Scripture
They burned your sanctuary to the ground…Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!” So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.
~Psalm 74:7-8, NLT
Quote
Our intercession is directed to a God of incomparable power, so our prayers should be marked by a faith of similar magnitude.
~Dennis Tucker
If a stranger to Christianity were to listen to our prayers, would he or she think that we are talking to an omnipotent God who can do anything. Psalm 74 was written by one of the praise and worship leaders after the Babylonians had totally destroyed the Temple and every vestige of worship. Sadly, Judaism was dependent on visible realities and there were four things that were paramount to their faith and practice: [1] The land [2] A Davidic King [3] Jerusalem and [4] The Temple. The Babylonians destroyed all four and it left the Jews reeling. Psalm 74 is a lament and the Psalmist is very honest about his feelings. Yes it was the Babylonians who destroyed Jerusalem and Temple but it was God who allowed it. The Shepherd of Israel stood at a distance with his hands folded beneath the fold of his garment and watched as the Babylonians destroyed everything connected to Yahweh worship.
You can read the Psalm for yourself, the Psalmist has no doubt in God’s ability to act. He never questions God’s power; only His integrity. After all, the Babylonians are making fun of God; you would at least think He would protect the honor of His name. But God is not only inactive, He is silent and the Psalmist is frustrated.
As soon as I read the Psalm, I saw the parallel between then and now. The Babylonians have invaded Washington D.C. and they are destroying everything that reminds them of God. They have taken God out of history, out of the text books, out of the class room, court room and they will not rest until every symbol of Christianity is gone. Bibles, churches, statues of great leaders who were Christians and eventually our right to assemble and preach the gospel are their targets. I prayed daily for this not to happen and yet it happened. We out voted them and still lost because they cheated. We are principled; they are pragmatist–they do whatever works. Lying does not bother them and neither does cheating. So the bottom line is: they think they won.
Let me show you something from John 19…Pilot took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer.“Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” Long story short, Jesus is working the plan and it is going perfectly. Jesus could have gotten smart with Pilot and said, “No, I didn’t realize you were in charge, I thought that would be My Father in Heaven.”
Come back one more time to Willard’s Divine Conspiracy, God is working in human history to overcome evil with good via the process, not suddenly or instantaneously. The Babylonians destroying Jerusalem was part of the process but it didn’t change God nor His plan. The demon-crats taking over Washington and destroying the Republic is simply a part of the process. God remains the same and the plan has not changed. The dems are in Pilots shoes: they are not actually in charge, they just think they are in charge. Actually, they are fools for thinking so highly of themselves and so little of God.
Got caught up in the March madness yesterday. I go all year and don’t watch a game and then March Madness begins and I watch for hours. Big L has a game today and I have some loose ends to tie up. I hope you have a great Saturday, they do go by quickly don’t they? See you in church tomorrow.
Doug Seaver will be with us at Grace Point in the morning.