Ode Against the Great Enemy

“God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel. His tabernacle is in Salem; His dwelling place also is in Zion. There He broke the flaming arrows, the shield and the sword and the weapons of war” (Psalm 76:1-3).

The ancient Greek translators of the Old Testament called this Psalm the “Ode Against the Assyrians,” assuming it described God’s miraculous destruction of Sennacherib’s army outside the walls of Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:13-19:37//2 Chronicles 32:1-22//Isaiah 36:1-37:38). This was not the last time God conquered the enemy of His people outside the walls of Jerusalem.

• “The LORD God said to the serpent...‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel’” (Genesis 3:14,15).
• “And Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit...now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, “Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name...now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself’” (John 12:23,24,27,28,31,32).
• “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:13-15).
• “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Hebrews 2:14,15).
• “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b).
• “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death’” (Revelation 12:9-11).

His people know this God the Victor, and recognize His name (Jesus) as great, and dwell in His peaceful (“Salem”) presence. He has won the victory on His cross, triumphed in His resurrection, and reigns in His ascension. Rejoice!

Escaping the Hunting Lion

“O Lord my God, in Thee I put my trust: save me from all that persecute me, and deliver me, lest he devour my soul like a lion, and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help” (Psalm 7:1,2, Geneva Bible).

Put all your trust in God the Son, Who intercedes for us that our faith will not fail, and not just for our own good: “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired you, to winnow you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: therefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren’” (Luke 22:31,32).

Simon Peter learned deeply of the intercession of the Lord in the face of the enemy who is like a roaring, tearing lion: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your care on Him: for He careth for you. Be sober, and watch: for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour...resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world. And the God of all grace, which hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a little, make you perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen” (1 Peter 5:6-11).

Put your trust this day in the interceding God the Son, Who alone saves and delivers by representing us before God the Father, Who sends forth God the Holy Spirit to help those who belong to His Son by faith.

• “What shall we then say to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against us? Who spared not His own Son, but gave Him for us all to death, how shall He not with Him give us all things also? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen? It is God that justifieth. Who shall condemn? It is Christ which is dead: yea, or rather, which is risen again, Who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us” (Romans 8:31-34).
• “Wherefore, He is able also perfectly to save them that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth, to make intercession for them. For such an high Priest it became us to have, which is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:25,26)
• “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not: and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just” (1 John 2:1).

Apart from the Son Who intercedes, we have no hope to escape the lion who is hunting us this day, child of God. Trust Him as your Intercessor, not trusting in your own strength or wisdom. Draw near to the Son on the day of the prowling lion.

Snakes in the Christmas Decorations

“Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will also put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed. He shall break thine head, and thou shalt bruise His heel’” (Genesis 3:14,15, Geneva Bible).

“For thou hast said, The Lord is mine hope: thou hast set the most High for thy refuge. There shall none evil come unto thee, neither shall any plague come near thy tabernacle...the dragon shalt thou tread under feet” (Psalm 91:9,10,13).

“For your obedience is come abroad among all: I am glad therefore of you: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:19,20).

Christmas: the Serpent-crusher is born of woman; He then continues to crush the Serpent through those who by faith and obedience are made one with Him. There is such an incredible and absolute victory behind the Christmas story over the great enemy of God and His people!

I wonder why there aren’t any snakes in our Christmas decorations?