Psalm 94:16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? 17 Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
There are times when wickedness comes close to us; it does not remain far away. Perhaps a club, a professional group, a church, a political organization, a nation, or just a small group of coffee clatchers-- comes to be dominated by those who wander from the precepts of justice, righteousness, and mercy that characterize the God we know and love.
Should we remain silent and go with the flow? Or should we speak up?
Psalm 94:17 characterizes silence as being equivalent to death. When we die and our remains are laid to rest, we are silent. We are dead. When we remain silent in the face of evil, are we not in like manner as good as dead?
Our God is a God of war. The history of Israel is very nearly one long chronicle of battle after battle in which the Lord supported the faithful troops of His people. The angels of heaven are warriors. Daniel and Revelation speak of ferocious battles in which Michael and other angels fought against Satan and won. Ephesians 6 speaks of battles against the rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. Are all these battles spiritual, or as Christians, are we meant to actually take a stand on current issues, open our mouths, and fight?
The psalmist in today's verses was abandoned, left alone. Who was there to fight for him and help him? The Lord Himself came to the psalmist's aid--otherwise the psalmist would have died.
It is a great and marvelous experience to be helped directly from the hand of the Lord Himself. Nothing can compare with it. But on a lesser scale, have you ever been helped by people? Has the Lord ever helped you by sending people who will fight for you and speak up for you and take a stand on your behalf? Have you ever been falsely accused, and perhaps a friend or coworker who knew the circumstances spoke up for you?
There are times when we are the potential friend, the coworker, the potential witness against false accusation and wrongdoing. There are times when the Lord wants to send us to give His help to the downtrodden!
Do I remain silent and shrink back, such as the unfaithful, unsaved Israelites in the wilderness whom God did not allow to enter His rest? Or do I fear God above my natural and reasonable fear of man? Whom do I obey when given an opportunity to speak on behalf of the innocent against the unrighteous oppressor? Do I obey God who has given me gifts and equips me for battle? Or do I obey my fear of those who perhaps speak better than I, think better than I, have more social graces than myself, stronger personalities and a greater following?
There are always so many opportunities for us as Christians to speak out God's truth to an unbelieving world. There is so much oppression and shedding of innocent blood (abortion), so much that is wrong in the world.
There are times when wickedness comes close to us; it does not remain far away. Perhaps a club, a professional group, a church, a political organization, a nation, or just a small group of coffee clatchers-- comes to be dominated by those who wander from the precepts of justice, righteousness, and mercy that characterize the God we know and love.
Should we remain silent and go with the flow? Or should we speak up?
Psalm 94:17 characterizes silence as being equivalent to death. When we die and our remains are laid to rest, we are silent. We are dead. When we remain silent in the face of evil, are we not in like manner as good as dead?
Our God is a God of war. The history of Israel is very nearly one long chronicle of battle after battle in which the Lord supported the faithful troops of His people. The angels of heaven are warriors. Daniel and Revelation speak of ferocious battles in which Michael and other angels fought against Satan and won. Ephesians 6 speaks of battles against the rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. Are all these battles spiritual, or as Christians, are we meant to actually take a stand on current issues, open our mouths, and fight?
The psalmist in today's verses was abandoned, left alone. Who was there to fight for him and help him? The Lord Himself came to the psalmist's aid--otherwise the psalmist would have died.
It is a great and marvelous experience to be helped directly from the hand of the Lord Himself. Nothing can compare with it. But on a lesser scale, have you ever been helped by people? Has the Lord ever helped you by sending people who will fight for you and speak up for you and take a stand on your behalf? Have you ever been falsely accused, and perhaps a friend or coworker who knew the circumstances spoke up for you?
There are times when we are the potential friend, the coworker, the potential witness against false accusation and wrongdoing. There are times when the Lord wants to send us to give His help to the downtrodden!
Do I remain silent and shrink back, such as the unfaithful, unsaved Israelites in the wilderness whom God did not allow to enter His rest? Or do I fear God above my natural and reasonable fear of man? Whom do I obey when given an opportunity to speak on behalf of the innocent against the unrighteous oppressor? Do I obey God who has given me gifts and equips me for battle? Or do I obey my fear of those who perhaps speak better than I, think better than I, have more social graces than myself, stronger personalities and a greater following?
There are always so many opportunities for us as Christians to speak out God's truth to an unbelieving world. There is so much oppression and shedding of innocent blood (abortion), so much that is wrong in the world.
But sometimes the wrongdoing comes close to home, and the opportunity knocks on our very doorsteps--in the office, in the professional association, in the neighboring community right down the street.
God's word challenges me as a Christian to don my battle gear and fight the good fight for what I believe in His name to be right. If I remain silent when the battle trumpet sounds, Psalm 94 tells me that I am as one who is dead. But the rest of Psalm 94 tells me that God is on the side of the righteous. God defends the innocent. And He is the great judge and final arbiter of all that is wrong in the world. I just pray that I am standing with the righteous and not with the wicked on that final great day.
Psalm 94:22 But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. 23 He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them.
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Oh Father, So often I am so very weak and I tire and become weary so soon. Forgive me, Lord, for catering to my own comfort and "fun" when I should be more devoted to You and to Your causes. It is so easy, Lord, for me to remain in my nice, sheltered home and to hold at arm's length the cries of the oppressed. Or, Lord, when I do fight, and the war is not quickly won, my great enemy depression lurks always at the door, ready to enter and incapacitate me from all Your work.
Help, Oh gracious, merciful Father those who need Your help. Prove Yourself, Lord, to be the mighty warrior that You are, and may all the victories that You give bring glory to Your name.
I ask these things in my Savior's name, He who is the greatest warrior the human race has ever known, whose final and accomplished victory brings joy, peace, and strength in even the most trying of difficult circumstances. I give You thanks, Father, for our great Savior Jesus Christ. All distresses seem small in the shadow of His one, great triumph over sin and death. Thank You, Father, for the joy that thinking of my Savior on His throne brings. In His name, Amen.
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