Does God really “whip” His disobedient children?
Even in the Old Testament, in Proverbs 3:11-12 for example, God says exactly that! He WILL discipline, chasten, even shorten the lives of rebellious believers! Here are Solomon’s precise words: “My son, despise not the CHASTENING of the Lord; neither be weary of his CORRECTION: for whom the Lord loveth he CORRECTETH; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” Later quoted in Hebrews 12, as we shall see.
And in our Text today, Psalm 78:63-64, this “chastening” of our Lord … becomes quite “severe.” After repeated warnings to do better, I might add.
Asaph wrote, historically: “The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.” Israel’s young men and maidens, her priests too, and widows!
God is a jealous God!
He wants us all unto Himself … for our own good!
If we, once having trusted Him … then later spurn Him, reject Him, become unfaithful to Him, worshipping other gods and goddesses … He will whip us!
Not only will … but already has! In the past, done all these things to Israel! “The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.” Again, Psalm 78:63-64
When, the fire?
Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, went into the Tabernacle before God … with “strange fire” in their censers (shallow bowls) … to worship. Yet clearly disobeying God’s instructions! This holy “fire” was to be taken from the proper (brass) altar, not some “strange” source! And so … “There WENT OUT FIRE from the Lord, and DEVOURED them, and THEY DIED before the Lord.” Leviticus 10:2, word for word, King James Version.
Next, the “maidens” of Israel not being given to marriage simply means there were not enough young men to become their husbands! They had, too many of them, been killed in war, by the enemy! As high as a 7 to 1 ratio, women to men! “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” Isaiah 4:1, amazing!
Dead priests?
Eli’s two sons come to mind, wicked to the core, never having known the Lord … “And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, (Priests) Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.” First Samuel 4:11, both killed at once by an advancing Philistine (enemy) army!
The last clause of our text is the most opaque. “And their widows made no lamentation.” I think we are here being told that older married women were so “stunned, so shocked” that their emotions had died! They had become lethargic, due to all the trauma their little Nation had experienced. Children dead, grandchildren never even born! Parents gone as well, many taken into slavery, captivity. Now husbands too … tortured, murdered, gone … no tears are left to be shed on their behalf! “No lamentation!” Quiet funerals, if any at all!
This is an accurate two-verse description about the “wages of sin” for errant followers of God! “The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.”
And to us today, anything to learn here?
YES.
Hebrews 12:5-11, New Testament! “Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children: My son, despise not thou the CHASTENING of the Lord, nor faint when thou art REBUKED OF HIM: for whom the Lord loveth he CHASTENETH, and SCOURGETH every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure CHASTENING, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father CHASTENETH not? But if ye be without CHASTISEMENT, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no CHASTENING for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
What warnings!
Chastening … from our Father above.