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Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2718 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. <#2.0#>

The Title of Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Loneliest Road – Despair’s Final, Unanswered Cry - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 88 8-18 <#2.0#>

Today, we continue our difficult, yet necessary, trek through the Darkest Psalm, Psalm 88, encompassing its final, unrelenting verses, 8 through 18, from the New Living Translation.

In our last conversation, we plunged into the depths of Heman the Ezrahite’s anguish. We heard his cries "day and night," his fear of imminent death, and his terrifying conviction that his suffering was caused by God's own hand. He felt consumed by "wave after wave" of God's heavy fury and was "abandoned to the depths where the darkness is complete" (Psalm 88 1-7). He had been physically and socially ostracized, counted among the dead while still living.

Now, Heman continues his agonizing lament, focusing on his extreme isolation, his unanswered questions, and the ultimate, grim realization that his prayer, unlike nearly every other in the Psalter, ends in unrelieved darkness. This psalm is a profound space for acknowledging that deep despair is real, and that faith often persists even when hope is absent.

So, let's listen to this desperate, final cry, recognizing the absolute honesty of a soul on the brink. <#2.0#>

Section one is about: The Torment of Social and Divine Isolation <#2.0#>

You have taken away my companions, making me repulsive to them. I am shut in and cannot escape; my eyes are blinded by my tears. I cry out to you, O Lord, every day. I lift my hands to you for help. Are your wonderful deeds appreciated in the grave? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Can anyone proclaim your unfailing love in the grave? Can anyone tell about your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can your wonders be seen in the dark? Can your righteousness be known in the land of forgetfulness? <#2.0#>

Heman begins by detailing the social consequence of his affliction, a pain he attributes directly to God: "You have taken away my companions, making me repulsive to them." . His isolation is absolute. God has severed his social ties, causing his friends and loved ones to view him as "repulsive" (tō‘ēḇâ—abominable, a strong term often used for ritual impurity). In the ancient Israelite world, social isolation often meant a lack of care, protection, and provision, leaving him utterly defenseless.

This isolation leads to profound emotional and physical paralysis: "I am shut in and cannot escape; my eyes are blinded by my tears." He is imprisoned by his circumstances, unable to find release. His relentless crying, which began "day and night," has literally blurred his vision, overwhelming his senses. Despite this crushing despair, he maintains the spiritual discipline of prayer: "I cry out to you, O Lord, every day. I lift my hands to you for help." He continues to pray, persistently lifting his hands in supplication, a desperate clinging to the only source of help he knows.

The core of his argument then shifts to a series of urgent, rhetorical questions that challenge God's purpose in his death: "Are your wonderful deeds appreciated in the grave? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Can anyone proclaim your unfailing love in the grave? Can anyone tell about your faithfulness in the place of destruction?" <#2.0#>

Heman appeals to God’s own glory. He is essentially arguing that death renders praise useless. If God allows His loyal servant to die in this state, God will lose a witness. The grave (qever), the dead (rephā’îm), and the place of destruction (’ăḇaddōn) are all associated with Sheol, a shadowy realm of silence, where there is no fellowship with God and no capacity for praise. He is asking: "Lord, if I die, who will be left to praise Your wonderful deeds and proclaim Your unfailing love (ḥesed) and faithfulness (’ĕmûnâ)?"

He concludes this sequence by linking God's great acts to the realm of the living: "Can your wonders be seen in the dark? Can your righteousness be known in the land of forgetfulness?" God's wonders and righteousness are for the light, for the living, for those who remember. Sheol is the realm of darkness and "forgetfulness" (nāšâ). Heman’s ultimate request is, "Save me, so I can continue to fulfill my purpose: to praise and remember You in the land of the living!" <#2.0#>

Section two is about: The Unrelenting Darkness

O Lord, I cry out to you. I pray to you every morning. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me? I have been sickly and close to death since my childhood. I have suffered your terrors and am helpless. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me; your terrors have destroyed me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they have completely engulfed me. You have taken away my loved ones and friends; the darkness is my only companion. <#2.0#>

Having made his theological argument, Heman returns to his desperate appeal, focusing on the ultimate source of his pain—God's rejection: "O Lord, I cry out to you. I pray to you every morning. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you hide your face from me?" He reinforces his persistent prayer, now noting his prayers in the morning—a time typically associated with hope and new beginnings—but his hope is instantly countered by two fundamental questions: "Why do you reject me?" and "Why do you hide your face from me?" To have God reject you and hide His face is the biblical epitome of covenant withdrawal and total abandonment, the ultimate spiritual penalty.

His suffering is not new; it is lifelong: "I have been sickly and close to death since my childhood. I have suffered your terrors and am helpless." His life has been marked by constant affliction and proximity to death, and he views all these terrifying experiences (’êymâ) as coming directly from God's hand. He feels utterly "helpless" and paralyzed by divine wrath.

He reiterates the overwhelming, crushing power of God's anger: "Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me; your terrors have destroyed me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they have completely engulfed me." This echoes his earlier lament about the waves of fury. His life is defined by God’s "fierce anger" (ḥārôn) and terrors (bālāh), which have literally "destroyed" him. His pain is likened to an unceasing flood that has "completely engulfed me," leaving him utterly submerged and without air.

The psalm closes with the ultimate description of isolation and finality: "You have taken away my loved ones and friends; the darkness is my only companion." This is the tragic final note. Not only has God taken away his companions (v. 8), but also his loved ones and friends. He is utterly alone, stripped of all human comfort and spiritual hope. There is no shift to praise, no final declaration of trust, no promise of deliverance. The final word, "darkness" (ḥōšeḵ), hangs heavy in the air. This profound and isolating darkness is the only thing left.

Psalm 88 is the essential counterpoint to every psalm of joy, reminding us that unrelenting despair is part of the human experience, and that true faith sometimes means persisting in prayer even when we feel God is our adversary, and when the only answer we receive is silence and darkness. <#2.0#>

If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ <#2.0#>

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...<#2.0#>

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2717 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we take a dramatic, almost jarring turn from the prophetic joy of our last trek. We leave the magnificent vision of Zion, the Mother of All Nations, in Psalm 87, where "All my fresh springs are in Zion," and descend into the deepest, most unrelenting anguish found anywhere in the Psalter. We're beginning our trek through Psalm 88 in the New Living Translation, focusing on its opening verses, 1-7.

Psalm 88 is known as the Darkest Psalm; a lament so profound that it offers no resolution, no light, no final affirmation of hope. It is the only psalm that ends entirely in darkness, yet it remains one of the most honest and necessary expressions of faith. It's attributed to Heman the Ezrahite, a name associated with wisdom and music in the time of Solomon. The superscription describes it as a Mahlath Leannoth, which indicates a somber, deeply serious tone, perhaps even associated with affliction.

This psalm gives voice to the absolute bottom of human despair, where suffering is so complete that the afflicted can only see God's hand in their misery. It’s a crucial reminder that faith is not defined by perpetual happiness, but by honest persistence—crying out to God even when we believe He is the one inflicting the pain.

So, let's approach this psalm with reverence and humility, recognizing that it provides a sacred space for the deepest human suffering.

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night. Let my prayer come right into your presence. Listen closely to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death is waiting for me.

The psalmist begins with an immediate and relentless cry, yet he grounds his plea in a recognition of God's character: "O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you day and night." Even in his anguish, he calls God the "God of my salvation," a title that acknowledges God's past role as a deliverer, even if He is not acting as one now. This is a crucial flicker of faith—he addresses God based on who God is, not merely on how God feels to him right now.

But his distress is relentless, forcing him to cry out "day and night," indicating unceasing torment and insomnia. There is no rest from his misery. His appeal for divine attention is urgent: "Let my prayer come right into your presence. Listen closely to my cry." This echoes pleas we’ve heard before, such as in Psalm 86, where David asked God to "Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer," but here, the tone is more urgent, more desperate. He fears his prayer won't even penetrate the heavens; he needs direct, immediate audience with the Most High.

The reason for this urgency is the utter saturation of his life with suffering: "For my life is full of troubles, and death is waiting for me." His troubles are not incidental; they fill his life completely, leaving no room for joy or rest. He sees death, the grave, as an imminent, almost palpable entity waiting just outside his door. For the ancient Israelite, the grave (Sheol) was a shadowy place of separation from God, making this threat deeply terrifying.

I am counted among those who go down to the pit. I am like a man without strength. They have left me among the dead, and I am like a corpse asleep in a grave. You have cut me off from your care. I am abandoned to the depths where the darkness is complete. You have sent me down to the lowest pit, to the darkest depths.

Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist describes his current state as already being partially dead, already among those separated from the living: "I am counted among those who go down to the pit. I am like a man without strength." The "pit" (bôr) and the "dead" are references to the grave or Sheol. He feels he is already numbered among the deceased, completely drained of life and power, "without strength."

This feeling of being already dead is intensified by the fact that he has been socially isolated: "They have left me among the dead, and I am like a corpse asleep in a grave." In ancient society, severe illness, disease, or intense suffering often led to social ostracization, as people feared contagion or believed the affliction was a sign of divine judgment. He feels completely abandoned by the living, equating his state to that of a solitary corpse in a sealed grave.

The most agonizing part of his lament follows, where he identifies God, the God of salvation, as the very source of his torment: "You have cut me off from your care. I am abandoned to the depths where the darkness is complete. You have sent me down to the lowest pit, to the darkest depths." This is the dark core of Psalm 88. He doesn't blame the enemy, or fate, or coincidence; he believes God is directly responsible for his suffering.

The statement, "You have cut me off from your care," is a confession of feeling utterly separated from the covenant love that should be his birthright. He feels not just abandoned, but actively sent down by God to the "lowest pit" (bôr taḥtiyôt), the very bottom of Sheol, where "darkness is complete." This darkness is a symbol of utter hopelessness and absolute separation from God’s light. Unlike many other lament psalms, where the psalmist complains that the enemy has done this, Heman believes the action originates directly from the divine will. This reflects a raw, uncompromising theology of God’s sovereignty—that even the deepest suffering is ultimately under His control.

Your fury is heavy on me; with wave after wave, you have engulfed me. Interlude

The psalmist concludes this opening section by vividly describing the overwhelming nature of God’s anger: "Your fury is heavy on me; with wave after wave, you have engulfed me." This imagery is reminiscent of the "floods of trouble" often found in other laments, but here, the flood is not just trouble; it is God's own "fury" (ḥămâ, passionate anger). This anger is "heavy," a crushing weight he cannot bear.

The metaphor of "wave after wave, you have engulfed me" speaks to the relentless, continuous nature of his suffering. It's not a single storm, but endless, successive waves that pull him under completely, leaving no moment for air or recovery. He feels consumed by the very wrath of the God he calls his "God of my salvation."

This is the ultimate depth of suffering expressed in the Psalter: physical, social, and existential separation, all attributed to the deliberate, heavy hand of God. It is a terrifying realization, yet the remarkable act of faith here is that Heman continues to cry out to that very God, even when he believes God is the one inflicting the pain. His prayer is not a surrender to despair, but a desperate appeal to the only one powerful enough to have inflicted the wound, and therefore, the only one powerful enough to heal it.

This psalm stands as a testament to the fact that honest, persistent prayer, even when saturated with bitterness and despair, is the only pathway to remain connected to the divine in the midst of the deepest, darkest night.

If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2716 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we continue with the 15th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter Fifteen: “Partakers of the Divine Nature”

I asked the question earlier, but it’s time to raise it again. Yes, we are in the world but not of it. True, we have been saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). But that’s just the beginning of understanding what God has been up to.

God’s original intention in Eden was to merge his human family with his divine family —the heavenly sons of God who existed before creation (Job 38:7–8). He didn’t abandon that plan at the fall. Christian, you will be made divine, like one of God’s elohim children, like Jesus himself (1 John 3:1–3).

Theologians refer to the idea by many labels. The most common is glorification. Peter referred to it as becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). John put it this way: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1, emphasis added). In this chapter, we’ll take a look at how the Bible conveys that message.

When God turned the nations of the world over to lesser gods at Babel, he did so knowing he would start over with a new human family of his own. God called Abraham (Genesis 12:1–8) right after Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). Through Abraham and his wife Sarah, God would return to his original Edenic plan.

God’s people, the children of Abraham, the Israelites, ultimately failed to restore God’s good rule on earth. But one of those children would succeed. God would become man in Jesus, a descendant of David, Abraham, and Adam. And it was through Jesus that God’s promise to one day bless the nations he had punished at Babel was fulfilled. Paul wrote about that in several places. Here are two:

According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote beforehand in brief, so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ: … that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:3–6)

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.… There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26–29)

As I explained in earlier chapters: Throughout the Old Testament, those people who were not Israelites lived in territory that had come under the dominion of the lesser gods to whom God had assigned those nations at Babel. At Babel, the nations other than Israel had been disinherited from a relationship with the true God. Israel and only Israel was God’s “portion” (Deuteronomy 32:9) of humanity. Israelites referred to the people of the disinherited nations by many terms. There were geographical or ethnic labels (e.g., Egyptians, Moabites, Amalekites), but the comprehensive description in New Testament times was Gentile, a label that comes from the Latin word for “nations” (gens). If you aren’t Jewish, you’re a Gentile.

The story of the New Testament is that a descendant of Abraham—Jesus—died and rose again to redeem not only Abraham’s ethnic descendants (Israelites/Jews) but also all the people among the nations who had formerly been disinherited from the true God. In the verses quoted just above, Paul called the inclusion of Gentiles in the family of God a mystery. It astonished him that people from the nations God had cast off, and which were under the control of other gods, could inherit the promises given to Abraham.

In Christ, all who embrace the gospel are children of Yahweh, the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:14). This is why the New Testament talks about believers using family terms (sons, children, heir) and the language of being “adopted” by God (Rommans 8:15, 23; Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:4). The language of inheritance is crystal clear and deliberate. It tells us who we are: the new divine-human family of God. The believer’s destiny is to become what Adam and Eve originally were: immortal, glorified imagers of God, living in God’s presence.

But even that doesn’t fully express who we are. The most amazing part is how Jesus sees us.

The first two chapters of the book of Hebrews give us a dramatic picture of God’s blended family—divine and human. For me, it’s one of the most stirring passages in the Bible.

Hebrews 1:4 makes the point that Jesus is “so much better than the angels”  No one is higher in God’s heavenly council than Jesus. After all, he’s God. In fact, the writer makes the point that since no angel was fit to become man and inherit the kingdom, angels need to worship Jesus (Hebrews 1:5–6). Jesus is king.

Remarkably, when Jesus became a man, he was for a short time lower than the angels. He became one of us. Humans are lesser creatures than divine beings like angels. The writer of Hebrews asks:

What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.… But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:6–9).

What’s the result of what Jesus did? We might say salvation. That would be right, but it misses what the writer of Hebrews wanted us to know. Because God became man in Jesus Christ, his mortal followers will become divine—and members of the same family.

Someday, whether at our death or at his return to earth in the final form of the kingdom on earth, the new Eden, Jesus will introduce us to the rest of the divine council, and the council to us. He became as we are so we might become as he is:

For it was fitting for him for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings. For both the one who sanctifies and the ones who are sanctified are all from one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the assembly I will sing in praise of you.…

Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

(Hebrews 2:10–13)

Instead of being embarrassed before the elohim of God’s council at becoming human—becoming lower than they are—Jesus revels in it. It was all part of a grand strategy. Standing in the council (“in the assembly”) he presents us: Behold—look at me, and the children God has given me. We are all together now—forever. And that had been the plan from the beginning.

Our entrance into God’s divine, glorified family is our destiny. Paul puts in beautifully in Romans 8:18–23:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.… And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Paul encouraged believers with the same message. He told the Roman believers they were “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). He told the Corinthian church, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18), and that our humanity would be transformed, “for this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). For Peter, joining God’s family council meant becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). John said it most simply: “We shall be like him” (1 John 3:2).

As Christians, we’ve probably heard many times that we need to be like Jesus. We certainly do. But when we hear that, we tend to process it only in terms of being good, or maybe “less bad.” We turn what’s actually a nearly inconceivable idea—that we will one day be as Jesus is—into a performance obligation.

Rather than feel guilty about how much we aren’t like Jesus, and pledge in our hearts to “do better,” we need to let the blessing of what he did, and will do, rewire the way we think about being like him. We can turn Christlikeness into a task we must perform lest God be angry with us, but that’s bad theology. It turns grace into duty. Or we can be grateful that one day we will be what God is thrilled to make us—what he predestined us to be (Romans 8:29)—and live in such a way that people enslaved to dark powers will want to join us in God’s family. One perspective looks inward; the other looks heavenward.

The Christian life now is not about the fear that we will fail to keep happy the One who loved us while we were still enslaved to darkness. The Christian life is really about grasping two concepts: our adoption into God’s family—which means Jesus is our brother, and that God loves us like he loves Jesus—and our purpose in God’s plan to restore his kingdom on earth. We are, and will be, God’s new divine council. He is our Father. We are his children, destined to live where he lives forever. We are his coworkers, tasked with helping him release those still owned by the lord of the dead and held captive by unseen powers of darkness.

That is what the Bible is about, from Eden to Eden. That is your destiny. Your life now is not about earning your place in God’s family. That cannot be earned. It’s a gift. Your life now is showing appreciation for your adoption, enjoying it, and getting others to share it with you.

Join us next time on Theology Thursday as we explore ‘Partakers of the Divine Nature.’…

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’….

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal...

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,…’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,...’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday!... See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2715 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we embark on a truly extraordinary trek through Psalm 87, covering its entirety, verses 1 through 7, in the New Living Translation. This psalm, though short, contains one of the most magnificent and radical prophetic visions in all of Scripture: the expansion of God's people to include all nations, with Zion as their spiritual birthplace.

After the personal laments of David in Psalm 86, where he affirmed that "You alone are God" and prayed for a sign of divine favor, Psalm 87 gives us the cosmic answer. God's universal sovereignty, which David proclaimed, is revealed here as a sovereign plan to bring all the nations that worshiped those "pagan gods" (Psalm 86:8) into the fold of His redeemed people. It transforms the physical city of Jerusalem into the spiritual mother of a global family.

This psalm offers a breathtaking vision of inclusivity, unity, and hope. It assures us that God's plan is not confined to one place or one people, but extends to encompass the entire world.

So, let's open our hearts to this global, prophetic masterpiece and grasp the meaning of Zion's ultimate citizenship.

This first section is: The Foundation of God’s Global Home

On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, glorious things are said of you! Interlude

The psalm begins by firmly establishing the foundation and significance of God's chosen city: "On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord." This refers, of course, to Mount Zion, the site of Jerusalem and the Temple. This city's foundation is unique: it was "founded by the Lord." This wasn't merely a strategic military outpost; it was a sovereign choice by God, making it the center of His earthly operations and the place where He chose to place His name. This Divine choice elevates Jerusalem above every other place.

The psalmist emphasizes the depth of God's affection for this city: "He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel." While God certainly loved all His covenant people and their territories, Jerusalem, where His Temple was located, held a unique and profound place in His heart. This divine love is the source of the city's power and destiny.

And the result of this divine foundation and affection is its glorious reputation: "O city of God, glorious things are said of you! Interlude" The "glorious things" (niphla’ot) are God's wondrous deeds and promises. This declaration is a prophetic forecast of Zion's future fame, where its status as God's chosen dwelling place would be known and celebrated throughout the world. The very title, "city of God," elevates it into the realm of the eternal and the transcendent, connecting it to the heavenly reality where God holds His divine council—making it the spiritual capital of the universe.

The "Interlude" gives us a moment to contemplate this powerful truth: the physical city of Jerusalem is the object of God's unique love and the starting point for His global plan.

The second section is: The Radical Vision of Global Citizenship

I will record among those who acknowledge me the names of those in Rahab and Babylon, Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. "This one was born in Zion!" And it will be said of Jerusalem, "Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship here." And the Most High will personally bless this city. The Lord will record in the register of nations: "This one was born in Zion!"

This is where the psalm shifts from mere geography to radical theology. God Himself speaks here, laying out His inclusive plan for the nations: "I will record among those who acknowledge me the names of those in Rahab and Babylon, Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia."

This list of nations is deliberately shocking to the ancient Israelite ear. These are not friendly neighbors; they are traditional, often brutal, enemies and world powers that threatened or oppressed Israel.

Rahab is a poetic, symbolic name for Egypt, Israel's ancient master and oppressor.

Babylon was the city of exile, the destroyer of the Temple.

Philistia and Tyre were long-standing local adversaries.

Ethiopia (Cush) represented the distant, unknown limits of the earth.

By saying He will "record" their names among those who acknowledge Him, God is prophesying that salvation will reach even the fiercest of Israel's enemies and the furthest reaches of the world. He will enroll them, granting them covenant status.

The central declaration of the psalm follows, redefining spiritual identity: "This one was born in Zion!" This is the miraculous claim. Citizens of these formerly hostile nations—Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines—will be granted the highest spiritual honor: they will be declared "born in Zion." In the ancient world, to be born in a city granted you citizenship, rights, and privileges. The psalmist is saying that God will grant spiritual citizenship in Zion to those who were previously outsiders and enemies.

The prophecy continues, underscoring the universal scope of this spiritual birthplace: "And it will be said of Jerusalem, 'Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship here.' And the Most High will personally bless this city." The blessing is no longer exclusive; "Everyone" (kol) who turns to God will share in the privileges of Zion. This establishes Jerusalem, the city of God, as the spiritual capital where all peoples, regardless of their physical origin, can claim their true spiritual birthright. This is a beautiful foreshadowing of the New Covenant, where all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, are citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22). And because of this divine action, "the Most High will personally bless this city."

The third section is: The Triumph of Zion’s Fountain

The singers and dancers will say, "All my fresh springs are in Zion."

The psalm concludes with a vibrant image of celebration and a final, profound affirmation of Zion’s ultimate role: "The singers and dancers will say, 'All my fresh springs are in Zion.'" This is a scene of joyous worship, where those who have been redeemed, including the former enemies now recognized as citizens of Zion, express their gratitude through music and movement.

The final phrase, "All my fresh springs are in Zion," is the summary statement of this global restoration. In the ancient world, a spring was the source of life, fertility, and refreshment, far more valuable than a mere cistern or well. The psalmist declares that the ultimate source of spiritual life, vitality, cleansing, and joy is not in the Nile (Egypt), the Euphrates (Babylon), or the rain, but entirely in Zion. All that sustains us, all that renews us, all that gives us life and purpose, flows from the presence of God found in His chosen city.

This contrasts sharply with the desperate pleas for God's presence in previous laments. In Psalm 80, the people cried out for the divine Gardener to return to His vineyard and restore their springs. Here, Psalm 87 assures us that the spring is eternal and will be shared by all the nations. The physical place of God’s dwelling has become the spiritual wellspring for the world.

Psalm 87, in its entirety, is a magnificent revelation of God’s universal heart. It transitions from the national focus of earlier psalms to a global vision where God's love breaks down barriers of hostility, grants spiritual citizenship to former enemies, and establishes Zion as the mother city from which all spiritual life flows. It is the ultimate answer to the humble plea for God's favor: God’s favor is indeed for all who trust in Him.

What profound wisdom can we draw from this extraordinary psalm for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, this psalm validates the truth that God is a God of global inclusion. His power and salvation are not tribal or national; they extend to all nations, even those we consider our greatest enemies. This is the heart of God's redemptive plan.

Secondly, it reminds us that our true identity is spiritual, not geographic. Our lineage is defined by our spiritual birthplace, our citizenship in the city of God. No matter where we are physically, we can claim the rights and privileges of Zion, the place where God's presence dwells.

Thirdly, the image of "fresh springs" teaches us where to draw our sustenance. Our true source of life, joy, and spiritual renewal is only found in the presence of God. We must continually turn our hearts toward Him, knowing that all good things flow from that divine wellspring.

Finally, this psalm gives us a prophetic hope: a vision of unity where people from every hostile background—Rahab, Babylon, Philistia—will stand together, declaring that they were "born in Zion." Our ultimate destiny is not separation, but a glorious, unified chorus of global praise.

Let us live today as citizens of Zion, drawing deeply from its fresh springs, and proclaiming the glorious things said of the city of our God.

If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Putnam Church Message – 09/14/2025

Two weeks ago, we explored 1 John 2:12-17 as we learned how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Strong Warnings About the World.”

This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have A Discerning Life: Dealing with Deceivers" from 1 John 2:18-27 from the NIV, which is found on page 1900 of your Pew Bibles.

As we continue in John’s first letter, the tone shifts from serious to severe. The warnings against sin and the world in the previous section now give way to portents of spiritual dangers—often invisible—that can lure unbelievers to hell and send a Christian’s faith skidding into the ditch.

The specter of spiritual deception doesn’t have to win. Just as Spirit-enabled fellowship with the Father and the Son produces a joyful life (1:1–10) and a clean life (2:1–17), it also produces a discerning life (2:18–4:6). A close relationship with God requires an understanding of His truth. All too often, though, even seemingly mature Christians struggle to discern between true doctrine and false teaching, between right and wrong, between walking in the light and walking in darkness.

In this third section, John warns about the coming of “antichrists” (2:18), urges his readers to diligently “test the spirits” (4:1), and reminds them of the “anointing” of the Spirit that seals them with deep-down conviction of the essential truths of the Christian faith (2:20, 27). In our deceptive world, filled with demon-led deceivers, discerning Christians must stand together in fellowship around the truth.

Think about a time in your life when you were deceived. Some of you might think back to a time when you were deceived by someone close to you. A friend, a family member, a long-term boyfriend or girlfriend, a spouse, or a business partner proved to be someone other than who you thought they were. And the pain of living with that deception is almost more than you can bear to think about even today.

Maybe you have been deceived by a marketing or sales scam. That happens all the time. Sometimes people get cheated out of just a few bucks; other times, people lose their entire life savings to smooth-talking charlatans who get fat and rich by swindling hundreds of people. Sometimes you buy something you think is genuine only to learn later that it’s a cheap knockoff. The “great deal” you thought you got turned out to be a total rip-off.

Then there’s spiritual or religious deception. This is the worst kind. Any deception can break your heart, mind, and bank, but this kind can crush your soul. A hypocritical pastor … an abusive church … or an outright cult—these can cause long-term psychological and spiritual damage in a person’s life. Such toxic deception can even lead to a disavowal of all religion, a rejection of God, and a hatred for His authentic people. How tragic!

1 John 2:18–27 introduces a new set of sinister figures in the world of spiritual darkness. False teachers called “antichrists,” who foreshadow an ultimate end-times “Antichrist,” were already on the prowl in John’s day. This was a sure sign that God’s final countdown toward judgment had begun. Now, more than ever, believers must live with their eyes wide open to the wiles of the devil and their feet firmly fixed on the solid rock of God’s truth. Only then will they be equipped for dealing with deceivers.

I’m speculating here, but if we could have caught a glimpse of the goings-on in the spiritual world as John dipped his stylus in his inkwell and scratched out the words of 1 John 2:18-19, my guess is we’d see a host of demons going from rattled to panicked. Why? Deceivers hate to be exposed. They love to operate under the radar, spreading false doctrines, twisting the truth, and exploiting the spiritually weak. But the apostle John boldly launches a tell-all exposé of the devil’s cunning strategies of deception.

John begins by reminding believers that with the coming of false teachers, dawn is on the horizon because, as he said in 2:8, “ For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.” John can thus say in 2:18, “Dear children, the last hour is here.”

Warren Wiersbe explains the image of the “last hour” well: All Old Testament history prepared the way for Christ's work on the Cross. All history since that time is merely preparation for “the end,” when Jesus will come and establish His kingdom.… “The last hour” began back in John’s Day and has been growing in intensity ever since. There were ungodly false teachers in John’s day, and during the intervening centuries, they have increased both in number and in influence. “The last hour” or “the last times” are phrases that describe a kind of time, not a duration of time.… In other words, Christians have always been living in “the last time”—in crisis days.

According to John, this “last hour” between Christ’s first and second comings is like an inky predawn inhabited by shadowy agents of evil. He calls these figures “antichrists” (2:18). The Greek term antichristos [500], used here for the first time in Christian literature, is a compound of two words: anti [473], meaning “in place of” or “against,” and christos [5547], “Messiah” or “Christ.” The ambiguity may be purposeful. While all “antichrists” are opposed to Christ and His teachings, some antichrists go so far as to claim to be a messiah, thus opposing the true Christ by seeking to replace Him.

Whereas the apostle Paul dwelt on the future Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2, the apostle John emphasizes the current antichrists in 1 John 2. What can we learn about these deceivers from John’s letter?

First, false teachers are plentiful (1 Jn. 2:18). By the end of the first century, the apostle John could say “many such antichrists have appeared.” Already by John’s day a well-educated man named Cerinthus had taught that this physical world had been made by a lesser god, much inferior to the primary God. Concerning Jesus, Cerinthus taught that He was just the natural son of Mary and Joseph. He asserted that though Jesus was more righteous than others, He didn’t become infused by the spirit of Christ until His baptism, when the heavenly “Christ” descended upon Jesus to use Him as a mouthpiece to proclaim the unknown Father. What rubbish!

The Apostle John was familiar with Cerinthus and his false teachings, and he responded to them boldly and decisively. In fact, Irenaeus of Lyons, a disciple of Polycarp of Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of John, relayed this account from his former teacher: “John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, ‘Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within.’ ”

We know from historical accounts and the warnings about false teachers in the New Testament that numerous additional heresies already existed in the first century. Since that time, the antichrists have continued to multiply, spreading their seeds of false teaching far and wide.

Second, false teachers usually come from within the church (2:19). John says these antichrists “went out from us,” indicating a departure from the true, apostolic churches. Throughout history—and even today—many cult founders formerly belonged to strong, Bible-believing churches. But they rebelled against their orthodox upbringing, failing to be either discipled or disciplined. They broke away to teach different doctrines and embrace contrary lifestyles.

Third, false teachers never truly experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 2:19). The fact that these false teachers so drastically departed from the core teachings of the true faith demonstrates that they “never really belonged with us.” Had those antichrists been true fellow-members of the body of Christ (not just physically but also spiritually) and had they been truly united to Him by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, they “would have remained” with the true church. Their departure makes it clear that “they all are not of us.”

I’m not talking about Christians who entertain doubts, backslide into sin, or even stray from the right path for a season. John’s definition of “antichrists” is much more pronounced and radical than the everyday struggles of faith experienced by all believers—the ups and downs of our process of sanctification. “Antichrists” are guilty of outright heresy. “Heresy” in this sense is defined as “conscious, willful departure from the faith’s foundational tenets, such as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Christ’s deity and humanity, His atoning death and resurrection, and so forth. Heretics, by definition, are not Christians.”

On the heels of his warning about antichrists, John suddenly shifts attention to their opposites: true believers. By shining the light on those who “the Holy One has given you his Spirit,” (2:20), John shows what it takes to deal with deceivers. What does he say about genuine believers?

First, genuine believers have the Holy Spirit. The metaphor of “an anointing from the Holy One” most likely refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit given to those who are truly saved. Acts 10:38 says that “And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.” Similarly, Jesus said to the disciples regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you” (Acts 1:8). It is this permanent anointing of the Holy Spirit that antichrists lack.

Second, genuine believers know God’s saving truth. In the upper room prior to His arrest, Jesus promised His disciples, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). Ephesians 1:13 says, And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own[a] by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. So, it’s clear that the presence of the Spirit brings a permanent spiritual knowledge and discernment concerning the key tenets of the gospel of salvation, the “message of truth.” However, this knowledge, though not exhaustive, is sufficient, as Peter said, By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Pet. 1:3). It is this true knowledge of the gospel that antichrists reject.

Third, genuine believers are able to discern lies. Because the Spirit has impressed the gospel of the person and work of Christ upon our hearts and minds, He enables us to tell the difference between truth and error. The Spirit prepares our minds for discernment as we dig deeply into the Word of God, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16)

Truth gives stability to our faith.

Truth strengthens us when we’re tested.

Truth enables us to understand the Bible accurately.

Truth equips us to detect and confront error.

Truth allows us to live with confidence.

Truth releases us from fears and superstition.

In 1 John 2:18-19, the spotlight shone on the antichrists. / In 2:20–21, John illuminated the true believers. /Now, John shifts back to the antichrists in 2:22–23. He adds to his description of the antichrists, providing more detail about their doctrinal deviations. Allow me to pick up again our earlier discussion with another characteristic of false teachers.

Fourth, false teachers deny who Jesus really is—the incarnate God-man. John says they deny that “Jesus is the Christ” (2:22). In doing so, they deny “the Father and the Son” because to confess the Son is to have the Father, but to deny the Son is to deny the Father (2:23). Notice that these false teachers are not only denying that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah, but they are also denying the essential sonship of Jesus in His personal, eternal relationship to the Father (see John 10:30). In another letter, John would note that these antichrists They deny that Jesus Christ came[a] in a real body (2 Jn. 1:7).

This denial of the full deity and full humanity of Christ shows a failure of the fundamental test of the genuineness of a person’s claim to be a true Christian. Whoever “denies the Son” by rejecting His identity as the Messiah who is God incarnate “does not have the Father” (1 Jn. 2:23).

Once again, John shifts the spotlight from the antichrists to the true believers, demonstrating the black-and-white difference between the two groups. John wants his readers to know they have nothing in common with the deceivers—those anti-Christian false teachers who dwell in the darkness and spout nothing but lies about Jesus. John wants to set up two guardrails against the influence that false teachers have on the spiritual stability of true believers.

The first guardrail is to stick with the truth of sound doctrine. John instructs his readers to “you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.” so that they “you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.” (2:24). In addition to this, he reminds his readers that only through adherence to this sound doctrine do we have the promise of “eternal life” (2:25). We should recall the opening words of John’s letter: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.” (1:1–2). If we stick with the truth about Christ as revealed in Holy Scriptures, continually proclaimed in the church, and always believed by orthodox Christians throughout history, we will never be lured away by false teachers—who want to lead you astray. (2:26).

The idea that God’s Spirit accomplishes through us all that God asks from us is not unique to John. Paul also taught this notion in Philippians 2:12-13: Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is...

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2713 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our conversation in Psalm 86, covering verses 11 through 17 in the New Living Translation.

In our last trek, we explored the first half of this deeply personal Prayer of David. We heard his desperate cry for God to "Bend down... and hear my prayer," pleading for help based on his covenant loyalty and trust. He grounded his hope in the magnificent truth that God is "so good, so ready to forgive," and that "You alone are God"—unrivaled by any pagan deity.

Now, David shifts from affirming God's character to asking for divine instruction, recognizing that a proper relationship with the Most High requires understanding His will. His prayer moves from dependence to direction, culminating in a powerful affirmation of God's steadfast love and a request for a visible sign of God's favor to silence his adversaries. This final section is a masterclass in how to ask God for guidance and how to confidently claim His mercy.

So, let's open our hearts to David's earnest request, learning the wisdom of seeking God's path and resting in His enduring love.

The Prayer for an Undivided Heart

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever. For your unfailing love is great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

Having established God’s greatness and unique power, David’s first request is for instruction: "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!" . This is the ultimate expression of submission and discipleship! David isn't praying for wealth or comfort; he's asking for wisdom and direction. He wants to know God's "ways" (derekh—His path, His pattern of acting) so that his life can align with God's "truth" (’emet—His faithfulness and reliability). This is the prayer of the mature believer: Show me how to live in a way that truly honors who You are.

He immediately connects this knowledge to internal integrity: "Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name." The Hebrew phrase translated "singleness of heart" (yaḥad lēḇāḇ) means "to unite the heart." David recognizes the divided, often-conflicted nature of the human heart, which pulls us in different directions. He asks God to make his focus singular, eliminating all spiritual distraction, so that his reverence and awe (fear) for God's name is pure and unmixed. This is the opposite of being double-minded; it is a profound commitment to unwavering loyalty to the Most High.

This singular focus leads directly to perpetual praise: "With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever." The "singleness of heart" he seeks ensures that his worship is wholehearted—praising God with his entire being. This praise is not temporary; it is eternal, giving "glory to your name forever." This is the destiny of the redeemed heart: unceasing, undivided praise.

The reason for this eternal praise is deeply personal: "For your unfailing love is great. You have rescued me from the depths of death." David anchors his future praise in the certainty of God's unfailing love (ḥesed). He acknowledges a past, profound act of deliverance—being "rescued... from the depths of death" (sheol). This rescue is the ultimate foundation of his devotion. He’s been to the brink, and God, in His great ḥesed, pulled him out. This experience of salvation guarantees his eternal gratitude.

The Appeal for Vindication and the Sign of Favor

O God, arrogant people are attacking me; a whole band of ruthless men are trying to kill me. They ignore you. But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Look down and have mercy on me. Give your servant strength; save me, for I serve you and I trust you. Send me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me will be put to shame. For you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Despite his declarations of praise and confidence, David is honest about his current reality: the battle isn't over. He turns back to the immediate threat: "O God, arrogant people are attacking me; a whole band of ruthless men are trying to kill me. They ignore you." This is the persistent theme of the Psalms—the righteous facing ruthless, often malicious adversaries. The enemies are "arrogant" (zēdhīm—proud, presumptuous) and "ruthless" (literally, "violent ones"). Worst of all, "They ignore you." This mirrors the problem in the divine council judgment of Psalm 82: rulers and powerful people who act with impunity because they disregard God's authority. Their sin is not just violence against David, but contempt for the Most High.

In stark contrast to the enemies' arrogance, David declares God's nature again, invoking the most profound covenant names: "But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness." This is an almost direct quotation of God's self-revelation to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:6). David is holding God to His very nature! He pleads:

Compassion (Raḥûm—tender-heartedness).

Mercy (Ḥannûn—graciousness, undeserved favor).

Slow to get angry (’Erekh ’appayim—longsuffering).

Unfailing love (Ḥesed) and Faithfulness (’Emet—truth, reliability).

By reciting these attributes, David reminds God of the very qualities that define His covenant relationship with Israel. He is saying, "I am facing violence, but You are mercy. I am facing anger, but You are slow to get angry. Act according to your true nature!"

His final, renewed plea is both specific and comprehensive: "Look down and have mercy on me. Give your servant strength; save me, for I serve you and I trust you." This combines the plea for divine attention ("Look down") with the core necessities: mercy, strength (to endure the battle), and salvation. He reiterates his dependence, calling himself God's servant and affirming his trust, echoing the devotion of the righteous King called for in the Royal Psalms.

The climax of the entire psalm is a powerful request for visible vindication: "Send me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me will be put to shame. For you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me." David asks for a "sign" (’ōt)—a visible, undeniable miracle or evidence of God's blessing. This is not for his comfort alone; it's for the public shaming of his enemies. The sight of God's visible favor on David will silence the arrogant and ruthless men who ignore God, proving to them that God has not abandoned His servant.

The final line seals his confidence: "For you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me." This shifts from a future hope to a settled conviction. He is speaking of past help and comfort, using that history of grace as his final, powerful argument that God will surely provide the sign he needs now. His personal history with God guarantees his future hope.

Psalm 86 is a masterpiece of prayer, moving from the depth of personal need to the height of theological affirmation. It teaches us that undivided praise and unwavering truth are found by seeking God's instruction and confidently claiming His enduring covenant love.

Wisdom on the Trek: The Unifying Power of the Heart

The profound wisdom of Psalm 86 for our trek lies in The Unifying Power of the Heart.

Seek Direction, Not Just Deliverance: David teaches us that the highest prayer is for wisdom. We must first seek God's way and His truth before asking for rescue. Direction precedes comfort.

Unity is Strength: The plea for "singleness of heart" is crucial. Spiritual power requires eliminating the conflict between self-will and God's will. A pure, undivided heart is the only vessel strong enough to sustain the "fear" (awe and reverence) of God's name.

The Sign is For the World: David's request for a "sign of your favor" is a universal lesson. We pray for God's blessings and intervention, not just for personal gain, but so that our vindication becomes a public, undeniable testimony that puts the wicked to shame and glorifies the one true Most High to all nations.

Let us commit to uniting our hearts, walking in God's truth, and living a life so clearly marked by His favor that it becomes an unmistakable sign of His presence to the world.

If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2712 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we begin a new, deeply personal, and highly encouraging trek through Psalm 86, covering its opening verses, 1 through 10, in the New Living Translation.

This psalm is a Prayer of David, a compilation of fervent pleas and confident affirmations, drawing wisdom and themes from many other laments and hymns throughout the Psalter. It moves from a desperate cry for immediate help, anchored in the psalmist's humility and helplessness, to a magnificent declaration of God's unrivaled greatness and universal sovereignty.

In the preceding psalm, Psalm 85, we found the people waiting and listening for God's peace and the divine harmony where love and truth would meet. Psalm 86 is the personal response to that longing: a realization that the first step toward receiving God's peace is to humbly and completely cast oneself upon His mercy. It reminds us that our smallness is precisely what qualifies us for God's greatness!

So, let's open our hearts to David's personal plea, learning how our deepest distress can become the foundation for our most powerful declarations of faith.

The Urgent Plea of the Helpless Servant

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry out to you all day long. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive. You are filled with unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

The psalm begins with an immediate, physical, and urgent plea for God’s attention: "Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help." The image of God having to "bend down" speaks volumes! It paints a picture of the psalmist being utterly low, perhaps bowed down by trouble, while God is high and majestic. It’s an urgent request for the transcendent God to condescend, to lean in, and to acknowledge the smallness of the one who prays.

David anchors his plea in his current state, identifying himself through multiple titles of vulnerability and faith: "Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God." He uses three compelling reasons for God to intervene:

Devotion: "I am devoted to you," or "I am holy" (hasid)—meaning he is a loyal, faithful follower of God.

Service: "I serve you"—he is God's bond-servant (‘ebed), obligated to God, and thus God has a reciprocal obligation to care for him.

Trust: "I trust you"—he has placed his complete reliance on God.

These are not claims of perfect righteousness, mind you, but of covenant loyalty—he's saying, "Lord, I belong to You; act like You own me!"

This helplessness drives his continuous prayer: "Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry out to you all day long." His constant distress necessitates constant petition. He’s not praying just once; he’s crying out continuously, reminding God of his unceasing need for mercy (ḥānān), that active, unearned favor.

What he seeks is simple but profound: "Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you." David connects his inner turmoil to his outward devotion. He desires happiness (śāmaḥ, joy, gladness) as the fruit of his commitment. He’s not seeking pleasure, but the joy of salvation, the peace that comes from knowing he belongs entirely to God, because he has "give myself to you," or committed his soul to God.

The section culminates in a powerful declaration that transitions his prayer from urgent need to confident certainty: "O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive. You are filled with unfailing love for all who ask for your help." After detailing his own shortcomings and needs, David pivots entirely to God’s character. He is "so good" (ṭōb), "so ready to forgive" (sallāḥ, a deep, intrinsic willingness to pardon). Most powerfully, He is "filled with unfailing love" (ḥesed), that steadfast, covenant loyalty we've discussed so often, for all who appeal to Him. This realization of God's character breaks the cycle of his immediate distress and anchors his hope in a truth far greater than his current troubles.

The Unrivaled Glory of the Sovereign God

Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my desperate cries. I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me. No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None of their works can compare with yours. All the nations you created will come and bow before you, O Lord; they will praise your name. For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God.

David now reiterates his plea, but with a newfound certainty born from contemplating God’s goodness: "Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my desperate cries." He is now confident that God will listen. This confidence fuels his commitment: "I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me." This is a profound statement of established faith. His prayer is no longer a desperate experiment; it’s a guaranteed covenant exchange—I call, You answer. It affirms a direct, personal, and reliable relationship with the living God.

This reliability is immediately rooted in God's uniqueness and sovereignty: "No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None of their works can compare with yours." This is a direct challenge to the deities of the surrounding nations. In the ancient world, many believed in the reality of local gods or spiritual powers (echoing the divine council concept we discussed in Psalm 82). But David declares unequivocally that the pagan gods are utterly incomparable. Their "works" are worthless illusions compared to the powerful, redemptive acts of Yahweh, the one true God. This exclusive declaration of God's greatness is central to Israel's faith.

David then launches into a magnificent vision of universal worship, a prophetic hope for the global recognition of God's sovereignty: "All the nations you created will come and bow before you, O Lord; they will praise your name." This is a sweeping, comprehensive hope that transcends the immediate national crisis. It acknowledges that God is the Creator of all nations, and they will ultimately recognize His authority. This ties directly into the prophetic vision we saw in Psalm 72, where the righteous King would rule over all the earth. The shame of being mocked by their neighbors (Psalm 79) will be replaced by the ultimate glory of all nations praising God's name.

The psalmist concludes with a final, powerful affirmation of God's singularity: "For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God." This summary statement is the theological climax of the entire section. God is "great" (gādōl), mighty in power and splendor, and He "perform[s] wonderful deeds" (pele’, miracles). His absolute uniqueness is stated without qualification: "You alone are God" (’attāh ’el lebaddēkā). There are no equals, no rivals, only the one true Creator and Sovereign. This truth—that God is unique, mighty, and answers prayer—is the ultimate source of comfort and the reason for the psalmist's confident return to Him.

Psalm 86 beautifully models how personal suffering can lead to a powerful affirmation of God's character. By humbly acknowledging our need and focusing intently on His goodness, forgiveness, and unrivaled power, we can move from desperate crying to confident declaration.

Wisdom on the Trek: The Gravity of God’s Character

The wisdom of Psalm 86 for our trek lies in The Gravity of God’s Character. When our need is great, our primary focus must shift away from the problem and toward the magnitude of our God.

Humble Pleading: David begins by focusing on his helplessness (needs help, devoted, servant). He models humility as the correct posture before God. Our smallness is not a hindrance; it's an invitation for God's greatness to be displayed.

Anchor in Ḥesed: He finds confidence in God's unfailing love and forgiveness. When doubt threatens, we must intentionally recall that God is "so good, so ready to forgive"—a truth far weightier than our current distress.

Rest in Uniqueness: David’s faith is strengthened by the fact that God is unrivaled. When faced with life's threats, we must remind ourselves: "No pagan god is like you, O Lord." Our God alone has the power to create, save, and uphold the universe. His might guarantees His ability to answer our cries.

Let us, like David, use our prayers as a pathway to declaring the greatness of our God, knowing that He is both the majestic King who created all nations and the merciful Father who bends down to hear the cries of His servant.

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2711 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we continue with the 14th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter fourteen: “Not of This World”

In Jesus’ well-known prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested for trial, he said of his followers, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). Believers were certainly in the world, specially tasked by God to carry the gospel to every nation (Matt. 28:19–20), but they were not of the world. This paradox—being in the world but not of it—was telegraphed to early Christians in several memorable ways…

Sacred Space, Holy Ground, and God’s Presence…

 

In chapter 8 we talked about the concept of sacred space. For Old Testament Israelites, God was completely other. The space his presence occupied was set apart from all other space. That wasn’t a denial that God was omnipresent—in all places at all times. Rather, it was a way of marking the territory on which he chose to meet with his people. That was one of the purposes for having the tabernacle and the temple. The concept of sacred space was not only the rationale for many of Israel’s laws and rituals, but it also reinforced the idea of cosmic geography​—how the world was divided among the lesser gods and the Most High God, the God of Israel…

The notion of sacred space gets brought into the New Testament in a dramatic way. All we need to ask is, “Where is the presence of God right now?” While God is everywhere, he specifically dwells within each believer. Believe it or not, you are sacred space. Paul very clearly wrote that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19)…

The same is true of the ground where believers gather as a group. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul told them collectively, “You are God’s temple” (1 Cor. 3:16). He told the Ephesian believers they were “members of the household of God … a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19, 21–22)…

The implications are startling. Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ statement, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20 leb). But viewed in the context of the Old Testament idea of sacred space, that statement means that wherever believers gather, the spiritual ground they occupy is sanctified amid the powers of darkness…

Yahweh’s final chosen dwelling place in the Old Testament was Israel—the temple in Jerusalem. Israel became holy ground because that’s where God’s presence resided. But that holy ground was threatened by the nations that surrounded it and their hostile gods. In the same way, believers today are in a spiritual war. We are now God’s temple, the special place God’s Spirit resides, points of the light of his presence—and we are scattered throughout a world in bondage to the powers of darkness…,,

This concept is illustrated well by Paul’s view on the sanctity of the local church. Every body of believers was holy ground, no place for unrepentant sin. In chapter 8 we looked at how the camp of Israel dealt with sin to preserve the sanctity of the camp—its sacred space. We talked about the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16), where the sins of the nation were ritually transferred to a goat—the one “for Azazel” (Lev. 16:8, 10). Azazel was a demonic entity thought to inhabit the wilderness. The Israelites sent the goat out into the wilderness, carrying their sins away. The act symbolically sent the sins of the people where they belonged—into the wilderness, the place of spiritual darkness…

Paul has the Corinthians deal with sin the same way​—sending it where it belongs. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul wrote to the Corinthians about a man living in sexual immorality who needed to repent. He commanded, “Hand this man over to Satan” (1 Cor. 5:5 gnt). The rationale was clear—sin has no place on holy ground. Believers were to remove unrepentant believers from the church (1 Cor. 5:9–13). To be expelled from the church was to be thrust into the realm of Satan, back out into the world…

Paul hoped the result for the unrepentant man would be “the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:5). (The reference here isn’t to physical death, but to the death of the fleshly lusts ensnaring this man [Gal. 5:24; 1 Cor. 11:32–33])…

 

Baptism as Spiritual Warfare… -

Peter’s stand on this issue was the same as Paul’s—believers were pitted against the powers of darkness. His warfare thinking is found in one of the stranger passages in the New Testament, 1 Peter 3:14-22:

I’m sure you noticed the oddities in the passage. What do the ark, Noah, and imprisoned spirits have to do with baptism? And does this text say baptism saves us?

What Peter is doing here is similar to something Paul does in Romans 5. Paul talked about Jesus in that passage, but with Adam in mind as well. Think of Jesus as, in some ways, the opposite of Adam. That’s why Paul says things like “as by the one man’s disobedience [Adam’s] the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience [Jesus’] the many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19). Peter has Enoch, rather than Adam, in mind when he writes about Jesus in 1 Peter 3. But for Peter, Enoch and Jesus weren’t opposites. Enoch serves as an analogy for the point Peter wants to make about Jesus…

You might wonder, “What point?” After all, there are only a handful of verses about Enoch in the Old Testament (Gen. 5:18–24). All we learn there is that he lived before the great flood and that “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Gen. 5:24 niv). Those verses don’t really have any connection to what Peter says in 1 Peter 3 about Jesus…

To understand why something Enoch did reminded Peter of Jesus, we need to understand that Peter read about Enoch in Jewish books outside the Old Testament. Specifically, Peter was familiar with an ancient Jewish book that had a lot to say about Enoch. It was named, predictably, 1 Enoch. That book filled in lots of details about what happened at the time of the flood, especially the episode in Genesis 6:1–4, where the sons of God (Enoch calls them watchers) produced children (the Nephilim giants) with human women. When both Peter and Jude wrote about angels who sinned in the days of Noah (2 Pet. 2:4–5; Jude 6), they were alluding to ideas in 1 Enoch that are not part of the biblical flood story. The Genesis flood account, for example, never tells us that the divine sons of God were imprisoned in the underworld realm of the dead until the end of days, but 1 Enoch does (1 Enoch 6:1–4; 7:1–6; 10:4, 11–13)…

Something that happened to these “spirits in prison” in the book of 1 Enoch gave Peter an insight into Jesus. In the 1 Enoch story, Enoch has a dream where the imprisoned spirits asked him to intercede with God on their behalf. After all, Enoch walked with God—who better to ask God to relent and release them? Enoch did so, but got bad news. God’s answer was an emphatic no. Enoch then had to deliver that answer—he descended to the spirits in prison. He told them they were still under judgment…

Peter used that story as an analogy for Jesus. The point he wanted to get across was that when Jesus died, he descended to the realm of the dead and had a message for the fallen divine beings there. When they saw Jesus enter the place of the dead, they were likely to think their fellow demons had won and they would be getting out of jail soon. Instead, Jesus told them they wouldn’t see him for long—he would rise again. It was all part of God’s plan. They hadn’t won—they were still under judgment and as doomed as ever. That’s why this odd passage ends the way it does, with Jesus “gone into heaven” and seated “at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (1 Pet. 3:22)…

Why does Peter connect all of this to baptism? In Peter’s mind, Jesus’ death and resurrection—complete with an announcement to the demonic powers of his victory​—​was symbolized in baptism. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 6:1–11)…

For Peter, baptism “corresponds” to all this because it is “an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). The Greek word for “appeal” refers to a pledge one takes. The Greek word for “conscience” often refers to an ability to tell right from wrong. But that isn’t the case here. Knowing the difference between right and wrong doesn’t have a specific relationship to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Greek word can also point to making a commitment—and a good one, not a foolish one. That’s what Peter is getting at in 1 Peter 3. In essence, baptism was a loyalty oath and a message to the demonic powers (as well as any people present) of just whose side you were on in the spiritual war. Ancient Christians understood this better than we do today. Early church baptismal rites included a renunciation of Satan and his angels because of this passage…

Why This Matters...

First,. understand that believers are holy ground, the dwelling place of God’s presence—the glory of the Old Testament. Do we live like it? Israelites and the believers of Jesus’ day felt an ever-present need to be different from unbelievers. The goal wasn’t to be deliberately odd so unbelievers would hope to avoid contact. Israel was to be a “kingdom of priests” and “a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Living the way God wanted his children to live led to fruitful, productive, happy lives. Israelites were to attract people enslaved by enemy gods back to the true God…

When our worldview is attuned to God’s plan to rescue people from every nation, making them part of God’s family, we are not of this world. Being of this world is to be absorbed by the world’s concerns and living accordingly. Unbelievers should be able to tell from our speech, behavior, ethics, and attitude toward others that we’re not cynical, selfish, or harsh—that our focus is not on getting ahead or on using people. We should not live to gratify ourselves. We are to be the antithesis of these things. In other words, we are to live as Jesus lived. People wanted to be around him because he wasn’t like most everyone else…

Second,. what we do in our churches should elevate God and Jesus. In biblical times, a visit to the tabernacle or temple reinforced ideas about God’s perfection, otherness​—and love for his children. Those things go hand-in-hand. Why would a God who needs nothing and is superior to everything want a human family? Why would that God bother creating a new family after casting aside the nations at Babel, consigning them to other gods? Why not just walk away? Because he loves us...

It’s because we know God could have done something else but didn’t that his love takes on meaning. When a church talks only about the love of God without pointing out the irony of that love when placed against God’s other character traits, believers will take that love for granted. It might sound cheap, for instance, to people unaware of God’s holiness…

A third implication of what we’ve discussed in this chapter is that the powers of darkness know whose side we are on by our behavior. They are not stupid. They see our loyalty to God, and they see us act on our decisions to follow Jesus through things like baptism and resistance to sin. But they also see us when we act disloyally to God, and they understand what vulnerability that introduces into our lives. Whether or not we believe it, we are being watched—by both sides of the spiritual war…

These truths are easier to understand than to live out. Though redeemed, we are fallen. To live these truths, we need our minds and hearts tuned to why we’re here, living as foreigners in our own world. Like Jesus, we are not of this world—in it, but not of it (John 8:23; 1 John 4:4). That contrast, and our status, will become even sharper once we get a handle on just what it means to be children of God…

Join us next time on Theology Thursday as we explore ‘Partakers of the Divine Nature.’…

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’….

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal...

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to’ Keep Moving Forward,…’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,...’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday!... See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2710 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our conversation in Psalm 85, covering verses 8 through 13 in the New Living Translation.

In our last trek, we explored the first half of this poignant communal lament. We heard the people's prayer for revival, anchored in God's past faithfulness: "You have restored the fortunes of Israel," and "You have forgiven the guilt of your people" (Psalm 85:1-3). Yet, their plea was urgent, asking God to "restore us again" and to "show us your unfailing love" (Psalm 85:4, 7). They were caught in the "in-between," that painful gap between the miracle of the return from exile and the full, glorious reality of true national revival.

Now, the psalmist shifts from pleading to listening, confident that God will speak peace and provide the perfect vision for their complete restoration. This final section beautifully describes how God's saving presence will transform the land and the people, bringing a divine harmony where love and truth, justice and peace, meet and embrace. This vision of God's saving power is the glorious answer to their cry for restoration.

So, let's open our hearts to this prophetic promise, recognizing the divine symmetry that only God can orchestrate.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to foolish ways. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!

The psalmist makes a conscious, deliberate choice here to stop pleading and start listening: "I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people." This is a pivotal moment in any lament! After pouring out our anxiety and our fears, the next step is to quiet our souls and incline our ear towards the divine. The psalmist expresses confidence that God will speak "peace" (shalom), which, in the Hebrew worldview, is not just the absence of conflict, but total well-being, harmony, and wholeness.

This promise of shalom is conditional: "But let them not return to foolish ways." God’s people must actively participate in their own revival. The restoration is offered, but they must choose to walk away from the spiritual "foolish ways" that led to their former suffering. The warning is clear: true peace requires sustained obedience and integrity.

The psalmist then declares the nearness of their salvation: "Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory." Salvation (yeshû‘â)—their full deliverance—is not a distant hope; it is "near," close at hand for those who "fear him" (yārē, which means reverence, awe, and worshipful obedience). When that salvation arrives, the result is breathtaking: "our land will be filled with his glory." This glory (kāvôd) is the visible manifestation of God’s majestic presence. The devastation of the land, lamented in previous psalms like 79, will be reversed by the radiant presence of God Himself.

The most magnificent part of this vision is the divine harmony that God's presence creates: "Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!" This is stunning poetic imagery, presenting four divine attributes as heavenly beings descending to earth and embracing one another.

Unfailing Love, (Hesed)—God’s steadfast, covenant-keeping mercy—meets Truth, (‘emet)—God’s faithfulness and reliability. These two, often tested by human sin, now find perfect reconciliation.

Righteousness, (Tsedeq)—God’s perfect justice and moral integrity—kisses Peace, (Shalom)—wholeness and harmony. The righteousness that demands judgment, and the peace that desires wholeness, find their resolution in a single, affectionate moment.

This harmony is the answer to the chaos the people experienced. Only God's saving presence, facilitated by His sovereign plan, can perfectly reconcile the demands of justice (He must punish sin) and the desires of mercy (He must save His people). This perfect union is achieved through the work of the Messiah, who satisfied the demands of Truth and Righteousness while simultaneously granting Love and Peace to humanity.

Yes, the Lord pours down blessing, and our land will yield its abundant harvests. Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.

The reconciliation of these divine virtues in the land has a profound, tangible effect: "Yes, the Lord pours down blessing, and our land will yield its abundant harvests." The prosperity that the people desperately prayed for is guaranteed when God's character is fully manifest. The barrenness of the land, a sign of God's displeasure, will be reversed. The Lord will "pour down blessing," leading to "abundant harvests." This agricultural flourishing is the visible, undeniable sign that the time of God's favor has fully returned. It is the restoration they prayed for, manifested in the very soil beneath their feet.

The psalm concludes by describing the procession of the divine King into His restored land: "Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps." This is a grand, royal image. The King of Glory (God Himself) is returning to fully inhabit His land. But He doesn't enter without preparation. Righteousness—that moral integrity which was so absent in the human rulers of Psalm 82 and so lacking in the rebellious ancestors of Psalm 78—now acts as a herald (a messenger who prepares the way). Righteousness precedes God, ensuring that the path is clean and established according to His moral law.

The phrase "preparing the way for his steps" is a prophetic image that assures the people that God's presence is ordered, intentional, and permanent. Where God walks, blessing and justice follow. This final image assures the community that when God acts, His holiness and justice are not threats, but the very things that guarantee their peace and their prosperity. It is a perfect end to the communal lament, confirming that the shalom they so desperately prayed for is dependent entirely upon the tsedeq (righteousness) that God brings.

This profound conclusion to Psalm 85 transforms the nation’s longing into a vision of hope, reminding them, and us, that God's restoration is comprehensive, reconciling spiritual truth with physical prosperity, and securing the land for His eternal glory.

The profound wisdom of Psalm 85 for our journey lies in The Prerequisites for Peace .

The psalmist teaches us three vital steps for moving from national or personal chaos to Shalom:

Cultivate A Listening Heart: The restoration begins not with a great battle, but with silence: "I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying." When we are in the "in-between," we must stop shouting our pleas and start listening for God’s peace. We must be careful not to "return to foolish ways," understanding that our stubbornness is often the greatest impediment to our blessing.

Recognize the Divine Harmony: We must understand that God’s great work reconciles seeming opposites. When we suffer, we often feel that God's Love and His Justice are at odds. This psalm assures us that "Unfailing love and truth have met together." We cannot separate God's mercy from His moral law. Salvation is the point where Righteousness and Peace can finally kiss—the cross of Christ perfectly achieved this reconciliation for all who trust Him.

Prepare the Path for Righteousness: The greatest promise is that "Righteousness goes as a herald before him." If we want to see God's glory fill our "land" (our lives, our homes, our communities), we must let Righteousness clear the way. We must actively choose to live with integrity, honesty, and moral purity, thereby preparing the path for the King to enter and grant us the abundant harvest that follows His steps.

Our hope for revival is not a passive waiting; it is an active listening and an intentional commitment to live righteously, trusting that God’s steps will inevitably bring Shalom.

If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of… ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek together, let us always: Live Abundantly... Love Unconditionally... Listen Intentionally... Learn Continuously... Lend to others Generously... Lead with Integrity... Leave a Living Legacy Each Day...

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to, ‘Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and, ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday! See you next time for more daily wisdom!

 

 

Putnam Church Message – 08/31/2025

Last week, we explored 1 John 2:1-11 as we learned the seven rules on how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Wise Words from a Family Meeting.”

This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will cover 1 John 2:12-17 as we explore how to live a ‘Clean Life’ with “Strong Warnings About the World.” Let’s read 1 John 2:12-17 from the NIV, which is found on page 1900 of your Pew Bibles.

because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

13 I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have overcome the evil one.

because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

because you are strong,

and the word of God lives in you,

and you have overcome the evil one.

When danger draws near, a warning is in order. And the greater the danger, the more vital the warning.

Let me share a story from a long-time pastor and President of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chuck Swindoll. I will share it in the first person as he did. /When I think of warnings, my mind goes back over sixty years to when I found myself standing on the deck of a massive troopship, seeing the city of Yokohama, Japan, in the distance, just across the Tokyo Bay. Our ship was slowly snaking its way through the bay because there were still some naval mines lurking beneath those waters—leftovers from World War II. As the pilot was guiding us carefully, a full colonel called some thirty-five hundred Marines to an assembly.

He called us together to give us a warning. Great danger drew near. Not the physical danger of the naval mines. Those could be easily navigated. He had other dangers in mind … dangers lurking not in Tokyo Bay but in the streets of Yokohama, where thousands of pent-up Marines were about to be unleashed.

“All of you, listen up,” he said. “For many of you, you will be the foreigner for the first time in your lives. You’re going to be walking in an area you’ve never walked before. You’ll be among people who speak a language you’ve never spoken before. You’ll be in the midst of a culture you don’t understand. So, I have a few words of warning for all of you. First, a message to every one of you: You’ll be wearing your uniform. It’s the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. You’re representing your country while you’re on this land. Don’t bring reproach to our land and our country. Behave yourselves.”

And then the colonel went into some particulars as he addressed some specific categories of personnel. “Some of you,” he said, “are older men. You’ve traveled abroad before. You know better what to expect. But you’re not safe any more than the younger men among us.”

Then he said to those of us who were younger: “Most of you have never been out of your own country, so you hardly know where the danger lies. Let me say to all of you: Remember these things today. Less than two days from now, at 1100 hours, we will be leaving this dock, and I want all of you back on this ship. Between now and then, you’re going to find yourself among great crowds of people. Watch out for pickpockets. Be careful what you eat … and where you eat. Don’t buy any food off the street. In some parts of the city, there’s open prostitution. Don’t be stupid. The bars would love to see you come in. And they’d love to see your face flat on the floor. And when you wake up, you’ll have nothing of value that belonged to you before. So, discipline yourself.”

After several other similar warnings, he concluded, “Again, we’re leaving this dock at 1100 hours in less than forty-eight hours. I want all of you back on the ship, in uniform, on your feet, ready to make your way down to Okinawa.”

I hardly need to tell you that some promptly forgot the warnings. It wasn’t long before some had their pockets picked. Some got back on the ship with temporary food poisoning, others with long-term diseases they picked up from streetwalkers. Several of them were still inebriated or nursing hangovers. And, yes, a handful even missed the ship! I’ll never forget when we were leaving the dock at 1100 hours sharp. A few guys were running toward the ship, waving their ties and yelling, “Wait! Wait! Wait!” The ship didn’t delay its departure for them. It just sailed right out of the harbor as planned.

Many of those men—young and old alike—didn’t take the colonel’s warnings seriously. Maybe they thought he was just killing time while the ship weaved around the naval mines. Maybe they thought the “old man” was simply obligated to go through that litany of do-nots as part of an official “cover our behinds”> policy. But he was serious. These were real warnings from an older, seasoned Marine who wanted to impart wisdom to those under his charge. But because many failed to take heed, they became victims of the dangers. And they paid the price.

My mind immediately returns to that scene on the ship decades ago as we turn to 1 JOHN 2:12-17. I can picture the apostle John, seasoned by years of trials and tragedy, made wise by years of testing and triumph. Like that veteran colonel imparting wisdom to a ship of Marines young and old alike, John was leaning into his audience—not to tell them things they wanted to hear, but to tell them things they needed to hear. Whether they were older men and women or younger men and women, whether they had been believers for a few days or a few decades, John needed to impart to them strong warnings about the real world.

John precedes his strong warnings by again addressing his readers with that term of grandfatherly affection that underscores their close family relationship: “I am writing to you, dear children” (2:12). I understand this as a general address to all his readers, as it is throughout this letter (see 2:1, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21).

However, included among his spiritual children are “fathers,” “young men,” and even “children” (2:13–14). The term “fathers” is probably used in the same sense as in 1 Timothy 5:1, where Paul says, Never speak harshly to an older man,[a] but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. John is addressing the older members of the church, “mature in the faith” (NLT), perhaps even the church’s leaders. In this case, the “young men” would be a reference to those under the mentorship of the older members. “young in the faith” (NLT) Finally, the word translated “children” in 1 John 2:14 is not teknion, as in 2:12, but rather the word paidion [3813], which usually refers to a preteen who is still under the tutelage of teachers. In any case, the term likely refers to the youngest members spiritually of the church, especially those who are still very early in their spiritual formation.

Like that colonel in our story who addressed his warning about Yokohama to both battle-hardened veterans and wide-eyed novices, the apostle John calls to attention every generation at every level of spiritual maturity. In my lifetime as a believer, I’ve learned that some are so young in age and so new to the faith that they have no idea how dangerous the world can be to their spiritual lives. On the other hand, some are so old and mature in the faith that they begin to believe they’ve outgrown the power of temptation. These older types fittingly fall under Paul’s warning: If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. (1 Cor. 10:12). The truth is, we all need these warnings about the world.

Before launching into his warnings in 1 John 2:15-17, John reminds his readers of the spiritual blessings they have in their permanent family relationship with Christ. Though different blessings are associated with different groups within the church, these are general qualities that apply to all believers. He first reaffirms the complete forgiveness of their sins (2:12). your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. These believers are children of the eternal God, not because of their own merit or something special they have done or achieved. They are forgiven “for His name’s sake,” purely by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. This is the permanent condition in which they stand.

These forgiven ones “know Christ, who existed from the beginning.” (2:13–14). It may seem strange that John repeats this statement virtually word for word in these two verses. The only difference is that in the first instance John says, “I am writing to you, fathers” (2:13), while in the second he says, “I have written to you, fathers” (2:14). Bible scholars have puzzled over the reason for John’s repetition and change of tense in these two statements, and it’s probably impossible to sort out precisely what John’s doing.

Perhaps his reference to writing in the present tense refers to 1 John, while his reference to writing in the past refers to the Gospel of John. In that case, John would be emphasizing the fact that knowing Christ “who has been from the beginning” is a significant theme in his writings, life, and ministry. In John 20:31, he made his purpose in writing the Gospel clear: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.”

John clearly wants to underscore the importance of knowing Christ, who is “from the beginning.” This description of Christ, emphasizing His eternal deity,/ recalls the opening words of the letter: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” (1 Jn. 1:1).

Because of their permanent, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, the “young men” have “overcome the evil one” (2:13). This blessing is also repeated, with a couple of significant additions, in 2:14: “you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Our relationship with Christ results in the indwelling of the Spirit and the empowering of His word. As Jesus taught:

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[a] who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (John 14:16–17, 20)

This indwelling presence of the Spirit is what gives believers strength, which results in an ability to stand firm against the spiritual wickedness of the world.

And to the “children,” John offers a reminder to them that they “know the Father” (1 Jn. 2:13). To know Jesus, who is “from the beginning,” is to know the Father. Jesus Himself said, “If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[a] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:7). John writes later in this letter, “The one who confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 Jn. 2:23); and he writes in 2 John, “The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 1:9).

Because of the reality of the triune God in the lives of all believers—young and old alike—believers are able to take a stand against the world.

Having firmly established the believers’ irrevocable position of power and victory because of the forgiveness of their sins and their relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit (1 Jn. 2:12–14), John levels some strong warnings about the world.

What does John mean by “the world”? In his usage here, the Greek term kosmos [2889] refers to the system of this present age before the return of Christ. This world is led by Satan, who works against Christ and His people. It’s therefore hostile to righteousness. The world magnifies humanity, celebrates depravity, and rejects God’s word. In this negative sense, the world’s values, pleasures, pastimes, aspirations, and even attitudes have no room for God, no respect for Christ, and no regard for His followers. John uses the term kosmos in this sense throughout the letter, but in 2:15–17 alone, he uses the term six times as part of his strong warning.

John begins his warning with a straightforward, simple command: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world” (2:15). But wait! Doesn’t John 3:16 say “For this is how God loved the world:”? And didn’t God send Jesus into the world “but to save the world through him” (John 3:17)? Why does John seem to tell believers not to love what God clearly loves?

The answer is found in the two different senses of the word “world” and the two different senses of the term “love.” While John’s warning in 1 John 2:15–17 is primarily concerned with the wicked, fallen world system, the “world” that is the object of the self-sacrificial love of Christ is the world of humanity in desperate need of a Savior, just as John said earlier in this letter: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (2:2). Also, the word “love” here is used with the meaning “to have high esteem for or satisfaction with” or to “take pleasure in” something. What are the things in which a lover of the world takes pleasure? In 2:16, John describes them as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”

Let’s take a closer look at these things of the world. The first is “the lust of the flesh.” The term “lust” refers to a craving or a passionate desire. This is more than a person who is hungry and desires food. It’s more like an alcoholic who longs for a drink … or a drug addict who’ll do anything for another hit.

The term sarx (4561), translated “flesh,” refers most basically to physical things, particularly the material nature of the body. In that neutral sense, “flesh” is not essentially evil but can be used as a vessel of holiness to glorify God (2 Cor. 4:11). However, the term can also be used in a negative sense, as in 1 John 2:16. This is similar to the way the apostle Paul often used the term “flesh” in reference to our sinful, rebellious manner of thought and deed that reveres the world system, perverted since the Fall. Sarx is that part of our fallen state that opposes God and is in conflict with the Spirit’s work of instilling attitudes and promoting actions that counter the world and its values.

The “lust of the flesh,” then, appears to be self-generated. It’s our internal sinful tendencies taking shape and looking for something to satiate our carnal desires. This includes selfish ambitions and self-serving objectives—the all-powerful triumvirate of me, myself, and I. It finds its focus in self: my comfort, my possessions, my money, my future, my career, my hopes. The lust of the flesh starts with me, ends with me, and keeps me in the middle of it all.

John next refers to the “lust of the eyes” (2:16). This includes sinful cravings triggered by what we see, leading to covetousness and envy. We may be perfectly content with what we have, but then we see what somebody else has. Suddenly our own house, car, spouse, family, job, clothes, or church just isn’t enough anymore. The lust of the eyes can...