When We are in Need It is Good to Look Back (Psalm 83:9-18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
5/7/2012 8:44:58 AM
My Worship Time   Focus:  It is good to look back when we are in need.
Bible Reading & Meditation     Reference:  Psalm 83:9-18
 Message of the verses:  In yesterdays SD we began looking at Psalm 83 by looking at a couple of introductions to the psalm and then looking at the first main point from the psalm in which Dr. Wiersbe called “Lord See What is Happening.”  Dr. Wiersbe wrote at the end of his introduction these words, “As he saw the enemy armies surrounding Israel,
 Asaph lifted three heartfelt requests to the Lord.”  We will begin this SD with the second heartfelt request to the Lord that Asaph made.
 “Lord, Do What is Necessary!” (vv. 9-15):  “9 ¶  Deal with them as with Midian, As with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon, 10  Who were destroyed at En-dor, Who became as dung for the ground. 11  Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, 12  Who said, "Let us possess for ourselves The pastures of God." 13  O my God, make them like the whirling dust, Like chaff before the wind. 14  Like fire that burns the forest And like a flame that sets the mountains on fire, 15  So pursue them with Your tempest And terrify them with Your storm.”
 “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.”  (NLT) 
 Asaph is going back to a victory that is found in the book of Judges in his prayer to the Lord, and asks that the Lord do the same to the enemies of Israel at this time.  We read the story of Gibeon’s victory the Midianites in Judges 6-8 where the Lord defeated the Midianites using just 300 men that were led by Gibeon.  We also read about the victory of Deborah and Barak against Sisera and Jabin in Judges 4-5.  Dr. Wiersbe writes the following on who the other names in this section are: Endor is not mentioned in Judges 4-5, but it was a city near Taanach (Judges 5:19), which was near Endor (Josh. 17:11).”  “Oreb and Zeeb were commanders (princes) of the Midianites army, and Zeba and Zamunna were Midianite kings (Jud. 7:25-821). 
 The great victory over the Midianites stood out in the history of the Nation of Israel because like other great victories it was brought about by a miracle of the Lord.
 We see some disturbing images in this section that may seem a bit harsh, but we must remember that Israel was who the Lord was going to use to bring Messiah into the world, and Israel was also responsible to write the Scriptures, and to tell others about Jehovah.  I am not going to go into the details of what some of these images mean, for one can read them and understand what Asaph is asking the Lord to do to the enemies of Israel.
 “Glorify Your Name!” (vv. 16-18):  “16  Fill their faces with dishonor, That they may seek Your name, O LORD. 17  Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, And let them be humiliated and perish, 18  That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.”
 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.”  (NLT)
 We see in this section that Asaph prays that the enemies of Israel will be ashamed and dismayed before they were destroyed by the Lord.  That they would know that Jehovah is the Lord of all the earth. 
 It seems that nations in the day when the OT was written did realize that Israel’s God, the God over all the earth, was truly God.  They realized this when they were defeated by Israel even though their army was much greater than that of Israel.  That was how it was suppose to work. 
 I remember hearing an account of the six day war that was fought in 1967 in Israel.  Many thought that Israel would be defeated, but Israel ended up capturing control of Jerusalem and still has it today.  During the fight for the city of Jerusalem that was a high ranking army official involved in the battle who said that when they were attacking Jerusalem all of a sudden there came a great wind storm that lasted for a while.  This completely stopped the battle.  When the wind storm stopped the officer could see many land mines that the storm had uncovered.  He stated that he did not believe in God until that happened.  Yes God is still fighting for Israel even today.
 Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Asaph looked back at some of the victories that the Lord had given to Israel and prayed for the same outcome over Israel’s enemies then.  It is good to look back and see what the Lord has done for me, especially looking back to that day in 1974 when the Lord saved me and changed my life forever.  Whenever I am facing troubles I know for sure that I am loved by the Lord and that He is good and can only do good.  I can remember that one day the Lord will come in the clouds to take His church to be with Him forever.  It is good to look back.
My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to cause me to remember the two sermons that I heard yesterday at Church and apply them to my life by the power of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God.
5/7/2012 9:30:19 AM