We all, or rather most of us, get that feeling that the wicked are the only ones who seem to prosper. It's those who are corrupt who are rich and seem to lead happy lives, lives free from want. All seeming necessities of life are met without any worry. The lure towards corruption is strong because of this, and you know what, even those known to be close to God seem to feel this way too. Read the following-
Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Sound familiar? Envious of the foolish seeing the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
The ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me
Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
UNTIL I WENT INTO THE SANCTUARY OF GOD THEN UNDERSTOOD I THEIR END.
What happens in the sanctuary? What dwells in the sanctuary? Why did going in to the sanctuary give understanding?
The entire plan of salvation is laid out in type in the sanctuary. The ark of the covenant with the ten moral laws was in the Most Holy Place. The sacrifice for sins, daily sacrifices being made, and a yearly day of cleansing of all sin. The sanctuary revealed God's way, life in Him, with His laws and the promises of a future with Him. The sanctuary revealed that there was a plan of salvation. We read this-
(Talking of the city- the New Jerusalem brought down from heaven to earth after 1000 years of the saints living in heaven with Christ.)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
The Lord God Almighty AND the Lamb are the temple.
This is truth!
God gave His sanctuary to His people to teach them, and then God gave His Son as the ultimate Sacrifice, and it is to the Son we look to now for forgiveness not a sacrificed lamb in the temple. It is our Savior who LIVED the ten moral laws perfectly who is our example!
Truly when we look into the Sanctuary we understand that only those who live for Christ and His righteousness, only those that live for heavenly treasures are truly rich.
*******
Psa 73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Psa 73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Psa 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
Psa 73:21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
Psa 73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
We are foolish to think the wicked are truly prospering. They are NOT prospering in matters of eternity, in matters of everlasting life, in the matters of heaven. They are on the road to eternal death. We shouldn't envy their prosperity now because their end is God-less. They don't know God who alone is true life, true living, true love everlasting.
Psa 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Praise God! God must be our strength! Nothing else truly matters, not really. EVERYTHING is temporary to eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord! He alone is our prize, our hope, our riches, our glory, our thanksgiving, our life, our LOVE. All else is but distractions trying to keep us from Salvation in Christ, trying to keep our minds on our lives now and not letting us live for the future with Christ that we are promised.
Psa 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
The end of all who live for earthly treasures- be they many earthly treasures or a single one- will be destroyed, their hearts are NOT with God, they will perish.
Psa 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
Our trust must be in the LORD GOD! We must draw near to GOD! We must declared HIS wonderful works, His works which matter more than any other.
Please LORD, help us to understand Your truth. Let us look into the sanctuary and understand the end of the wicked.
Please help us not to envy those wickedly prospering- whether it's in health or material possessions, please let us realize that no matter what our lot in this life, YOU are our end! YOU are our EVERYTHING! Our glory! Our praise!
All in You LORD, all in YOU!
By Your grace, Your mercy, Your righteousness, Your LOVE! Always!
Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Sound familiar? Envious of the foolish seeing the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
The ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me
Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
UNTIL I WENT INTO THE SANCTUARY OF GOD THEN UNDERSTOOD I THEIR END.
What happens in the sanctuary? What dwells in the sanctuary? Why did going in to the sanctuary give understanding?
The entire plan of salvation is laid out in type in the sanctuary. The ark of the covenant with the ten moral laws was in the Most Holy Place. The sacrifice for sins, daily sacrifices being made, and a yearly day of cleansing of all sin. The sanctuary revealed God's way, life in Him, with His laws and the promises of a future with Him. The sanctuary revealed that there was a plan of salvation. We read this-
(Talking of the city- the New Jerusalem brought down from heaven to earth after 1000 years of the saints living in heaven with Christ.)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
The Lord God Almighty AND the Lamb are the temple.
This is truth!
God gave His sanctuary to His people to teach them, and then God gave His Son as the ultimate Sacrifice, and it is to the Son we look to now for forgiveness not a sacrificed lamb in the temple. It is our Savior who LIVED the ten moral laws perfectly who is our example!
Truly when we look into the Sanctuary we understand that only those who live for Christ and His righteousness, only those that live for heavenly treasures are truly rich.
*******
Psa 73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Psa 73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Psa 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
Psa 73:21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
Psa 73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
We are foolish to think the wicked are truly prospering. They are NOT prospering in matters of eternity, in matters of everlasting life, in the matters of heaven. They are on the road to eternal death. We shouldn't envy their prosperity now because their end is God-less. They don't know God who alone is true life, true living, true love everlasting.
Psa 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Praise God! God must be our strength! Nothing else truly matters, not really. EVERYTHING is temporary to eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord! He alone is our prize, our hope, our riches, our glory, our thanksgiving, our life, our LOVE. All else is but distractions trying to keep us from Salvation in Christ, trying to keep our minds on our lives now and not letting us live for the future with Christ that we are promised.
Psa 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
The end of all who live for earthly treasures- be they many earthly treasures or a single one- will be destroyed, their hearts are NOT with God, they will perish.
Psa 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
Our trust must be in the LORD GOD! We must draw near to GOD! We must declared HIS wonderful works, His works which matter more than any other.
Please LORD, help us to understand Your truth. Let us look into the sanctuary and understand the end of the wicked.
Please help us not to envy those wickedly prospering- whether it's in health or material possessions, please let us realize that no matter what our lot in this life, YOU are our end! YOU are our EVERYTHING! Our glory! Our praise!
All in You LORD, all in YOU!
By Your grace, Your mercy, Your righteousness, Your LOVE! Always!
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