Morning By Morning #203

The Daughter of Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee.

Isaiah 37:22

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Reassured by the Word of the Lord, the trembling citizens of Zion, or Jerusalem, became bold and mockingly tossed their heads at Sennacherib’s boastful threats. Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt on their most arrogant foes. As believers, we should remember our enemies are attempting things that are actually impossible. For example, they seek to destroy our eternal life, something which cannot die while Jesus lives. They seek to overthrow the fortress of God’s kingdom, but “the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16:18). Our enemies “kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14), only wounding themselves, and they storm against those protected behind Jehovah’s shield, to their own harm.

We know their weaknesses, for aren’t they only men themselves? And what is “man…but a maggot” (Job 25:6)? “They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame” (Jude 13). When the Lord moves, they fly away “like chaff before the wind” (Ps. 35:5) and are consumed “like the crackling of thorns” (Eccl. 7:6). Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and His truth can make even the weakest soldier in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn.

Above all, we know “the LORD Almighty is with us” (Ps. 46:7), and when He wields His weapons, where are His enemies? When He comes forth from His throne, “the potsherds on the ground” will not long “[quarrel] with [their] Maker” (Isa. 45:9). His “iron scepter…will dash them to pieces like pottery” (Ps. 2:9) and will “cut off the remembrance of them from the earth” (Ps. 34:16 KJV).

Thus, away with all fears, for the kingdom is safe in the King’s hand! May we “shout for joy” (Ps. 35:27), for “the LORD reigns” (Ps. 97:1), and His foes “will be trampled under him as straw is trampled down in the manure” (Isa. 25:10).

As true as God’s own word is true;

Nor earth, nor hell, with all their crew,

Against us will prevail.

A jest, and byword, are they grown;

God is with us, we are his own,

Our victory cannot fail.

Gustavus Adolphus, 1594 – 1632

Translated from German by Catherine Winkworth, 1827 – 1878

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

“Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you’” (Num. 10:35). Later David quoted the same victorious prayer in Psalm 68:1, saying of our conquering Lord, “When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men” (Ps. 68:18).

Yet when Jesus “ascended on high,” fulfilling David’s psalm, instead of “receiv[ing] gifts from men,” He “gave gifts to men” (Eph. 4:8). “Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death” (Ps. 68:20).

Thank You, Father, for the gift of salvation through the gift of Your Son.