Psalm 92
1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.
4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
5 O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.
6 Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this:
7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
8 But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
9 Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.
14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
15 They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”You don't have to be a "rocket scientist to figure it out!
Whenever we hear this phrase we know the subject at hand is self-evident. In fact, it's so obvious that a less polite person would say "only and idiot wouldn't understand it!" Most of the time there's a lot of truth to it. If we spend a trillion dollars more every year than we take in through revenues...our budget is unsustainable. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.
Then we have our psalmist..."Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this." Ouch!
And what's the "this?" Good wins...evil loses. I'm not in the habit of arguing with scripture but, I'm not convinced a simpleton could figure this out. We observe a lot of evil around us and much of it appears pretty entrenched. It's going to be around for awhile.
I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting it's kind of like a physics problem. Water can exist in three distinct forms...solid, liquid or gas. However, it cannot exist in all three forms at the same time...except for brief moments of transition. This is good news for ice fishermen in Minnesota. When the solid begins turning to liquid...its time to move the icehouse.
The same is true with Good and evil...at least according to scripture. One cannot live in harmony with the other. One will eventually overcome the other. So, what we observe today is merely a transition period between the entrance of sin into our world and the return of Christ to destroy sin forever. After all, the promise is crystal clear. "The godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”I know, it seems like this process is taking a long time. And it is. Just don't let the length of this transition distract you from the truth...God wins!
Live boldly out there today...
Psalm 93
1 The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
2 Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3 The floods have risen up, O Lord. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4 But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore— the Lord above is mightier than these!
5 Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.
And...here seems to be the evidence that good will triumph over evil.
Since God created the cosmos as we know it...it stands to reason that He possesses authority over His own creation. Although some would suggest this is a case of the classic "Frankenstein's Monster." God created something that spun out of control and has become a force that even God cannot control. Creation took on a life of it's own.
And of course, there are those who don't believe God was even part of the creative process. The cosmos evolved. Certainly a view that one can take. But, "Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this."
So when we cast an informed eye upon the world around us..."The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past."
I actually think it's so self-evident that we shouldn't even get bogged down in the debate. But please remember...the evidence isn't exclusively in the created world around us. The most compelling evidence is the faith that God has emplanted in our spirits. I understand our unbelieving neighbors would love to convince us our faith is ill conceived. But really...what do they know?
It's one or the other...it cannot be both. God is in control, or He is not. Which are you betting on?
Live boldly out there today...
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