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Psalm 106: 19-23 What is our takeaway from this text?
They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God[b]for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior,who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. Therefore he said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. The Psalmist continues to reflect on God’s relationship with Israel. Notice what the writer remembers. He remembers that Aaron, under pressure, made an idol similar to the idols of the Canaanites—who worshiped Baal, thought of as a bull. They traded a real relationship with God for a false relationship of an idol. The writer also remembers that Israel forgot God, who physically delivered them from bondage. He reminds the readers that God had done great things, wondrous works, and awesome deeds for the people of Israel. Israel, in their hardships and discomfort became hard-hearted towards God, disrespectful of God. God wanted to destroy them until Moses stood in the gap for Israel. (See Exodus 32). What is the takeaway for us? What can we learn from the reflection of the psalmist; of this story? (1) As a leader, or anyone in relationship, we can careful of doing things because of peer pressure. In other words, don’t do anything under peer pressure. (2) Remember God and what he has done for us when we find ourselves in a dry and weary place. (3) We can be sure that we don’t let the culture around us influence our behaviors or whom we worship. In our day and time, unlike that of Israel during the time of Moses, we need to be more involved in the Word of God versus the entertainment of the day. More often than not, culture is influenced through entertainment. For some, entertainment has become an idol and God is ignored. I am not saying all entertainment is bad. However, I am encouraging us to be careful of what we allow into our lives. I am also speaking to myself as I write this encouragement. © Dan Kinjorski 5/31/2019
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Psalm 106: 16-18 What is the take away? What can we learn from this?
When men in the camp were jealous of Moses and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord,17 the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.18 Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. The psalmist continues to reflect on the history of God’s involvement in the people of Israel, as the people are becoming a Nation. They were in the learning stage of being a people of one God rather than a people of many gods, i.e., Egypt. The stories that the psalmist refers to can be found in the books of Numbers 16:1-3 and Deuteronomy 11:6. There were some leaders that became very disrespectful, perhaps out of jealousy. Remember a previous blog post where I referred to how our attitudes can get us in trouble. Again, a group of leaders may have been thinking about how the priesthood in Egypt had power and control (as some commentators reflected) and they either wanted to have the same power and control and/or they saw that Moses and Aaron were gaining the power and control. Whatever it may have been, they became jealous and disrespectful. How do we respond? What is our “takeaway or lesson learned?” I would suggest that we learn from Moses and his response. He humbled himself before them and also before God. I went to a website titled myjewishlearning.com and I found three points that I would bring out here: (1) Moses listened to the rebellious leaders before he reacted. (2) He had taken a “posture of submission and humility” in the face of insolent (disrespectful, rude, audacious) attitudes. And (3) He led by example in humble submission. (See the website I listed above). We can learn from Moses when we face difficult situations in leadership or in any relationship, as noted in biblical text above. © Dan Kinjorski, 5/29/2019 Psalm 106: 13-15, ESV.
But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. 14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; 15 he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them. Here the psalmist reflects on the greed of the people; Israelites during their journey through the wilderness (desert). Ironically, Israel reflects worship of God when miracles happen and when God meets their needs. Do we worship God like that as well--only when there are miracles? (Something to think about). In this particular part of the story (See Numbers 11), the people of God were told to take only what they needed, yet they had taken more and God allowed disease to take place. They had been greedy for more, not content with what they have. Perhaps it was a form of Irritable Bowell Syndrome (I don’t know). Umm, does God have a sense of humor? Seriously, God is a holy God and he is using Israel’s experience to form their character. In similar ways, when we are greedy and eat more than what we should—disease falls upon us, even in the form of obesity (I can certainly relate). Perhaps it is diabetes? My point is that we can make a choice to trust God for all things, believe in him to meet our needs. However, the recliner is not to be used when we have the ability to go and work. By the way, you can change the way you eat if you do suffer diabetes and keep taking your medicine until the doctor tells you that you can stop. The take away for us is that God said that he will meet our needs and that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Paul in writing to the Philippians stated that God will meet their needs. We have that promise too. Matthew 6:33 refers to God meeting our needs and it comes with a caveat, first seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness. The Psalmist in Chapter 34 writes that those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Contentment is a good thing and God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Ironically, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Moses in Deuteronomy 31:6, who then quotes from God to the Israel. We have that same promise. God delivered Israel from enslavement in Egypt. Perhaps God has delivered you from your “Egypt” – maybe it was an addiction or some other form of enslavement. God still loves you, he will meet your needs, he will not leave you nor forsake you. Trust in the Lord. © Dan Kinjorski, 5/2019 Psalm 106:6-12
Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. 10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. 12 Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. The psalmist admits to his and Israel’s act and attitude of sin. Sometimes we forget that an attitude can be a sin just as much as any sin. A negative attitude redirects our heart from God and into ourselves, ignoring the prompting of the spirit of God on our consciousness. The people lost their gratitude for deliverance and the love of God. God did save them to show them and other nations that he is God. He delivered them from the hands of Egypt and from the waters of the Red Sea, using miracles to show his power. God redeemed his people and when they saw what God had done, they believed his words and worshiped him. However, it would not last that long before they became disgruntled again. Do you find yourself with an ebb and flow kind of relationship with God? Is it possible to have a consistent or constant growth in our relationship with God? What would that look like; the constant growth? Later, in the life of Israel, God will speak to his people through Moses and in general through Word, i.e., The Ten Commandments as an example. I would submit to you that a consistent or constant growth in our relationship with God really depends on how much we read and take in the Word of God, the written revelation of God. © Dan Kinjorski 5/15/2019 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,[a] 5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. (ESV) Here the psalmist is asking The Lord to remember him when The Lord looks favorably upon His people, the chosen ones; Israel. The Psalmist is thinking of all the acts of The Lord in the history of Israel, of their prosperity throughout their life as a nation. However, the psalmist also has in mind not only the prosperity, but also the challenges that lead to prosperity (as will be reflected later in the psalm). The psalmist writes the reason for his request is to be able to look on the success of the people of Israel, that he may be able to rejoice and share the joy of God’s gift to Israel—relationship. The take away for us today is that we too can rejoice and share the joy of inheritance or relationship with God, along with the psalmist. We share the inheritance of relationship and eternal life with God through Christ, our Lord. Let us choose to rejoice in God’s love, joy, and peace, that is made available to us today. Amen. How has God given you love, joy, and peace, today? © Dan Kinjorski, 5/2019 |
AuthorDan is in a second career, that of Counselor, but he is a pastor at heart. He desires to present the Word of God in its context and then challenge the reader in its application to our lives. It is the Word of God that brings revival to our souls. The psalmist writes, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer. Categories |
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