On June 14, 2023, I posted that the Lord had impressed upon me that there will be ‘unprecedented unrest’ coming to our nation (and to the world) I encouraged those who follow my posts to visit livingwordsofencouragement.com and read or re-read the post, The A.R.R.O.W. of God. Why?
The A.R.R.O.W. of God post is the foundation of what I want to share with you. It will provide the back round of my thinking and what I believe the Lord has been sharing with me.
Psalm 64 is a vivid picture of what our nation has been experiencing for many years. Psalm 64 is the psalm that I have personalized to pray for our nation. In this psalm, God shoots His arrow. I believe that arrow has been shot and that the effects of that arrow are now beginning to be seen; and that, God’s arrow is the impetus for the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that will be experienced by our nation and throughout the world.
Psalm 64: 7-9 (NKJV) says, “But God will shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; all who see them shall flee away. All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.”
Question: What is being referred to in verse 8, where it states, “So He (God) will make them stumble over their own tongue.”? We need to look back at verses 2-4, where it records what those, who are now stumbling over their tongue, had done.
In Psalm 64:2, King David cries out to God to hide him “…from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity.” Verse 3 continues, it is these, who have sharpened “their tongue like a sword” and have bent “their bows to shoot their arrows–bitter words.” How many ‘bitter words’ have been and are constantly being spewed out in our nation daily and throughout the past 5-10 years (or longer)?
Who have they been shooting at? Verse 4 answers that question. They have shot “…in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.”
When the psalm gets to verse 7, the ‘tide has turned’; there is a ‘boomerang effect’ taking place; in short, the ‘times have changed’.
What has brought about this change? God shot His arrow at the wicked and the rebellious of verse 2. Remembering verse 7, “But God will shoot at them (wicked and rebellious) with an arrow; Suddenly they (wicked and rebellious) shall be wounded.” God knows who these individuals and/or groups of people are. His arrow will hit the intended mark(s). (insert mine)
I believe that I can confidently say that there will be no ‘fake news’; no spinning of the events taking place. I do not discount that people will try to discredit what is taking place but it will be obvious foolishness. Why? verse 9 says, “All men shall fear; and declare the work of God.”
Truth will be revealed. God’s ARROW has accomplished it. An acronym for God’s A.R.R.O.W. is: A Righteous Revelation Of Wrong-doing.
Backing up to verse 7, and using a Hebrew Lexicon:
The words, ” “shall shoot” means to lay or throw(especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot figuratively, to point out ( as if by aiming the finger), to teach.”
God will identify those who need to be brought to the ‘light’ who have been speaking and doing the deeds of ‘darkness’.
The words, “at them with an arrow” refers to a “a piecer, i.e. and arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God) thunder-bolt; the shaft of a spear.”
The word ” “suddenly” means instantly-straightway, sudden(-ly).”
The words, ” “shall they be wounded” mean beaten, blow, plague, slaughter, smote, sore, stripe, stroke, wound(-ed).”
What this will look like? It is not my place to speculate?
Verse 8 tells us that “all who see them (wicked and rebellious) shall flee away.” (insert mine)
Those who witness what is taking place will seek to separate themselves from those who have been wounded by their own tongues (verse 8).
Not only will there be a fleeing, but a fearing (verse 9).
I believe that ‘all men’ implies to all humanity (the righteous and the unrighteous). Verse 9 continues and says that “And shall declare the work of God”. Some may say I am stretching it; but in our day of technology, when something happens in one part of the world, the whole world can know about it instantly. Therefore, I believe ‘all men’ will acknowledge that what takes place is the ‘work of God’. (insert mine)
The scope and magnitude of what takes place is gong to create a universal ‘aghast’. There will be no other explanation than what is being witnessed is the direct intervention of God.
If Psalm 64 ended at verse 9, we would have a lot of unanswered questions and humanity would be left as we sometimes say, ‘shaking in their boots’.
Maybe humanity needs to experience such a great shaking?
Maybe humanity needs to be awakened to a healthy ‘fear’ of God?
Fear can be devastating, as well as healthy.
I suggest that from the flow of the narrative of David’s words poured out to God, their tenor understandably results in a fear of God.
Let us remind ourselves of some words found in the Letter to the Hebrews.
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrew 12:25-29, NKJV) (emphasis mine)
If I may be so bold, it would not surprise me that the fear humanity will experience will be akin to what Hebrews 10:31 (NKJV) says, “It is a fearful things to fall into the hands of the living God.” (emphasis mine)
I am not saying that what is going to take place is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; but what will take place will be a Divine intervention and manifestation of God’s Presence in and on the earth that will witness to the created world that God is Who He says He is, ‘I AM THAT I AM’.
This past February, the world witnessed the manifest Presence of God in a mighty way that began at Asbury College in Kentucky. That Presence went to other college campuses and to nations and cities throughout the world. My understanding that God’s Presence is still at work today in the world.
It appears that God is going to notch ‘His Presence’ up.
Going back to Psalm 64:9, I left us with the thought that humanity was ‘shaking (trembling, quaking) in their boots’.
B.U.T. (Believers Understand This) God in His grace has a verse 10. David doesn’t end his dialogue with God in despair. (emphasis, insert min)
Psalms 64:10 (NKJV) reads, “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. and all the upright in heart shall glory.”
I want to share with you three additional translations of this verse, very similar; yet a little different, but I believe very important for us to embrace.
The Tree of Life translation, uses Hebraic emphasis, “the righteous will be glad in Adonai, and take refuge in Him. Let all the upright in heart give glory.” (emphasis mine)
The Rotherham Emphasized Bible, uses a word by word translation, “the righteous shall rejoice in Yahweh, and seek refuge in Him, then they shall glory–all who are upright in heart.” (emphasis mine)
The Expositors Bible Commentary, Revised Edition, Vol. 5, composed by Dr. VanGemeren (Dr.V.), NIV version, “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord, and take refuge in him; let all the upright of heart praise him.” (emphasis, insert mine)
What do I want you to embrace? There is a specific action we need to take? Yes, we must trust in the Lord. My thought is that we must embrace that trust as a place of refuge. (emphasis mine)
In his commentary, Dr. V. writes, “The psalmist encourages the godly to hope in the Lord during adversity. He will vindicate his servants (the righteous, Ps. 1:6, 7:10, 11:2) who are upright in heart. The righteous are those who rely on God finding protection with him (Ps. 1-2, 57:1, 58:10-11). The sound of lament will give way to the sound of praise (my note: that is what is taking place not ending at verse 9 and having a verse 10) in honor of the Lord. He alone establishes justice on the earth.” (Question, do you believe there is righteous justice in our nation? in the earth?)
What am I emphasizing? Let me say it again, we will need to take REFUGE in the Lord. (emphasis mine)
Why? The Lord said that an unprecedented unrest is coming to our nation (to the world).
Where will humanity flee too, when they flee from, to escape what they are going to experience?
Let me remind you again of Psalm 64: 8,9. Psalm 64:8 speaks of those fleeing from the ones that God has caused to be wounded by their own words. And then, Psalm 64:9 says that all men (humanity) shall fear. Referring back to a former post entitled, Finding Refuge in the Lord, I quoted Derek Kinder. He said, “There is not refuge from God, only refuge in God.” (insert mine)
What is the reason for this atmosphere of fear?
Quoting Dr.V. again, “Just as the wicked suddenly ambush the godly (vs.4), so the Lord will “suddenly” bring his judgment (vs. 7). Their punishment will be based on the “law of retaliation” (lex talionis), i.e. their sins will boomerang on them (cf. 62:12). What they had planned to do, the Lord will do to them (cf.7:16, Pr. 6:27). He will shoot (yara) them down, as it were, with “arrows” (cf. v.3, &:12-13). The evil they had planned to do with their own “tongues” will fall back on them (v.8; cf.v.3) and bring about their ruin. The shame they had planned to bring on the godly will come on them (cf. 22:7; 52:6-7; 59:10; Jer. 48:26). The bold challenge of autonomy and anarchy (v.5) has it counterparts in the fear imposed by God’s judgment on humankind. The wicked asked “Who will see us?” (ra a; NIV text note, v.5) and were unafraid of the consequences of their acts. When all humankind (adam; cf.58:11; Isa 40:5-6) sees the power of God, all will “fear” (yara). Then justice will triumph! The psalmist encourages all people to “proclaim” (nagad, GK 5583) and to “ponder” (sakal GK 8505, “learn from”) the acts of God (cf. 2:10; Isa 41:20). The history of redemption reveals the “works of God” in judgment of rebellious human beings. The story of redemption proclaims the mighty act of God.”
In Dr. V’s commentary, he refers to ‘all humankind’. I agree with that.
Now looking carefully at verse 10. Logically, since verse 10 refers to the righteous being glad in the Lord; what will be the state of the unrighteous?
All humanity includes the righteous and the unrighteous. There are no other classifications of identity. In verse 9, we read that “all” fear; however, progressing to verse 10, the righteous do not remain in fear. Why? They trust in the Lord. They have taken refuge in Him. The upright in heart have nothing to fear or dread. They have a different kind of fear. Their fear is an awe and respect for God. In Christ, the righteous sort through what is taking place, realize that the ‘unprecedented unrest’ is the “work of God”, “for they shall wisely consider His doing. ” Remember all mankind (all humanity) will realize what is taking place is the hand of God. The facts will not be nebulous. The righteous will take refuge in God; but the unrighteous will be uncertain, confused, and troubled. (emphasis, insert mine)
There will be ‘unprecedented unrest’; the righteous take their refuge in their God; quieting their inner fears that arise from the fear that permeates the atmosphere of the nation (and of the world). The righteous will have an inner peace. Jesus said in John 14:27 (NKJV) to His disciples to quiet their fears about His departure.: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (emphasis, inserts mine)
The unrighteous do not have that assurance or peace within them because they do not have the Spirit of God in their lives. The unrighteous have fled from those upon whom the hand of God has fallen. They are in trembling and fear.
Where is their place of refuge?
Can they find a place of refuge? Can they find refuge in the Lord? Absolutely! (emphasis mine)
Why can’t God’s intervention be for the purpose of performing a dual function? The administration of judgment and the opportunity for salvation. This is what Dr. V. was implying in his commentary.
Is not the CROSS, the very instrument of God’s grace that judges sin and provides salvation for the sinner?
Why can’t all this activity of God’s Sovereignty be His Divine intervention to awaken an awareness of His love for His humanity?
I submit, this is what will actually taking place. Has not God intervened in the lives of nations and His people throughout history to awaken humanity to Himself through judgment and repentance for salvation?
This is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s grace is to intervene in hopeless affairs of mankind creating an ‘unprecedented unrest’ to awaken a confused and troubled world to a hope that can only be found in God, Himself.
This is Good News. Why? Because,
God has so loved the world that He, Himself, sent His only begotten Son into a helpless humanity so “…that whoever believes in Him (Christ is our (Refuge) should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16b-17, NKJV) (emphasis, insert mine)
Sending His Son into the world, John 1:10-14 (NKJV) says:
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Will there be ‘unprecedented unrest’? Yes
Is God in the midst of this ‘unprecedented unrest’? Yes
Do we need to be afraid? No, not if we are in Christ.
Is God out to destroy this nation? No; but He is going to judge sinfulness.
I have no idea what that will look like. But, reading Psalm 64:7-9 makes it clear that God is involved.
As I close, let us focus on Psalm 46:1-3 (NKJV):
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble, Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried in to the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains share with its swelling. Selah
Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven above…
Blessings, a brother in Christ, deo
tbc
Living Words of Encouragement 