Today we come to the fourth and last section of Psalm 105. This Psalm has given us God’s brief but divine perspective on Israel’s Egyptian experience. In verse 37, we see that God brought out Israel – “laden with silver and gold, and Egypt was glad when they left” (verses 37-38). The dread of Israel had fallen on Egypt. God is able to make His people dreadful to other, larger and more powerful nations. Many of us have seen this in our lifetimes. God remembers His promises to Israel, and He remembers all of us who are His children. He will never go back on His Word. As a result, we – who are His children - have fallen “heir to what others have toiled for” (verse 44), so that we “might keep His precepts, observe His laws, and praise Him” (verse 45). That is our purpose. We have become the beneficiaries of His love, mercy, and grace – benefits that are treasures beyond all imagination or description. This revelation encourages us to realize that God is generous – He gives freely of Himself to us – and that is reason enough to “praise Him” (verse 45). This Psalm is consistent with our New Testament readings in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.
In Isaiah 10:20-13:22, we read about God’s continuing dealings with Israel – that He intends to keep His promises to a faithful “remnant” who will “truly rely on the Holy One of Israel” (verse 20). Even though the Jews were His “chosen” people, we know that not all of them trusted in God, so we should read this section with some trepidation. “Though Israel be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return – destruction has been decreed – overwhelming and righteous. The LORD, the LORD Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land” (verses 22-23). We must recognize that faith in God is a personal requirement and commitment – a choice – thus, to be faithful, we must trust Him actively every day, moment by moment. Carefully and personally, we need to apply the truth taught in Isaiah 12:2 – “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2). Truly, God is generous. In chapter 11, Isaiah returns to the subject of the Branch (cf., Isaiah 4:2). Here, he identifies that the Branch “comes up from the stump and roots of Jesse” and that the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him” (verses 1-2). He will “judge with righteousness and justice” (verse 4). This can refer to none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter 12, Isaiah utters a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and in chapter 13, he delivers a prophecy against Babylon. Verses 17-22 were fulfilled literally on the night of Belshazzar’s feast (cf., Daniel 5).
A proper understanding of the revelation contained in today’s reading from the Psalms (i.e., 105:37-45) helps us to recognize why Paul was so insistent about the Corinthian Christians’ gifts to others in need – as was emphasized yesterday in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15. We saw that Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give generously (cf., 2 Corinthians 8:3, ff.). When we realize how generous God is, we – as His children – want to reflect that generosity. Here, in 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5, Paul is looking forward to the manner in which the Corinthian believers will reflect their generosity by receiving Titus and the other brothers – men of integrity – who minister “to honor the Lord Himself” (verse 19). Paul is saying that giving in the church is to be generous and managed impeccably. He says, “Show these men the proof of your love and the reason for my pride in you so that the churches can see it” (verse 24). Paul wants the Corinthian believers to be “ready [to give] the generous gift they had promised – not grudgingly given” (verse 5). Paul will continue this theme into tomorrow’s reading as well.
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