A word to us at this time

What follows below is a synthesis of some emails that have been floating about in our local prophetic group. I think that they deserve a wider audience:

The word which was brought to my attention Nov. 26 is a word I believe the Lord is giving to encourage us at this time:

Ps. 78 v52-53
But He made His own people go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

God emphasized this word to me that morning. I then proceeded to read the appointed Psalm in BAS. The reading was Ps 106:1-18. As I read I recognized the same event being referenced and sure enough, there is a x-ref from Ps.106 to Ps 78. I was strongly impressed as I read that this is a description of where we are at now.

A reply elaborated on this:

I want to pick up on what xxxx has written. If you read Psalm 106 you will notice the theme has to do with disobedience and apostasy. I have included it in its entirely below:

Ps 106
1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD
or fully declare his praise?
3 Blessed are they who maintain justice,
who constantly do what is right.
4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,
5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise.
6 We have sinned, even as our fathers did;
we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 When our fathers were in Egypt,
they gave no thought to your miracles;
they did not remember your many kindnesses,
and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. [b]
8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
to make his mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up;
he led them through the depths as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of the foe;
from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.
11 The waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his promises
and sang his praise.
13 But they soon forgot what he had done
and did not wait for his counsel.
14 In the desert they gave in to their craving;
in the wasteland they put God to the test.
15 So he gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease upon them.
16 In the camp they grew envious of Moses
and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.
17 The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan;
it buried the company of Abiram.
18 Fire blazed among their followers;
a flame consumed the wicked.
19 At Horeb they made a calf
and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their Glory
for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21 They forgot the God who saved them,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22 miracles in the land of Ham
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him
to keep his wrath from destroying them.
24 Then they despised the pleasant land;
they did not believe his promise.
25 They grumbled in their tents
and did not obey the LORD.
26 So he swore to them with uplifted hand
that he would make them fall in the desert,
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
and scatter them throughout the lands.
28 They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor
and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29 they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was checked.
31 This was credited to him as righteousness
for endless generations to come.
32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD,
and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God,
and rash words came from Moses’ lips. [c]
34 They did not destroy the peoples
as the LORD had commanded them,
35 but they mingled with the nations
and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
38 They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves by what they did;
by their deeds they prostituted themselves.
40 Therefore the LORD was angry with his people
and abhorred his inheritance.
41 He handed them over to the nations,
and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them
and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,
but they were bent on rebellion
and they wasted away in their sin.
44 But he took note of their distress
when he heard their cry;
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant
and out of his great love he relented.
46 He caused them to be pitied
by all who held them captive.
47 Save us, O LORD our God,
and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
48 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD.

This psalm ends Book Four of the Psalter and so it ends with a doxology as do all the Psalms that conclude each of the five books. (Psalms 41; 72; 89; 106; 150)

We are invited to remember that through all of the challenges and trials we face that everything is to conclude in doxology. You will notice that Psalm 150 is nothing but doxology. I was so grateful today for how our worship was doxological. As we face times of such trial and apostasy, let us remember that God has placed this psalm before us, as well as Psalm 78. May we be like Phinehas. His name means “mouth of brass” He was the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron; his zealousness for the Lord averted a plague on Israel and gained him the promise of the Lord of an everlasting priesthood in his family. (Numbers 25 1ff).

For us, our zeal is to always be governed by the qualities characterized by the fruit of the Spirit and by blessing those who curse and persecute us. May God the Father give us his heart and the will to live in his grace-filled truth.

Regarding the last thought, if I might add my 2p worth:

Matthew 5:43-44
43″You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who persecute you,

Granted, this is probably nothing you have not heard many times before, however I think we all probably need to hear this again right now.

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4 Responses to A word to us at this time

  1. white rabbit says:

    The old question regarding “your enemies” is where does national law begin and individual law end? By way of example most Christians are in favour of illegal immigration into the country but object to illegal immigration into their private dwelling. By the way, the American Christians inspired in the 1980s by the thought of the Phinehas priesthood ( v30 above)are still in jail serving their life sentences. No forgiveness for them.

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  2. timbob says:

    Greetings Peter. Thanks for posting this. Psalm 78:52-53 is a passage that we should all hide in our hearts. I’m also going to think more on “doxology” which Websters defines simply as “liturgical expression of praise to God.” In fact, I’m wondering if I should start ending posts with such. Ending posts is usually a choppy endeavor; sort of an uneven transition back to the mundane. (Just some spur of the moment ramblings.)

    Have a blessed day in Jesus.

    timbob

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  3. white rabbit says:

    The way i read the references in psalm 76 is that it is aimed at the nation while Matthew is aimed at individuals. The Psalm refers to national events such as crossing the Red Sea, Horeb and Phineas.
    Jesus is advising individuals for the verses before and after 43 and 44 strike me as referring to individuals for the talk of rewards in heaven can only apply to individuals and not to nations as we stand alone on Judgment Day.
    The point being that Christians are as duty bound to be involved in politics as they are in living the Christian life in a personal way, i.e. if an individual really is a rich man and not a servant his business should be closed on Sunday so that his servants don’t have to work on that special day.
    Any ideas to throw around here?

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  4. Peter says:

    Thank you Timbob – not a bad idea at all!

    I wonder white rabbit, I wonder whaether it is possible for rewards in heaven to be given to nations as well? That’s a thought to ponder….

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