May 9 - Three Human Conditions
There are three types of human beings in the eyes of God and Psalm 68 brings these into focus. These three human conditions are revealed at the manifest presence of God, when God shall arise and makes Himself known to us. When the Israelites set out in the wilderness, Moses would called on the Lord to arise and His presence to lead them by reciting the first verse of this psalm. When God manifests Himself, three types of people are identified:
The first group is the enemies of God. When God manifests Himself, they are to be scattered. They are the ones who hate God, who come against the purpose and sovereignty of God. They reject God’s rule and try consciously or unconsciously to thwart God’s plan in the world. When they see God, they have to flee before Him like smoke being driven by a strong wind or wax melting by fire. They cannot stand before God, the wicked shall perish in God’s presence.
The second group is the friends of God, the righteous people who have been justified by God’s grace and salvation. In contrast to the wicked, they welcome and seek for the manifest presence of God. They are glad to see God, jubilant in His presence and are joyful. In God’s presence, they worship and sing to God, praise His name and lift a song to Him. The most appropriate thing to do in God’s presence is to worship and attribute worth to God. This we do here on earth and continue all the way into eternity.
The third group of people can only be identified if one were in God’s presence. This is a great part of God’s heart and He wants us to be aware of them. When we see God face to face, we shall see that He is the Father of the fatherless and protector of the widows. When God is in His holy habitation, in His temple, when we honor Him and when He is sitting on the throne, He will let us know His heart. He is the Father, the Protector; His job is to settle the solitary into a home and lead the prisoners into prosperity. When one is truly worshipping God, his eyes would turn to this third group of humanity.
The rebellious, the righteous and the needy are the three major human conditions as God sees them. Which category are you in? If you are the righteous kind, having been made righteous because of the blood of Jesus and you are truly God’s obedient son or daughter, then you are to turn the enemies of God into the friends of God, and you are to help the needy like what the Lord does.
Worshipping God, bringing the lost to Him, helping the poor and the needy are our job description as believers. How are you doing in those areas?
Ps 68:1-6 1 Sam 5:1-7:17 John 6:1-21 Prov 14:32-33