Psalm 33:1–11

Commentary

The plans of the Lord

‘The plans of the Lord stand firm for ever’ (v.11). God has plans. God has a good plan for your life. He has ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29:11).

The psalmist’s confidence about the future comes from looking back on the past. He reflects on what God has done through ‘the word of the Lord’ (Psalm 33:6a).

As we read this psalm through the lens of the New Testament, we see that it was through Jesus (the Word of God) that the whole world came into being (vv.6–9). He is the one who is the source of all that is ‘right and true’ (v.4a). He is ‘faithful’ (v.4b). He ‘loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love’ (v.5).

It is on this basis that the psalmist can be confident that ‘The plans of the Lord stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations’ (v.11). Governments and people make plans. These may fail (v.10). Yet you can be confident in God’s good plans for you and for your life.

The appropriate response to all this is worship – to sing joyfully to the Lord and to praise him with different instruments, to write new songs, to use every musical skill and ability, and even make lots of noise (!) (‘shout for joy’, v.3b).

Prayer

Mark 16:1–20

Commentary

The power of the resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus did actually happen. When the women arrived at the tomb they saw the huge stone, which had been blocking the entrance, rolled back. Jesus had been raised up. He was no longer there. They saw for themselves that the tomb was empty (vv.6–8).

Jesus repeatedly liberated and affirmed women – treating men and women as equals. Women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb – the first to be entrusted with the news of the resurrection of Jesus.

It is significant that the first witnesses of the resurrection recorded in all the Gospels were women. Women’s testimonies were widely seen as unreliable (in most Jewish courts it was not even allowed). Yet in appearing first to them, Jesus affirms the importance and role of women in his new community.

This also gives the story the ring of truth of an eyewitness account. The early church would never have invented this feature of the story.

The fact is that the resurrection was, initially, as unbelievable for the first disciples as it is for many today. When other disciples were told of Jesus’ resurrection, they did not believe (vv.11,13) until they saw the risen Jesus for themselves. Yet when they witnessed his resurrection, either at the tomb or in one of the many subsequent resurrection appearances of Jesus (vv.12,14), their lives were transformed. They moved from fear to faith, from alarm to action and from despair to hope.

As a result of the resurrection you can face the future with confidence:

1. Confident about your eternal future

This life is not the end. There is life beyond the grave. As Jesus was raised from the dead, so in Christ you will be raised with him (see 1 Corinthians 15).

As Tim Keller writes, ‘Why is it so hard to do the right thing if you know it’s going to cost your money, reputation, maybe even your life? Why is it so hard to face your own death or the death of loved ones? It’s so hard because we think this broken world is the only world we’re ever going to have... But if Jesus is risen, then your future is so much more beautiful, and so much more certain, than that.’

2. Confident about your future life

Jesus is alive. He is with you as you ‘go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation’ (Mark 16:15). You, like the disciples, are commissioned to go out and preach the good news to the whole world. You can be confident that God’s power will be with you. You can expect powerful signs to accompany your message – driving out demons, speaking in tongues and healing the sick. This is what occurred (v.20) and this is what we should expect today.

Healing, for example, is not confined to those who have the special gift of healing but is for all ‘who believe’ (v.17). It is God who heals, but he involves you in his plans: ‘The Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it’ (v.20).

There are a variety of models in the New Testament, but they are always simple. Healing comes ‘in [Jesus’] name’ (v.17). The most common model is the one Jesus speaks of here – the laying on of hands: ‘They will place their hands on people who are ill and they will get well’ (v.18).

Prayer

Leviticus 26:3–13

Commentary

The promises of God

Although you cannot know the details of the future, you can be assured of God’s blessing on your future. In chapter 26, God promises that if you obey him you will enjoy fruit (v.4), satisfaction, safety (v.5), peace (v.6), no fear (v.6), growth (v.9), the presence of the Lord (v.12) and confidence ‘to walk with heads held high’ (v.13).

God says, ‘If you live by my decrees... you’ll have... a place of peace – you’ll be able to go to sleep at night without fear... I’ll make sure you prosper... grow in numbers... I am God, your personal God... I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely’ (vv.3–13, MSG).

This is God’s long-term plan for your future. You will face trials and difficulties in this life as you seek to obey God, but through Jesus you can enjoy some of these blessings even now.

In chapter 25, we see some of the things we need to do in order to obey God. Some of these, of course, are specific to ancient Israel but some apply for all time.

I love what Joyce Meyer writes about the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25) in which all debts were forgiven and all debtors were pardoned and set free: ‘In Christ, every day can be a year of Jubilee. We can have our own sins forgiven continually through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We can enjoy a continual year of Jubilee. Our trouble is either that we are trying to pay our debt to the Lord, or that we are still trying to collect debts from others. Just as God cancelled our debt and forgave us so we can cancel the debts of others and forgive them what they owe us.’

The key to this chapter is ‘do not take advantage of each other’ (vv.14,17). It is not enough to be honest – we must also be considerate.

This is radically different from the world’s view. The world admires a person who makes money – however ruthlessly. They may be successful in one sense. But God cares about how we treat others more than how much we own and he cares especially about how we treat the poor (vv.25,35,39).

We are only stewards. The Lord says, ‘The land is mine… you reside… as foreigners and strangers’ (v.23). This is how we should regard property and possessions. They belong to God. They are on loan to you. God was teaching his people that there is no such thing as permanent wealth. You own what you own for a season. It is only God who owns them permanently.

Prayer