrival of the wisemen to worship Jesus. They saw the star while they were East of Judea, they came to Jerusalem, for it is the city of the King, and to their surprise no one was expecting them. No one had even heard of the birth of the new King, Messianic ruler of the World. Herod was consumed with his own sense of power: he is known for murdering his own offspring for alleged conspiracy. He did not want any competition.  When we see him attempting to find out the time of Jesus birth, it obviously was not driven by pious reasons. We know how the story ends with him–special forces were commanded to go to Bethlehem and kill all babies under 2 years of age.

LABORING for CHRIST!

Laboring for Christ!                 Newsletter - September 2024 

The month of September begins with Labor Day weekend. The very first Monday of the month is a national holiday. It has an interesting history in its separation from the old May 1^st  celebration. While May Day had more of a political flavor (honoring socialist and anarchist roots on the regulation of work hours and such), Labor Day was designed to honor and celebrate laborers by giving  an additional opportunity for family time to those working hard to provide for their loved ones.      

This is exactly the position Dr. Martin Luther holds in his discussion “Work as a vocation.” He divided the Table of Duties in his Small Catechism into four main sections: Church (Bishops/pastors and hearers); Civil realm (governments and citizens); Family (Husband and Wives; Parents and Children); and last but not least a vocation (workers and employers/supervisors) (SC, section 3).

For Martin Luther, a godly baker was as important a part of the Kingdom of God as a faithful pastor. Unlike the teaching that dominated the church of his day which elevated the priesthood and monastic lifestyle over the people with their regular lives, Dr. Luther had a great respect for the laborers of his congregation; perhaps because he came from the family of a hardworking and successful man, Hans Luder, and he knew firsthand the value of earned coins. Or maybe because he had studied the Scripture so earnestly and learned that work is not a part of the curse of the Garden, but a blessing that God provided for Adam even before the Fall (Gen. 2:15). After the Fall, the work was not as joyful and productive (Gen. 3:17-19).  

Till the Day of His glorious return, we are occupied by work activities. The world makes a huge difference between owning a successful company and the simple routine of a housewife. Yet, the Biblical view of each of them is measured by the condition of the hear. Giving your all to a vocation might be a way of bringing glory to God. Even the sobering words of Ecclesiastes teaches us that though life can seem meaningless, there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot (Eccl. 3:22).   

It is also worth noting that the root of the word for “work” and “labor” in the Bible is the same as “worship.” Don’t get me wrong, by no means am I going to teach that we are working out our salvation, or a time of worship is heavy labor or a burden. None of that.  Yet, the Bible teaches a parallel between our devout life of prayer and thanksgiving to God with the dutiful fulfillment of our labor responsibilities. St. Paul teaches us in the Letter to Colossians (3:23): Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the LORD and not for men, knowing that from the LORD you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. May He be glorified through the toils of our daily life!

LET THERE BE LIGHT

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Everyone of us knows this verse from the very beginning of Creation account (Gen. 1:3). God provided illuminated His world. He spoke the light into the world - connecting forever the light and the word. No wonder psalmist exclaims: Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to path (Ps. 119:105). 

We are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Therefore, the light has vital importance for us. Light in the house, lights on the road, industrial lights, or the huge light over a stadium where your favorite team plays and wins. 

Yet, there is a special place on earth where the forgiveness of God shines forth, where the Word is read, and Christ Himself comes to us illuminating our way - the local church chancel. We just got our lights fixed! Now, let it shine! Let it shine!! Let it shine!!!