The Devotional - A few days back!

The Devotional

Comment: A few days back I was seeking to explain the time cycle of a Jewish day and last Saturday I went back to that devotional to use it in another study. I noticed that the Jewish day began like ours, from midnight. That is not a Jewish day which began at sundown and I knew this. So for practical purposes a new day began at 6pm. So the first watch of a Jewish day would be 6pm until 9pm and the last watch of the day would be 3pm to 6pm. While this may not seem too significant to you or me, I am sure it was for Israel is those days, even in days of the life of Christ! If we try to understand the timeline of His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem to His Death at Calvary and His Resurrection using our cycle of a day it becomes very hard, confusing even.

Devotional: Psalm 119:137-144 – (137) The writer of this Psalm understands as Ezra did after he found out that the men of Israel were involved in intermarriage with the pagans of other nations – Ezra 9:1-15 and in verse 15 he says this, “O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You. In our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this”. This is the explanation of the Judgments of God, both nationally and individually.

(138) – We should consider that every judgment of God renders a testimony of God’s mercy, faith, righteousness and forgiveness. It is the law of God to reveal His testimonies for this very purpose as Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

(139) – All of creation reveals to every human that God does exist, Psalm 19:1-14 and Romans 1:16-31. Many children of God are consumed with zeal under the pressure of this when around people who suppress truth, even as the LORD was on the day He entered the temple and cleansed it from idol merchandise, see John 2:13-22

(140) – Our comfort in the midst of this zeal will always subside when we remember the pure Word of God. That the Word of God though tested and refined like gold are eternal and that all that man can do is temporal. When vileness (idolatry) is exalted in the sons of men, God’s word is preserved eternally in heaven, see Psalm 12:1-8.

(141) – Around our circle of influence we may seem small, even despised and this too, we may even be disliked by some of our brothers and sisters of faith, yet be strong in the precepts and statutes of God as these are the strength of God to rejoice our heart in Him moment by moment and day by day. Psalm 19:8. Prayer and meditation is always accepted by God when our heart is pure, Psalm 19:14.

I will seek to continue this section of Psalm 119 tomorrow since today and because of the snow delays I need to get myself going. May God who loves you and me be glorified in all that we say and do today.