Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 27
Go Forth
Psalm 78:52-55. 52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even tothis mountain, whichhis right hand had purchased. 55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
God’s marvelous grace in guiding and caring for His people is well described by the psalmist in Psalm 78:52-55. God’s people portrayed as sheep, God’s flock. There are several thoughts arising from our text for our meditation:
- His Own People (v52)
God takes full responsibility for our care. He directs the way ahead for us. The way ahead was a wilderness, fraught with uncertainty and danger in a predative and often barren environment. The imagery of God as our Shepherd and we are His sheep portrays the weak and helpless nature of the sheep to defend and fend for itself and the shepherd’s deliberate care for their continued well-being. How privilege we are to be His very own and under His care!
Thou art my refuge, Lord, I flee
From other safeguard unto thee;
Now by thy hand of power divine,
Sustain this feeble soul of mine.
Uphold my feet, so quick to fall,
And in thy strength I shall prevail;
Go thou before me, lead me on,
Until the heavenly home be won.
Thy wisdom every day I prove,
And learn thy endless, quenchless love!
By grace upheld, by grace restored,
Thou knowest that I love thee, Lord.
CH Spurgeon penned the above words extoling God’s care upon His people.
(2) He Led Them on Safely (v53)
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
In this COVID world, where safety seemed so elusive in the hearts of many, God’s people may safely entrust their protection to the Almighty God. Faith dispels fear. Israel were slaves in Egypt. They were delivered by God’s mighty hand from spiritual bondage. Lest we forget, the psalmist reminded God’s people to be steadfast trusting the Lord.
Psalm 78:40-51. 40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, andgrieve him in the desert!41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42 They remembered not his hand, northe day when he delivered them from the enemy.43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: 44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. 45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. 46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. 48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. 49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. 50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; 51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of theirstrength in the tabernacles of Ham:
For His church, the Lord has gathered and established His people. As God’s flock, we are reminded of His care and protection upon us over years past. And we are reminded to exercise confidence in our God’s continued care upon us amidst present and future hostile environment – And he led them on safely, so that they feared not. We are reminded to rehearse the works of God in past deliverance. It established our hearts in faith so that we may not fear. Fear is debilitating and base when we know that God undertaken to care for us.
(3) His Sanctuary – Dwelling with Him (v54)
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
God led His people through the wilderness finally to cross the Jordan River into the Holy Land, His Sanctuary. There, He established them as a people under Him – a theocracy, a nation under God, undergirded by God’s law, the nation’s constitution. God’s law provided the instruction for worship beginning with the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later the Temple in Mount Zion, Jerusalem. A foretaste of worship in heaven. A people living in the very presence of God. A people whom God purchased, out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt, to be free men under God.
We thank God for leading us to worship Him last Lord’s Day in the Worship Centre after an absence of 13 weeks. We rejoice to enter into His gates with thanksgiving, andinto His courts with praise, with thanksgiving unto Him, andbless His name. For the LORD isgood; His mercy iseverlasting; and His truth endurethto all generations.
(4) Our Inheritance – His Reward (v55)
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
God led His people in the conquest of the land. The ungodly were cast out. Joshua, God’s man, led the charge, fulfilling God’s promise to overcome their foes and inherit the land. The land was allocated according to the tribes of Israel. Indeed, as Spurgeon rightly observed “the purchased people shall safely reach the purchased inheritance.” On earth, the Apostle Peter reminded us of our heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away (1 Peter 1:4). An inheritance reserved in heaven for His people, the flock of God, purchased by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. May we cherish our great privilege as we await our change! Amen.
Yours loving,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee