June 8, 2017

NEVERTHELESS, HE REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT.

Psalm 106:28–48

Kristin Dodgen
Thursday's Devo

June 8, 2017

Thursday's Devo

June 8, 2017

Central Truth

Despite repeated unfaithfulness—even wickedness, pride, and  direct opposition to God—He, nevertheless, remembered His covenant. 

God is faithful.

Key Verse | Psalm 106:43–45

Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.
Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
(Psalm 106:43-45)

Psalm 106:28–48

28  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29  they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
30  Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was stayed.
31  And that was counted to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever.

32  They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
    and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33  for they made his spirit bitter, 1 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit
    and he spoke rashly with his lips.

34  They did not destroy the peoples,
    as the LORD commanded them,
35  but they mixed with the nations
    and learned to do as they did.
36  They served their idols,
    which became a snare to them.
37  They sacrificed their sons
    and their daughters to the demons;
38  they poured out innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was polluted with blood.
39  Thus they became unclean by their acts,
    and played the whore in their deeds.

40  Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,
    and he abhorred his heritage;
41  he gave them into the hand of the nations,
    so that those who hated them ruled over them.
42  Their enemies oppressed them,
    and they were brought into subjection under their power.
43  Many times he delivered them,
    but they were rebellious in their purposes
    and were brought low through their iniquity.

44  Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
45  For their sake he remembered his covenant,
    and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
46  He caused them to be pitied
    by all those who held them captive.

47  Save us, O LORD our God,
    and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.

48  Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the LORD!

Footnotes

[1] 106:33 Or they rebelled against God's Spirit

Dive Deeper | Psalm 106:28–48

After ascribing praise to the Lord for His kindness and greatness, the psalmist then begins a confession of sins. In verses 26-33, the progression of the Israelites' sins are continued. Horrific. Dark. Great is their rebellion.

The general types of sin narrated in these verses include obedience to false gods, rash words, disobedience to God's will, and complacency among the world (fitting in with the neighbors). These sins, among others, led to the Israelites' gruesome sacrifice and death of their own children to serve the idols of Canaan.

Did you catch that? Shedding the blood of their own children.

Remember when God tested Abraham? God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and provided a replacement that would atone for sin, foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus. Now, the people of Israel are reversing this beautiful demonstration. They returned to their vilest practices as if they had never met God. 

Be it rash words or child sacrifice to false gods, sin is no entertainment. And unless there is deep, real repentance, there can be nothing but increasing trouble.

In 1 Corinthians 10:11a, Paul reminds us that “these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction.” This unfaithful, abhorrent behavior by the Israelites has been written down so we might learn from their mistakes. But it happened in order to reveal God's character. 

What does this reveal about God’s character? Take a look back at those key verses (43-45), “Nevertheless . . . he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of His steadfast love.” Even when “we are faithless, He remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13) Our unfaithfulness will never nullify God’s faithfulness. Throughout Israel’s history, we see God’s loyalty, provision, and mercy. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see God’s loyalty, provision, and mercy. Where can we see His perfect character revealed in our lives?

The psalm concludes with praise and thanksgiving by a grateful people who know they’ve deserved the Lord’s wrath but received His favor. 

Today, we are able to learn from the mistakes of those who have wavered before us. We are faced with our great need, and we are reminded of God's enduring faithfulness.

Discussion Questions

1. What is repentance, you ask? "The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action." (See https://gotquestions.org/repentance.html for more information about repentance.) And what change of mind and change of action have occurred in your own life since knowing Jesus? 

2. Where else do you see God's loyalty recorded in Scripture? Where have you seen God's loyalty in your own story? 

3. When has God provided for you? And what are specific times He has shown you mercy?

4. Take time to praise God and thank Him for His faithfulness in the midst of our faithlessness; His great love for us, in the midst of our shame. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, 'Amen!' Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 106:48)