Psalm 23: Now...and Forever...

My cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and lovingkindness 

   will follow me all the days of my life, 

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 

—Psalm 23:5-6

The shepherd David viewed himself as a sheep in the care of the Great Shepherd. After considering all the care, provision, and protection of the Great Shepherd he could draw only one conclusion: My cup overflows.

While the word “cup” is often used in scripture to indicate trials, it is used here to describe bountiful blessings given by God. His cup was not merely filled with enough, his cup was not merely full to the brim, his cup overflowed, being unable to contain all the blessings being poured out by the Great Shepherd. Such was the condition of this sheep...for now.

The final verse in this beautiful psalm completes the picture by looking forward, even to eternity.

The word ‘follow’ more often describes the action of ‘falling in behind someone in order to go where they lead.’ Sheep follow their shepherd. However, in this verse it is not the sheep that is following. The sheep is being followed, or more accurately according to the Hebrew, it is being pursued.

Generally, this term was used in the Psalms to describe the enemies of David as they pursued him. If you were to tell a shepherd that something or someone was in pursuit of his sheep, he would automatically think of the natural enemies of sheep: wolves, mountain lions, etc.

The greater danger was that the pursuit was continual. The enemy of the sheep would not give up until its hunger was satisfied.

An amazing contrast is seen in the life of the sheep in the flock of the Great Shepherd. The Psalmist describes a pursuit, but not by an enemy. Instead, the sheep of the Great Shepherd are chased by goodness and lovingkindness. These two are in hot pursuit and will not give up until their hunger is satisfied. The scene in our minds is almost comical as we picture the embodiment of goodness in hot pursuit continually overflowing the cup of the sheep.

Lovingkindness describes the love of God that motivated Him to make covenant promises to Abraham. At the same time it is the guarantee that He will never break His promises. It is a steadfast love on which the sheep knows it can rely. And this love is in pursuit of the sheep!

As if that is not enough, the final statement conveys a scene that transcends anything our minds can comprehend. Words like infinite, endless, eternal, everlasting, and forever are easily used, yet we cannot possibly understand beyond a trite acceptance of dictionary definitions. How can we truly understand endlessness!?

We can begin counting until we exhaust our language of words to name the next number. Yet the next number exists even if we cannot name it; it is one value beyond the last and there is always another. Eventually, we must simply turn our attention elsewhere because the finality of endlessness does not exist. Perhaps as we consider this thought we would do well to leave off the period at the end of the psalm.

It is within this framework of endlessness that David describes his life in the presence of God. He will not live in a physical structure such as the earthly tabernacle or temple where God’s presence was seen on earth. Rather, he will go to have permanent residence in the true house of God…without end...eternal rest...eyes open...

  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord...

 

 

Mark Stinnett

December 1, 2024

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning Judgment

Talking about the final judgment seems to make people anxious. Many Christians wonder if God is going to bring up…that event from their past that they wish they could forget. Non-believers may be anxious because they don’t know what might be said. They might be made to feel guilty for their lifestyle choices or some event in their past. Whatever the case, Judgment Day is the day when, “I’m only human” carries no weight; it cannot be used as an excuse.

When judgment is discussed in the context of the Bible, most people know that something will be said about eternity, heaven and hell. Eternity is a difficult concept. Getting a clear picture of heaven...elusive. And, what about hell? There seems to be many definitions and ideas about hell; the most common (I think) may be rooted in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, not the Bible.

Recognizing that science cannot be applied to divine judgment, eternity, heaven and hell, some people just make the assumption that we’ll all be like the dog Rover; when you’re dead, you’re dead all over. Yet, such a conclusion is based on empty space. It is a made-up conclusion that ignores God. It is not based on facts because there are no physical facts to enter into evidence that would weigh in on the question of eternity or heaven or hell.

So, we are left with two simple options:

• Make up our own conclusions, or
• Consider information from beyond our natural world, i.e. the revealed word of God.

Whether or not the biblical descriptions of heaven and hell are taken to be literal or figurative, it is clear: Heaven is equated with bliss while hell is equated with torment. One other thing; both are eternal. The Bible talks about the lake of fire (hell) as the second death (physical death being the first death). There is never such a thing as a third death where someone simply ceases to exist. So, just remember, eternal bliss or eternal torment!

In the Bible, divine judgment is about God’s discernment and His ultimate separation of good from evil, the godly from the ungodly, the righteous from the unrighteous. He is not arbitrary in His judgment. Rather His discernment is based on His divine character. God IS good and righteous and godly. But that’s not all. Goodness and righteousness and godliness are all characteristics of the One who lives. God will ultimately make a distinction between those who are spiritually alive and those who are spiritually dead.

In an often overlooked verse, John 3:18, Jesus said that those who do not believe in the Son of God will be judged (i.e. condemned). It sounds like those who do not love God with all their heart and listen to His word will be condemned.

Jesus gave us a picture of the final judgment in Matthew 25:31-46. It sounds like those who do not love their neighbor as themselves will suffer eternal punishment.

Is it really that surprising that those who do not truly embrace the two greatest commands will not enjoy eternal bliss?

The Apostle Paul preached a sermon at Athens in which he stated that God no longer overlooks people’s ignorance. He declared that people everywhere should change their minds (repent) concerning Jesus, because “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness” through Jesus. (Acts 17:30-31)

Don’t be caught off guard; God’s judgment is real. 

Anything different from God’s revealed word is just made up from empty space.


Mark Stinnett

August 1, 2021

'Caught Off Guard' Concerning Hope

For most people a weekly or monthly paycheck is a good illustration of hope. Often used today as a synonym for wish, hope really means expectation when it appears in the Bible. A person puts in a day’s work and expects to be paid. Yet, most employers make arrangements for workers to be paid on a schedule. So, for example, a worker begins the week working without pay, yet with the hope of being paid at the end of the week. He does not wish for a paycheck; he expects one. His expectation is based on an arrangement, or promise, made by the boss.

In the Bible you might read about believers placing their hope in someone like God or Jesus.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;

For with the Lord there is lovingkindness,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

—Psalm 130:7 (NASB95)

The Psalmist encouraged his people to place their hope in God. He wanted them to depend on God, and with good reason. God is full of lovingkindness. Other translations have expressions like mercy, loyal love, gracious love, or steadfast love instead of lovingkindness. The Hebrew term is an expression of love that is tied to a covenant, and covenant indicates promise.

So, the Psalmist was reminding Israel that they were in a covenant relationship with the God of heaven. For that reason they could depend on Him, or, they could hope in Him. They could depend on the fact that He had made covenant promises to them and that He would keep His word. In Psalm 130 the promises were about Israel’s forgiveness for sin and her redemption. So, Israel could have the expectation that God would keep His covenant promises concerning His forgiveness of their sins and their redemption. Israel could truly hope in God.

Sometimes we read in scripture about a specific hope. The Apostle Paul used the phrases hope of your calling, hope of the gospel, hope of glory, and hope of salvation in the same way he used the phrase hope of eternal life.

Unfortunately, some believers are being caught off guard by voices in religious circles telling them not to worry with questions about eternity. Rather, they should focus on more pressing matters like feeding and clothing the world and serving others. While noble and relevant…

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

—John 3:16 (NASB95)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

—Titus 3:5–7 (NASB95)

Based on these Scriptures, I must focus on eternal life because...

• Eternal life is real.
• Not everyone is guaranteed eternal life, only those who believe in Jesus.
• Eternal life is an inheritance.
• We are made heirs of this amazing promise by the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.

Don’t let anyone catch you off guard by telling you that eternal life is of lesser importance.

The best news is that if you are true Christian, then your hope IS eternal life.

Expect it because God has promised.

Mark Stinnett

July 25, 2021