God Fulfills His Word

 Matthew 24     Psalm 49     1 Samuel 27-31

The new testament reading today starts out with the disciples pointing to the beautiful buildings, built to glorify God we must remember, focused on those buildings. Jesus quickly points out that even this that seems so great and powerful will be torn down and left as rubble.

They then go to the Mount of Olives, that overlooks not just the temple but the temple mount and all of Jerusalem. The disciples are thinking about what Jesus told them on the other side of the valley and find it hard to imagine. They want to know when. Remember that they still see him as coming as an earthly leader to claim his kingdom and it is hard to think of that without the temple as it’s center.

Jesus spends the rest of chapter 24 challenging their traditional thinking and what they have learned. Telling them that many will come in his name and attempt to deceive them and that actually many will be deceived and follow those that come claiming to speak for him. This will be especially true in the days of turmoil and when the faithful are most under attack, even to the point of death. The key will be to keep our eyes on Him and what he taught.

He paints for them a picture of a world that is torn apart by violence and death. False leaders will come and proclaim their own greatness and show signs and make people look on in awe of what they have done and so mislead many, even the followers of Jesus. He tells them he is warning them in advance what is to come and that his return will be light a lighting bolt and they won’t see it coming until it is too late.

As I read through this passage slowly this morning I wondered if Jesus was telling his disciples, and therefor us, that life on earth would end quickly and that we would be ushered into his presence for judgement. We should always be prepared for that day, alert to the things of God. While waiting we need to ask what we are doing with what God has given us to help build his kingdom. Like the temple buildings the things we have will be destroyed and it will be the impact on the lives of others that we have that will be what we have left to offer back to God.

 I have been randomly picking a Psalm by looking through my chart at what I haven’t read yet this year and each day it seems to connect to the other readings of my day. This morning was no exception as I read through the song.

The writer of this song tells us that God has a message for all people, the low and the high, the rich and the poor. The writer wants an understanding of them all. It starts with not fearing adversity and recognizing that no one can redeem another, that is the work of God. God grants life to eternity.

We are told that there will be many that will come and proclaim their greatness but that it will not endure to the end. Those that are wise enough to follow God’s ways will rule when it counts. We are told not to worry about those that get rich in this world or when they become famous. There will be nothing for them when they die that they can carry away with them. While they lift themselves up and people paise them their glory will not follow them in death. They will never see the light and will perish.

In the final chapters of 1 Samuel, we see the contrast clearly between Saul and David. David flees from the land of Israel and enters the land of the Philistines. The king gives him a place to live, and David offers his service to the king. The leaders of the Philistines do not trust David and don’t want him to go into battle against Israel with them. While David is with the king the place, he, his family and the families of his men is raided and they are taken captive. It is key to note that David seeks out the will of God and follows what God directs.

Saul on the other hand, goes against the instructions of the Lord and seeks out Samuel from the dead through a medium. Samuel expresses his anger and tells Saul that he and his sons will be dead the next day. The Lord will do just as he warned and remove the kingdom from Saul. While David is seeking the will of the Lord and recovering what they have lost, Saul goes into battle, he and his sons are killed, and Israel is overrun. The word of the Lord has been fulfilled. Saul ends up disgraced before the Philistines.

Each of us must choose who we will follow and who will get the glory for what is done in our lives. When the Lord blesses us and we take credit for what he has done we should not be surprised when it is taken from us. Today we have clearly seen that God will fulfill his promises including his curses.