Standing Still When the Earth Moves Around You - Psalm 46

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Psalm 46

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

 
 

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Even if the earth itself is overwhelmed by the sea, even if there is no foundation any more, we still trust in God.

 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

From the chaos of the surging ocean, overwhelming the land as a result of a great earthquake, the psalmist now moves to describing a beautiful river bringing life and flowing through the ideal Jerusalem.  The psalmist knows that God will protect his city, and that at the sound of God’s voice his enemies are defeated.  More than the city walls, it is God himself who is its protection.

 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.

The psalmist imagines the battlefield after God’s victory—his power is incomparable.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 

So, in light of all of the above, sit quietly with this truth and be not afraid!

“In the midst of our tumultuous, chaotic modern world, Psalm 46 reminds us that God can calm the raging seas and the trembling mountains and turn them to rivers of life and calm dwelling places.  All that is required of us is that we stand still and acknowledge the God who is with us.”--Nancy deClaissé-Walford

 
 
 

New Genesis Series Begins TONIGHT!

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Our new preaching/teaching series through the Book of Genesis launches TONIGHT with a kickoff Bible study.

Here’s all that you need to know, including how to participate, the schedule, how to get a book, how to receive daily emails, how to access the livestream, etc.

 
 

Fall Genesis Schedule

I’ve divided Genesis up into three parts to help you make sense of the book.

  1. Genesis Part 1: Creation to Babel (chapters 1-11), is the Prologue, not just to the rest of Genesis, but to the entire Bible that follows. It tells how God began with a good Creation, and how human and spiritual rebellion brought about destruction. The central question: What will fix humanity? Five weeks: readings begin Monday, 8/22 and conclude Friday, 9/23.

  2. Genesis Part 2: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (chapters 12-36) is the account of how God’s plan to save Creation begins with one man and his family. The central question: What will it take to form a family that can pass down the covenant? Five weeks: readings begin Monday, September 26 and conclude October 21.

  3. Genesis Part 3: Joseph and His Brothers (chapters 37-50) is the account of How Israel Ended Up in Egypt. The central question: Which brother will lead the family? Five weeks: readings begin Monday, October 24 and conclude the week of Thanksgiving.

I’ve divided up the readings in this way to help you understand Genesis, and also to make it easy for someone new to join in. Each part will have its own brand-new Daily Reading Guide booklet to go with it.

 
 

Preaching Schedule

[Fun pic from last Sunday as I was preaching about Psalm 1.]

I’m kicking off Genesis this Sunday, August 21, and will preach all the way through it, concluding at Thanksgiving. (Of course, I’m preaching each preceding Thursday as well.) I will NOT be preaching on 10/16 or 11/27.

 
 

Bible Study Schedule

I’m teaching four churchwide Bible studies on Genesis. Wednesdays, 6:30 PM.

  • August 17

  • August 31

  • October 12

  • October 26

 
 

Daily Reading Schedule (and How to Sign up for Daily Emails)

Readings are Monday-Friday only. Why? So if you get behind you can catch up on the weekends.

Remember, consistency is more important than intensity.

Each day I’ve written brief commentary to help you get the most out of what you’re reading. The goal is to get folks reading scripture—the commentary is just a reading aid.

I’ll post each day’s reading and commentary on my blog at 3:30 AM CDT; if you are on my “Daily Bible” reading list, that same post will be emailed to you at 4:00 AM CDT.

Wanna subscribe? Sign up here. Feel free to unsubscribe at any time. I have main sections on my website, the Blog section and the Bible section. If you want to receive posts from both sections, check both options on the sign-up page. Otherwise, just pick the “Daily Bible” newsletter option. [NOTE: if you’re subscribed but not receiving emails from me, check your junk folder.]

Want the whole pdf copy of Genesis Part 1? Download it here.

 
 

How to Livestream Sermons and Studies

There are three different options for the Asbury livestream.

  1. www.asburytulsa.org. Click on “Watch Live” on the main page.

  2. Facebook: the “Asbury Tulsa” page.

  3. YouTube: the “Asbury Tulsa” channel.

 
 

Are Videos Posted Later?

Yes.

Sermons are posted here.

Studies will be posted on a new Bible page we’re building out. Stay tuned! In the meantime, you’ll be able to access old videos through the Asbury YouTube page.

 
 

My Own Private Plan - One Psalm a Day, Forever

Because I’m writing and working on future reading plans (Revelation begins January 2!), I don’t always read the current reading on its specified day. Instead, I always keep pushing on with my reading plan through the Psalms, one psalm a day, rinse and repeat when I get to Psalm 150. (I talk about my practice here, for example.)

You are certainly welcome to join me in that. It’s every day, 7 days a week. I find a lot of comfort in beginning each day with a psalm, and I love using the ESV Scripture Journal of the Psalms, and seeing what I wrote from previous read-throughs.

 
 
 

Today’s Psalm - Psalm 108

Today’s psalm in my schedule contains a beautiful line that I use as a theme verse for one of my keystone habits, namely getting up early to pray:

“I will awaken the dawn.”
— Psalm 108:2
 
 

Psalm 108

A Song. A Psalm of David.

1 My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being!
2 Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

7 God has promised in his holiness:
    “With exultation I will divide up Shechem
    and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet,
    Judah my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I cast my shoe;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rejected us, O God?
    You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe,
    for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes.

 
 

I love how the psalmist describes himself rising early in the morning to praise the Lord, thankful and desperate. He’s thankful for God’s goodness, but desperate for God’s deliverance. He reminds himself that God has claimed the nations—Israel’s enemies—for himself, and asks the Lord to therefore defeat his enemies and rescue Israel—”Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine….”

And that final line is so great:

“With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.”
— Psalm 108:13

Amen! A good reminder today.

 

Seven Questions and Answers About the Book of Revelation

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I did an online Bible study last night as an overview to the Book of Revelation. (My notes are below.)

(I’ll cover today’s and tomorrow’s readings tomorrow, Friday.)

 
 

[If the above video doesn’t come through, you can find it here.]

 
 

Andrew Forrest

10/14/2020

 

Seven Questions and Answers About Revelation

 

What Does Apocalypse Mean?

 

An apocalypse is an unveiling.

 

 

 

What Is the Book of Revelation?

 

Revelation is the literary account of a vision given to a Jewish Christian prophet named John near the end of the first century.

 

The book takes the form of a circular letter sent among the churches of Asia Minor, meant to answer this question: What is the church’s role in God’s plan?

 

 

How Should We Interpret It?

 

The key to understanding Revelation is not today’s newspaper but the Old Testament.  If you use the newspaper to interpret Revelation, you’ll get it wrong.  If you use Revelation to interpret the newspaper, you’ll do what John wanted you to do: see reality from God’s perspective.

 

Revelation is the culmination of Old Testament prophecy.  Every image in it is somehow connected to the Old Testament.

 

 

What’s the Point of Revelation?

 

The Purpose of the Letter is To Tell The Churches of Asia Their Role in God’s Plan

 

Revelation discloses that the Church will conquer by being a faithful witness to Jesus, even unto death.  (See Revelation 11.)

 

The key passage of the entire book in Revelation 11, the account of the two witnesses.

 

 

 

 

Does the Vision Proceed Linearly?

 

No.  The vision proceeds cyclically and not linearly, in that the judgment section is telling the same thing in 3 different ways.

 

The book’s plot doesn’t play out linearly, but circularly: the 7 seals, 7 judgments, and 7 trumpets are making the same point, namely that the nations are not responding to judgment by repenting

 

The judgments are like Russian nesting dolls, with each 7th one opening up the next ones.

 

Each judgment gets worse

o   The seals destroy a quarter of the earth (6:8);

o   The trumpets a third (8:7-12, 9:18);

o   The bowls the entire thing. 

 

 

Who or What do the Monsters Symbolize?

 

The Beast (or earth-monster) is Roman imperial power, based on violent conquest.  Chapter 13 is thus about political power.  The Beast seems inevitable (13:3).

 

Babylon or the great whore/harlot of Babylon is Roman economic wealth, commercial success, and materialism, derived from exploitation and conquest.  Chapters 17-18 are thus about economic power.

 

The harlot rides the Beast (17:3) because Roman wealth comes from Roman military conquest; economic power comes from war.

 

The harlot offers beautiful things (17:4), but they are actually morally disgusting and filthy.

 

The dragon/serpent is Evil itself, the chaotic destructive power opposed to God.

 

The wounded head is Nero (13:14)  after his death there was civil war and the year of 4 Emperors, but then Flavius consolidated power and the beast went on. 

 

The beast thinks of itself as god, but we  are willing slaves (13:3-4).

 

The second beast or earth-monster probably represents the imperial priesthood in Asia.

 

The beast is totalitarian (13:16-17) and demands complete allegiance.

 

If Christians oppose it, they will be martyred.

 

 

 

Why Does John’s Vision Begin in the Heavenly Throne Room?

 

·       On earth as it already is in heaven—that’s what the throne scene tells us.

·       Either you worship God (and are set free) or you worship the Beast (and are enslaved).

·       It’s about true and false worship.

VIDEO: 15 Minute Bible Study on Psalm 29

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I taught a 15 minute Bible study on Psalm 29 this morning; I’ve included the video below.

If you understand one small word, then the whole psalm opens up before you!

I mention:

  • thunderstorms;

  • the mountains of Lebanon;

  • and even the auroch, an extinct wild ox.

I love Psalm 29, and I hope you will, too. Let me know if you find the study helpful.