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Morning Thoughts |
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Morning Thoughts |
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This morning, we see compromises the world over. Whether someone looks into the realm of politics, economics, social mores, etc, people are compromising on policies, robbing Peter to pay Paul, or making allowances for social indiscretion. These various compromises show that people have become either 1. too lazy or lackadaisical to care or 2. have almost no moral compass heading for their ship. However, our perceptions of the world in which we live, its tendencies, and even the shortcomings in our own person should never bring us to the point of compromising God. More specifically, we should never see that God compromises His character and purpose. If God turns from evil that He intended to bring upon a person or land based on their repentance and renewed service to Him, that is not a compromise but a lawful and just dealing based on the utterance of His lips. (Jeremiah 18:7-9) God has not nor will He ever go back on His declarations that His lips have uttered. I Samuel 17:51, "Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled." This morning, we see compromises the world over. Whether someone looks into the realm of politics, economics, social mores, etc, people are compromising on policies, robbing Peter to pay Paul, or making allowances for social indiscretion. These various compromises show that people have become either 1. too lazy or lackadaisical to care or 2. have almost no moral compass heading for their ship. However, our perceptions of the world in which we live, its tendencies, and even the shortcomings in our own person should never bring us to the point of compromising God. More specifically, we should never see that God compromises His character and purpose. If God turns from evil that He intended to bring upon a person or land based on their repentance and renewed service to Him, that is not a compromise but a lawful and just dealing based on the utterance of His lips. (Jeremiah 18:7-9) God has not nor will He ever go back on His declarations that His lips have uttered. As His character never changes, we can rest in the knowledge that there is no compromise in Him. (Malachi 3:6) The verse above is found toward the end of the very famous Biblical story of David and Goliath. Most children that are reared in a God-fearing, religious home are told this story at an early age, and the amazing aspects of a young shepherd boy slaying a large giant with nothing but a stone and sling dazzles the imagination of the young and tender mind. While this older and less tender mind shares no less amazement today for this situation as he did then, I freely admit that the story is literally true and not a fable of any kind. The amazing aspects of this story (or any of the other historical accounts from Biblical canon) do not nullify the claims of literal fulfillment. Rather, they validate the declaration of an all-powerful and sovereign God that providentially intervenes in the lives of His children. Therefore, while we will seek to draw some spiritual parallels in this verse, let it be known first and foremost, far and wide, that these accounts are very literal no matter what any modern scoffer may say. This account of David slaying Goliath has many spiritual parallels to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ coming to this earth to redeem His people from their sins. As David was sent by his father to see how his brethren fared, so our Lord was sent by His Father to look upon and take pity upon His brethren. As David came with evidence from his father Jesse, so our Lord came with evidence from His Heavenly Father, and so the parallels continue throughout this lesson. As we arrive at our verse, we see the end of the life of this giant: Goliath. After David smites him in the forehead with a single stone, he falls to the earth, and seeing the Philistine lying on the ground proceeds to take his sword and cut off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword. This manifestation of victory prompts the Philistine army to immediately flee from the presence of mighty David. When our Lord came to this earth, He did battle with a great many forces. Some of these battles were physical (threw out the moneychangers from the temple) while others were mental (reasoned with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes). Other battles were outward endurance (the elements He underwent at the hands of the Romans both before and during the crucifixion) while others were internal endurance (the anguish of soul laid upon Him by the Father as referenced in Isaiah 53). However, the Lord did a mighty battle during His work against the old devil and Satan himself. This battle had some skirmishes early on as he cast out devils and gave His disciples authority and power to do the same. But, the ultimate battle came at Calvary when the first Scriptural prophecy of Christ was fulfilled. In Genesis 3:15, the LORD gives a prophecy of His Son amidst curse after curse. The man is cursed, the woman is cursed, the ground is cursed, and the serpent is cursed. However, God speaks about the woman eventually having a seed (found only once in the Person of Jesus Christ). This seed would experience a bruising of the heel by the serpent, but this seed would bruise the head of the old serpent in turn. When Christ Jesus was raised up from the earth and suspended on Calvary's cross, there was a literal bruising of His heel that took place as they drove the nails through His hands and feet. While suspended there at that place, a battle took place that will never have to be fought again. The reason that it is finished is similar to the occasion here between David and Goliath. After the stone laid him to the earth, the only thing necessary was to manifestly show that he was the victor. When the head was severed from the body, all could see the outcome of the victory. Our Lord has fought the long hard battle and won. The head of the old serpent has been bruised, and it is an irrecoverable blow. Indeed, we have battles daily to fight and sometimes lose, but the war is won in the merits and strength of our Greater David who defeated death, hell, the grave, and Satan for us. So, what manifests that the Lord has done all that is necessary for us? How are we assured that the victory is complete and done? One sweet day, it will be manifest to all as the sons of God come forth shining and resplendent with His glory. As He makes up His jewels, the manifestation will be complete that our enemy and his force is dead. But, we have knowledge of that here even without the literal manifestation that we are waiting for. David took Goliath's own sword to sever his head, and our Lord and Saviour took the very thing that Satan perceives strength in to manifest the victory. Two things that Satan specifically tries to wield to his advantage are the law and death. However, our Lord took those very things and with them manifested the victory. Paul writes in Hebrews 2:14 that Christ, through death, destroyed the devil and his power over death. By experiencing death itself, our Lord took the very thing that Satan wields and turns it on him. Death and the law are tied together, for Paul writes that the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (I Corinthians 15:56) So, the reason that death stings is because we are sinners, and the strength of our sin is found in the righteous law of God. This does not impute wickedness to the law, but rather, the law shows forth or manifests the sin. When God looks at us, He sees victory, accomplishment, and His desire. However, the devil tries to wield power against us by pointing God to His own perfect law. As our accuser, the devil says, "You cannot love that one. Look how much he has fallen. Look how wicked he is." As one point of failure is enough to merit the condemnation of the whole law (James 2:10), the devil seeks to prosecute us through God's law with death as the ultimate condemnation and punishment. However, our Advocate with the Father responds, "I have paid that the law requires. Give unto me that which is mine and let nothing hold back." As the law has been satisfied, our accuser is cast down (Revelation 12:9), and the law is upheld to the fullest and down to every jot and tittle. There is yet no compromise with God, for the law is satisfied in justice, and the love is honoured in grace and mercy. Both God's love and justice are fulfilled with harmony throughout. David turned Goliath's own sword (source of strength and manifest power) on his own head. Our Lord, having bruised the old serpent's head, takes the source of his strength and turns it on his own head. Therefore, may we look at God with eyes that see no compromise in His person. Indeed, the greatest work that could ever be performed - taking the blackest most rotten sinners and turning them into the most glorious saints dressed in the spotless righteousness of the Lamb of God - without compromising His person one iota. If He took the hardest task and fulfilled it without compromise and every other work of His requires zero compromise, may our steps be ordered likewise. May we seek the right course without any deviation to the right hand or to the left. A popular motto is, "I am going to err on the side of..." Regardless of the statement after that, the rest will always be the same thing: an error. Understandably, we are going to err, but may we err while striving for the mark, not some piece of ground to the right or left of the mark. One thing about marksmanship that always holds true is this: while the bulls eye may not be hit every time, it will rarely be hit aiming for something else. We will not always be right, but we will be closer to being right and right more often aiming for that true mark than choosing our compromising course of error. In Hope, Bro Philip have uttered. As His character never changes, we can rest in the knowledge that there is no compromise in Him. (Malachi 3:6) The verse above is found toward the end of the very famous Biblical story of David and Goliath. Most children that are reared in a God-fearing, religious home are told this story at an early age, and the amazing aspects of a young shepherd boy slaying a large giant with nothing but a stone and sling dazzles the imagination of the young and tender mind. While this older and less tender mind shares no less amazement today for this situation as he did then, I freely admit that the story is literally true and not a fable of any kind. The amazing aspects of this story (or any of the other historical accounts from Biblical canon) do not nullify the claims of literal fulfillment. Rather, they validate the declaration of an all-powerful and sovereign God that providentially intervenes in the lives of His children. Therefore, while we will seek to draw some spiritual parallels in this verse, let it be known first and foremost, far and wide, that these accounts are very literal no matter what any modern scoffer may say. This account of David slaying Goliath has many spiritual parallels to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ coming to this earth to redeem His people from their sins. As David was sent by his father to see how his brethren fared, so our Lord was sent by His Father to look upon and take pity upon His brethren. As David came with evidence from his father Jesse, so our Lord came with evidence from His Heavenly Father, and so the parallels continue throughout this lesson. As we arrive at our verse, we see the end of the life of this giant: Goliath. After David smites him in the forehead with a single stone, he falls to the earth, and seeing the Philistine lying on the ground proceeds to take his sword and cut off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword. This manifestation of victory prompts the Philistine army to immediately flee from the presence of mighty David. When our Lord came to this earth, He did battle with a great many forces. Some of these battles were physical (threw out the moneychangers from the temple) while others were mental (reasoned with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes). Other battles were outward endurance (the elements He underwent at the hands of the Romans both before and during the crucifixion) while others were internal endurance (the anguish of soul laid upon Him by the Father as referenced in Isaiah 53). However, the Lord did a mighty battle during His work against the old devil and Satan himself. This battle had some skirmishes early on as he cast out devils and gave His disciples authority and power to do the same. But, the ultimate battle came at Calvary when the first Scriptural prophecy of Christ was fulfilled. In Genesis 3:15, the LORD gives a prophecy of His Son amidst curse after curse. The man is cursed, the woman is cursed, the ground is cursed, and the serpent is cursed. However, God speaks about the woman eventually having a seed (found only once in the Person of Jesus Christ). This seed would experience a bruising of the heel by the serpent, but this seed would bruise the head of the old serpent in turn. When Christ Jesus was raised up from the earth and suspended on Calvary's cross, there was a literal bruising of His heel that took place as they drove the nails through His hands and feet. While suspended there at that place, a battle took place that will never have to be fought again. The reason that it is finished is similar to the occasion here between David and Goliath. After the stone laid him to the earth, the only thing necessary was to manifestly show that he was the victor. When the head was severed from the body, all could see the outcome of the victory. Our Lord has fought the long hard battle and won. The head of the old serpent has been bruised, and it is an irrecoverable blow. Indeed, we have battles daily to fight and sometimes lose, but the war is won in the merits and strength of our Greater David who defeated death, hell, the grave, and Satan for us. So, what manifests that the Lord has done all that is necessary for us? How are we assured that the victory is complete and done? One sweet day, it will be manifest to all as the sons of God come forth shining and resplendent with His glory. As He makes up His jewels, the manifestation will be complete that our enemy and his force is dead. But, we have knowledge of that here even without the literal manifestation that we are waiting for. David took Goliath's own sword to sever his head, and our Lord and Saviour took the very thing that Satan perceives strength in to manifest the victory. Two things that Satan specifically tries to wield to his advantage are the law and death. However, our Lord took those very things and with them manifested the victory. Paul writes in Hebrews 2:14 that Christ, through death, destroyed the devil and his power over death. By experiencing death itself, our Lord took the very thing that Satan wields and turns it on him. Death and the law are tied together, for Paul writes that the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (I Corinthians 15:56) So, the reason that death stings is because we are sinners, and the strength of our sin is found in the righteous law of God. This does not impute wickedness to the law, but rather, the law shows forth or manifests the sin. When God looks at us, He sees victory, accomplishment, and His desire. However, the devil tries to wield power against us by pointing God to His own perfect law. As our accuser, the devil says, "You cannot love that one. Look how much he has fallen. Look how wicked he is." As one point of failure is enough to merit the condemnation of the whole law (James 2:10), the devil seeks to prosecute us through God's law with death as the ultimate condemnation and punishment. However, our Advocate with the Father responds, "I have paid that the law requires. Give unto me that which is mine and let nothing hold back." As the law has been satisfied, our accuser is cast down (Revelation 12:9), and the law is upheld to the fullest and down to every jot and tittle. There is yet no compromise with God, for the law is satisfied in justice, and the love is honoured in grace and mercy. Both God's love and justice are fulfilled with harmony throughout. David turned Goliath's own sword (source of strength and manifest power) on his own head. Our Lord, having bruised the old serpent's head, takes the source of his strength and turns it on his own head. Therefore, may we look at God with eyes that see no compromise in His person. Indeed, the greatest work that could ever be performed - taking the blackest most rotten sinners and turning them into the most glorious saints dressed in the spotless righteousness of the Lamb of God - without compromising His person one iota. If He took the hardest task and fulfilled it without compromise and every other work of His requires zero compromise, may our steps be ordered likewise. May we seek the right course without any deviation to the right hand or to the left. A popular motto is, "I am going to err on the side of..." Regardless of the statement after that, the rest will always be the same thing: an error. Understandably, we are going to err, but may we err while striving for the mark, not some piece of ground to the right or left of the mark. One thing about marksmanship that always holds true is this: while the bulls eye may not be hit every time, it will rarely be hit aiming for something else. We will not always be right, but we will be closer to being right and right more often aiming for that true mark than choosing our compromising course of error.
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