October 26, Day 299 – Security in An Uncertain World
- Dr. Eric Stricker
- Oct 25
- 3 min read
Today we come to Psalm 119:97-104. This Psalm is about meditating on the principles of God’s Word. Here, we find several different expressions that describe the Word of God, including law, commands, statutes, precepts, and words. The Word of God is compared to insight, understanding, the right path, and the sweetness of honey. Also, the Psalmist informs and calls us to love the Word of God, meditate upon it, obey it, keep it, adhere to it, taste it, and grow from it. In verses 99 and 100, we find two curious statements. First, that the Psalmist has “more insights that all his teachers” and second, that he has “more understanding than the elders.” What does he mean by these statements? Is he boasting of his knowledge and disparaging his teachers and elders? Clearly, the simple and short answer is no. He is saying that – merely by possessing, studying, and meditating upon God’s Word – he has access to more knowledge and insight than all the wisdom and learning possessed by all of his teachers and elders. In the natural course of study, we gain new knowledge and add it to the existing knowledge base. And that knowledge base continues to grow beyond that of our teachers and elders. Moreover, by his meditations, he is being taught by the Holy Spirit – Whose wisdom transcends that of all men. Daily, we should pray that God would bless us and all our loved ones with what I call the Hierarchy of Truth. Beginning from the top, we have God’s truth, then wisdom, knowledge, understanding, insight, discernment, and finally, discretion. God has provided us these tools to face the epistemological challenges of each day. These divinely-established resources are more precious than silver or gold. Indeed, they constitute the elements of life itself, and they become our only security in an uncertain world. I thank God that He has given us the treasures of His Word.
In Jeremiah 51:17-64, we continue to read about God’s past and forthcoming judgment on Babylon. We say “past,” because God dealt historically with Babylon when the Medes came in and conquered the nation and the city (cf., Daniel 5). Jeremiah says, “I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry … Babylon will be a heap of ruins” (verses 36-37). This happened on the night of King Belshazzar’s feast (cf., Daniel 5:30). We also say “forthcoming” because we recognize that the mysterious “Babylon the Great who sits on many waters – the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth” (cf., Revelation 17-18) – will [again] appear in all her sins during the great tribulation, and she will fall and be consumed by fire” (cf., Revelation 18:1-8). Historically and biblically, Babylon is an evil empire – a city that represents the archenemy of God – in all its human and demonic forms. Although Babylon was formerly a “war club” in God’s hands – to be used by God for His will and to fulfill His purposes, God would “stretch out His hand against her, and make her desolate forever” (verses 25-26). As we have seen in the past, God turns the tables.
2 Timothy 4 reveals Paul’s tender and compassionate heart as he completes his ministry and is about to depart for glory. Departures, for me – no matter how temporary they may be – are always heart-wrenching because, potentially, they represent something uncertain, final, and eternal. As missionaries, we constantly lived with departures – always saying “good-bye” – wondering, “Will we ever see each other again?” Personally for me, the absolute worst thing about life is saying “Good-bye.” Here, we see how hard this must have been for Paul as well. “Only Luke is with me,” he writes (verse 11). Luke was faithful to Paul to the end, when so many others were – for various reasons – no longer present. Good-byes are painful; I know of nothing else that hurts so much as saying, “Good-bye.”
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