“Truth for Truckers” *April 19, 2014* Psalm 79 “Revenge the blood of Thy servants”
This strong request in the midst of this
Psalm is asking God to bring vengeance upon those who have killed God’s
servants, those who have defiled the Temple, those who have laid Jerusalem on
heaps. This time of Israel’s defeat and destruction is likely the period of
time when Antiochus Epiphanes and his Syrian armies destroyed the nation of
Israel only to be defeated later by the Jews called Maccabees according to the
historic accounts found in the Apocrypha which occurred in the second century
before Christ. That is the setting of this entire Psalm. Antiochus Epiphanes is
an accurate type of the coming Antichrist for he also will defile the Temple
which will be rebuilt on the Temple mount in Jerusalem.
When the Fifth Seal is opened in
Revelation 6:9-11 there will be a similar request to God for His vengeful
judgment: “And when He had opened the
Fifth Seal, I saw under altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of
God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long O Lord holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth? Notice, God’s judgment has not yet begun
upon those who have martyred these saints, but, in (v.17) God’s wrath which is
the Day of the Lord is announced and just about to be poured out upon the
unbelieving world which overall future situation will be much like the
situation described in Psalm 79.
I.
Describing the Desperate Situation (v.1-5)
A. O God, the heathen are come into Thy
inheritance
B. Thy holy Temple have they defiled
C. They have laid Jerusalem on heaps
D. The dead bodies of Thy servants have they
given to be meat unto the fowls heaven
E.
The flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth
F.
Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem
G. We
are become a reproach to our neighbors
II.
Demanding Answers and Directing Actions of the Lord (v.6-12)
A. How long LORD?
B. How long will Thou be angry forever?
C. How long shall Thy jealousy burn like fire?
D. Pour out Thy wrath upon the heathen that have not
known Thee
E. Pour out Thy wrath upon the kingdoms that have not
called upon Thy name
F. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his
dwelling place.
G. O remember not against us former iniquities
H. Let Thy tender mercies speedily precede us: for we are
brought very low
I.
Help us O God of
our salvation, for the glory of Thy name and deliver us
J. And purge away our sins for Thy names sake
K. Why should the heathen say “Where is their God?”
L. Let Him be known among the heathen in our sight by the
revenging of the blood of Thy servants
M. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before Thee
according to the greatness of Thy power
N. Preserve Thou those that are appointed to die.
O. And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their
bosom their reproach wherewith they have
Reproached Thee O Lord.
III.
Deliberate Adoration of God (v.13)
A. So we Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture will
give Thee thanks forever
B. We will show forth Thy praise to all generations
This example of going to God describing
the situation and then laying it all upon His shoulders is the avenue to
spiritual and physical success. It all depends upon God, all of the actions
necessary to bring to pass victory in the midst of utter defeat and
destruction. This plan for getting the victory God’s way by His intervention is
the way to peace, joy and love for God resulting in praise and thanksgiving
before the outcome is known. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us! Follow His
plan for success, regardless of the dire circumstances, lay it on Him and rest
in the Lord.
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