Ps. 77-78
The writer of Psalm 77 is greatly troubled. As he is considering his situation, he asks a series of questions. “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has His steadfast love forever ceased? Are His promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His compassion?” (Ps. 77:7-9). I always figured these, for lack of a better way to say it, as ‘genuine’ questions. But this morning I noticed two things in regards to this series of questions.
First, these questions are immediately preceded by the statement, “Then my spirit made a diligent search:” (Ps. 77:6b). Second they are followed by a recounting of God’s past deeds for His people. So I am now thinking that these questions are actually rhetorical. They aren’t the “woe is me, don’t you care about us anymore?” kind of questions I always took them for. That is to say, the Psalmist isn’t directing the questions at God. Instead the writer is asking himself these questions as a way of reminding himself of the character of God.
This is exactly why remembrance is so important. This is why God tells His people to teach His deeds and His ways to their children, so they can pass it along to their children throughout the generations. Which is exactly what Psalm 78 is all about. The Psalm is an extensive recounting of God’s mighty works in the history of Israel from Egypt to King David. When we remind ourselves who God is and what He has done in the past, it encourages us to trust in Him for our present trouble. It reminds us that God is faithful and that nothing is too difficult for Him. It reminds us that He always has and always will love and care for us. Then we can ask ourselves those questions in Psalm 77 and firmly answer, “Of course not!!”
Rev. 6
The sixth seal seems to initiate the end of life as we know it. And I don’t just mean how we live our lives. Sun, moon, sky, and earth are all changed. And everyone from the greatest to the least tries to hide. They plead to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Rev. 6:16-17). Indeed – God’s wrath is coming, and none can stand before it.
But I also look back to the fifth seal, which revealed those killed because of their faith in God. They were under the altar. To me, that symbolizes how Jesus’ sacrifice covers and protects them from God’s wrath. In fact, God’s wrath is, in part, to avenge their blood.
I realize there is a difference between dying for your faith and dying with your faith, and this passage doesn’t really address the latter. But I think those who truly hold fast to the faith – those who endure to the end – would ultimately die for that faith if it came to that. So maybe in some small way the image applies to all of us who are covered by the blood of the Lamb. I do know that I would sure rather die at the hands of man because I stood for God than to find myself hiding in a cave from the God I refused to trust.