When God Speaks

 

     From the third verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:3) to its penultimate one (Revelation 22:20), the God of heaven speaks.  From “Let there be light” to “Surely I am coming quickly”, the Mighty One, God the Lord has spoken.

     The book of Hebrews begins with “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (1:1-2); its climactic command is “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks.” (12:25).

     In Psalm 50, God calls His people to come and assemble before Him (vv. 1-6) and “hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God!” (v. 7).  His message is two-fold:

     To those who are living obediently, His exhortation is to continue their faithful worship (v. 8), “offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.  Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (vv. 14-15).

     “But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?  When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers.  You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit.  You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.  These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you and set them in order before your eyes’” (vv. 16-21).

     Jehovah is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).  Therefore, “consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God” (vv. 22-23).

     You determine which part of the message of Psalm 50 is for you.

   Send article as PDF   

Author: jchowning

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *