Psalm 67: God’s Ongoing Witness

Today’s reading is Psalm 67.

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Psalm 67:6-7 (ESV)

Many seem to be confused by the conclusion to this psalm. Certainly, it provides an inclusio with the beginning reference to God’s blessing. Yet, the reference to fruitful crops comes somewhat out of left field.

However, listen to what Paul told the Lystrans in Acts 14:15-17:

You should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness (ESV).

Remember, the purpose of blessing on Israel was not simply to bless Israel. Rather, God blessed Israel so Israel could be a blessing to the nations and so the nations could learn His way. Now the psalmist mentions a specific blessing. The earth has yielded its increase. Therefore, all the earth should fear him.

This final statement might be taken in two ways. It may be the psalmist is claiming “the land” has yielded its fruit as in fulfillment of the Deuteronomy 28:1-6 promise to bless Israel in their field and with the fruit of the ground if they obeyed. When God blessed Israel like this, the nations would learn to turn to Israel’s God and walk Israel’s way. However, the statement might also mean God has blessed the entire earth by giving rain and causing fruitful seasons. All the nations of the earth should recognize this as the blessing from God and turn to Him. That second possibility is essentially Paul’s argument to the Lystrans.

God has left an ongoing testimony. As we live in this world, we must be amazed at how the world works so we can be provided for. Why does this world provide food regularly? How did that happen? Surely not on accident. Surely not by chance. Surely not by purely naturalistic and materialistic means. There must be some hand behind it all, guiding it, providing for us. How amazing is that?

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 67.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 67 prompt or improve your hope in God?

God’s Word Won’t Fail

Today’s reading is Hebrews 6.

If a farmer cultivates and works land upon which rain has fallen and that land produces a useful crop, it is a blessed land. However, if instead it yields thorns and thistles, what is the farmer going to do? The farmer will burn it to the ground. The author of Hebrews is explaining what will happen to those who have experienced the blessings in Jesus but decided to abandon Him.

Our author is calling Isaiah 5:1-7 to mind. In that passage, God cleared a field and planted it with choice vines. But instead of producing good grapes, it produced wild grapes. God removed its protective hedge and broke down its wall. He quit cultivating it, pruning it, hoeing it. He allowed the briers and thorns to take it over. He stopped the rain from falling on it. Instead of blessing it with more rain and more growth, He cursed it.

It also calls to mind Isaiah 55:10-13. The Word of God going forth from the mouth of God does not return empty. It accomplishes what it was sent out to accomplish. Of course, in the context of Isaiah 55, the restoration of those who believed was in view. However, in Hebrews 6 we learn sometimes the purpose of the Word is to leave those who refuse to believe without excuse. For those who reject the Word, the Word accomplishes what it was sent to do. It will judge those who reject it.

This is the side of God’s Word many today miss. The Word says those who reject it will be judged and punished. The ground that drinks in God’s rain but produces thorns, thistles, and briers instead of a useful crop will be cursed and burned up. We must not think we can abandon the Word of God without consequence.

If we drink the Word in with faith and submission, God will grow fruit in us. We will produce a useful crop. Some of us thirtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred. God’s Word is just that powerful. It will do what God has sent it out to do. However, if we reject God’s Word, we will be judged by God’s Word. We will not avoid that. God’s Word is just that powerful. It will do what God has sent it out to do.

God’s Word won’t fail. So hang on to it and submit to it. You’ll be glad you did. I promise.

Tomorrow’s reading is Hebrews 6.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Does this story about the ground’s output remind you of Jesus’s parable of the sower? How?
3. How many options does the author of Hebrews demonstrate we have in our response to God’s Word? What are they?
4. How can we help each other accept and be cultivated by God’s Word so that we can receive God’s blessing?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?