Hope in the Midst of Destruction
While most Christians will not experience the disaster that the Israelites endured when the Babylonians destroyed the temple in 586 BC and led the southern tribes into captivity; some in this world will. Brethren, we can learn from Israel’s experience how to handle a life changing event in our lives. Whether we experience a natural disaster, a war, or some other event; our faith will have to sustain us when everything around us is in chaos. Lets see how the psalmist in Psalm 74 deals with his circumstances.
The psalmist begins with concern for the people of God and their rejection by Him. He laments the crisis and doesn’t fully understand all that happening (74:1-3). He relates the tremendous destruction of the Temple of God in Jerusalem and the devastation of the land as a whole (74:4-8). He cries out to God for the deliverance of Israel and justice upon the wicked (74:9-11.).
Brethren, because of Israel’s persistent idolatry they are under God’s disciplinary hand; and God’s discipline of His people is always just. The psalmist asks God to remember, to act on behalf of the people He created, and He redeemed (74:2-3). Like the psalmist, In the midst of great times of turmoil it is appropriate to ask God for help and cite His promises. We must be careful however, not to site promises made to the nation of Israel as if they applied to the Church (2 Chronicles 7:14 for example) and expect God to follow through.
In the midst of life-altering disaster the psalmist reflects on God’s past history of saving His people and fixes his hope on the future (74:12-23). Brethren, like the psalmist, we should confess God as our King (74:12) and trust that in His sovereign care.