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May God bless you as you study His Word.
Here, we conclude the study of Genesis 3.
Hiding from the Lord
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
In this section, we see how the sin of man affects his relationship with God. Sin separates corrupt man from holy God. Isaiah states the plight of sinful man: "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God" (Isa. 59:1,2). In fact, even the believer, in some respects, is separated from God by his sin. When we are in sin, we find it very difficult to serve the Lord because we feel hypocritical. This is why it is so important to acknowledge our sin and to confess it before God, so that we may be cleansed of our sin and be freed to serve Him with our whole heart.
Adam and Eve understood that they could no longer relate to God as they had before they sinned, so, "They hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Their hiding demonstrated that they realized that their self-made covering for their sin, the fig leaves, was not sufficient to cover their sin before God. Their hiding was also a demonstration of the shame and guilt that they felt as a result of their sin; for, what is shame but the awareness of our bankrupt nature in comparison to God's holiness, and what is guilt but the awareness that we deserve God's punishment.
But God, in His great mercy, seeks us out in our sin, not to punish, but that He may provide a way for us to deal with our sin and shed His grace upon us. In this way, He sought out Adam and Eve. Interestingly, God came to them "walking in the garden", just as a man would come to other men. He did the same thing later when He came into the world as Jesus Christ, in the form of a man.
God called to them, saying, "Where are you?" He asked this not because He did not know physically where they were, but to prompt them to consider where they were spiritually. They had to realize that their covering of fig leaves did not cover their sins; they had to realize that their sin was disturbing the magnificent relationship to God that they had previously. I am convinced that God, by questioning Adam, was trying to draw him to repentance, for He says in Proverbs: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Prov. 28:13). The question "Where are you?" is an appropriate question for each person to ask himself today. Today, there are two possible answers: either we are in Adam and our sin is separating us from God; or we are in Christ and, despite our sin, we can come into the very presence of God.
Adam's answer to this question was to say, "I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." Indeed, man in his sin, his spiritual nakedness, cannot bear the presence of the Holy Lord. Isaiah, when he found himself in the presence of the Lord in a vision, cried out: "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isa. 6:5). The first time Peter realized that Christ was the Son of God, he cried: "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8). Our tendency is to shy away from the Lord in our sin. Many people feel that they are not holy enough to come to God. However, God does not require a perfect, holy life before we come to Him. God requires only a repentant heart, desiring to be holy. We will never, on our own, achieve holiness. After turning to God and having been born anew through Jesus Christ, His Spirit will begin to work in our lives, slowly transforming us to be more holy.
In any case, hiding from the Lord, as did Adam, does not accomplish anything. We try to convince ourselves that God does not see us when we hide, but, in reality, it is we who do not see God. We hide because we lose the awareness of the presence of God. To attempt to hide sin from God is foolish. As Isaiah says: "Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' " (Isa. 29:15). No matter where we are, God sees us, so we should not hide from Him, especially in light of the fact that He is reaching out to us, desiring to shed His grace upon us and surround us with His love.
Adam not only tried to hide from God but, when found, he attempted to place the blame for his sin elsewhere, by saying: "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree". He is directly blaming Eve, and indirectly blaming God for his own sin. More significantly, Adam is placing the blame on God's best gift to him, the woman Eve. It is shameful for us to blame God and the things He gives us for our sins. When we do so, it's no wonder that God does not give us more gifts.
Adam's attempt to place the blame on others was evidence that he had no repentance for his sin. Although God questioned Adam desiring his repentance, the result was that Adam's sin was aggravated by his blaming of others. Whenever God reaches out to us and we do not respond favorably to Him, we end up in a worse condition than when we started, with a heart more hardened, a will more set against Him, a greater resolve to go our own way. Beware of this!
God then turns to Eve, who, following the example of her husband, attempts to place the blame elsewhere: "The serpent deceived me." This is no excuse. Certainly, Satan deceives many, tempts many and leads many into sin; yet, ultimately, we ourselves are responsible for our sin. We can choose to follow Satan into sin or to resist him. In fact, God has promised believers the strength to resist temptation, if we will but use it: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (I Cor. 10:13). Make use of this promise in times of weakness!
The Curse from the Fall
14So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
16To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
17To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Here God deals out punishment to those involved in the fall. First, He curses the serpent. The cursing of the serpent was not inappropriate, even though the serpent was an animal used by Satan. It was the instrument that led to the destruction of man. In other places in scripture, animals that cause the death of men are commanded to be put to death (see Gen. 9:5; Ex. 21:28,29). The cursing of the serpent by the Lord served the purpose of showing man that God hates sin, that sin will be punished and that those yielding themselves to be Satan's instruments will be cursed.
The cursing of the serpent was also typical of the cursing of Satan himself. God said: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers". Indeed, Satan is an object of contempt and abhorrence, thus there is enmity between the woman's offspring and him. More significantly is the statement: "He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel". The wording seems to indicate that there is a specific offspring of Eve's that will carry out this curse, and, indeed, this passage is seen by most commentators as the first direct prophecy concerning Christ. Satan in effect struck Christ's heel on the cross, Christ will crush Satan's head when He comes to reign in the end times. Notice that the striking of the heel is a temporary wound, the crushing of the head causes permanent destruction.
The Lord went on to curse the woman. Eve, though deceived, was still accountable for her sin and punished for her sin because, first, she knew the commandment of God and disobeyed it, and second, she tried to excuse herself when confronted with her sin. There are basically two elements in the curse on the woman: she will have pain in childbirth; she will be in submission to her husband.
The punishment of the woman was merciful in two ways. First, God did not immediately carry out her death sentence, which was the punishment prescibed for her sin. His motive in delaying her death was, most likely, to give her a chance to deal with her sin, so that she would not have to experience the second death. The fall of man brought death into the world, but God, in His mercy, has given us the opportunity to receive life after death on this earth. If we reject the means that God has provided to receive life after the first death, we will experience a second death, which is eternity in hell. The second death is eternal and irrevocable. However, the life available to us is also eternal. Though the punishment for sin is death, God, in His mercy, has provided a means for man to atone for his sins through substitutionary death. In the Old Testament times, the substitutionary death was carried out by the blood sacrifice of animals, as prescribed in the Law. In the present times, the substitutionary death to atone for our sins was carried out by Jesus Christ. If we accept Christ's sacrifice as atonement for our sins, we can escape the second death and have eternal life.
The second reason that the punishment of the woman was merciful is that there are blessings that resulted from the curse. For instance, the pain in childbirth tends to increase the love of the mother for the child, due to the price paid for delivering the child. Also, submission to her husband, when carried out in a way prescribed in the New Testament, leads to a beautiful marriage and models the relationship between Christ and the church (see Eph. 5:21-33 and I Pet. 1-7).
God went on to punish the man for his sin. God stated that Adam was being punished "because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree". Adam was taken to task for listening to his wife instead of God. We must be careful that those we love do not lead us into sin. Many times, our loved ones cause us to stumble into disobedience of God. We must remember who our first love is, though, and obey God above all others.
The man's punishment was painful toil all the days of his life. Also, man's work of the field would yield thorns and thistles amidst the plants of the field. The amount of toil that it takes to produce a good crop is an eternal witness to the long-ranging effects of disobeying the Lord. The serious famines and hunger throughout the world are a direct result of the curse from the fall, the ground no longer yielding fruit as it did before the fall.
The painful toil itself, manifested in our careers, has become the focus of most of our lives. Man cannot escape the curse; those who try, do so to their own peril. Nevertheless, many, even Christians, desire to win the lottery or strike it rich and live in leisure the rest of their lives. They desire this even in light of the well-documented woes of the rich. However, I have found that the happiest in life are not necessarily the rich, but those who accept their portion in life, who accept their toil, which is the well-deserved punishment for man's rebellion. We should all say as the Psalmist: "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure" (Psalm 16:5). Man must work; however, to lighten the burden of your toil, take on the yoke of Christ. As Paul writes: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Col. 3:23,24).
Interestingly, the reason that we hate to work is often not because of the toil itself, but because of the sin that accompanies toil in the workplace. We hate the greed, ambition, coveting, lying, etc. that surrounds us as we put in our hours on the job. These, of course, are also a result of the sin that the fall brought into the world.
Part of the curse was that our work will produce "thorns and thistles", not just the fruit that we want it to bear. Our toil is not fulfilling. It does not yield the unqualified success that we desire it produce. There are always "thorns and thistles". Even when we serve the Lord, our good fruit is mixed with "thorns and thistles". We desire to serve Him with a pure heart, yet our flesh desires recognition, our flesh desires praise from the crowds, our flesh desires credit for the good that we have done.
Thorns, in the Bible, are a symbol of the curse and of the obstacles that prevent one from carrying out the work of the Lord. Many times, Israel's enemies are described as thorns in their sides or eyes. More significantly, Jesus, instead of wearing a crown of gold, wore a crown of thorns, because He did not come to reign in His first coming, but to take on the weight of the curse, to wear the sin of humanity.
The curse on the man, like the curse on the woman, is merciful and contains blessings. Man's toil keeps him occupied in wholesome, fruitful activity and, thus, plays a role in keeping him from the sin that comes from idolness. Notice how often those who do not work fall into sin. Also, the toil of man develops the body and develops the mind. Moreover, even the "thorns and thistles" can result in a blessing. Paul had such a one: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh" (II Cor. 12:7).
To remind man that death would be the ultimate result of the sin of eating the forbidden fruit, God tells him that he will "return to the ground". God does not make idle threats. Man will die as a result of his rebellion. However, the punishments given to Adam and Eve show that there is hope for man: death will not come right away, for man shall toil and woman shall give birth. God demonstrated from the beginning that He is long-suffering.
In summary, the curses were designed not only for punishment, but also for instruction, to strengthen us and to keep us from further sin. Ironically, the fruit of the curse indirectly brought eternal remedy from sin; for, as the result of one woman's pain in childbirth, Jesus Christ was brought into the world. He atoned for our sin, bringing us back to God, and will ultimately fulfill the prophecy contained in these curses when He crushes the head of Satan, destroying him forever.
Expulsion from Eden
20Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
21The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 23So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Interestingly, Adam here names his wife Eve, which most likely means "living". Moses states that Adam named her Eve because "she would become the mother of all living". It actually would have been more appropriate for her to be named "living" before the fall, since she, at that time, was not under the curse of death from her sin. It could very well be that Adam, after the fall, appreciated and understood more the life that they had been given, taking it for granted until he was under the sentence of death. We too, who are Christians, many times take for granted the life that we have. Let us never forget the great mercy shown to us and the magnificent gift of eternal life of which we are assured.
Note that Adam named her Eve (or "living") because she was to become the mother of all the "living". The naming of Eve demonstrates that Adam had hope that their offspring would have a chance to live. Adam, it seems, believed that God would provide a way to gain access again to the tree of life. Adam understood God's mercy. In fact, Adam, knowing the Lord in the personal way he did before the fall, must have understood God better than anyone else in human history.
It is interesting that having children did not seem to be a concern of Adam and Eve until death entered the world. Their impending death made it necessary for them to have offspring, and so, Adam's first concern after the fall was carrying on the human race. Realizing that he would die and "to dust" he was to return, must have given Adam a sense of urgency to have children.
Verse 21 is significant. Here God does properly what Adam and Eve tried to do with fig leaves. "God", Himself, "made garments of skin" to clothe their shame and, symbolically, to cover their sin. In this act, God establishes two principles: first, the atonement of sin comes by God's work of mercy, not by any works of man; second, the atonement of sin comes by the blood sacrifice of an animal, which was necessary in order to make animal skins for clothing.
I have little doubt that Adam and Eve were present at the sacrifice of the animals that provided the covering for their sins. Never having seen death, this event must have been shocking to them, to watch the blood flow upon the altar and the death of the animal. At that time, they must have realized for the first time what death meant. This episode underscores the ugliness of sin: Adam and Eve were once clothed with light, now they are clothed with death, in the form of a dead animal. Also, the fact that God provided the animal and the skins is prophetic of Him again providing the ultimate sacrifice of His Son to cover sin.
Next, the counsel of the Trinity (depicted by the "us" in the narrative) decides to bar man's access to the tree of life. This was an act of mercy on God's part. God would not allow man to live forever in sin and decay. God would not allow man to live forever in the toil and sorrow that fills the lives of fallen man on earth. Eternal life on earth would be tormenting. So, in His mercy, God forbade man access to the tree of life. However, in His great mercy, God has provided a way through Jesus Christ to regain access to it. Men who are justified by the blood of Jesus, and whose body of decay has been done away with, will once again be able to eat of the tree of life and live forever.
I find it interesting that there is no record of Adam and Eve partaking of the tree of life when they had access to it. In the same way, multitudes today ignore the tree of life provided through Christ.
Closing Prayer
Now Father, we praise You that You have provided the way for us to have eternal life. We praise You that even Your punishment of us is filled with Your mercy and designed to strengthen us and cause us to grow. We also thank You that You do not abandon us in our sin, but You reach out to us, desiring to shed Your grace on us. By Your Spirit, draw us close to You. In the name of Jesus we ask these things, Amen.
This article continues an on-going, verse-by-verse series on the exhortations in Romans 12.
The Gifts of the Spirit
6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom. 12:6-8).
In these verses, Paul continues his series of exhortations that deal with a Christian's relationship to other Christians. This section carries on the thought began in verses 4 and 5. There, he gave the analogy that the fellowship of Christians form one body in Christ, each member with its proper function. Here, he defines the functions as the spiritual gifts God has given us and enumerates some of these gifts, also expressing the attitude one should have in using them.
Paul begins by saying: "We have different gifts". Note first that "we", all of us, have gifts to use in the service of God. This exhortation is addressed to all of us, not just to pastors, missionaries, elders, deacons, etc. Therefore, each of us must determine what our gift is and how God would have us use it. Are you having trouble discerning what your gifts are? Your natural talents, abilities, even your character traits, are clues as to how God would have you serve Him. We must not forget that our talents and abilities are gifts given by God for His service, not solely for our own benefit. It is foolish to use your abilities merely for your own benefit. How will you feel meeting the Lord, never having used the gifts He has given you to serve Him?
Carrying on from his analogy in verses 4 and 5, Paul emphasizes that we all have "different" gifts. Christians are not uniform clones. God has blessed us all with "different" natural talents and strengths, as well as "different" gifts of the Holy Spirit. Having "different" gifts implies a division and distribution of labor, a division and distribution established by the Lord. Never feel like you must fit into someone else's mold, serving the Lord in the same way that they are. God has not made us all to be pastors, missionaries, street evangelists, etc. We have not all been given the character traits to do these things. Find the methods of service God has prepared for you specifically, and then rest in them.
The gifts are "according to the grace given us", not according to our own ambition or effort, not by our desire to do a great work for God, but by God's grace and His desire to achieve His purpose in our lives for His kingdom. This is why it is essential that we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we serve Him. Often, the ways that He would have us serve Him are very different than the ways we would initially choose to serve Him.
Paul goes on to enumerate some of the "different gifts" of the Holy Spirit and to describe how the gifts should be practiced:
1. Prophecy - A "prophet", in the Bible, is anyone speaking with Divine authority and under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit, whether they are speaking concerning the past, present or future ("prophets" do not necessarily predict the future). The gift of prophecy is important. Paul, when enumerating spiritual gifts in another place, ranks the office of prophet second only to apostle: "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers" (I Cor. 12:28). Here, Paul says that a prophet should use his gift "in proportion to his faith". A prophet should not prophesy anything that is not according to his faith. He should not speak as a prophet without being certain he is speaking the words of God. He should not get carried away with enthusiasm and begin to speak his own words while prophesying. Never feel that you are obliged to prophesy because everybody else is doing it. The punishment for false prophecy in the Old Testament was death: "But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death." (Deut. 18:20). So, be careful when using the words "Thus saith the Lord". Note also, that prophecy must also be in accordance with our faith. It should not contradict the doctrines and principles of the Word of God. Anyone prophesying something contrary to the Word of God is a false prophet.
2. Serving - Doing God's work by humbly serving His people is an important gift. Personally serving others has a great positive impact on the world's view of Christians and Christianity. It has much more impact than the work of great speakers or expositors. Those who serve by doing menial, low-profile work should not feel that they are less valuable to God. God honors those who responsibly and diligently carry out what He has called them to do, whether it be pastoring a church or waxing its floors.
3. Teaching - Teaching is different than prophecy. Teaching mainly entails the interpretation, exposition and explanation of the Bible. Teachers should not feel that they must be speaking words directly from God (as do prophets); however, teachers should seek the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit as they prepare to teach.
4. Encouraging - We all appreciate a word of encouragement. Encouragement is a valuable gift that can be given to all: for the Christian in his service of God; for the downtrodden and persecuted to trust and depend on the Lord; for the sinner to repent and turn to Jesus. I dare say that we can all serve the Lord at one time or another using the gift of encouragement.
5. Giving - Some are endowed by God the talent and ability to make money in this world. These are the ones who are prime candidates to cultivate the gift of giving! However, the gift of giving is not limited to financial giving. As Peter, you can say, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you" (Acts 3:6). You can give services, talents, time, etc. And when you give, do it as Jesus commanded: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8). Also, Paul in these verses encourages the giver to "give generously". Giving should not be limited to the "duty" of tithing.
6. Leadership - The gift of leadership is, indeed, a gift from God. Very few are given the ability to be good leaders. Leadership is an important gift specifically in the organization of a church and its ministries. Every activity and service of a church needs a leader. Leaders should not take their role lightly, but, as Paul says, they should "govern diligently".
7. Mercy - Mercy is a Godly trait. Our God is characterized by His mercy. When one truly shows mercy, he is being a true representative of God. However, as Paul says, when you show mercy, do it "cheerfully", not grudgingly, not because you "have to", but sincerely and from the heart.
So, seek the gift that God would specifically have you use to serve Him. Do not try to copy the gifts of others, but cultivate and practice your specific gifts. Just think how productive and influential the church could be if all used their specific, God-ordained gifts in His service.
As you use your gifts, recognize that you are doing the work of God. Do not take your service lightly, but seriously; practice it diligently and responsibly, for the boss is always watching!
Now Father, we thank You that we can be of service to You. Guide us in our service, leading us to the methods of service that You have prepared for us. Give us a heart for service so that we may represent You faithfully as we serve. Let our service be a reflection of Your love to those around us. We ask these things Jesus' name. Amen.
Here, we continue our study in the Epistle of James.
True Faith
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
The end of the second chapter of James' epistle contains a section concerning what true faith is. James begins by asking: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" The emphasis of the whole discourse is whether the man's "claim" of faith is true. To determine whether the "claim" is true, James looks at the man's "deeds", or, in this case, his lack of "deeds". Jesus speaks of a claimed faith in a similar way: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
James asks of the man who has "no deeds": "Can such faith save him?" In other words, James is asking, "Is it possible to have a true saving faith, if there is no evidence of it in one's life?" James will go on to argue that such a faith is not a true saving faith. Jesus said essentially the same thing: "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit" (John 15:5).
Pretended faith and pretended religion are useless. In fact, pretended faith is harmful. First, it is harmful to Christianity. The pretenders are seen by the world as representatives of the faith. When there is no fruit in their lives, the world imputes their hypocrisy upon the whole religion. "There is less dishonour brought to God by open opposition, than by profession used as a cover and excuse for profaneness." Second, the pretension can be harmful to the pretender himself. In his attempt to deceive the world, he may succeed in deceiving himself. He may think that the benefits of true faith are his and that he will join with the true believers in the kingdom of God. However, the Lord will say to him, as He did to the false professors in Matthew 7, "I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers" (Matt. 7:23). His pretended faith is harmful to him because it will keep him out of the kingdom of God. He will rest in his claimed faith, not seeking a true faith.
True faith will result in true works. Examine yourself in light of this. As Paul encourages: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves" (II Cor. 13:5). Does your life reflect your faith? Does your life faithfully represent Christianity? Could the world determine from the fruit of your life that you are a Christian? Now, if you find yourself falling short in this respect, the remedy is not to scurry around and try to do good works in order to prove your faith, for James is not implying that works without faith saves. The remedy is to turn to God and humbly ask Him to guide you, by His Spirit, into a true saving faith from which the good works will naturally spring.
James, in order to illustrate his point, gives an example where someone's words and actions clearly contradict each other. In the example, "a brother or sister" (i.e., a fellow Christian) is extremely needy, as shown by his lack of even daily food. Interestingly, James personalizes the example by saying "if one of you says..." In doing this, he is encouraging us to examine our lives to see if such hypocrisy exists.
The speaker in the example says to the needy brother or sister: "Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed" and then does nothing else. This directly applies to James' position about the uselessness of a merely claimed faith because the speaker acts as if his words, in themselves, will accomplish something. In the example, the absence of action proves the emptiness of the words. If the speaker really wished the brother or sister well, he would have done something to help the needy person.
James sums up his argument: "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." A claimed faith with no works is analogous to the claimed concern in the example. The man in the example speaks well, and to speak well is important, but it is not enough, just as a mere claimed faith is not enough. The man in the example knew of the brother or sister's need, but did not act upon his knowledge. In the same way, one who claims to have faith proves by claiming that he knows about Christ and Christ's teachings, but he is condemned because he does not act upon his knowledge. The absence of works proves the emptiness of his faith.
Examples of Faith
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James begins this section by stating that it is much easier to prove that one has true faith if the faith is demonstrated by works: "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do". Those with proven faith, those who have demonstrated their faith by their works, are great assets to Christianity. Thank God that we have the Mother Theresas, the Corrie Ten Booms, the Billy Grahams, etc., to point to as representatives of the Christian faith. We can point to them because their faith is demonstrated.
James goes on to give three examples of faith. The first example shows a faith that believes that Jesus is the Son of God, and yet is not a saving faith: "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that". The demons have a faith that many today would consider a saving faith. As James stated, demons believe that there is one God. Demons also believe that Jesus is the Son of God (see Matt. 8:29). Demons also clearly believe that Jesus has the power to save men from hell; otherwise, they would not work so hard to keep men from Jesus.
So, demons not only intellectually acknowledge the existence of God, but also acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Now, intellectual acknowledgement is, as James says, "Good!" It is a necessary first step to true faith. However, true saving faith is more than intellectual acknowledgement. It involves basing one's life on the fact that Jesus died for our sins and is our Lord and Savior. Furthermore, to truly believe that Christ died for us is to acknowledge one's debt to Him through obedience. This will naturally result in doing the work of God.
Interestingly, the demons' faith in God does result in fruit in their lives, albeit, not the right kind of fruit, for they "shudder". True Christians should not "shudder" at the thought of God. Indeed, we should have a healthy fear of God, a respect for His commandments and a reverence for His name, but to truly know Him is to know His love for us. This love does not cause one to "shudder", unless one is still under the condemnation of God. However, as Paul points out, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1).
It should be obvious that true faith results in a life that reflects that faith, so James tactfully says, "You foolish man". He then goes on to offer as examples two people whose actions demonstrated their faith.
The first of these examples is perhaps the greatest demonstration of faith in the Bible: Abraham's offering of Isaac. Abraham's offering of Isaac was a great example of obedience, but it was even more a demonstration of his faith. God asked Abraham to do something that, from a human point of view, defied logic, contradicted reason and did not make sense. Abraham, through faith, nevertheless consented. The reason that Abraham could make such a grand offering was because he believed, through faith, the promise of God that stated that he would have descendants through Isaac. The writer of Hebrews sums it up: "By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, 'It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.' Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death" (Heb. 11:17-19). So, Abraham did not consider that he was sacrificing Isaac to death, because God had already made promises about Isaac's future that had yet to be fulfilled. Many fault God in this episode for asking Abraham to sacrifice his son; however, God knew that Abraham was not going to sacrifice Isaac to death, and, as stated, Abraham also knew that he was not going to sacrifice Isaac to death.
James goes on: "Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?" Certainly, all who read this episode in Genesis 22 cannot help but "consider" Abraham righteous for it. We consider him righteous because we see that, as James says, "his faith and his actions were working together". God also "considered" Abraham righteous for what he did, because God told him afterwards, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Gen. 22:12). Also, certainly, Abraham himself was strengthened in his faith through this episode. When we pass the tests of God, we ourselves are strengthened in our faith as a result. When our faith "works together" with our actions, our faith strengthens our works and our works strengthen our faith. So, indeed, as James states, Abraham's "faith was made complete by what he did": his faith was proven to us, to God and to himself.
Abraham's actions were actually a fulfillment of the Bible's assertion that Abraham had faith. As James points out: "And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness' ". The Bible could merely have stated that Abraham had faith, but we would not have known the extent of his faith unless we were shown his deeds. In fact, Abraham is considered a great man of faith, not because the Bible says that he had faith, but because his faith was demonstrated and fulfilled through his testing. Untested faith is unproven faith.
Now, God "credited" Abraham's faith "to him as righteousness" many years before Abraham's offering of Isaac. The episode being referred to was when "Abraham believed" the Lord, when He said: "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them. . . So shall your offspring be" (Gen. 15:5). So, the offering of Isaac was not the grounds of Abraham's justification, but the "fulfillment" of the faith attributed to him. James looks at the effect of his justification, which was the act that fulfilled the statement that Abraham had faith in the promise.
James goes on, saying: "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith" (that is, a claimed faith) "alone". Abraham's test specifically referred to his faith in the earlier promise. If Abraham truly believed that his offspring through Isaac would be as the stars in the sky, he would have no problem with offering Isaac to the Lord, since it was the Lord Himself who made the original promise.
Many see a discrepancy between what James says in this verse with some of Paul's teachings; namely, when Paul states: "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Rom. 3:28). This supposed discrepancy can be resolved by studying the purpose and context of Paul's and James' statements. James is speaking of a "claimed faith" that is not borne out in the actions of the claimant's life. Paul is speaking of a "true faith", and stating that a true faith is sufficient in order to be justified. James' purpose is to describe what true faith is (a faith that results in action); Paul's purpose is to describe what true faith does (that is, justify). James defines faith; Paul defines justification. James in this passage is not battling Paul, as some would presume; rather, James is battling those who would abuse the doctrine taught by Paul. The differences between Paul's and James' statements are in large part due to their differing target audiences: Paul speaks to the Pharasaical Christians, who say that you must be circumcised, etc. in order to be justified; James speaks to so-called "carnal Christians", who use their claimed faith to excuse sin.
James' final example is Rahab, whose history is found in Joshua 2. James states: "In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" Rahab is also mentioned as an example of faith in Hebrews 11: "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient" (Heb. 11:31).
Rahab presents an interesting contrast to Abraham. Abraham represents the high ground of faith, a man to be looked up to and emulated. On the other hand, Rahab was a prostitute and her act of faith itself was accompanied by a lie, a great contrast to Abraham's noble act. However, her behavior when the spies came, when her faith was tested, proved that she had faith in God: we would not have known that she had faith if she had not demonstrated it. One might say, "I could never be an Abraham", but certainly all could aspire to be a Rahab: a woman, a heathen and a prostitute, yet with a demonstrated faith in God.
Her actions displayed an enormous amount of faith. To hide the spies, she would have had to believe that the ragtag Israelites, wanderers in the desert, could conquer Jericho, a fortified, walled city. Also, her act was not trivial. It was a selfless, courageous act. She jeopardized her own life by harboring the spies. Her faith, like ours, was based on hearing about the Lord's work in the lives of His people. She spoke her faith, saying: "I know that the Lord has given this land to you. . . We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below" (Josh. 2:9-11).
So, though Rahab was a sinner, yet she was an example of faith. God does not expect the faithful to be sinless. He, by His Spirit, will work to that end in our lives, but the great people of God do not have to be (and certainly are not) sinless. In fact, God often chooses the worst of sinners to represent him: Matthew the tax-collector, Paul the murderer, Rahab the prostitute. In choosing us sinners to serve Him, God turns our old sins into glory for Him, as those around us witness our changed lives. "The scars and marks of old sins remain, not to our dishonour, but God's glory." Rahab, though a prostitute, went on to marry an Israelite and, in fact, is an ancestor of Jesus Christ (see Matt. 1:5).
James concludes this section concerning faith and works by summarizing: "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead". This is a picturesque analogy. A body without a Spirit is a dead carcase: useless and putrid. So, a dead faith is useless, even harmful. A dead faith shows no signs of life; a living faith is active, vibrant, exemplary, and glorifies God. Oh Lord, breathe Your breath of life into our faith!
In Summary
In summary, the examples that James cited were chosen because they are clear evidences of faith. They were not works of charity, or works done with the purpose to display holiness, "but works the value of which consisted solely in their being proofs of faith: they were faith expressed in act, synonymous with faith itself." They were also chosen because they represent a broad spectrum of believers: male and female; man of God and prostitute; Jew and Gentile. Thus, James' teaching, that works will result from true faith, is a universal principle. Examine yourself. Is there fruit in your life as a result of your faith? Do your actions and your faith work together? If not, seek the Lord for guidance as to how you can make your faith complete.
So, Father, we ask that You would, first, strengthen our faith, then, indeed, guide us to put our faith into action. Help us, through our works, to be faithful examples to the world of Your love. Give us the desire and the means to carry out all that You would have us do in serving You in this world. In the name of Jesus, we ask these things, Amen.
The Frailty of Life
"Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." (Job 14:1-2)
My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath." (Ps. 39:3-5)
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14)
This is the second article in a three part series about the frailty of life. Each of the articles will study the context of one of the three above passages concerning the frailty of life. In this article, we will look at the passage in Psalm 39.
The Futility of a Life Lived for Oneself
1I said, "I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence."
2But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
3My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4"Show me, O Lord, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
5You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath. Selah
6Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
7But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:1-7)
In this psalm, David describes how he tried to be righteous on his own, through his own works, under his own strength. He defiantly resolved: "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin". His resolve was weakened, however, when the wicked were in his presence, corrupting him with their evil influence, most likely stirring up sinful desires of revenge in his heart. In that environment, David, in order continue in his own righteousness, "put a muzzle" on his mouth. It got to the point where David could not trust himself to do anything (lest he stumble in his way) or say anything (lest cursing, derision or blasphemy corrupt his words); instead, he remained "silent and still. . . not even saying anything good". Despite his determination and his attempts to carry out his resolution, his "anguish increased" and his "heart grew hot" within him. As "the fire burned", he exclaimed in his despair: "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days".
We all, at one point or another, think that we can make it on our own. We say, as William Ernest Henley, "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul". David, in the first three verses of this Psalm, thought that his own determination and resolve was all that he needed to be righteous. Stating his independence in those verses he proclaimed: "I will", "I will", "I", "I", and "I".
But such a resolution will necessarily end in anguish. Man cannot attain righteousness through his own means. He will always be surrounded by corrupt influences. Even if he employs extreme measures, such as muzzling his mouth or remaining forever "silent and still, not even saying anything good", yet his anguish will only increase and his heart will burn. He will come to the realization that, in his frailty, he cannot make it on his own, he cannot attain the righteousness he had resolved to achieve.
David realized this, and so exclaimed: "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life". David was, in effect, asking the Lord for perspective. He asked the Lord to prove to his own heart that he cannot make it on his own. David wanted to be convinced of his own frailty, so as to strengthen his dependence on and, thus, his relationship with God. There are times when we intellectually realize that we need to improve our relationship with God, but, in our hearts, we do not feel like it. During these times, we should ask the Lord, as David did, to give us the desire to improve our relationship with Him.
David asked for perspective and God gave him perspective, for David stated in the next verse: "You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath." David realized the frailty of his life, the shortness of it as compared to eternity. We can ignore God in this life and pursue a righteousness of our own, and pursue our own desires and interests, but what have we gained? All we gain is a perceived control over a life whose span is a "mere handbreadth". In doing so, we hazard giving up eternity. As Jesus said: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36).
David goes on to point out the emptiness of such a life: "Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: he bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it." So much time, money and effort is spent on that which will not last. When we recognize the brevity of life, we cannot help but see the futility of living our lives for the temporal things, things which will pass away. This realization will either drive one to despair or drive one to seek eternity, and eternity is gained only through Christ, for "whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16) and "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life" (John 3:36).
So, the only solution to the despair that comes from the realization that man is frail and that life is futile is to turn to the Lord. We must get ours eyes off the temporal and turn them to the eternal. So, David concluded: "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." David was in anguish when he was saying "I", "I", "I", as he did in the first three verses; but, in the end, he realized that his only hope was not in himself, but the Lord.
Yes, Lord, give us the perspective to realize that our only hope for a meaningful life and a blessed eternity is in You. Guide us, by Your Spirit, into an existence that makes the most of our brief time on earth, in service to Your Kingdom. We praise You that You have provided a way, through Your Son, for us to be credited the righteousness that we need to enter Your presence. In Jesus' name we pray these things, Amen.
(In the next issue, the series on the frailty of life will conclude with a study of James 4:13-17)
Psalm 5
For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.
1Give ear to my words, O Lord,
consider my sighing.
2Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests
before you
and wait in expectation.
4You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
6You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the Lord abhors.
7But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies--
make straight your way before me.
9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
10Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5, like the previous psalm, concerns prayer. In the first three verses, David prays to the Lord for help, and then "waits in expectation". The rest of the psalm deals with the reasons that David's prayer will be heard and answered: God's hatred of evil (v. 4-6); the grace and guidance of God for His own people (v. 7-8); the utter depravity of David's adversaries (v. 9-10); the blessings and protection that God bestows upon His people (v. 11-12).
David's Prayer
1Give ear to my words, O Lord,
consider my sighing.
2Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests
before you
and wait in expectation.
David begins this psalm with a prayer. The specifics of his prayer are not stated, implying that the principles in this psalm can be applied for all prayers. We know only that David is crying "for help", through numerous "requests", and his problem is on-going, for he offers his prayer "morning by morning".
His prayer consists of three requests: "Give ear to my words", "consider my sighing", and "listen to my cry". In these three requests, David uses three styles of communication: his "words", his "sighing", and his "cry".
First, David prays with his "words", his reasoned, well thought-out expression of his petition to God. It is good to communicate to God requests that are well reasoned. Through the process of reasoning, God can lead us to a proper perspective of the situation, and even to an answer to the prayer.
Second, David prays with his "sighing". There are times, especially in times of trouble, when we are at a loss of words, we cannot even express our prayers. We have reasoned through our petitions, we have stated with words the result of our reasoning, then we run out of words. In these times, we can depend on the Holy Spirit to express our prayer through our "sighing", through our groanings, and, at times, through the gift of tongues. As Paul teaches: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Rom. 8:26). David asks for the Lord to not only hear his words, but also his unuttered desires. "Words are not the essence but the garments of prayer." Of course, "your Father knows what you need before you ask Him" (Matt. 6:8); so, the lack of words should not prevent you from praying! The spirit of prayer is much more important than the words that are spoken. A spirit without words is heard, but words without a spirit will never be.
Third, David prays with a "cry". David not only prayed through reasoned requests, and spiritual sighings, but also with emotive cries. Your emotions are an expression of your desire; they communicate the seriousness of your request. James says: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16, KJV). Christ is our example in this: "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission" (Heb. 5:7). Can a loving Father resist the cries of His children?
David addresses his prayer in verse 1 directly to the "Lord". It is our great privilege to be able to present our requests directly to the Creator of the Universe. Never underestimate this privilege! Also, in verse 2, David addresses his prayer to "my King and my God". He prays to God not only as Creator, but as the King of the people of Israel, the God of the covenant, and also his personal God (as denoted by the "my"). David, though King of Israel, realizes that he is not the preeminent king, but that God is.
David presents his requests "morning by morning". In Psalm 4, the evening was depicted as a good time for reflection. Here, the morning is shown as a good time for prayer. Indeed, it is good to seek the Lord early. To do so sets the mood for the day; it establishes who is sovereign over the day. Our thoughts should naturally turn to our Lord first thing in the morning. Note also that David does not just say "in the morning", but "morning by morning you hear my voice". David was consistent in prayer, not missing a morning. He could confidently say that the Lord would hear his voice each morning.
David prays in the morning by "laying his requests" before God. The words that he uses for presenting his requests are the same ones that are used for carefully arranging wood on an altar (as in Gen. 22:9; Lev.1:7; and I Kings 18:33) or for arranging the showbread on the table in the tabernacle (as in Ex. 40:23 and Lev. 24:6,8). This likens prayer to the most sacred of covenant rituals.
Finally, after presenting his requests before God, David in faith "waits in expectation". Faith not only asks in prayer, but expects an answer. We should trust in God for an answer to our prayers. "Man fell from God by distrust, by having God in suspicion; God will bring him back by trust."
David teaches us much about prayer in these verses. Our prayers should have purpose; our words are secondary to the spirit of prayer; our prayers should be heartfelt, with emotion; they are directed to a personal God; we should pray morning by morning; we should wait expectantly for an answer.
God's Hatred of Evil
4You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
6You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the Lord abhors.
Having presented his prayer, David goes on to state four reasons why his prayer will be heard. In this section, he cites as a reason God's hatred of evil. This, of course, implies that David's prayer was a righteous prayer. It would be an insult to God's holiness to pray for anything unrighteous. So, David is appealing to God on the basis of His righteousness. For a prayer to be answered by God, it must necessarily be consistent with His nature.
David first states that God is not a "God who takes pleasure in evil". God hates sin. We must realize this. We tend to gloss over it, make light of it, even at times take pride in it, but, in no uncertain terms, God hates sin. Some mistake God's mercy for tolerance of sin. On the other hand, some see God's judgment of sin as being too harsh. Some say God errs on the side of judgment, some in mercy. "If all sin were punished here, men would despair of mercy, but if no sin were punished here, men would deny a providence."
David goes on to point out that, with God, "the wicked cannot dwell". Only the holy can dwell with God. For God to tolerate the presence of the unrighteous would decrease His holiness. So, how is it that we Christians expect to dwell with God in heaven for eternity? Are we holy? Not in ourselves. But through our belief in Christ, we are imputed with righteousness. "Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39) and "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
In these verses, David enumerates seven ways to describe his enemies: evil, wicked, arrogant, those who do wrong, those who tell lies, bloodthirsty and deceitful. That there are seven is significant in that, in the Bible, seven is the number of completeness. By citing seven traits, David is symbolically stating that his enemies wickedness is complete.
God's Grace and Guidance for His Own
7But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies--
make straight your way before me.
In this section, David cites, as the second reason his prayer will be heard, God's grace and guidance for His people. He begins by saying: "But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house." It is not because we are any better than the enemies of God that we are able to come to Him, but strictly by His "great mercy".
Now, God's mercy is available to all, even David's enemies. David was set apart from his enemies and able to receive God's mercy for three reasons. First, David desired to receive God's mercy and, thus, was resolved to enter God's house, so he says assuredly "I will". Second, David bowed down "in reverence" to God; he had a healthy respect and fear of God. Third, David desired to be lead by the Lord and to live a holy life, so he says: "Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness".
Note that it is the Lord's "righteousness", not his own, in which David desires to be lead. Those who fear the Lord know that they need Him to help them walk in His ways. Those who have no reverence for the Lord think they are good enough on their own. In the book of Psalms, this is what distinguishes between the righteous from the wicked. Again, it is not that the "righteous" are any better in themselves than the "wicked", or that the "righteous" have easier access to God's grace and guidance than the "wicked", it is that the "righteous" have chosen to fear the Lord and seek His righteousness. As "Wisdom" says in the book of Proverbs: "Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes" (Prov. 1:29-31).
David states that he needed to be led in the Lord's righteousness "because of my enemies". Sin begets sin. Just being in the presence of the wicked will increase one's own chances of falling into sin, even if the wicked are one's adversaries. The wickedness of our enemies may cause us to rationalize our own sin, especially if they are gaining the victory. After all, we might say, "They're doing it. Why shouldn't I?" We must resist sin, especially in our conflicts with the wicked. As David, despite the actions of our enemies, we should seek to be led in the righteousness of the Lord.
Also, we need God to light the path before us, to clear the obstacles from our way, and make the way of His righteousness smooth and unambiguous; so, David asks God to "make straight your way before me". We need the Lord to make His path straight so that we do not mistakenly stray onto the wrong path, out of His righteousness. Satan loves to muddy the waters, to put up a smoke screen, so as to confuse us in order to deceitfully lead us into sin. To ask the Lord to make His way straight before us is a prayer we would all do well to pray.
Note that it is the Lord's way that David asks to make straight, not his own. We all have our view of the way our path should take, but we need to seek God's path. In fact, a good prayer is to ask that God throw obstacles into our way, so as to make clear to us His way.
The Depravity of David's Enemies
9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
10Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
The third reason David's prayer will be heard is because of the depravity of his adversaries. His enemies are ripe for judgment. In these verses, as before, David enumerates seven traits of his enemies: "not a word from their mouth can be trusted", "a heart filled with destruction", "their throat is an open grave", a deceitful tongue, full of "intrigues", "many sins", and in rebellion. Again, the fact that there are seven traits suggests the completeness of their depravity.
Three of these traits have to do with his enemies' speech: "not a word from their mouth can be trusted", "their throat is an open grave", and "with their tongue they speak deceit". This is in contrast to David, who used his speech to pray to the Lord "morning by morning". Indeed, so much of the depravity in the world is expressed in speech. As Jesus pointed out: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). David's expression, "their throat is an open grave,"--suggesting the stench of the decomposing dead--is an apt description of so much of the conversation in the world.
Paul cites some of the elements of this description when he describes the depravity of all men, including you and me, in Romans 3: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips" (Rom. 3:10-13). The fact that we too are guilty of these things proves that to be reconciled to God, we need a new nature: we need to be born again.
David goes on to ask that the Lord "declare them guilty". There comes a time when God's judgment must be consummated, in order that He preserve His righteousness. Though all of us are depraved, God has provided a way for us to walk in His righteousness. If we reject that way, which is through Jesus Christ, we will eventually experience God's wrath, as He carries out His judgment. To ignore or reject God's way to righteousness is the height of rebellion against God. David desires that his enemies own "intrigues be their downfall". Many times, the Lord need only allow the wicked to continue in their own wicked ways and judgment will naturally befall them.
God's Blessings on His People
11But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
In this final section, David cites the fourth reason that his prayer will be answered: God blesses and protects His people. David begins by saying: "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy." Indeed, as the people of God, we should be glad! For some reason, "in this world those who have the least right to rejoice often seem to be the most merry; and those who have the greatest cause of joy often seem to be the most sad." We have great cause to "sing for joy", and so we should do so every chance we get.
Indeed, there are times when we, as David, are driven to cry out to the Lord, but there will come a time when we will have nothing but happiness, our joy being fulfilled. Those of the world may laugh now, but later they will weep. We may weep now, but only for a time. In the end, we will have joy unbounded for eternity.
In fact, our joy should transcend the temporary trials that we experience in this life. James says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2) and Peter adds: "Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (I Pet. 4:13). The joy and praise of God's people through trials is a great witness to the truth of Christianity. Fortunately, throughout history, many of God's people have maintained their joy even through the worst of circumstances. "The most exultant anthems ever sung on this earth are the songs of God's people passing through the wilderness, the fire and the floods."
Knowing of the joy of God's people, even despite living in this ungodly world among those who curse God, David concludes: "For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Yes, we may face trials here living among the ungodly; nevertheless, we are under God's blessing and shield. We can rejoice that we face nothing but what He allows us to face. We can rejoice that the worst we can face on earth, the death of our bodies, will only result in our eternal joy.
Closing Prayer
Yes, Father, we praise You that we are under Your protection and that we can have joy through anything that we face here on earth. We praise You that You hear our prayers, morning by morning. We thank You that You have provided a way for us to walk in Your righteousness and not be counted among the ungodly. Put in our hearts the desire to seek You each morning, clear the way for us to find the time to pray, guide us by Your Spirit in what we should pray. In Jesus' name we ask these things, Amen.
Bibliography and Suggested Reading
Alexander, Joseph A. Commentary on the Psalms. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1991. (Originally published 1864).
Candlish, Robert S. Studies in Genesis. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1979. (Originally published in 1868).
Candlish, Robert S. Studies in Romans 12: The Christian's Sacrifice and Service of Praise. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1989. (Originally published in 1867).
Dickson, David. A Commentary on the Psalms. Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1959. (Originally published 1653).
Hodge, Charles. Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1947. (Originally published 1886).
Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments. 3 Vols. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1993. (Originally published in 1866).
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible, New International Version. Indianapolis: Kirkbride and Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
Keil, Carl & Delitzsch, Franz. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971. (Originally published ca. 1880).
Manton, Thomas. A Commentary on James. Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1962. (Originally published in 1693).
Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
Pink, Arthur W. Gleanings in Genesis. Chicago: Moody, 1981.
Plumer, William S. Studies in the Book of Psalms. Reprint Edition. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1990. (Originally published in 1867).
Smith, Chuck. Audio Tapes on Genesis. Costa Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 1985.
Smith, Chuck. Audio Tapes on Psalms. Costa Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 1988.
Spurgeon, Charles. The Treasury of David. 6 Volumes bound in 3. Reprint Edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson. (Originally published ca. 1880).
Strauss, Lehman. James, Your Brother. Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1956.
Thomas, W. H. Griffith, Genesis: A Devotional Commentary, Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1988.
---------- Footnotes ----------
1. See Num. 33:55; Jos. 23:13; Jud. 2:3; II Sam. 23:6; Isa. 10:17; Isa. 27:4; Eze. 2:6; Eze. 28:24; Hos. 9:6.
2. Manton, A Commentary on James, p. 233.
3. Manton, A Commentary on James, pg. 268.
4. Jamieson, Fausset, Brown, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. III, Pt. 3, pg. 589.
5. Spurgeon, A Treasury of David, Vol. I, pg. 45.
6. George Swinnock, cited in Spurgeon, A Treasury of David, Vol. I, pg. 51.
7. Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms, p. 80.
8. By the way, the reference by David to God's "house" and "holy temple" in verse 7 is not anachronistic. Although Solomon's temple, of course, was not built when David was alive, the tabernacle of God was referred to as His "temple" before Solomon's time (see I Sam. 1:9 and I Sam. 3:3 for other examples of this).
9. Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms, p. 86.
10. Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms, pg. 92.
