Part 2 on White Blood Clot Results in 2024
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
A Song of Triumph in Prospect of God’s Universal Kingdom – Psalm 47
Psalm 47 Commentary By
Dennis Edwards
47:1 O clap your hands, all you people; shout unto God with the
voice of triumph.
2 Corinthians 2:14 says,
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.” Even in
death, “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us,” Romans 8:36.
God, in the form of a man, “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us
from this present evil world,” “and the power of darkness, and has translated
us into the kingdom of His dear Son,” Galatians 1:4, Colossians 1:13.
“For whosoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that
overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world? He
that believes that Jesus is the Son of God,” 1 John 5:4-5.
We need to keep the heavenly vision, for without a vision
the people perish, they faint and fall away. We keep the vision by, “looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” Hebrews 12:2. “For
here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come,” that is, “an
heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He has
prepared for them a city,” “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” Hebrews 13:14, 11:16, Revelation 22:2.
Psalm
47:2 For the Lord most high is terrible; He is a great
King over all the earth.
A stone, in the heavenlies, cut out without hands, is ready to smite the kingdoms of this world. Christ the King will reign triumphant over all. "And the seventh angel sounded (at the end of the three and a half years of great tribulation); and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever," Revelation 11:15.
Psalm
47:3 He shall subdue the people
under us, and the nations under our feet.
Apostle Paul explains how Jesus will fulfil the subduing. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (NASB) “Then comes the end, when He (Christ) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is an exception who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”
We see the same imagery in Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV). “In my vision at night
I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man (Jesus), coming with
the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days (God the Father) and was led into
his presence. He (the Son of Man - Jesus) was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all
nations and peoples of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an
everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that
will never be destroyed.”
Psalm
47:4 He shall choose our
inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved. Selah.
We who
have believed on the name of the son of God have obtained the inheritance that
could not be obtained through the law. “Christ has redeemed us….that the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through Him; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith,” Galatians
3:13-14. “There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's,
then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, Galatians
3:28-29. God will choose those that love and obey Him for His inheritance.
The blessing of Abraham shall come upon all those that believe and obey the
voice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm
47:5 God is gone up with a
shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
At Jesus coming we find the same imagery of shouting and trumpets sounding!
1Thessalonians
4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Corinthians
15:51-52 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Matthew
24:29-31 “Immediately after the
tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not
give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of
man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall
see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other!
Psalm
47:6 Sing praises to God, sing
praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
God dwells in the praises of His people. In Psalm 100:1-2&4,
we read, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His
presence with singing…Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His
courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”
The New
Testament has the same admonition. Colossians 3:15-17 “And let the peace
of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and
be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in
word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and
the Father by him.”
Ephesians
5:18-21 “And be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your
heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one
to another in the fear of God.”
Psalm
47:7 For God is the King of all
the earth: sing praises with understanding.
Jesus
has gotten us the victory. Psalm 98:1 says, “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous
things: His right hand, and His holy arm, has gotten Him the victory.” In
1 Corinthians 15:57 we read, “But thanks be to God, which gives us the
victory though our Lord Jesus Christ.” Daniel 2:44 “And
in the days of these kings, (the 10 kings of the Antichrist world government),
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and
the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, (and destroy the Antichrist, his government, and
military), and God’s kingdom shall stand for ever.”
Psalm
47:8 God reigns over the
heathen: God sits upon the throne of His holiness.
Jesus
sits at the right hand of the Father. Revelation 7:9-12 says, “After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And
cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the
throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on
their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for
ever and ever. Amen.” Romans 8:34 “It is Christ that died, yes
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us.”
Psalm
47:9 The princes of the people
are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of
the earth belong unto God: He is greatly exalted.
The “shields
of the earth” signifies the leaders that protect the peoples of the earth. They
shall submit themselves unto God and to Christ at His coming.
In Isaiah
2:2-4, we read, “And it shall come to pass in the last
days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of
the Lord, to
the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will
walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of
the Lord from
Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war anymore.”
After
the terrible time of great tribulation and wrath of God, the millennium
dispensation will begin. Jesus will make the wars to cease, He will destroy all
armaments, burning much of them by fire. God will be exalted among the nations.
He will be exalted in the earth, Psalm 46:9-10.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, Isaiah 11:9. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord over all the earth, Philippians 2:19-11 reads, “ Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Prayer: Lord, help us to walk in victory. Help us to shout and praise You in spite of the difficulties we may be facing at the moment. We know "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us," Romans 8:18. Help us to keep the heavenly vision. For "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him," 1st Corinthians 2:9. Help us not to be weary and faint in our minds, but to rise up and fight the good fight with praise and thanksgiving. "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you," 1st Thessalonians 5:18. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!" Philippians 4:4. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Monday, December 16, 2024
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Alistair McPherson's Prayers Against the Demonic
Alistair McPherson reveals his experiences from "The Unseen World" & the lessons that come out of them. Here are four prayers to learn and to share with others who may be experiences demonic attacks.
1. RENOUNCING ANY AND ALL DEMONIC SPIRITS. In the name of Jesus, I RENOUNCE any and all, associated and attached, demonic spirits, and COMMAND that you leave me. Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive me for whatever it is that I have done to open the door to these demonic spirits. Please forgive me, I pray. In Jesus’ Name. Any and all, associated and attached demonic spirits, I come against you and declare you are done and finished. You must leave me now because I have authority over you, in Jesus’ Name! 2. DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL TRANSFERENCES (PROJECTIONS). Lord, I lift up to you any transferences from other people. Lord, forgive me for any part that I may have played. Come now, Holy Spirit. Fill any place in me where transferences may have landed. Fill those places with Your Light, Your Love, Your Spirit, and burn away the effects of those sins, in Jesus' Name. 3. DEALING WITH ANY ASSIGNED SPIRITS. Lord, if any demonic spirit has been assigned to me by anyone—in willing cooperation or without knowledge: I take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and I sever any and all, associated and attached, assigned demonic spirits from me now. I see these spirits fly off into the darkness, never to return to cause harm to me, my family, and friends. In Jesus' Name. 4. DEALING WITH FALLEN ANGELIC POWERS (Celestial Beings=Glorious Ones, Jude 8; 2 Pet. 2:10). Lord, if there are any celestial beings working against me, I ask that you call these celestial beings into your Holy Presence to judge them.I ask Lord that you remove from my life and send them far from me, to a place of your choosing. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Dennis Edwards
Stay away from Ouija Boards, Tarot Cards, Reiki, Demonic movies, Demonic computer games and Demonic music. Even tattoos can be used to open a door spiritually to the dark side. If you are having any spiritual experiences from the dark side, not able to sleep, panic attacks, or other weird things happening, you may have unknowingly opened yourself up to demonic influences. You can pray these prayers out loud with a loved one and resist the enemy. "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall done for them of My Father which is in heaven," Matthew 18:19. "Behold, I give you power (or authority) to tread on serpents and on scorpions, and over all the power (or activity) of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you," Luke 10:19. Jesus has given us authority over all the power of the Wicked One "whom (we) resist steadfast in the faith," 1 Peter 5:9.
We resist and command to leave any and all hindering spirits from any of the above categories. Cleanse our hearts, minds, and bodies from all demonic influences. Now am I clean through the Word which You have spoken, Lord, John 15:3. Grant me a renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5. In Jesus' name I pray. I extend this prayer to my loved ones. Cover them under the umbrella of my faith and obedience to you. Extend my covering under your wings to them. Let the loving Holy Spirit reveal Your truth to them that they may recover themselves from the snares of the Evil One, 2 Timothy 2:26. In the name of Jesus, I pray. "You shall be saved, and your house," Acts 16:31.
Abusing drugs and alcohol can also be an avenue for spiritual attacks and entrances. Occult books or magazines like seemingly innocent "Horoscope" magazines can carry demonic hitch hiking spirits, decorative Buddhas may have been "prayed" over by followers of Satan to carry demonic spiritual energy. John Todd said that music albums were prayed over by the top witches in America to bewitch those that listened to their enchantments. Like Piped Piper hypnotised the children and took them from their parents, the witches prayed against the Christian youth and sought to undermine their Christian faith taught by their parents through the spiritual influence of modern music. Beware what you listen to. If it's contrary to God’s Word then turn it off.
Baptise your self with Christian music. You may find some at nubeat.org or on YouTube under Christian Hymns or Christian Songs, etc. God bless you as you meditate on His word. Pick up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and helps you discern the good from the bad, and the true from the almost true, Hebrews 4:12. I love you. Join me in the fight of faith for each of your family members, 1 Timothy 6:12. May we that believe fight to save those who are weakening in the faith. Pray with me today for all your family members. May they each be encouraged and know the love that God has for them, exceeding and abundant, Ephesians 3:16-21. May they be encouraged to walk closer to Jesus day by day. He only is our salvation. May each one accept His hand and be freed from the demonic influences that are attacking them. In Jesus' powerful name, we pray. Amen.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
I Laid Me Down and Slept; I Awaked; for the Lord Sustained Me. - Psalm 3
Psalm 3 – A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son
Comments Dennis Edwards
The word “psalm” is believed to mean in Hebrew “to
sing praise,” or “melody of praise.” Since “psalm” also suggest the idea of
dressing, decorating, or adorning, a psalm was meant to be a song of praise to
God where the words were to be graceful and the music well-executed.
Psalm 3:1-2 Lord,
how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
David is crying out to God in one of His moments of
affliction, when Absalom rose up against him in an attempt to destroy him, and
take the Kingdom for himself. The psalm can also be seen as prophetic of the
suffering of Christ, as He enters His moment of Passion and the religious and
secular world rise up against Him. It may even be yet to be fulfilled in the
last days, when the power of antichrist and lawlessness is unleashed against
the true believers during those three and a half years of great tribulation,
which seem to be slowly, but surely, approaching on the horizon.
Psalm 3:3 But
You, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my
head.
David
cried unto the Lord as he left Jerusalem for the wilderness in his escape from
the hands of his son, Absalom. Jesus, likewise, as He sweat blood from anguish, cried
out to God in Gethsemane, and angels came and ministered to Him, and
strengthened Him for the battle that was ahead. Finally, when a band of men and
officers come from the chief priests and Pharisees with weapons to capture Jesus, Jesus goes forth to meet them. He says to them, “Whom do you seek?” They
respond, “Jesus of Nazareth.” When Jesus answers, “I am He,” they go backwards
and fall to the ground, John 18:3-6. Such, was the power of the Holy Spirit
that was anointing Him for the moment. We have seen martyrs like Joan of Arc
and Martin Luther, and others, waver in their faith under prosecution, but then,
after spending time with God, recommit, and come back with faith unmoveable and
full of glory. They loved not their lives even to the death.
Psalm 3:4 I
cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.
Selah.
Apostle
Paul explains in his epistle to the Philippians that once we have cast our
cares upon the Lord through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, God
responds by giving us a supernatural peace that passes all human understanding,
Philippians 4:6-7.
Psalm 3:5 I
laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
We can
lay down in sleep and peace, because we know the Lord is keeping us safe. He
doesn’t slumber or sleep. He preserves us from all evil. He preserves our soul.
He watches our going out and coming in. We can therefore sleep without fear. Proverbs
3 has an interesting commentary on the subject.
Proverbs
3:21-26 "My son, let not them (my law and
my commandments) depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
So, shall they be life unto your soul, and grace to your neck. Then shall
you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble. When you
lie down, you shall not be afraid: yea, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall
be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither
of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes. For the Lord shall be your confidence, and shall
keep your foot from being taken."
Proverb 3 gives an example
of lying down in trust, because trust and confidence is the fruit of living a
life in relationship to God and His word. We can rest with out a fearful
looking to of judgment, because we have been abiding in His word and His word has
been abiding in us. Therefore, we fear not, because we know that God is with
us. It is He that strengthen us, that helps us, that uphold us with the right-hand
of His righteousness, Isaiah 41:10.
If you cannot sleep at
night, maybe God wants you to get up and call out to Him in prayer. Maybe there is
some disobedience in your life, and you need to reflect upon the way wherein
you are walking. Maybe God wants to speak to you. Make it a habit to pray and
or read your Bible in those moments when sleep flees from you. You’ll soon be
sleeping well, as you deepen and strengthen your relationship with the Lord. But
if not, and you still have difficulty sleeping, don’t worry about it. In
everything give thanks. Count it one of God’s blessing to you and see how you
can redeem the extra time He’s giving you.
Psalm 3:6 I
will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against
me round about.
When we
have a deep personal relationship with God, we can go to Him in desperate
prayer during moments of physical and emotional upheaval and have complete
trust that He is in control. “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind in
stayed on You because he trusts in You,” Isaiah 26:3. Thus, we see David, as a protype
of Jesus, and both of them exhibited extraordinary calm in the face of their enemies.
Psalm 3:7 Arise,
O Lord;
save me, O my God: for You have smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; You
have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
David
saw God arise in his defence and in the defence of Israel, the young nation
state. Jesus knew the time would come when He, too, would crush all His enemies
under His feet. We must, also, hold to the promises of God in the face of the
world-wide persecution foretold to come to pass in the last days of Antichrist.
Psalm 3:8 Salvation
belongs unto the Lord: Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah.
Therefore,
we shall fear not those that can kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul. We will fear and adore Him that is able to cast both body and soul into
hell. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work
in judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
Deuteronomy
28:1-2 And it shall come to pass, if you
shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to
do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God
will set you on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessing
shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall hearken unto the voice of the
Lord your God.
God’s
blessings are conditional. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness; and all these things (or blessings) shall be added unto you,” Matthew
6:33.
Solomon
wrote, “The blessing of the Lord, it makes (one) rich, and He adds no sorrow
with it,” Proverbs 10:22. If we let God increase our blessings and don’t
strive for them in our own strength, but let Him bless us; He will bless us
without the sorrow and strife we will experience in trying to gain the blessings
through the arm of the flesh.
Jesus
said, “The spirit quickens (or makes alive), the flesh profits nothings.”
Apostle John added, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the
world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but whosoever does the
will of God abides forever,” 1 John 2:16-17.
I would like to add one
more point about “Your blessing is upon Your people.” Apostle Paul in his
writing to the Galatians wrote, “That the blessing of Abraham might come upon
the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith,” Galatian 3:14. He continues, “For you are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one
in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise,” Galatians 3:26-29.
In Romans, Paul had said
something similar. “For he is not a Jew, (a member of God’s chosen seed), which
is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God,”
Romans 2:28-29.
God’s blessing has been and is upon those that believe. "For what says the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness," Romans 4:3 and Genesis 15:6. "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith," Romans 4:13. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,” Hebrews 11:6.
"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boost," Ephesians 2:8-9. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name,” John 1:12. “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him,” John 3:36. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your house,” Acts 16:31. “Lord, I believe, take away my unbelief,” Mark 9:24. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Let Us Pray That He Give Us His Mind and His Heart!
https://www.sunrisedevotional.com/english
Let’s pray that He will give us His mind and His heart
Freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)
Let’s make a commitment to pray daily for Jesus to fill each of us with His love so that we
can pour His healing balm on all we meet and so that we can do to others as we would want
them to do to us.
Let’s pray that He will give us His mind and His heart, which are loving, caring,
Let’s pray that He will give us His mind and His heart, which are loving, caring,
compassionate, understanding, concerned, kind, and sacrificial for the well-being of others.
Jesus said, “I came to seek and save that which is lost”. The little sheep that is lost in the
Jesus said, “I came to seek and save that which is lost”. The little sheep that is lost in the
brambles may be any one of your brothers, sisters, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, or
neighbours who may be lost in discouragement, lost in confusion, lost in condemnation, lost
in doubts, lost in weariness, lost in pain.
Can you take up Jesus’ commission to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead? Heal
Can you take up Jesus’ commission to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead? Heal
the sick in body and spirit by your loving words, cast out doubt and condemnation through
your understanding love, raise the “dead” whose hope has died by expressing faith and
confidence in them. Cleanse the “lepers” who feel unclean, undeserving, unrecognized,
unwhole, by your unconditional love and acceptance. —M. Fontaine [1]
Prayer: Dear Lord, may we have love that never stops caring, love that never lets go,
love that holds on through the tough spots. Love that pulls others through, looks beyond.
Love that bears, that carries, that heals. Love that never runs out, that knows no
boundaries. Amen!
[1] Anchor A Call to Compassion
Friday, December 13, 2024
He Giveth More Grace - Don Moen
Dennis Edwards: Here's an article related to the song.
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Why Does the Bible Say That "God Dwells in Darkness"?
Dec 11, 2024 12:00 am
Why Does the Bible Say That “God Dwells in Darkness”?
By Tommy Paluchowski
Did you know that this exact same verse appears in the Bible twice? “Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness’” (1 Kings 8:12 and 2 Chronicles 6:1). Actually, it was the same event, recorded twice. Why? I would like to think because it was important. Solomon announced this during a celebration when the ark of the covenant was set in place and God’s glory filled the temple.
At first, what Solomon announced in God’s name seemed strange to me. It was as if someone was talking off-topic. I was surprised by the lack of any logical connection between the occasion for celebration and the statement that God was in a dark place.
When I was researching the meaning of this verse, I found the explanation by Adam J. Walker to be helpful, that no one can view the full glory of God directly, so when God is within the reaches of human contact, He dwells in thick darkness so that His glory doesn’t consume those He loves.1
I reflected further on this concept of God dwelling in darkness. An interesting question is whether the darkness could be a type of invitation. At first glance, that idea seems counterintuitive. But an invitation to what?—To intimacy with God, of course!
When praying about this, the scripture came to mind with the invitation from Matthew 6:6: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Perhaps personal contact with God took place in thick darkness, so that, among other things, no one would disturb our one-on-one relationship, the time we spend alone with God.
Moses experienced something similar: “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.’ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:18–19, 21).
The apostle Paul was changed into a new man after three days in darkness, following Jesus’ appearance to him in the light while he was on his journey to Damascus. (See Acts 9:1–19.)
Jesus died in darkness for our sins. “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit” (Matthew 27:45, 50).
And God told the freed Israelites: “Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night” (Deuteronomy 16:1). “It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their generations” (Exodus 12:42).
Did God decide to bring the Jews out of Egypt at night because it is easier to travel in the desert since it is not as hot as during the day? Or was He showing them a metaphor by using night as a symbol?
In my life and work for the Lord I have seen many unusual events, even miracles when they were needed. I’ve celebrated and had fun with others. I’ve rejoiced in the Lord’s accomplishments. All this was a satisfying experience for me. But I can say with certainty that these moments of joy, although pleasant, did not teach me a whole lot.
The real learning and spiritual growth came during moments of darkness. Days when, for example, I got sick suddenly and had to quarantine alone for days. It was then that I experienced moments of inspiration while reading the Bible for hours, not rushing to some activity that normally would be waiting for me in my everyday life. I had a lot of free time and I could spend it with God. Sometimes it was the only thing I could do.
It was precisely these moments, shutting myself in my room to talk to God alone, that were like entering darkness. I say darkness, because sometimes it was not easy for me to listen and accept God’s correction of my life course. But it was worth the effort. It was during this time in darkness that I learned a lot about my spiritual life and my behavior.
What was painful to my pride was at the same time a gift for me personally as I grew in spiritual strength and in the knowledge of my Savior. I am certain that God allowed my failures, illnesses, and misadventures, if only so that we could be together. Just the two of us.
While being in darkness, I learned important principles and great truths. In hindsight, I know that if it were not for these times of darkness, I would not have managed my future life journey as well. God gave me enough time for this teaching to soak into my soul, to remain there forever. “I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things” (Isaiah 45:7).
Now that I have a chronic illness—a kind of darkness that I didn’t know before—in addition to the new things I discover, I am also learning again what I have already learned. Of course, I would like to act, perform, and generally be active, but it is not my choice anymore. I surrendered my life to Jesus again. I placed my desires on Him. I did it once. Then I did it again. And again. And… Jesus is my best choice. My only choice.
At first, I resisted this time of learning. Later, when I calmed down, I made this choice even though I knew He would lead me through darkness and night. Yes, I did it consciously. Here is my reasoning.
Most of us have a bad feeling about darkness. I don’t remember hearing many sermons that were titled “God dwells in darkness.” People seem to avoid this topic. Despite this negative connotation, it was in darkness that I learned that God is light. To some, this may sound absurd, but it is the truth. It was the darkness that made me realize the need for His light. Gratitude for Jesus appeared in my life. He is the light, and through Him I see and am seen.
In the darkness I appreciated the brilliance of the treasure that is God’s Word. The dense darkness motivated me to look for the shining promises of God that I could lean on and that would give me direction in the darkness of this world. When I could see nothing in front of me, I learned how to take steps of faith.
In the dark, I was trained to recognize the “still, small voice” of God that replaced my sight. When I was walking gropingly, fearing that I’d stumble over something, I then began to appreciate and hold on tight to the hand of God, who was saying to me, “Do not be afraid.”
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
* * *
Often we walk in darkness. Who hasn’t felt the darkness of depression or uncertainty, of fear or sadness? In the dark moments of life I believe that God is far nearer than we can comprehend. In those times when He feels distant, when it feels like we are lost in the darkness, God is in fact with us, near enough to touch if we will simply reach out. …
One of the funny things about mankind is that we always expect God to come onto the scene with a flash of lightning and thunder that will shake our very souls. But God is rarely like that, I think it’s because He isn’t much of a show-off. God loves to come on the scene quietly and even humbly. He peers onto the scene of human suffering with the caring heart of a Father and the gentle grace of a lamb. He can be easily found by those that realize He is in the thick darkness, we just have to remember to look. After all, He did come onto the scene of mankind as a baby in the little town of Bethlehem. And on that dark night He was found by those humble enough to seek Him.—Adam J. Walker
Blessed Is He That Considers the Poor! - Psalm 41
Psalm 41 A Psalm of David
Commentary by Dennis Edwards with consideration to
William de Burgh, Doctor of Divinity (1801-1866)
41:1 Blessed (or Happy) is he that considers the poor (or weak,
persecuted, oppressed, destitute, or afflicted): the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
Jesus
Himself was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
He was oppressed and afflicted, Isaiah 53:3&7. He told His disciples
the following parable.
Matthew
25:34-40 Then shall the King say unto them
on his right hand, Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and you gave me
meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me
in: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in
prison, and you came unto me. Then shall the
righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You?
or thirsty, and gave You drink? When did we see You a stranger, and take
You in? or naked, and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in
prison, and come unto You? And the King shall answer and say unto them,
Verily I say unto you, In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of
these My brethren, you have done it unto Me.
Mother
Teresa, and Saint Francis before her, and many others have travailed with the
poor in seeking to fulfil Jesus’ commandments on helping the poor. Let us do
the same in what ever way we are able.
Psalm
41:2-3 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him
alive; and he shall be blessed (or prosper) upon the earth: and You will not
deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen
him upon the bed of languishing: You will make all his bed in his sickness, (or
be like a nursing father).
God has
promised that if we are faithful to care for others in our lives who He brings
along our paths, He will care for us. We see the same sentiment in Isaiah.
Isaiah
58:6-11 Is not this the fast that I have
chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let
the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal your
bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your
house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself
from your own flesh (family)? Then shall your light break forth as the
morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness
shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your reward. Then
shall you call, and the Lord shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I
am. If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the
finger, and speaking vanity; And if you draw out your soul to the
hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in
obscurity, and your darkness be as the noon day: And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your
soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered
garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Lord,
help us to meditate on Your words and apply them to our lives that we may be blessed.
If we want to be happy and healthy in this life and the life to come, let us
see how we can help those in need around us.
Psalm
41:4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I
have sinned against thee.
When we
are sick, we search our souls to find out if our sickness is a result of having
wandered from God’s path. Jesus Himself never sinned, but He carried the sins
of the world to the cross.
Isaiah
53:5-8 But He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like
sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us
all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His
mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison
and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out
of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken.
Psalm
41:5 My enemies speak evil of
me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
The
Pharisees and religious leaders wanted Jesus’ name to perish. But as Apostle
Peter responded,
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel,
that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God
raised from the dead, even by Him does this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the
head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The
religious leaders then counselled together on what to do and decided,
Acts
4:17-20 But that it spread
no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak
henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded
them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and
John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to
hearken unto you more than unto God, judge you. For we cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and heard.
Neither
should we hide God’s truth within us, but speak forth His truth with love and
humility.
Psalm
41:6-8 And if he comes to see
me, he speaks vanity: his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes
abroad, he tells it (or spreads it abroad). All that
hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. An evil
disease, say they, cleaves fast unto him: and now that he lies he shall rise up
no more.
As with
Job, when bad events happen in our lives, others may assume that what is
happening is a result of God’s judgment on us because of sin. The Bible says
that the curse causeless does not come. Yet, Jesus was without sin. In the case
of Job, God allowed his afflictions as a testing. The enemy may be attacking us
because of our good work for the Lord. Let us not fall into condemnation for
God’s mercies endure forever.
Psalm
41:9 Yea, mine own familiar
friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel
against me.
Early
expositors agreed that the prophetic word found here as spoken by Jesus in John
13:18 indicates the psalm in applicable to the Messiah.
Psalm
41:10 But You, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up,
that I may requite (or respond to) them.
In the
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,
Matthew
5:44-45a Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully
use you, and persecute you. That you may be the children of Your Father which
is in heaven.
However,
in His parables He clearly reveals that there is judgment for the wicked, if he
turn not from his wickedness.
Luke
19:27 But My enemies, which would not that
I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me.
Matthew
25:48-51 But and if that evil servant
shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming; And shall begin to
smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The
lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an
hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him
his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Psalm
41:11-12 By this I know that
You favour me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. And as for me, You
uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face for ever.
Jesus’
enemies did not triumph, which means “shout for joy in victory,” over Him. He
rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father. He gives us power over
death and hell. He calls us to become sons of God. Therefore, we should not
fear those that can kill our bodies, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy
both our souls and our bodies in hell.
Matthew
10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess
Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father
which is in heaven.
Revelation
22:12-14 And, behold, I come quickly; and
My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am
Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the end, the first and the last. Blessed
are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Psalm 41:13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. (or, truly I say, Amen.)
