Psalm 79:8-10, Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:18-23, Luke 6:36-42.
A). AN APPEAL FOR MERCY.
Psalm 79:8-10.
God’s people can sometimes see their afflictions as the outworking of their own rebellion against Him. Our failure to keep the LORD’s covenant may often be the cause of our problems, but our repentance brings us to the final court of appeal: His “tender mercies,” covenant love, or compassion (PSALM 79:8). That is why we confess “former iniquities” (PSALM 79:8), and ask that He “purge away our sins,” for His Name’s sake (PSALM 79:9).
We can plead for help and repent of sins: for we know God as the God of our salvation (PSALM 79:9). And though we may be brought “very low” (PSALM 79:8), we know that He will do all for the glory of His great Name (PSALM 79:9). And it is for the glory of HIS Name that we do pray for His help, ask for deliverance, and plead for forgiveness (PSALM 79:9).
PSALM 79:10 gives expression to a holy jealousy on the part of God’s people: that HE would set right the wrongs that have befallen them. This is the equivalent of patriotism: for who would not desire to see his nation’s wrongs rectified? – how much more the cause of Christ! Imprecation is not necessarily vindictive, but just, and desires to see recompense against the oppressors of God’s inheritance (cf. Psalm 79:1-3).
B). AFTER THE FALL.
Genesis 3:17-19.
As a result of the Fall of Adam, man's days as a gentleman gardener were at an end. The ordinance of work would give way to the tedium of toil. Since man had chosen to eat of the forbidden fruit, it would only be with a huge struggle that he would hereafter be able to sift out a living from the land.
We cannot begin to imagine how angry God is. Our sin is against an infinite God, so He could only be satisfied with the payment of the sacrifice of His infinite Son on our behalf. His anger is in proportion to our failure to reverence Him.
The prospect of death at the end of his days of toil reminds man forever that out of the dust were we taken, and unto dust we must return (GENESIS 3:19)!
C). AWAITING THE MANIFESTATION.
Romans 8:18-23.
Paul weighs “the sufferings of the present time” over against “the glory which shall be revealed in us” (ROMANS 8:18; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Our inheritance is not only what God has to offer, but God Himself (cf. 1 John 3:2).
It is amazing to visualise the whole creation standing on tiptoes, looking to the horizon, straining towards the future in ‘"earnest expectation (or 'eager anticipation’) of the manifestation of the sons of God" (ROMANS 8:19).
Creation has been made subject to "vanity" (ROMANS 8:20a) - or ‘meaninglessness’ (cf. Ecclesiastes 1:2) – as a result of the fall of man. One patriarch suggests the possibility that land might cry out, and complain (cf. Job 31:38), whilst one of the prophets hears the earth mourning (cf. Isaiah 24:4). This personification of the inanimate is familiar throughout the book of Psalms.
The reason why creation is subjected to vanity is “because of the One who subjected the same in hope” (ROMANS 8:20b). It is God who cursed the ground, and it is only in God that there can be any hope for creation.
Because of this hope from God, we can be sure that creation WILL be liberated (ROMANS 8:21). Liberated FROM the bondage of corruption INTO the glorious liberty of the children of God. That is to say, into the freedom of OUR glory.
We read next of a “groaning” – a groaning in which the whole creation participates, and in which we also participate (ROMANS 8:22-23). The groaning of creation is likened to birth pangs (ROMANS 8:22), a figure which Jesus also uses (cf. Mark 13:8).
The Holy Spirit is the first fruits of our inheritance (ROMANS 8:23), the down-payment (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14). We wait “eagerly” for the ‘not yet’ bit of our salvation. We await the full manifestation of our adoption, and we long for the redemption of our body.
D). DO NOT JUDGE.
Luke 6:36-42.
“‘Ye all’ therefore be merciful, as your Father is merciful” (LUKE 6:36; cf. Romans 9:15). We are being called to be compassionate, to exercise grace towards those who are hostile to us. It was ‘when we were enemies’ that ‘we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son’ (cf. Romans 5:10). It was while we were yet unlovely, and unlovable, that His Love was thus poured out for us!
Reward is not the motive, but we do find that, incidentally, love does bring its own recompense (LUKE 6:37). Sometimes in this life (LUKE 6:38), always in the hereafter. Measure out what you would hope to get, for God desires mercy, not sacrifice (cf. Matthew 9:13).
We may think this teaching impossible, and with good reason: but it is modelled on Jesus' own example. Furthermore, God has given us His grace to aspire towards this high standard of AGAPE Love. Born of the Spirit, we are His sons!
When Jesus says, “Judge not” (LUKE 6:37), He is not bidding us suspend our faculty of discernment. No, He is rather speaking about a spirit of censoriousness: judging others as we would NOT wish to be judged ourselves!
It is a serious matter for us to judge one another, as if the day of judgment had come, and our own unworthy selves were the judges. Worse than this, if we are setting ourselves up as a standard when we are less than perfect ourselves, then we will later be judged by the same standard as we have used for the other - and will find ourselves wanting (LUKE 6:38).
“Can the blind lead the blind?” asked Jesus. “Shall they not both fall into the ditch?” (LUKE 6:39). There is a certain arrogance about some would-be teachers of others. They boast that they can see, but are in fact blind (cf. John 9:41). They think of themselves as ‘a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness’ (cf. Romans 2:19); but ‘both shall fall into the ditch’ (cf. Matthew 15:14).
“The disciple is not above his ‘teacher:’ but everyone that ‘has been perfected’ shall be as his ‘teacher’” (LUKE 6:40). In practice, Jesus ‘judged not’ (cf. John 8:11; John 12:47; Luke 12:14). It was not time yet for Jesus to take on the office of a judge; neither is it time yet for His followers to take that role to themselves!
Jesus illustrates this with His almost humorous (were it not so serious!) picture of the man with a plank in His own eye trying to extract a speck from his brother’s eye (LUKE 6:41-42)! Why are we so busy “beholding” the minor faults of others without “considering” how great our own faults are? How dare we think to correct another when we are not right with God ourselves!
Again, it is evident that we should still be aware and help our erring brother, which is in some sense to exercise judgment or discernment. But if we try to operate on our brother’s eye while we are half blind ourselves then Jesus - according to His own judgment or discernment - has but one word for us: “hypocrite” or ‘play-actor’! First, we must operate on ourselves, seeking out the sin that hinders us and leaving it with the Lord; and then, and only then, are we in a fit state to help the other (LUKE 6:42).
