Psalm 83

1 O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf. Do not be quiet, O God.
2 Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies? Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?
3 They devise crafty schemes against your people; they conspire against your precious ones.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”
5 Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—
6 these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites;
7 Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre.
8 Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot.
Interlude
9 Do to them as you did to the Midianites and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.
11 Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 for they said, “Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!”
13 O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind!
14 As a fire burns a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
15 chase them with your fierce storm; terrify them with your tempest.
16 Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace.
18 Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.

This is the last of the psalms that bear the name of Asaph. Most historians are of opinion that this was a prophetic psalm delivered with reference to the enemies of God's people, from age to age.

This psalm could have been written in 2010. “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” This sounds a lot like Iran, Lebanon, Iraq...all the usual suspects.

What sticks in my mind is the reality that enemies of Israel have been trying to destroy her for over 3,000 years. Nothing has changed...nor will it.

Until Christ returns, Israel is in a battle for her very life. Of course, those of us who have read the back of the book know how it ends. But still, it doesn't seem like such an attractive thing, being "God's chosen people."

What on earth did God have in mind...devising a plan like this? I think this psalm sums it up. When we're not in trouble, we get distracted. When trouble brews, we race right back to God and ask for help. Trouble is God's way of keeping us close to Himself. We know, from history, that this dynamic can be changed...through godly leadership. When Judah/Israel had godly kings, they remained close to God and their lives were tranquil.

Wouldn't you think today's Israel would have this figured out by now? Instead of relying on God, she relies on America. How long do you think that will last?

But, let's not look smugly down our noses at Israel (as many Americans do today). We need to recall that Israel is an Old Testament "type" of the New Testament Church. What this means is, we find meaning for the Church today by looking at Israel. The moral, spiritual, cultural and national dynamics that influenced Israel have the same influence on us today.

We should pay attention...

This means 1. The world is always intent on destroying us. 2. It is our nature to drift from God. 3. That drift is what gets us into trouble...because God's power in the church is directly related to His proximity. The farther we stray, the more tenuous our deliverance becomes.

"What do we do?" you ask...

I suggest first, that we have an uncompromising allegiance to God's word and oby it. Second, I suggest that we never allow ourselves to be seduced by leaders who are less than devoted godly men and women. This is how we keep God close...assuring our safety.

I recently visited a church for a special event. I met a friend whose daughter attended the church regularly...but he didn't. I asked why. He said he didn't feel that the pastor always held God's word as central to his preaching/teaching. If that's true...its a church he should flee from. No matter what else it has to offer, it cannot offer the intimate presence of almighty God if His word does not dominate everything.

In the end...let's not get too comfortable. We are strangers and aliens. The only safe haven we have is in the hands of almighty God. Staying there demands obedience. But, it's been done before. I'm pretty sure we can do it as well.

Live boldly out there today...