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MAY 25, 2004
(FROM HAGERSTOWN, ONTARIO, CANADA)
The great 7th verse of Psalm
16 continues with these words:
"My
reins also instruct Me in the night seasons."
Psalm
16:7b
I believe these are the word
of the Messiah (Jesus).
He is giving us a glimpse into
His "devotional" life!
He is revealing to us what He
does at night!
Of most men it is said:
"Men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil." John 3:19
Of Christ Jesus let it be
recorded that He loved darkness for spiritual reasons --- that
He might conduct such things as sweet communion with His Father
and meditation on the Word of Truth (Scripture)!
The noun "reins" translates a
Hebrew noun that means one's "kidneys!" The word is "kilyah"
and is used 31 times in the Bible. (It is rendered
"kidneys" 18 times and "reins" 13 times.) It speaks of an
organ of the body. It figuratively means one's "inner"
self. One's very heart and mind and emotions! One's
soul! The first time the word is used in Scripture (Exodus
29:13) the "kidneys" of a little animal are dedicated to the
Lord in sacrifice! He wanted them! (He still wants
them! Your kidneys! Your mind! Your heart!
Your soul!)
The verb for "instruct" is a
little unusual here. The Bible uses some interesting words
for "instruct." Let me show you. I'll take them in
Biblical order. The first word is "sakal" and means to
impart wisdom! Here it is in Nehemiah 9:20 ---
"Thou gavest also thy good spirit to
instruct them,
and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them
water for their thirst."
The next word means to teach
(actually to prod with a goad) until facts are acquired!
"Lamed" has the idea of repetition as needed. Teaching is
largely a matter of repetition, isn't it! A philosopher
once said: "Repetition is the mother of all learning."
Bible example: Song of Solomon 8:2 ---
"I would lead thee, and bring thee
into my mother's house, who would
instruct me: I
would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my
pomegranate."
The comes "biyn" which means
"to give understanding." (Literally to discern levels of
meaning in situations!) Daniel 11:33 uses this verb:
"And they that understand among the people
shall instruct
many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by
captivity, and by spoil, many days."
Then in the New Testament, "sumbibazo"
means "to drive or to force together!" (sun = together and
bibazo = to force, to unite) It is translated "knit
together" several times in Scripture! Example of this verb
"instruct:" 1
Corinthians 2:16 --- "For who hath known
the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But
we have the mind of Christ."
BUT NONE OF THESE ARE OUR WORD
FOR "INSTRUCT" IN THIS 7th VERSE!
Our word is "yasar" and means
"to chasten, discipline, instruct or admonish!" One source
says: "To chastise, literally with blows!" It is a
strong word! Its first Bible use is in
Leviticus 26:18 where it is
translated "punish" --- "And if ye will
not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will
punish you seven
times more for your sins." Punishment for sins!
Well, Jesus had no sin or
sins! AND He had a very holy hatred for sin! You can
be sure that He would have violently reacted to any sin
approaching His spotless life! I believe in the
impeccability of our dear Lord. I don't think He could
have sinned. He is very God of very God! But our verse at
least shows Him teaching us what OUR ATTITUDE toward sin should
be! We should fear sin! We should be repulsed by it!
(Read Psalm 101!)
Now if you don't believe that
Jesus would do something in His Own life to teach us (or to
benefit us) read John 17:19 --- "And for
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be
sanctified through the truth."
Notice lastly the precise
"time" Jesus mentions here.
"The night seasons!"
Remember Mark 1:35?
"And in the morning, rising up a great
while before day, He (Jesus) went out, and departed into a
solitary place, and there prayed." That was one of
His "night seasons!"
I believe
He also allowed His own heart to instruct Him the night of His
betrayal! And the night His arrest! And His Gethsemane
prayer!
And the
night the Pharisees accused Him of being illegitimately born!
John 8:41--- "Then said they to him, We be
not born of fornication."
And the
night Nicodemus came! (John 3:1-2)
And the
night after His Transfiguration!
And the
night after His first sermon where the people tried to push him
over a cliff (the brow of a hill)! Luke 4
And ALL His
earthly nights!
No
ballgames for Jesus!
No late
night entertainment of any kind!
He had meat
to eat we know not of! John 4:32 ---
"But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of."
He spent
His nights ... in communion with His Father (Psalm 16:7a) and
with His own wise thoughts --- inspired by His Father and the
Word of God! (Psalm 16:7b)
Wow!
What a life
He lived!
Don't you
just love Him today?
I've just
got to close this lesson, but read Isaiah 50:4 where Jesus tells
us that after those nights of being "instructed" by His Own soul
... His Father woke Him the next morning ... with more
instruction!
"The Lord GOD hath
given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to
speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth
morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the
learned."
What a life!
Oh!
To be like Him!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 23, 2004
(SUNDAY)
Since we KNOW that part of
this Psalm is spoken (prophetically) by Jesus, and since there
is no "break" in the Psalm to allow for other speakers ... I am
applying it in its entirety to our dear Lord.
You might question my
hermeneutics after you see today's verse ... but I'm staying by
my conviction here.
"I will
bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel ..." Psalm 16:7
Jesus here
is committed to blessing the Lord (His Father in Heaven).
The verb "to bless" is in Hebrew "barak" and means to fall down
before someone in adoration or praise! It can carry the
idea of bragging on someone too. Once in our King James
Bible it is translated "congratulate" (1 Chronicles
18:10)! Furthermore the verb here is in the "Piel" stem
... suggesting intensive
praise! Also the "time" sense of the verb is one of
on-going action, habitual action!
One could
say that here is the same attitude Jesus displayed when He
taught the disciples to pray: "Our
Father Which art in Heaven ... HALLOWED BE THY NAME ...."
He is glorifying His Father.
BUT the
part of our verse that may cause some questions is
"hath given Me counsel!" Do
we have any Bible record of Jesus receiving any counsel from His
Father?
Well, yes,
I believe we do.
Listen to
Isaiah. He is giving us Jesus' thoughts. This is
viewed through the eye of Bible prophecy. Jesus, when on
earth, was known to say to His Father:
"The
Lord GOD hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should
know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:
He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as
the
learned." Isaiah 50:4
This is Jesus gaining His Father's "counsel."
Again,
watch the capitalized words in John 8:28 ---
"Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have
lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he,
and that I do
nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak
these things."
Or let Paul
show us in Hebrews 5:8 --- "Though He
(Jesus) were a Son, yet
learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."
Now I do not fully understand that verse! But
I do believe it. It is Jesus receiving "counsel" from His
Father!
If I may
say this with reverence. God the Father was Jesus' "coach"
while the Son was on earth! He particularly gave Him
counsel regarding Calvary, the likely context for this whole
16th Psalm.
Watch
Psalm 40:6 where
Jesus says to His Father: "Sacrifice
and offering thou didst not desire;
mine ears hast thou
opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not
required." Opened ears! The verbal for opened
is "karah" and means to dig or to pierce!
What a
relationship the Son had with His Father!
What
fellowship!
What
communion!
What
oneness!
The verb
"given counsel" translates "yaatzs" and means to give advice!
It is once
(Numbers 24:14) translated "advertise."
In 2 Samuel
15:12 it is rendered "counsellor" (as it is 21 other times
also)! God the Father is Counsellor to Jesus the Son while
He is on earth to die for our sins!
It is
"guide" in Psalm 32:8 where God promises: "I
will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt
go: I will guide
thee with mine eye."
It is
"consult" in Psalm 62:4 (as it also is in 8 other places)!
God ran a "Consulting Firm" for Jesus! It's still open for
YOU, dear believing friend!
Now all I
know to say is this. If Jesus ought God's counsel ... what
should old ex-sinners like you and me do?
Help!
Lord, we need Thee!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 22, 2004
(SATURDAY)
In our verse today the Lord Jesus continues
to delight in His pleasant circumstances of life. That surely
sounds strange to our ears! Jesus, Who has come to die ... is
delighted in the life He is to live? Yes, that’s exactly what He
says!
What an example of contentment!
"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant
places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." Psalm 16:6
By "lines" (in Hebrew = "chebel") is meant
the boundary or territorial allotments given to a Jew from the
time of Joshua. The word can mean a cord or a rope as well as an
assigned portion of land. (A measuring line one text says!) But
in our King James Bible the word is translated in some different
ways: lines (7 times as here in our text), but cords (16 times),
coast (4 times), region (3 times), lot (3 times), ropes (3
times) then sorrows (10 times), pangs (2 times) and even pain (1
time)!
If one uses these "lines" as measuring
devices, I’d like to say that any way your measure Jesus He
passes every test superbly! Measure His Life! Measure His Death!
Measure His present High Priestly Ministry! Hallelujah!
Did Jesus know what He was saying? OF COURSE
HE DID! He is the omniscient Son of God! He is pleasantly
thanking His Father for the privilege of living on this earth
... in order to redeem lost mankind. And He is fully aware that
He must die in order to accomplish that goal! Even the "pains"
of Calvary are pleasant in the sense of saving sinners and
pleasing the Father in Heaven! If you don’t believe it
read Hebrews 12:2 which says: "Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for
the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
The verb "fallen" is "naphal" and means to be
cast down or to be divided or (of course) to fall. This verb is
used on occasion in the Old Testament to depict death! For
example: 2 Samuel 1:12 --- "And they
mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for
Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the
house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword."
Here’s my point. Because of sin death has
"fallen" on us members of the human race. Because of His love
for us ... death had to fall upon the Saviour too ... in order
to bring about our salvation! Wow!
And the adjective "pleasant" is in Hebrew "naiym."
It means delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable or even beautiful!
It’s first use in Scripture is in 2nd Samuel 1:23 where
"Saul and Jonathan were lovely and
pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not
divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than
lions." (Two friends in communion! As are the Father and
the Son Two in communion!) It’s second use is just as good! 2
Samuel 23:1 --- "Now these be the
last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man
who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the sweet psalmist of Israel ..." I believe I know
Who the Real "Sweet" Psalmist is! It is Jesus!
Then the Lord adds these words: "I have a
goodly heritage!"
"I have a goodly" translates one Hebrew verb:
"shaphar." It means to be pleasing, to be beautiful, to be
bright! In Genesis 49:21 it is used of Naphtali.
"Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words."
In Numbers 33:23 is a mention of a Mount Shapher (same root
word). The Mount of "Goodness!" That’s where Jesus lived! That’s
what Heaven is going to be also!
In fact, I just saw something in that Numbers
33 text. It’s worth stopping to notice too. They (the
Israelites) moved from Kehelathah to Mount Shapher then (sadly)
... leaving Shapher they regressed to Haradah. The meanings of
those names: Assembly (Kehelathah)! Beauty or goodness (Shapher)!
And then Fear (Haradah)! Be careful where you live!
"Heritage" is the Hebrew noun "nachalah." It
means possession, property or share. The first use of this term
in Scripture (Numbers 16:14) is framed in words of rebellion and
doubt and anger. Jesus here uses it in trust and love and
respect! (Jesus makes all words do right!)
How could Jesus have said things like this in
His short sorrowful life? (Man of Sorrows) Surely He could not
have felt this way His Passion week! Or in Gethsemane! Do not
underestimate the strength of the darling Son of God, brothers
and sisters! He is God in human flesh.
Of course we need to keep in mind that
spiritually His "heritage" in reference to Calvary consists of
the souls saved by means of His shed Blood! It well may be that
He is calling them pleasant and goodly here! In the Old
Testament He once called them His jewels! (Malachi 3:17) And in
the New Testament we are His Body and His Bride! (Sounds lovely
to me!)
What "insight" we are being given here into
Jesus’ very inner life! What a Man of God He was! Make that ...
is!
Praise His dear Name.
What golden thoughts to ponder this Saturday,
May 22, 2004!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 21, 2004
(FRIDAY)
Jesus' level of contentment is
amazing in this Psalm! Some of the older preachers
believed the Lord prayed these words during or near His
Gethsemane ordeal. (I think the reference here to the
"cup" may lead them to so believe.) And they well may have
a good point!
Here's today's verse:
"The
LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou
maintainest my lot." Psalm 16:5
The noun
"portion" is in Hebrew "manah" and means something weighed out
or allotted to a person. It is particularly used of food
portions in Scripture ... but may apply to any area of life.
Using our very word, look at the "portions" of the wicked:
"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares,
fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be
the portion of their cup." Psalm 11:6
Jesus is here saying to His Father: I am satisfied
exceedingly with Thy blessings in My life!
BUT He is
also saying more than that. Our Lord Jesus is declaring
that His FATHER Himself IS Jesus' blessing, portion, allowance,
provision! It's not: "Father, thank you for what you
gave Me!" It is rather: "Father, YOU are the Gift!
YOU are the PORTION!" Glory to God!
Perhaps
when Jesus said to the devil: "It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," He really
literally meant it! (Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4)
The noun
"inheritance" is (in Hebrew = cheleq) a word meaning:
share, part or territory. (It comes from a word that means
"smooth!" It is thought to be a reference to the large
smooth stones and rocks that were used to mark property lines in
ancient days!) Jesus here declares to His Father perfect
satisfaction with His possessions!
The word
"cup" carries the same idea. "Kos" in Hebrew obviously
means "cup" ... but it is derived from a verb meaning "to hold
together!" Maybe it is what happens when all the plans
come together in one great point of culmination! (You
know. Like "all things work together!")
Wait a
minute! Jesus owned nothing. He had no home.
He possessed no land. He was a poor man. BUT HERE HE
TALKS LIKE HE IS WEALTHY! He has the Lord God Almighty as
a Father and Protector! He is actually counting the God
above as His Possession and is happy about the whole matter!
The LORD is my portion He announces gloriously! That is WEALTH!
By using
such similar words (portion ... inheritance ... cup) the Hebrew
mind is building a "superlative" word picture. Jesus is
saying that He would rather have His Father than anything or
anybody else! His Father's is ALL He needs! (Wow!)
We sing: "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold ..."
And Jesus just said: "I'd rather have My Father than
silver or gold or anything else!"
When Jesus
needed a "drink" (the "cup" again) ... He goes to His Father!
Jesus must believe that the Father is some Kind of Living Water
or Something! Read John 4! Do you remember Psalm 42:1?
"As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."
Glory to God! I read that the "hart" (little deer) is
thirstiest of all just after it has killed a snake!
Snakes and deer are enemies! Jesus longed for the Father
as he defeated that old serpent Satan (on Calvary)! And
according to Psalm 22 the Father ultimately HELPED His Son!
(I guess so! He raised Him from the dead!)
Next Jesus
says to His Father: "Thou
maintainest My lot."
Maintainest
is "tamak" in Hebrew and means "to grasp, hold or support!
(To sustain, to hold up) It is a Qal (simple verb in the
active voice) participle. That means that the "action" is
constant and on-going. The Father held Jesus up day by
day! Jesus maintains the whole universe! The Father
maintains Jesus! See Colossians 1:17 (speaking of Jesus):
"And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist" (hold together)!
All that
happens to Jesus comes through the Father's Hands and the
Father's will and Christ is quite content with that
relationship! Talk about trust and faith!
"Lot"
translates "goral," a Hebrew noun meaning a stone used for
casting "lots." (The verb behind our term means "to be rough!"
It is a picture of the rough little pebbles used to draw lots
and see how a situation will develop!) Jesus accepts
the fact that everything that comes His way is of His Father's
doing! It is His "lot" in life. It is as if He wrote
Romans 8:28! (He did really!)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose."
Now we have
seen things "rough" and things "smooth" come against Jesus!
He took them all with contented trust that His Father was in
control! What a way to live!
Also the
word for "lot" has historical reference to the time when the 12
Tribes of Israel got their land allotments in the new land of
Canaan. Some got rocky land ... others smooth land.
Some land was more fertile than others. Some was seashore
property and some mountain property! Jesus says:
"Whatever! I am satisfied if it has flowed from My
Father's Hand!"
Jesus'
inheritance of course was not real estate. He owned none.
(Or should I say He owned it all?) He staked His
inheritance in His Father! He had nothing "small" or
"narrow" or "insufficient" because of that decision alone!
Whatever came was acceptable. Look at Psalm 119:96 ---
"I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy
commandment is exceeding broad." God can
make little places big! Also watch Psalm 4:1 ---
"Hear me when I call, O God of my
righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in
distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer."
Also that
word "cup" was used in ancient days of describing one's manner
of death! They often practiced capital punishment by forcing the
criminal to drink poison out of his "cup!" Jesus well may
be here alluding to His coming death on the Cross! Father, I
accept Calvary as the only possible way to redeem sinners!
It is My lot and My cup and I shall handle it to Thy Glory!
(Amazing!)
By the way,
if we are on "Calvary" ground here, I know what Jesus'
inheritance was! Souls! Souls saved via the Blood
shed on the Cross! Seed raised up to Jesus! Look at Isaiah
53:10 --- "Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,
and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."
Again I say, Praise the Lord!
I am now
wondering if Jesus' lot in a redemption context could be the
exact number of souls who will finally be saved! If so ...
He WILL BE SATISFIED!
We've been
is somewhat "deep" waters today. But I have enjoyed the
swim!
What a
marvelous Saviour we have!
Hallelujah!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 20, 2004
(THURSDAY)
Jesus has just told us of His
deep love for the "saints." (He did that just AFTER He
spoke of His deep love for His Father!)
He then immediately turned His
holy meditations toward the ungodly! He noted how their
sorrows would be "multiplied" because they loved other gods.
Then He determines:
" ...
Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up
their names into my lips." Psalm 16:4b
This seems to be a difficult
clause to interpret.
The term "drink offerings"
translates one Hebrew noun, "nesek." It comes from a verb
that means "to pour out." It can refer to one of several
things. First it might mean the "blood" that was poured
and sprinkled around the Brass altar at the Temple when a
worshipper offered sacrifice (a little lamb for example).
If that's the case Jesus plainly says that He will NOT be the
High Priest for one who still worships false gods!
Secondly it can mean the
"drink offering" of wine that was poured out on certain
sacrifices. That would have represented joy and
thanksgiving for atonement made by blood. Again Jesus
refuses to have a part in "right" worship by the "wrong" people!
He will participate in no joy or thanksgiving from unbelieving
lips! (The word "offer" is just a second rendering of our
word "nesek" here, except in verb form. Also it is in a "Hiphil"
stem ... indicative "causative" action. There are causes
behind Jesus' refusal here!)
The way this clause is worded
it just HAS to be spoken by a Priest! King David was NOT
a priest! Only Jesus could have fully spoken these words
with all the truth they imply!
I think the spirit of this
verse is captured and repeated in John 17 (Jesus' High Priestly
Prayer) where He plainly says: "I
pray for them (the saints): I pray not for the world (the
wicked), but for them which thou hast given me; for they are
thine." To me that says it all.
Or these words may just tell
us that these wicked god (and goddess) lovers worship their
idols in ways similar to our true worship of God! (By
offering sacrifices) If so, how grieved Jesus must be to
hear folks attributing thanks to pieces of metal or stone or to
false philosophies for all their blessings of life! An
evolutionist (if he thanks anyone at all) must thank fate or
blind chance (or the big bang) for any good things that come his
way! There certainly is no God to thank in his estimation.
If that's the meaning here ... Jesus still says He will have no
part in it at all. All His love and adoration and will go
to His Father!
Their evil names will NOT be
on Jesus' lips! I can tell you what was on His lips!
It is of Jesus that Psalm 45:2 speaks:
"Thou art fairer than the children of men:
grace is poured into thy
lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever." (I
can also tell you what is supposed to be on our lips as
Christians: "By him (Jesus)
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving
thanks to his name." (Hebrews 13:15) Jesus will not
contaminate His lips with their vile names!
This is as strong a verse on
"separation" from sin as you will ever find in the Bible.
How holy is our dear Lord
Jesus! Sinless!
Praise Him forever!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 19, 2004
(WEDNESDAY)
Today we begin to study verse
4 of this great 16th Psalm.
"Their
sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after
another god."
These are the words of our
Saviour (according to Peter and Paul) as He communes with His
Father in Heaven! He here reflects upon the wicked, those
who seek other gods.
He notices that they have
sorrows! The word in Hebrew is spelled "atzsebeth" and
means a pain or a wound! It comes from a verb that means
to cut or to carve! I can only find the word 5 times in
the whole Bible! In
Psalm 147:3 it is translated
"wounds:" "He healeth the broken in
heart, and bindeth up their wounds."
Hear me today. Sin cuts
and pierces and wounds! And listen to what Jesus did for
us on the Cross! Isaiah 53:4 tells us.
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and
carried our sorrows." He took the "sorrows" sin
produces ... and suffered for them on Calvary. (Different
Hebrew words ... but the same thought) He was cut and
wounded for our sins and the sorrows they produced!
But those who reject the Lord
not only have sorrows ... they have
many sorrows! The
word "multiplied" translates "rabah" in Hebrew and means "to
become great or many or much or numerous." In examining
the Bible use of our word, I notice that often God multiplies
days (adds to one's life) ... but sin multiplies sorrows!
I guess that in a way we should thank God for the wounds and
sorrows sin produces in our lives. Otherwise we might less
often turn from sin ... and to the Lord! (God Himself can
multiply sorrows too! Notice
Genesis 3:16 ---
"Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and
thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.")
By the way, this is an "imperfect" Hebrew verb suggesting that
the "multiplying" goes on and on. It is continual.)
But what have these people
here done that's so bad? They have
"hastened after another god!"
The verb "hasten" (in Hebrew =
"mahar") means to be hurried or to do quickly! It comes
from a "root" word that originally meant "to flow as a liquid."
Wouldn't it be a shame if the "lost" hastened to serve their
false gods and we true "Believers" did not hasten to serve the
real God? Lord, let it not be so. The first time we
see the word in Scripture Abraham is hastening into his tent to
ask Sarah to prepare a meal for the Lord and two angels!
(Genesis 18:6 --- "And Abraham
hastened into the
tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of
fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.")
Hastening to serve the Lord (literally)! Also let me tell
you that this word is closely aligned to the word "mohar" which
is used when one is getting a wife! (The "dowry" paid for
a wife in Old Testament days!) To obtain or acquire by
paying a purchase price! Several older commentators I
studied say the word means "to woo!" This is a love affair
with a false god! See Exodus 22:15 for an example.
The expression "another god"
translates from Hebrew "acher," an adjective meaning different,
strange or alien! A god very unlike our GOD! It also
implies that even more are yet coming! If one is
polytheistic (many gods) he or she will go from one idol to
another habitually!
In this part of our verse
Jesus had pledged Himself to not associate with these who so
worship false gods! The rest of the verse (tomorrow, Lord
willing) will further illustrate what I mean.
Talk about "separation!"
Talk about "lifestyle!"
What a verse!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 18, 2004
(TUESDAY)
In verse 3 of Psalm 16 Jesus tells us another
source that brings Him delight. The "saints" do!
"But
to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in
whom is all my delight." Psalm 16:3
The noun "saints" translates he Hebrew word "qadosh"
and means "holy ones." (It actually comes from a root verb that
means "to be clean.") In this precise form it is first used in
Leviticus 11:44 --- "For I am the
LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye
shall be holy;
for I am holy."
Its first use in any form is found in Exodus 19:6 ---
"And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of
priests, and an holy
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel."
The word for earth (Hebrew = "eretzs")
ususlly means the whole earth ... not just a part of it! God has
children everywhere! (At least everywhere the Gospel has gone!)
The word "delight" translates "chephetzs" and
means pleasure or desire or longing! It is only used 39 times in
the whole Bible. The first use of this word is found in Genesis
34:19 where a young man has loving desires toward a young lady!
The second use is in Numbers 14:8 where the Lord has a desire to
bring Israel into a land flowing with "milk and honey." The real
word picture behind the stem word here is "to be bent toward" or
"to be inclined toward" something or someone! Look at something
in which God has no delight (pleasure): Psalm 5:4 ---
"For thou art not a God that hath
pleasure in
wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." And get
this verse: Psalm 18:19 --- "He brought me
forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he
delighted in me."
I have found once where our word (when used as a verb) is
rendered "wish." Psalm 40:14 speaks of some who "wish" certain
things for others! The Lord then wishes for us particular things
(like godliness and maturity and fruitfulness)! And Psalm 73:25
teaches us that His desire for us should lead to our desire for
Him! "Whom have I in heaven but thee?
and there is none upon earth that I
desire beside
thee."
The adjective "all" translates a little
Hebrew rod "kol" which means the whole or the entirety of any
thing.
Our verse actually says that God the Son has
placed all His delight in His saints on the earth! No wonder He
prays for us (John 17) as He does! No wonder He is coming back
to get His Bride! No wonder He thinks of us so much! (Psalm
40:5)
Lastly who are the "excellent" in this verse?
"Addiyr" (excellent) means wide, large or
powerful. It comes from a root verb which means "to expand!" It
is used 27 times in the Old Testament and is rendered (in the
King James Version) noble (or nobles), excellent, mighty,
principal, famous, gallant, glorious, lordly or worthy
(worthies)! I believe it is just another reference for Jesus’
Father in Heaven (and ours), Jehovah God. Others believe the
word is a synonym for the saints. (Either way, what God is ...
we are becoming through the transforming power of the precious
Holy Spirit!) I am NOT saying we are becoming God ... I am
saying we are becoming more like our Lord in character and
temperament ... in the fruit of the Spirit!
If Jesus loved the saints THAT much ... how
should we feel toward one another?
John 13:35 --- "By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have
love one to another."
Oh! To learn to "delight" in the very
things that delight God! Now that is a sure prescription
for happiness!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 16, 2004
(SUNDAY)
We have been studying verse by verse through "the Psalm of the
Resurrection." (That's what the "old-timers" called Psalm 16.)
There's one place there where Jesus says to His Father:
"MY GOODNESS EXTENDETH NOT TO
THEE." Psalm 16:2
It's one of the hardest statements in the
whole Passage to understand.
What does it mean?
The noun "goodness" in Hebrew is spelled "tob"
and has a vast field of meanings! For example in the King
James Bible it carries the idea of gladness twice! And
beauty several times! As well as preciousness! And
even wealth!
Jesus here seems to be associating His very
life (in all its meaning) to the Father!
I believe this statement is similar to Paul's
declaration in Philippians 1:21 --- "For
to me to live is Christ." Or like his
statement to the Colossians: "When
Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
(Colossians 3:4)
And our little word "not" ("bal" in Hebrew)
is often translated "nothing" in our King James Bibles. (As in
Psalm 17:3 where it is said "Thou hast
tried me, and shall find NOTHING.")
And the little preposition "to" is regularly
(in the King James Bible) rendered as "above." (It
contains the idea: "beyond" or "over" or "besides")
And as you can see, the honest King James
translators placed the word "extendeth" in italics!
That means they have added the word to complete the
sense of the meaning.
Now let's put it all together.
Jesus says to His Father:
My Goodness ... nothing above Thee!
Or My Goodness nothing beyond Thee!
Or even My Goodness nothing besides Thee!
Jesus is telling His precious Father in
Heaven that HIS GOODNESS, HIS GLADNESS,
HIS DELIGHT, HIS JOY IN LIFE IS FOUND IN NOTHING BUT THE FATHER
HIMSELF!
Nothing ever satisfied Jesus outside of the
perimeter of His Father's Being!
Once the Psalmist said this to the Lord:
"All my springs are in thee."
(Psalm 87:7) That's the idea Jesus is advancing here I believe.
Think of the love and honor and dedication
and consecration that one statement involves!
Here it is again:
"Thou art my Lord: my goodness
extendeth not to thee."
BUT with us it's different, isn't it?
Part of our delight is in:
__________________________________. (Dozens if not
hundreds of things go in that blank as far as most
"church-members" are concerned today!)
God is seldom the ultimate end or chief
delight of professing Christians anymore ... and you KNOW that
as well as I do.
BUT JESUS COULD SAY IT!
Father ... My Goodness, My Gladness (has)
nothing besides (outside of) Thee!
Wow!
What faithful, loyal love!
What an example for us too!
This is the same Jesus Who said:
Matthew 22:37 --- "Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind."
Mark 12:30 --- "And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength."
(This list grew from Matthew to Mark! An
"expanding " love!)
Talk about one-ness and fellowship and communion
and dependency!
Think about that today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 15, 2004
(SATURDAY)
Psalm 16 continues with its
great second verse! Next Jesus says to His Father:
"Thou
art my Lord." Psalm 16:2b
He just called His Father His
Lord!
The Name Lord here translates
the Hebrew noun "Adonai." It is used 434 times in the Old
Testament, being translated Lord (as deity) 431 times and lord
(of men) 2 times and God 1 time.
It is derived from a basic
word meaning "to rule or to control." To be the sovereign!
It literally suggests one's boss!
Now in two
verses of Psalm 16 we have seen 3 Names of God used:
Elohim, Jehovah and Adonai! (Elohim = God! Jehovah =
LORD! And Adonai = Lord. Even the way a word is spelled or
punctuated in the King James Version has vast significance!
Thank God for our old Bible!)
This Name Adonai pictures much
of what could be called a Master/servant relationship!
(Master ... slave even!) Of course this is NOT a popular
Name to emphasize in our day and time.
Still ... that's exactly what
Jesus here called His Father ... Adonai Lord.
Now if Jesus is really here
the servant of the Lord ... we should be able to find that
relationship in Scripture!
Keep in mind however that
Jesus is also THE SON OF GOD. HE IS VERY GOD! HE IS
GOD!
First I am thinking of the
writings of the Prophet Isaiah. Several times he calls
Jesus (the Messiah) the Servant of the Lord!
See Isaiah 42:1.
"Behold
my servant, whom
I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have
put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the
Gentiles."
Isaiah 49:5 ---
"And now, saith the LORD that formed me
from the womb to be his
servant, to bring
Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I
be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my
strength."
Again in Isaiah 50:10 read:
"Who is among you that feareth the
LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his
servant, that
walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in
the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God."
And Isaiah 52:13 thunders:
"Behold, my
servant shall
deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very
high."
And the grand finale of Isaiah
53:11. "He shall see of the travail
of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities."
Jesus truly meant it when He
called His Father His Lord or Master!
Even in the New Testament we
see this picture clearly drawn.
John 5:19 ---
"Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever
he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."
John 5:30
--- "I can of mine own self do nothing: as
I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not
mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
John 8:28 ---
"Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have
lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he,
and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath
taught me, I speak these things."
John 14:28
--- "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I
go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye
would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father:
for my Father is greater
than I."
This is Jesus in His capacity
as Servant of the Lord God Almighty!
Yet please understand me
today. I am not here teaching that the Godhead is layered
in ranks or levels of power.
The Father, Son and Holy
Spirit are eternally co-equal! Elsewhere Jesus says:
"I
and my Father are
one."
John 10:30
Or "Philip,
he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father." John 14:9
Jesus voluntarily stepped down
from His position (NOT AS GOD! HE ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND
ALWAYS WILL BE GOD! BUT ...) of authority and became a man like
unto you and me! (Jesus, The God-man!)
This is what I mean:
"Christ Jesus ... Who, being in the form
of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)
Paul says in Hebrews
2:9 ---
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little
lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death
for every man."
BUT, glory to God! AFTER
His death, burial and resurrection (and following ascension) ...
"Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name: That at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:9-11)
But while on earth, Jesus, the
ever lowly Servant of Jehovah, sought only to please His Father!
What divine submission! What miracle of miracles!
What awesomeness! Proof? Jesus Himself said it in
John 8:29 --- "And he that sent me is with
me: the Father hath not left me alone;
for I do always those
things that please him."
Back to our Psalm 16 text
where Jesus prophetically says:
"Thou (Father) art My Lord (Boss, Ruler, Dictator)!
I would think that if Jesus
made His Father LORD during His early ministry ... we certainly
should have no trouble doing so!
(This is why Jesus could say
... when speaking of the Second Coming ...
"But
of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels
of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36 Jesus
willingly limited His Omniscience here. He was the
obedient Servant to His Father's will! That's also
why Scripture sometimes pictures Jesus as learning from His
Father! In Isaiah 50:4 Jesus the Messiah says:
"The Lord GOD hath given me the
tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by
morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.")
I am awed by the very thought:
"Thou art My Lord!"
Let's worship Him today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 14, 2004
(FRIDAY)
Today we shall look at just
the first part of the second verse of Psalm 16. It's just
too important to hurriedly cover!
"O
my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD ..." Psalm 16:2
Now what we are seeing here is
unusual. If Psalm 16 is truly Messianic (and I sure
believe it is) ... this is Jesus speaking to His Father!
Never mind right now what
He says ... that will be tomorrow's lesson, Lord willing. Just
notice that Jesus is in communion with His Father!
I suggest to you that the Son
and the Father have always been in communion! (As has the
Holy Spirit been in eternal communion with the Godhead!)
This is a very integral part of the essence of the Trinity ...
fellowship, communion, oneness!
I believe that even in the Old
Testament we occasionally see the Son and the Father in
communion. Here's the first example I know. It's in
Genesis 1:26 --- "And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness." Notice
the plurals! Let US make man in OUR image! That's
the divine Trinity in communication and intimate fellowship!
Proverbs describes such
communion during creation week also! Here's one example:
Proverbs 8:30 --- "Then I (Wisdom, that's
JESUS) was by him (the Creator Father), as one brought up
with him: and I
was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him."
The Son and the Father delighted in each other as
creation unfolded!
And here is Jesus telling us
(by means of Bible prophecy) how He will commune with His Father
while on earth to die as the Saviour!
Isaiah 50:4 ---
"The Lord GOD hath given me (Jesus) the
tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary: he (the Father) wakeneth
morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear (Jesus' ear) to hear as
the
learned." Jesus here just
said that every morning His Father woke Him with precious
communion and instruction and fellowship!
And listen to the Father talk
to the Son (after His death burial and resurrection and
ascension): "The LORD (Father) said
unto my Lord (Jesus), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool." Psalm 110:1
Wow!
Their communion even comes up
again in this precious 16th Psalm. In the 7th verse Jesus
says: "I will bless the Lord (the
Father), Who hath given Me counsel!" That's
fellowship! Further He says in verse 8:
"I have set the Lord (the Father) ALWAYS
before Me!"
And in the New Testament the
same Truth prevails. Mark describes what seems to have
become a "habit" of Jesus. "And in
the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out,
and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Mark 1:35 Again, that's communion!
Listen to this one in John
10:30 --- "I and my Father are
one." That's a communion/fellowship so deep that it
just can't be understood in human terms!
John 8:29
also gives a pretty good example. Jesus said:
"And he that sent me (the Father) is
with me: the Father hath not left me alone (sounds like
communion to me); for I do always those things that please him
(the result of constant communion)." Amazing!
Then little
wonder that Jesus was so alarmed when He cried from the Cross:
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me?" Mark 15:34 He had NEVER before in all
eternity been out of fellowship with His Father! And never
has it happened since! Nor will it ever happen again in
all eternity future!
Then WHY
did it happen during those terrible hours on Calvary? One
word ... SIN! Make that two words: OUR SIN!
Oh, how we
should love Him today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
P. S. ---
By the way, the Lord's goal for us Believers is that we might
share the same fellowship with each other ... and with Him ...
that He enjoys with His Father! This even applies to a
husband and his wife! Proof? In John 17:21 Jesus
prays to His Father: "That they all
may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me." I "rest" my case. Well,
maybe just this extra bit: "And I
have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it:
that the love wherewith
thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." John
17:26 Read in closing 1st John verse 3 where the Apostle
declares: "That which we have seen and
heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus Christ."
MAY 13, 2004
(THURSDAY)
"Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust." Psalm
16:1
Believing these words to be
those of our dear Lord Jesus, I approach them carefully and
reverently.
He asks His Father to
"preserve" Him!
Now if Jesus is asking God the
Father to keep Him from death, his prayer was not answered.
He died!
BUT I do not believe that's
what Jesus desires here.
The first Bible use of our
verb "preserve" (in Hebrew = "shamar") is in Genesis 2:15. Let
me show you the complete verse. I will capitalize the word
"shamar" as it is translated. "And
the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden
to dress it and to keep
it." Genesis 2:15 The verb does not just mean to
keep from harm! It means to tend, to watch, to bring to
the fruit-bearing stage! In this sense to "keep" a garden
is to do everything necessary to make it a success and to please
its owner! (In this "first mention" sense then ... Jesus
is asking to die that we might be saved!
That Cross is the only way to bring sinners to glory! We
are His little flock ... or His little "garden!")
Now for those of you who do
not believe that He wanted to die on that Cross ... read Luke
12:50 where Jesus said: "But
I have a baptism to be baptized with (the Cross); and how am I
straitened till it be
accomplished!" He could hardly wait to fulfill His
Father's Will! Constantly through the Gospel of John Jesus
spoke again and again of HIS HOUR being not yet come ... or
being near ... or having arrived! That's why He came!
See John 12:27 --- "Now is my soul
troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour:
but for this cause came I unto this hour." At His
very trial this incident was reported by John:
"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou
a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To
this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of
the truth heareth my voice." John 18:37
The Name for God here is "el."
It is His Name that means POWER! Only God has the power of
life and death! Only God controlled the events in the
drama of Redemption! Only God is the Almighty Ruler of the
universe!
"Put my trust" translates a
Hebrew verb "chasah," meaning "to confide in!" The word
picture is "fleeing for safety" to some special place of
protection! (Now remember, Jesus' fear was NOT death!
He came to die! His fear was NOT FULFILLING HIS FATHER'S
WILL! He came to obey His Father! In fact once He
even said: "And he that sent me is
with me: the Father hath not left me alone;
for I do always those
things that please him." John 8:29 I believe
Jesus' greatest delight was pleasing His Father!) The verb
is a Qal perfect. ("Qal" is just a Hebrew verb stem that
means the word has "simple active" properties.) "Perfect"
relates to the verb's sense of "time." It here suggests
completed action! Jesus, while on earth, perfectly placed
His trust in the Father!
This exact verb is used
8 times in the Old Testament ... all with reference to putting
trust in God! Here are the references. They are all
in the Psalms! Psalms 7:2 and 11:1 and 16:1 and 25:20 and
31:2 and 71:1 and 141:8 and 144:2.
The first time the verb is
used in any form is in Deuteronomy where God Himself asks of
Israel: "Where are their
gods, their rock in whom they
trusted?"
Deuteronomy 32:37
I also have found our word for
"trust" (Hebrew = "chasah") as a proper noun! (This is
also it's second Bible occurrence.) It's in Joshua 19:29 where
Asher's territory is being described:
"And then the coast turneth to
Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to
HOSAH; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast
to Achzib." "Hosah" means a place of "refuge!"
A place of "trust!" (And it's in the land of Asher, which
means happiness or blessedness!) Oh! To live in Hosah!
The third Bible event for this
verb is in Judges 9:15 where the briar bush invites the trees of
the forest to come put their TRUST under its shadow!
Judges 9:15 I just believe I'll put my trust under Another
Shadow! Psalm 63:7 --- "Because thou
(Lord) hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings
will I rejoice."
I believe we today get some
idea of the level of trust (toward His Father) and determination
to obey (the Father) that our Lord Jesus really possessed!
It is literally awesome! We should be astonished! In
Mark 1:22 we are
told: "And they
were astonished
at his (Jesus') doctrine: for he taught them as one that had
authority, and not as the scribes."
That Greek verb for "astonished"
is ekplesso and means ("ek" = out of ... and "plesso" = to
strike or hit) to knock one out of his senses!
I stand amazed!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 12, 2004
(WEDNESDAY)
Psalm 16
{Michtam of David.}
The
"superscript" to Psalm 16 just says "Michtam of David." In
a Bible Psalm the "superscript" is the expression or term
written above the first verse. All the Psalms do not have
them, but many do.
The word "Michtam"
is to be studied. Modern lexicons often say the meaning is
uncertain or even unknown. BUT the old timers (from
Spurgeon all the way back to the Puritans and before) say that
it means "golden!" Could it be that in God's eyes this
Psalm is PURE GOLD? (I sure think so!) Some
preachers of the past have even nicknamed it "David's little
jewel!" One writer said the term means "precious."
And one of
the best known Hebrew scholars of the last generation says the
name "Michtam" comes from a little word that means "to hide."
He affirms that hidden by the Holy Spirit deep with these
Michtam passages are golden nuggets of truth ... just waiting to
be mined and enjoyed by the diligent student of Scripture!
I even
found one scholar who taught that "Michtam" means "to engrave!"
He implied that Psalms so labeled were to be "written" on one's
heart, memorized and pondered throughout the day! There
must be something "special" about them!
I have
noticed this too. The term "Michtam" is used 6 times in
the Bible ... all in superscripts to Psalms (Psalms 16,
56,57,58,59 and 60)! In each case the Psalm involved
reveals great TRUST in the Lord! Almost as if the subject
of the passage just "breezes through" trial after trial ...
motivated and impelled by his trust in Jehovah God! Surely
such trust is golden (precious) to the Lord! Maybe that's
even why the death of a saint is precious to the Lord!
(Such trust!)
Psalm 116:15 declares: "Precious in the
sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
I will take
the approach that (these things being true) we are entering onto
Holy Ground! A golden chapter! Precious Truth (even
for the dear Word of God)! Hidden Manna (Revelation 2:17)!
I am of the
opinion that the Psalm is speaking of Jesus ... all the way
through! We KNOW it is in "places" ... (based on the
inspired writings of Peter in Acts 2 and Paul in Acts 13).
And if in "places" ... I see no "break" in the Psalm where the
Speaker changes! It's Jesus in His Trust of His Father in
Heaven! (This makes it even more precious!)
We shall
get further into verse 1 tomorrow, Lord willing.
You little
"jewels" of the Lord will enjoy this "golden" setting. I
guarantee you that! Now why did I call you Christians "jewels?"
Malachi did! (I really should say the LORD did in
Malachi!) "And they shall be mine,
saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up
my jewels; and I
will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."
Malachi 3:17
Come every
day now ... with a Bible in your hand!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 11, 2004
(TUESDAY)
Today we
begin an exciting journey!
Psalm 16 is
a classic portion of Scripture!
We
absolutely KNOW that is is talking about Jesus!
In fact,
let me re-phrase that last statement.
We
absolutely know that JESUS IS THE ONE TALKING in Psalm 16!
We can be
so sure on the basis of two New Testament passages!
In Acts 2
25-28 Peter is preaching on the Day of Pentecost. Of
course his Subject is Jesus! (Listen to his words:
"For David speaketh concerning him,
I foresaw the Lord
always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should
not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was
glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou
wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine
Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways
of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."
The part of Peter's sermon that is capitalized is a
direct quote from Psalm 16! And according to Peter these
are the very words of Jesus!
Now compare
these words with Psalm 16. "I have
set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right
hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my
glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt
not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy
One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy."
Pretty
close, isn't it?
Close
enough to KNOW that Psalm 16 prefigures the very words of Jesus
while on earth and particularly while nearing His death on the
Cross!
Now let's
look at Paul's use of our Psalm.
He is
preaching in the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia on his first
missionary journey. He (again) is preaching about Jesus
... particularly His resurrection. Listen:
"And we declare unto you glad tidings, how
that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath
fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath
raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second
psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as
concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no
more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give
you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in
another psalm,
Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Acts 13:32-35 Again, the words of Jesus are
quoted from Psalm 16!
Thus we
KNOW that we are beginning the study of a MESSIANIC Psalm.
A Psalm that is identified with the Messiah, the Lord Jesus
Christ!
And just
let me make one more point today.
I do not
see a break in the whole 16th Psalm where another Person starts
speaking. A strong case can be made that's it is Jesus (via the
miracle of Bible prophecy and the fact of God's omniscience)
talking all the way through the whole Psalm!
That is
what I believe!
We shall
begin verse 1 tomorrow, Lord willing!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
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