LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 46:2-3, Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Psalm 46 was the Psalm Pastor Jim Piper shared with NorthRock Church this weekend. The Psalm was written to look back as the Assyrian army, under King Sennacherib, besieged Jerusalem; King Hezekiah was the king of Judah. You can read about this situation in 2 Kings 18 -19.

Look again at what then Psalmist wrote. Even if all these things happen, there is no need to fear. Why would he write this. The answer is because, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”. Even if these things happen God is still there. Pastor Piper said, “Regardless of your situation, God is near!” Believers have no need to fear when they place their faith and trust in Jesus. The enemy in this world wants Believers to live in fear. “He knows your language” (Piper). “He knows how to get our attention and tries to intimidate you all the time”, said Pastor Piper.

This might be a good word for us today – nations rise, and nations fall; there is commotion of all sorts going on within nations. Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, unstable earth, and wars cause people to worry and be fearful. But take heart, God is still on His throne, in control of all that is happening. He remains the same, never changing, never caught off guard by anything. The political scene may change. Believers grow older and have to deal with those kinds of changes. God remains the same. Malachi 3:6 states, “I the lord do not change!” One may not be able to count on their bank account, their position, and can’t count on good health. They can count on God – always!!

Pastor Piper spoke about King Hezekiah building an underground aqueduct to bring water into the city of Jerusalem during the siege. He knew the Assyrians were coming and had time to do this. There is another thought regarding “a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God” (verse 4) that I want to mention. Ezekiel 47 refers to the river that flows out from the throne of God in the Millenium. Revelation22:1-2 writes of a “river of the water of life” flowing from the city of Jerusalem, as well. This speaks to the continual flow of God’s power in the midst of His faithful people. God is always in the midst of Believers to strengthen and protect them as they honor Him. The Lord God is with Believers today; He is their refuge just as He was with those in Jerusalem during this siege.

If you read 2 Kings 18-19, you saw that God came to the rescue of Jerusalem, destroying 185,000 Assyrian troops. Jerusalem and the people were saved by God’s unending protection. The people did not have to fight the battle themselves. Read the last four verses of Psalm 46 and you will see God destroying the troops of the Antichrist at the end of the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. At the end of the Millennium the devil will be released from his prison, deceive nations into war and a siege against Jerusalem. God will once again defeat the Antichrist and his army in a final defeat before being thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Many prophecies about wars ending will be fulfilled.

The Psalmist ends this psalm by writing for Believers to stop, relax, and listen – trust in God as your source of strength!  Get rid of those things that one holds on that prevents you from “knowing God is God”. “He will be honored among the nations and He will be exalted in the earth” (verse 11). The time is coming when, “at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Christ as Lord, giving glory to God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).