Asaph was a God-fearing man and he tried to live for God in a wicked world. He was surrounded by ungodly people who had no fear of God. They were prosperous, violent, well nourished and proud, and in their pride ‘they set their mouth against the heavens’ and asked, “How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?”Asaph struggled with the prosperity of the wicked: so much so that he almost abandoned his faith. The answer to his dilemma came when he “went into the sanctuary of God; then [he] understood their end.” Asaph learnt there is a day of reckoning. The ungodly must, one day, stand before the God whom they deny! A solemn day indeed! - ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’ - Hebrews 10:31
“What is man ...?” - Psalm 8:4
It is apparent that many people who commit crime have little or no conscience. As long as they are not detected they remain confident that all is well. No human eye has spotted their sleight of hand, or seen their hideous cruelty, or gazed upon their heartlessness and deception. According to the Psalmist, such people are to be reckoned as fools. The Psalmist’s logic isn’t ‘rocket science’! It’s within the grasp of a child’s understanding. It’s a mystery that even the simpleton cannot see this ‘on the surface’ truth, which is, “He that formed the eye, shall He not see?” God is greater than the eye He has formed, and consequently He sees ALL!
“Ye fools, when will ye be wise ... He that formed the eye, shall He not see?” – Psalm 94:8-9
The apostle Paul was asked to give a defence of his faith before King Agrippa and
he sensed that Agrippa thought resurrection from the dead to be something beyond
the realm of belief. The Bible commentator Albert Barnes observed, “Why should it
be regarded as absurd that God—who has all power, who was the Creator of all, who
was the Author of the human frame—should again restore man to life, and continue
his future existence. The resurrection is no more incredible than the original creation
of the human body, and it is attended with no greater difficulties.” It is only judged
to be absurd because of man’s puny concept of the might of God!
“Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the
dead?” - Acts 26:8
This story is told in the Gospels written by Matthew, Mark and Luke. By comparing them we can build up a composite picture of the man. He was young. He had achieved a position in society, for he was a ruler. He was rich having ‘great possessions’. However, In spite of all this, he sensed there was a dimension missing from his life, and desperate to seek an answer to this vacuum, he ran to Jesus. When the conditions for eternal life were given, he turned on his heels and walked away dejectedly. “He was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.” The man’s youth has long since gone and the treasures that stole his heart and swayed his decision, were, in the end, left behind! Dear reader, decide wisely!
“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?” - Luke 18:18
The Lord and his disciples embarked on an evening journey across Lake Galilee. The
Saviour, weary with the demands of the day, fell asleep at the rear of the boat.
As they sailed they were suddenly engulfed by a raging storm that threatened to sink
the vessel. Overcome with fear and seeing no human solution to their dilemma, they
woke the Lord, saying, “Don’t you care if we perish?” What an awful charge to lay
at the Master’s feet! Perhaps the disciple John reflected much on that cutting accusation
as he later penned that most memorable verse – “For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH
but have everlasting life”.
“Master, carest Thou not that we perish?” - Mark 4:38
“If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” - Psalm 130:3
It is only by the grace of God that we are not all consumed instantly by His righteous
judgment. We deserve nothing less. The psalmist was very much aware of this and consequently
asked, ‘O Lord who could STAND?’ The simple truth is, no one could stand! We could
only ever stand by the grace of God. The apostle Paul expressed this great truth
when he wrote to the Christians at Rome - “this grace wherein we STAND” (Romans 5:2).
This super abounding grace can flow out to us only through Christ, who said in that
lovely Messianic Psalm 69, “I sink in deep mire, where there is NO STANDING.” We
STAND only because He was prepared, for our sakes to go to the place where there
was NO STANDING, i.e. the cross!
