The Riddleblog

“Elect Exiles” (1 Peter 1:1-2) — Words from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part One)

Christians Possess a Dual Citizenship

Presumably, most people reading this are US citizens–either by birth or by naturalization. American citizenship entitles us to all the benefits and privileges of living in the United States. Yet, our national citizenship also carries with it the responsibilities of being an American–we should vote, we must pay our taxes, and we may be called to serve in the military in times of war, and so on.

In addition to our US citizenship, Christians possess another kind of citizenship–a heavenly, eschatological citizenship. If we trust in Jesus Christ and possess the Christian passport (baptism), we are also citizens of Christ’s kingdom. Therefore, all Christians hold a dual citizenship. Just as our natural citizenship provides us with certain benefits, and places certain responsibilities upon us, so to does our citizenship in Christ’s kingdom. The purpose of Peter’s first epistle is to spell out both the privileges and responsibilities of our membership in Christ’s kingdom, especially as we dwell in the midst of the civil kingdom with its many blessings, its numerous duties and obligations, and its soul-threatening dangers, along with the risk of persecution.

The Place of 1 Peter in the New Testament Canon

Peter’s first letter is often identified as one of the “catholic” or general epistles. These letters come out of the very heart of the apostolic circle. Peter was the chief apostle. James was the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church as well as one the first Christian martyrs. John was the author of the gospel bearing his name, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. And there’s Jude, another half-brother of Jesus. The general letters are very important if too often overlooked.

Reformed Christians often understand themselves as primarily students of Paul–because in our own history, the doctrinal debates in which we have engaged as a tradition often deal with the question of how sinners are reckoned as forgiven and righteous before God (justification). Our theologians frequently write books on Paul, his theology, and with good reason, we spend much time in Romans and Galatians. We need to properly understand the gospel in order to share it with others, and to live in light of the countless blessings secured for us by Jesus Christ.

To read the rest, follow the link below

"The Coming of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) — Episode Eight of Season Two of the Blessed Hope Podcast Is Up

Episode Synopsis:

The greatest event in all of human history was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The most hoped for event in humanity’s future is Jesus Christ’s return when he will raise the dead, judge the world, and bring about the new creation. Since the moment Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and the attending angels told his disciples that he would return in the same manner in which he departed, his people have longed for Jesus to return. Our greatest hope is to be that generation still living when the Lord returns so that we need never taste death. Along with the first Christians we cry out, “Maranatha! The Lord come!”

Like many of us, the Thessalonians had questions about details of the Lord’s return–what it means and when it will happen. When they first heard Paul’s teaching and preaching they gladly accepted this wonderful truth that Jesus’s resurrection and ascension guaranteed our Lord’s bodily return at the end of the age. But some of them wondered, “what happens to those who die before our Lord comes back?” Do they miss out on the benefits of the resurrection? Others were asking “how soon will the Lord return?” They took Paul to be saying the Lord would return very soon. Do the signs of Jesus’ return of which Paul had spoken, give Christians the tantalizing clues from which we can figure out when the Lord will return?

Paul addresses these questions in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. We’ll talk about all of this in the next three episodes of the Blessed Hope Podcast as we consider Paul’s answers to the questions about Christ’s second advent put to him by the Thessalonians.

To see the show notes and listen to the podcast, follow the link below

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerFebruary 17, 2023Christ's Second Advent, The Coming of the LordComment

"Maranatha! Our Lord, Come" in Biblical Context

Although I grew up in “Bible Churches” in which exposition of the Bible was standard fare (if given through a dispensational interpretive grid), I don’t recall hearing any discussion of Paul’s use of the term “Maranatha” found at the end of 1 Corinthians 16:22. But when I occasionally attended Calvary Chapel, I noticed the word Maranatha, was ubiquitous. Everyone seemed to know it came from an Aramaic word which means “the Lord Come.” Maranatha appeared on bumper stickers and tee-shirts. Calvary’s rapidly growing music enterprise was labeled “Maranatha Music,” which had its own a slick logo complete with the Calvary Chapel dove. At the time, this struck me as odd since Paul was obviously referring to the parousia of Jesus when using Maranatha and not Pentecost.

A quick internet search will reveal a surprisingly wide range of businesses, churches, and other enterprises which use Maranatha as a title—presumably to identify themselves as evangelical Christians of a particular sort even if not directly affiliated with Calvary Chapel. I use the term to end each of my podcasts, since it is the perfect way to end any discussion of Paul’s letters, just as he closes out his first Corinthian letter in the same way (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:22).

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical Theology, Biblical Events, eschatologyKim RiddlebargerFebruary 13, 2023MaranathaComment

Mysterious UFOs Over the Arctic Circle? We've Been Warned Before!

The shoot down of four mysterious objects spotted by NORAD coming in from the Arctic circle, brought to mind the warning plea given at the end of one of my favorite Sci-Fi movies of my youth—The Thing (1951).

Famed Gunsmoke actor James Arness made his first movie appearance as the vegetable-like alien bent on world conquest, before being fried in a clever electric trap set by a few American airmen at an arctic base.

The movie ends with the famous clip above, when the embedded reporter shares with the world what happened and urges vigilance. 72 years later, he sounds rather prophetic . . .

To see the video (its short) follow the link below

Just having some funKim RiddlebargerFebruary 13, 2023The Thing, Keep watching the skiesComment

The Church Fathers, Origen, and Augustine on Antichrist

The earliest Christian documents which mention the Antichrist contain slight theological reflection, apart from a brief mention of him in connection with a particular biblical passage. Over time, the short-shrift given him begins to change. Some tie Antichrist to heresy (appealing to the epistles of John). Others speak of him in connection to the persecution of the church. Some think he will be an apostate Jew who would appear at the time of the end in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem while introducing destructive heresies. Other focus upon his role as a deceiver. Some follow the biblical texts closely (i.e., Daniel 7, 2 Thessalonians, the Epistles of John, and Revelation 20), while a number indulge in more fanciful speculations. In other words, the church fathers, Origen, and Augustine have diverse views on the subject, many quite similar to interpretations offered in our own day.

The Epistle of Barnabas (4:1-5), written soon after the close of the apostolic age, identifies the fourth beast of Daniel 7 as the Roman Empire, while specifically referring to the beast as Antichrist.[1] A similar reference surfaces in the writings of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who was born about AD 70 and likely martyred about AD 156 A.D. In 7.1 of his Epistle to the Philippians (written about AD 135), Polycarp quotes from 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 2:7 and contends that Antichrist is the spirit of heresy.[2] This is the same emphasis found in John’s epistles, to the effect that the threat from Antichrist arises from within the church, takes the form of apostasy and heresy, and is not connected to state-sponsored persecution like that of the beast of Revelation 13.[3]

In his Dialog with Trypho, Justin Martyr (who was put to death in Rome about AD 165) speaks of the appearance of the “man of apostasy” who speaks “strange things against the Most High” and ventures to “do unlawful deeds on the earth against us Christians” (Dialog with Trypho, 110). Justin is clearly alluding to 2 Thessalonians 2:3, but does not specifically speak of this individual as Antichrist.[4]

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Basics — The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Far too often we hear people speak of the Holy Spirit as an “it,” not a “who.” One reason why this might be the case is that the nature of the Holy Spirit’s work is to bring glory to Jesus Christ, not to himself. J. I. Packer once described the Holy Spirit as the “shy member of the Trinity.” But this self-effacing role of the Spirit does not mean that the Holy Spirit is impersonal (a mere “force” or God’s “power”) nor a distinct member of the Godhead. Even as we speak of the Father as God, the Son as God, so too we must speak of the Holy Spirit as God. As we will see, Scripture teaches us that he is the third person of the Holy Trinity.

While there is not as much biblical evidence for the deity of the Holy Spirit as there is for the deity of Jesus, it would be a mistake to conclude that the evidence is neither clear nor decisive. We start with the Bible’s direct assertion that the Holy Spirit is God. In Acts 5:3-4, we read of the story of Ananias and Saphirra, specifically of their deceit and the charge brought against them—“You have not lied to men but to God.” To lie to the Holy Spirit (as they did) is to lie to God. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul tells us that the Spirit who indwells us, is God’s Spirit. He makes the same point in 1 Corinthians 6:19. At the very least, both of Paul’s comments are indirect assertions of the deity of the Holy Spirit.

To read the rest, follow the link below:

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerFebruary 9, 2023The Deity of the Holy Spirit, The work of the Holy SpiritComment

"The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith" -- Article Five, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith

The cause or blame for this unbelief, as well as for all other sins, is not at all in God, but in man. Faith in Jesus Christ, however, and salvation through him is a free gift of God. As Scripture says, It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Likewise: It has been freely given to you to believe in Christ (Phil. 1:29).

______________________________________

In light of the previous articles (One-Four), the Canons here deal with the difficult question as to why some people believe the gospel when it is preached to them, while others reject that same gospel. The authors of the Canons are very careful to follow the biblical testimony about this matter when they assign all blame for eternal loss to humanity (cf. Article One), while giving all glory to God for the salvation of any of Adam's fallen children (Article Two).

The objection is often raised to this; “if salvation depends entirely upon the grace of God, and not all are saved, then God is somehow unfair in his dealings with his creatures.” More questions follow and you have undoubtedly heard them, asked them, or thought them. “Why didn’t God chose everyone?” If what the Canons are teaching is true, then “it seems as though God is somehow preventing people from believing by choosing some but not everyone.” But the most common objection is, “Why did God choose one and not the other?” a question which will be answered in subsequent articles.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerFebruary 6, 2023The source of sin -- us, The source of faith -- GodComment

"This Is the Will of God: Paul on Sexual Purity" (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12) -- Episode Seven Ready to Go!

Episode Synopsis:

In chapter four of his first Thessalonian letter, Paul addresses the issues surrounding what it means to turn from idols to serve the true and living God. Paul is concerned with how these new Christians in Thessalonica “walk in the Lord” – that is, how they ought to live the Christian life in contrast to the way they lived before when they served idols. In verses 3-8 of chapter four, Paul takes up the matter of Christian sexual ethics. Those to whom Paul is writing knew nothing of the sexual purity God expects from his people before Paul arrived and preached the gospel to them. All they have known is a pagan sexuality which is often libertine (anything goes since the pagans understood sexual relations apart from personal morality). Greco-Roman men commonly had wives who raised the children and kept the home, but saw nothing wrong with premarital or extra-marital sexual relationships. In this episode of The Blessed Hope, we will consider Paul’s exhortation to avoid sexual immorality, and to live quiet lives, minding our own business, and not being dependent upon others.

To listen to the episode and see the show notes, follow the link below

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerFebruary 3, 2023sexual purity, sexual immoralityComment

I Was A Guest on Eschatology Matters with Dr. Joshua Howard

I enjoyed this immensely. We covered a bunch of eschatological matters including the resurgence of postmillennialism, problems with dispensationalism and premillennialism, the varieties of preterism, and much more.

To watch the video follow the link below

Amillennialism, eschatologyKim RiddlebargerJanuary 31, 2023Interview with Dr. Joshua Howard, Eschatology MattersComment

Some Thoughts on the Dating of The Book of Revelation (Part Three)

Arguments in Favor of a Post-A.D. 70 Dating

1). The most important reason for dating The Book of Revelation after A.D. 70 is evidence of the presence of emperor worship and the imperial cult underlying much of what takes place throughout John’s vision.

A number of texts such as Revelation 13:4-8, 15-16; 14:9-11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4, all indicate that Christians were being forced to participate in the emperor cult in ways which violated their consciences. As Moffat once put it, whether persecution of Christians had already become widespread or not, “the few cases of repressive interference and of martyrdom in Asia Minor (and elsewhere) were enough to warn [John] of the storm rolling up on the horizon, though as yet only one or two drops had actually fallen.”[1] While the persecution of Christians in Rome was already beginning during the reign of Nero, it was not widespread until the time of Domitian (A.D. 81-96) or even later. As several recent studies of Nero have demonstrated, the evidence shows that persecution of Christians in Rome (and not in Asia Minor, where John was) began under Nero because he used them as scapegoats for the great fire which destroyed much of Rome, not because they refused to worship him.[2]

Important studies of the historical background of Asia Minor during this time, such as those by Price, Rituals and Power: The Roman Imperial Cult in Asia Minor (1984), and Thompson, The Book of Revelation: Apocalypse and Empire, (1990), indicate that by the time of Domitian’s reign the imperial cult and emperor worship was in full-flower.[3] Although Thompson admits that Roman sources depict Domitian as an evil tyrant without exception,[4] nevertheless he proceeds to argue that persecution of Christians under Domitian’s reign was actually quite isolated and Domitian may not be the monster Roman historians made him out to be. Yet, as Thompson goes on to state, if the imperial cult preceded Domitian by “many reigns” it also continued long after Domitian was gone.[5]

To read the rest, follow the link below

Some Thoughts on the Dating of the Book of Revelation (Part Two)

Arguments for a Pre-A.D. 70 Date of Authorship and Responses

(1). In Revelation 11:1-12, John, supposedly, mentions the Jerusalem temple as though it were currently standing when he was given his vision.[1]

If the temple was still standing when John recorded his vision, then the Book of Revelation must have been written before the temple’s destruction at the hands of the Romans in A.D. 70. The passage (Revelation 11:1-2), reads as follows; “I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, `Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” If John is speaking of the temple in Jerusalem, and it was still standing when John was given this vision, this demands a date of composition before the temple was destroyed.[2]

Response:

The post-A.D. 70 response to the prior interpretation is to notice the highly symbolic language throughout the passage which points the reader in a direction away from that of the physical temple in Jerusalem. As G. B. Caird points out, “in a book in which all things are expressed in symbols, the very last things the temple and the holy city could mean would be the physical temple and earthly Jerusalem.”[3]

Caird goes on to note that if John is referring to the Jerusalem temple, then a rather remarkable thing is said to occur. The Gentiles, which according to the pre-A.D. 70 dating, would mean the armies of Titus (cf. Luke 21:24) occupy the outer court for three and a half years, but leave the inner court (the altar) undefiled. This, of course, did not happen when the temple was destroyed. If true, it would make much of the passage unintelligible because it lacks any historical connection to the actual events of A.D. 70. This also ignores John’s use of the symbolism of the outer court and the inner sanctuary as a reference to the church.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Some Thoughts on the Dating of the Book of Revelation (Part One)

Introduction

Preterism — Pre-A.D. 70 Dating:

A theological position is only as strong as its weakest point. The preterist interpretation of John’s figures of antichrist and the beast (i.e., Revelation 13) is based upon the assumption that John (the presumed author of Revelation) was given his apocalyptic vision before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. A pre-A.D. 70 date allows preterists to identify the beast of the Book of Revelation with Nero, thereby limiting antichrist to the series of heretics mentioned in John’s epistles who will plague Christ’s church until the Lord’s return (1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7). According to preterists, the visions given to John recorded in Revelation 13-18 lay in the past and were fulfilled before A.D. 70. There will be no future manifestation of a Nero-like beast or a personal Antichrist who will persecute the church immediately before our Lord’s return at the end of the age.

If it can be shown that the Book of Revelation was written after A.D. 70, the preterist interpretation of the beast as entirely a figure of the past becomes untenable. While the case for a future antichrist and manifestation of the beast is surely strengthened by a post-A.D. 70 dating of Revelation (through the elimination of a competing view), the case for non-preterist varieties of amillennialism (such as my own) are not dependent upon the date when the Book of Revelation was written.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Musings (1/23/2023)

This one is well worth your time: Shane Rosenthal on "The Megachurch Century"

The law of unintended consequences strikes again. People who have left their churches when young adults are having trouble coping later in life. Deaths of Despair -- The Consequences of Secularism
Parker and Lucas’s book is important and I highly recommend it (Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies). This review by Dr. Harrison Perkins is also important. Harrison Perkin's "Review" (in 3 parts) of Brent Parker and Richard Lucas' Covenantal and Dispensational Theologies: Four Views on the Continuity of Scripture
Parkinson on The Rationale for Reciting Creeds in Public Worship
Because they would if they could: Army Corps of Engineers releases a 2023 calendar of giant cats attacking infrastructure

To read the rest, follow the link below

Kim RiddlebargerJanuary 23, 2023

Thank You So Much!

Quite a milestone for a niche podcast put together in a makeshift home studio by a rank amateur podcaster!

Over its short run of twenty-two episodes, the Blessed Hope Podcast has far exceeded all my expectations. Thanks to each one of you who have encouraged others to listen! It has worked because other than my social media accounts, the Blessed Hope has received no promotion, does not rely on guests, yet the audience continues to grow, with folks listening in from around the world.

Lord willing, there’s more to come as I press ahead to complete Season Two covering Paul’s Thessalonian Letters.

If you haven’t listened in yet, give it a try!

Maranatha! The Lord Come!!!!

Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJanuary 21, 202310K downloads Comments

“Satan’s Opposition, the Lord’s Parousia, and Persecution of the Faithful” (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13) -- Episode Six Is Up!!

Episode Synopsis:

Paul was forced out of Thessalonica after three short weeks among them. Paul truly desires to return (he’s writing to the Thessalonians from Corinth) but so far has been prevented from doing so. Paul attributes this unfortunate circumstance to the activity of Satan and so explains why he sent Timothy instead of coming in person. Paul boasts in the fact that despite all that has happened, the Thessalonians are standing firm. Paul reminds them that Christian hope is grounded in the certainly of Christ’s parousia (his second coming), a term which the apostle introduces for the first time in this letter. Paul then discusses the inevitability that those who follow Jesus will be persecuted and that Jesus himself will ensure that his people persevere to the end. All of these topics are important and thinking about them properly goes a long way to living a healthy Christian life. So, there is important content here for us as we work our way through the balance of chapter two and the whole of chapter three in Paul’s first Thessalonian letter.

To see the show notes and listen to episode six, follow the link below

Kim RiddlebargerJanuary 20, 2023

The Basics -- The Deity of Jesus Christ

The Deity of Jesus Christ

Like Jews and Muslims, Christians are monotheists. But unlike Jews and Muslims, Christians are also Trinitarians. We believe that the one God is triune, and is revealed as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When it comes to the Son (Jesus Christ), the Bible everywhere affirms that Jesus is true and eternal God, uncreated, without beginning or end.

Given Jesus’s central place in Christian theology and his importance in the history of Western Civilization, non-Christian religions often attempt to co-opt Jesus and make him one of their own. But this is not easy to do since the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ differentiates Christianity from all other religions. If Jesus is true and eternal God as taught in Scripture, then the Christian doctrine of God is unique among world religions. The irony is that while virtually all religions honor Jesus as a prophet or teacher, nevertheless they all reject (implicitly or explicitly) the key points the New Testament makes about Jesus–that he is the second person of the Trinity, and that he is the eternal Son, and he possesses the same divine attributes as the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is God in human flesh, something Jesus personally believed and proclaimed about himself (and a matter to which we will return in a subsequent essay in this series when we discuss Christ’s incarnation).

To read the rest, follow the link below

The BasicsKim RiddlebargerJanuary 18, 2023the deity of Jesus Comments

"A Twofold Response to the Gospel" -- Article Four, First Head of Doctrine, Canons of Dort

Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel

God’s anger remains on those who do not believe this gospel. But those who do receive it and embrace Jesus the Savior with a true and living faith are delivered through him from God’s anger and from destruction, and receive the gift of eternal life.

_______________________________________________

The Scriptures are very clear about human guilt before God. Article Four of the First Head of Doctrine briefly summarizes the many biblical passages which teach this. As difficult as this can be to accept, the wrath of God abides on all of those apart from Christ. Those who trust in Jesus Christ and his gospel will be delivered from the wrath to come. Here, the canons are laying the groundwork for the subsequent doctrine of election which follows (especially in articles 5-7). The point being made is that there are those who believe and receive the gift of eternal life, and those who do not believe and who face the wrath of God. There is no middle ground. Either you respond to the gospel in faith, or you do not.

We read in John’s gospel that, “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). However sincere our motives, we cannot offer the false hope to those apart from Christ that “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” as found in evangelical tracts such as the Four Spiritual Laws. This promise is true, but only for a believer in Jesus. But those apart from Christ have no such hope. Those who reject Christ and his gospel can only expect God’s wrath. A vague promise of God’s love is not helpful. Rather, people need to hear the law of God (his commandments), come to realize their sin and guilt before God (because they have broken these commandments), and thereby be stripped of all false hope of a personal righteousness which they mistakenly hope can sustain them on the day of judgment.

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Canons of DortKim RiddlebargerJanuary 16, 2023A twofold response, The gift of eternal life, The wrath of GodComment

"A True and Perfect Sacrifice to God" -- B. B. Warfield on The Death of Jesus

The Biblical doctrine of the sacrifice of Christ finds full recognition in no other construction than that of the established church-doctrine of satisfaction. According to it, our Lord’s redeeming work is at its core a true and perfect sacrifice offered to God, of intrinsic value ample for the expiation of our guilt; and at the same time is a true and perfect righteousness offered to God in fulfillment of the demands of His law; both the one and the other being offered in behalf of His people, and, on being accepted by God, accruing to their benefit; so that by this satisfaction they are relieved at once from the curse of their guilt as breakers of the law, and from the burden of the law as a condition of life; and this by a work of such kind and performed in such a manner, as to carry home to the hearts of men a profound sense of the indefectible righteousness of God and to make to them a perfect revelation of His love; so that, by this one and indivisible work, both God is reconciled to us, and we, under the quickening influence of the Spirit bought for us by it, are reconciled to God, so making peace—external peace between an angry God and sinful men, and internal peace in the response of the human conscience to the restored smile of God. This doctrine, which has been incorporated in more or less fullness of statement in the creedal declarations of all the great branches of the Church, Greek, Latin, Lutheran, and Reformed, and which has been expounded with more or less insight and power by the leading doctors of the churches for the last eight hundred years, was first given scientific statement by Anselm (q.v.) in his “Cur Deus homo” (1098); but reached its complete development only at the hands of the so-called Protestant Scholastics of the seventeenth century (cf. e.g. Turretin, “The Atonement of Christ,” E.T. by J. R. Willson, New York, 1859; John Owen, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ” (1648), Edinburgh, 1845).

Benjamin B. Warfield, The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield: Studies in Theology, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1981), 278.

B. B. Warfield, Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerJanuary 14, 2023Warfield on AtonementComment

Allen Guelzo Asks, "Was America Ever Christian? Founding, Awakening and a Common Myth"

ABSTRACT: The idea of a “Christian America” holds both myth and significant meaning. On the one hand, American history offers little evidence of a distinctly Christian founding; many of the Founders, in fact, actively opposed Christianity and sought its disenfranchisement in the new republic. On the other hand, the decades after the Founding saw a surge of Christian faith throughout the country. By the eve of Civil War, America could justifiably be called a “Christian nation,” but its Christianity was cultural, not political, the result of vigorous local and national enterprises rather than governmental action.

Here’s the link to the article: Guelzo: Was America Ever Christian?

Put Not Your Trust in Princes -- An Exposition of Psalm 146

Background to the 146th Psalm

My guess is that almost everyone reading this can recite the 23rd Psalm from memory. Yet can you recite Psalm 146 from memory? Probably not. Although not as well known as the 23rd Psalm, Psalm 146 is certainly worthy of our time and study. Consider the fact that Christians frequently use expressions like “praise the Lord,” and “hallelujah.” Where do these expressions come from and why are they used? These expressions come from biblical passages like Psalm 146. Like many other Americans, Christians are prone to place their trust in great men (politicians, military heroes, people of fame, wealth, and power), because such people can exercise influence upon over lives and our ways of thinking. But in Psalm 146, we are reminded not to place our trust in anyone or anything other than God, who is the creator and sustainer of all things. And then it is our Lord Jesus who alludes to this Psalm when beginning his messianic mission. So there is much here for us to consider in the 146th Psalm.

Psalm 146 is representative of an important group of five Psalms at the end of the Psalter, the so-called Hallel Psalms (146-150). As we will see, Psalm 146 is a joyful Psalm of praise. Together with Psalms 147-150, these five Psalms bring the fifth Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150), as well as the entire Psalter, to a close. The five Hallel Psalms are classified as “Psalms of praise,” and are used as daily prayers in most synagogues. Collectively these Hallel Psalms reflect a sense of joy and delight and although not as well-known as other Psalms (such as Psalm 23) this group of Psalms does include Psalm 149 (in which we are urged to “sing a new song”) and Psalm 150 (with its famous refrain, “let everything that has breath praise the Lord”).

Psalms of Praise

There are Psalms written by David, Moses, and the sons of Korah. Psalms are used in the temple (for worship), royal Psalms (with messianic implications), wisdom Psalms, and a Psalm such as the well-known 23rd Psalm, often classified as a “Psalm of trust.” Here, we consider another genre (or form) of Psalms–a Psalm of Praise. This Psalm has been used as the text for several German hymns, and Isaac Watts’ hymn “I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath” is also based upon this Psalm. The 146th Psalm is a Psalm which directs us to offer praise to the Lord, as well as to exercise great care in choosing in whom we place our trust.

To read the rest of this exposition, follow the link below