“Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon” (Jeremiah 50:34 ESV). In Jeremiah’s day, God’s people were exiled and oppressed by Babylon. Their situation seemed hopeless, yet the Lord sent them
Chapter: 50
HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR US
“I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6 ESV). The prophet Isaiah foresaw the coming of the Servant of the Lord, who would willingly endure great suffering and humiliation. Written over 700 years before
FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET: GOD REIGNS!
“The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Psalm 50:1 ESV). This psalm was attributed to Asaph, one of David’s chief musicians and a Levite who also bore the title of “seer” or prophet (2 Chr. 29:30). Asaph, along with his sons after
BABYLON HAS FALLEN
“The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet… For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it…” (Jeremiah 50:1-3 ESV). Written during a period when Babylon was at the
IS GOD SILENT?
“Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest” (Psalm 50:3 ESV). The Psalmist reminded the people of Israel that offering sacrifices without a heart of true righteousness and thanksgiving was not acceptable to God. His apparent “silence” over their hypocrisy and sin would soon
‘But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?”‘ (Genesis 50:19 NLT).
JOSEPH WOULD NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD.
After Joseph’s father died, his brothers became afraid that he would seek revenge for the way they had treated him. As the second-in-command of Egypt, Joseph could have easily ordered their imprisonment or death. But Joseph recognized that it was God who had given him the position he had, so that he might rescue his brothers and their families, and not only theirs, but all the peoples of Egypt. No, he would not use his God-given position to sit in judgment of his brothers. Joseph knew that judgment belonged to the Lord. He would not take God’s place. For as the Lord has said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Rom. 12:19).
Therefore, forgive one another. Live at peace with everyone.
“I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6 NKJV).
“I gave…” Who is this that would willingly submit and give himself to such torture? Written 800 years before His coming, only the Messiah, Jesus Christ, could be its fulfillment. The prophet Isaiah was entrusted with this prophecy of the Messiah as Suffering Servant. Jesus gave His back to be scourged by the Roman soldiers. He gave His cheeks to have His beard plucked out. He gave His face to be buffeted with fists, spit upon and scorned. Yet, He spoke not a word of complaint and looked not away “like a sheep led to the slaughter” (Acts 8:32). Jesus suffered for our sins just as the Scriptures foretold. He fulfilled over 300 prophetic Scriptures concerning the Messiah in every detail. Jesus is the One who “gave Himself for our sins” (Gal. 1:4).
“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth” (Psalm 50:2 NKJV).
Zion, a synonym for Jerusalem, was the location of Solomon’s beautiful Temple. Yet, the “perfection of beauty” must surely point to the coming Messiah whom God would send to “shine forth” out of Zion! He is Jesus the Christ, who now shines forth from the heavenly Zion (Heb. 12:22-24), having accomplished all that was necessary for our salvation.
“The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet… For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it…” (Jeremiah 50:1-3 ESV)
Seventy years later this prophecy was fulfilled as Cyrus came from the North and destroyed Babylon. The latter part of the prophecy, that no one would live there again, is still true over 2,400 years later. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but now there is only desert in its place. It is said that Saddam Hussein planned to rebuild Babylon anew in his modern Iraq, yet the sand still blows over the supposed site. God’s Word continues to stand, but Babylon has fallen never to rise again.
“Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest” (Psalm 50:3 ESV)
The Psalmist reminded the people of Israel that offering sacrifices without a heart of true righteousness and thanksgiving were not acceptable to God. His apparent “silence” over their hypocrisy and sin would soon pass and He would come in judgment. The fact that they were children of Abraham did not necessarily give them the right to say, “The Lord is ‘our’ God.” They needed more than circumcision of the flesh. They needed a “circumcision of the heart” (Rom. 2:29) in order to be children of God. God has not kept silent. He has spoken through His Son, Jesus, so that we might believe on Him as Savior and become children of God. And God will not keep silent. He will soon speak again through Jesus as Judge. He will clothe Himself in the terrible robes of justice, like a devouring fire and a mighty tempest, He will come to judge the living and the dead. God does not stay silent.