Psalm 55:16-22, 2 Chronicles 33:9-13, 1 Peter 5:5-11, Luke 15:1-10.
A). TAKE IT TO THE LORD IN PRAYER.
Psalm 55:16-22.
PSALM 55:16. King David was no stranger to ‘friends’ letting him down, but his bold assertion in the face of betrayal was: “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.” The God upon whom he calls is the true and living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth; YHWH, the Covenant “LORD” of Israel; ‘the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (cf. Ephesians 1:3), our Saviour. We can be sure that when we cry to HIM for help, HE will hear and answer and respond accordingly!
PSALM 55:17. The “morning” and “evening” prayer corresponds to the time of the morning and evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. The prayer at “noon” is nowhere commanded, but was certainly practised: by Peter, for example (cf. Acts 10:9). In response to the ill-advised policy of Darius that ‘whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions’ (cf. Daniel 6:7), we find Daniel with his windows open towards Jerusalem praying to his God (who is our God) ‘three times a day’ (cf. Daniel 6:10).
The idea is not so much that of having certain so-called ‘canonical hours’ for prayer, but rather of ‘praying always’ (cf. Ephesians 6:18). Importunity is not ‘vain repetition’ (cf. Matthew 6:7), but rather faithful, believing persistence (cf. Luke 18:7-8).
Sometimes a stressful prayer is nothing more than a “cry aloud” (PSALM 55:17). Thus the LORD could say to Moses, ‘I have heard the cry of my people’ (cf. Exodus 3:7). Our Father in heaven hears the cries of His children upon the earth: “and He shall hear their voice” (PSALM 55:17).
PSALM 55:18. “It is He that hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.” This could refer to the past, to put it on record that, ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’ (cf. 1 Samuel 7:12). Or it could be anticipating the future, foreseeing a happy issue out of all these afflictions.
“For there were many with me” – many to fight against him. From his youthful encounter with Goliath, David was familiar with the concept that ‘the battle is the LORD’s’ (cf. 1 Samuel 17:47). So the glory of the victory is of the LORD and not of man (cf. 2 Chronicles 20:15).
PSALM 55:19. Speaking of his enemies, David declares that “God shall hear and afflict them.” The LORD hears David’s prayers, and sits as judge against David’s foes. “Even He that abideth of old,” with whom there is ‘no variableness, neither shadow of turning’ (cf. James 1:17). “Selah” suggests a pause for thought at this point.
David continues, “Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” Change IS required of them, in the form of repentance: a change of mind in their attitude towards God.
PSALM 55:20-21. The malice of David’s enemies is often seen in the activity of one individual. The smooth talking of Absalom whereby he ‘stole the hearts of the men of Israel’ is on record (cf. 2 Samuel 15:1-6), as is the betrayal of David’s counsellor, Ahitophel (cf. 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 16:15).
But what we see here also is Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus. Jesus said, 'Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?' (cf. Luke 22:48). With that, we are reminded of how we must rather ‘fellowship’ with Jesus in His sufferings (cf. Philippians 3:10).
PSALM 55:22. David’s contemplation of a situation of hostility, betrayal and persecution led him to the conclusion that when we cast our care upon the Lord, He does take care of us (cf. 1 Peter 5:7). Even our friends might let us down, but God never will.
And “He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Though we may stumble, our heavenly Father will not allow any of His children to fall for ever.
B). THE CAPTIVITY AND RESTORATION OF MANASSEH.
2 Chronicles 33:9-13.
This is an example of the amazing grace of God towards one who was a very ‘chief’ of sinners (cf. 1 Timothy 1:15).
Bad king Manasseh was a son of good king Hezekiah, but his own style of leadership is here described as “leading Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do evil more than the heathen” (2 CHRONICLES 33:9).
‘Moreover,’ adds 2 Kings 21:16, ‘Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD.’
As a consequence, “the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people” (2 CHRONICLES 33:10a). He ‘spake by the prophets’ (cf. 2 Kings 21:10. “But they would not hearken” (2 CHRONICLES 33:10b).
Not heeding the warnings of God can only lead to disaster. It would for Manasseh in the short term (2 CHRONICLES 33:11), and would also in the long term for Judah and Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kings 21:11-15). Manasseh’s own captivity – in Babylon of all places – clearly prefigures the later Babylonian captivity of Judah.
But there is a happy issue out of this affliction. Like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, Manasseh ‘came to himself’ (cf. Luke 15:17), and Manasseh “besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers” (2 CHRONICLES 33:12).
Perhaps he remembered the LORD’s words to Solomon: ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land’ (cf. 2 Chronicles 7:14).
When Manasseh now prayed unto God, “He was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He is God” (2 CHRONICLES 33:13).
It is not that Manasseh ‘found God,’ as we sometimes hear people saying these days. We have to remember that it is not God who is lost, but man (cf. Luke 15:24). It is more a case of the Good Shepherd pursuing each one of His lost sheep, finding it, and ‘laying it on His shoulders, rejoicing’ (cf. Luke 15:4-5).
It is ‘the goodness of God that leads us to repentance’ (cf. Romans 2:4). And ‘joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth’ (cf. Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10). And when we do humble ourselves and repent, we find the Father is already running out to meet us (cf. Luke 15:20).
‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,’ says 1 Peter 5:6, ‘that He may exalt you in due time.’
C). A TRIAL OF STEADFAST FAITH.
1 Peter 5:5-11.
“Yea, ALL OF YOU be subject to one another, and be clothed with humility” (1 PETER 5:5b). This calls for mutual respect and humility, preferring the other to oneself. The reason follows: “for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” This quotes Proverbs 3:34: ‘surely He scorneth the scorners (literally, scoffs the scoffers), but He gives grace to the humble.’
If we are to bring glory to our God then we must all, like Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (cf. John 13:4-5), “bind on humility” (1 PETER 5:6). We must recognise the good hand of Providence in our attitude towards God, in our relationship with one another, and in our interaction with the world outside. We each need to submit with patience to our own particular cross in the sure knowledge that the hand which we so readily blame for oppressing us, is the same hand which will raise us up and exalt us “in due time.”
Do this, says Peter, having cast all your collective anxiety upon Him, because He cares about you all (1 PETER 5:7). David’s contemplation of a situation of hostility, betrayal and persecution led him to the conclusion that when we cast our burden upon the Lord, He does take care of us (cf. Psalm 55:22). Even our friends might let us down, but God never will.
We must not, however, slump into apathy: we must be sober (in the sense of self-controlled) and alert (1 PETER 5:8). We have a very real fight with a very real enemy (cf. Job 2:1-6), who like a lion would literally swallow us whole given half a chance. Our legal adversary is a malicious opponent (cf. Zechariah 3:1), but if we cast our cares upon God then the ‘accuser of the brethren’ will in his turn be cast down once and for all (cf. Revelation 12:10).
Jesus has already defeated the devil on the cross of Calvary, but this enemy is stubborn, and in a dangerous rage. We must fight with the weapons of faith, even the word of God, to the bitter end (1 PETER 5:9). In our own suffering we share in the accomplishment of the afflictions of our brothers and sisters in Christ here on earth.
In the benediction towards the end of this letter, Peter reminds us of God’s grace, of our calling, and of the eternal glory which is ours in Christ Jesus (1 PETER 5:10). The Apostle prays for a happy issue out of all our afflictions - that after we have suffered a “little while” we should be perfected, established, strengthened and set upon a firm foundation. And on that note we can only return praise to God:
“To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 PETER 5:11).
D). A LOST SHEEP AND A LOST COIN.
Luke 15:1-10.
In the first parable of today’s reading we see the caring shepherd. He left his ninety-nine other sheep in order to seek the one that was lost, until he had found it. This is an image which is familiar from both the Old Testament and the New Testament:
‘For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out’ (Ezekiel 34:11).
Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep’ (John 10:11).
I am familiar with the bleating of lost sheep from my sojourn in the Western Isles of Scotland. Usually it was a lamb that had got the wrong side of the fence by the roadside, or a stubborn ewe grazing on the foreshore that had become separated from her companions by the incoming tide. They were unable to help themselves, and cried out in alarm.
The tax collectors and “sinners” who came to Jesus similarly recognised that they were lost.
Then a man with a crook would come to the rescue. The stubborn ewe would be waded through water, if necessary, to bring her to safety. The lamb would be lifted from the roadside and carried back into the field in one of the most evocative of Biblical illustrations:
‘He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom’ (Isaiah 40:11).
In our text, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing - and parties with his friends over the lost one of his hundred, which is now found.
The scribes’ and Pharisees’ accusation was a statement of fact: sinners resort to Jesus, and He receives them.
After all, He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus tells us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine people who are “just” and need no repentance!
The second illustration shows us a woman who loses one of her ten pieces of silver. Perhaps she has had it sewn into her garment as part of her dowry. The coin has now slipped onto the floor of her dark, dusty home. She lights a lamp, and sweeps thoroughly, until at last she finds her lost coin.
Again there is a party, again rejoicing. The woman’s one coin in ten has been found. And again we are reminded that there is much joy in the presence of angels over one sinner who repents.
Unlike the sheep, the coin was totally unaware that it was lost. Likewise unconverted man is lifeless until the light of the Holy Spirit illumines him, and brings him to life.
The woman represents the church. The sweeping might represent the work of evangelism. The lamp would then illustrate the light of the gospel, and particularly the Holy Spirit’s work of bringing the light to bear on the life of the sinner.
