May 27
2 Sam 12:1-31 | PS 119:65-80 | Prov 16:4-5 | John 16:1-33
There are very few who would be so brazen as to say that they hate God. Perhaps more, but still most would not state that they hate God's Word, the Bible. Many mistake what the word "despise" means in the Bible. It means to look down on, disrespect, have an aversion to, to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful. Sadly, this is where the majority of the world fall, and it is not a good place to be. Most have time to spend time with their family, work, follow the worldly news, relax, surf the internet, because these are all activities that are valued. But the Bible, "I will get around to it someday". Whether they want to admit it or not, the masses despise the Bible, in that it is not really considered. By the way, going to church or synagogue is not a replacement. Reading what others say in their interpretation of the Bible is not a replacement. In Judaism, many place their trust in the words of man, in the Talmud, over the actual word of God. In Christianity, many place their trust in commentaries or devotionals, over the word of God. Yet, all of these biblically illiterate individuals have no problem making bold and false statements about the Bible. They have no problem taking a verse here or there, out of context, to back their worldly views. Though written over 1400 years, with the last entries between 90-100A.D., this Book, God's Word is just as relevant today as it was when it was first written. But, as long as one despises this book, they will never realize it.
David, the man after God's own heart, falls mightily as he engages in an adulterous relationship and has her husband killed so as to cover up his actions. As he is confronted by the prophet Nathan, read God's words against him in 2 Samuel 12:9-10, "Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’" Though there were earthly consequences for his actions, David confessed and was forgiven, but he fell because he despised the Word, or disregarded it. We read 1000 years later from Jesus in John 16:1-3, "“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me." These things occurred, many by those who professed to believe in God, because many profess their faith to a religion, but in actuality, they despise the word. Lastly, in today's reading, we go through another section of the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. Tradition has it that Psalm 119 was written by David to teach his young son, Solomon, the alphabet, but not just for learning how to write letters, but the alphabet of the spiritual life. Of the 176 verses of this Psalm, realize the importance David placed on the Word of God, in that all except 1-4 verses of the 176, directly reference God's Word.
When I speak with many of my Jewish patients, they will state that they just can't believe in Jesus. This is what they have been taught, not by God's Word, but by people. My recommendation is to read God's Word, without commentary, and let His Word, allow passages like Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and so many others wash over you and trust them as truth, as they are God's Word. When I speak with many of my patients who belong to one Christian denomination or another, they state that they just can't believe and trust in God because of some bad example, be it a family member or a religious leader. Likewise, they need to read the Word for themselves and realize that Christians often don't properly represent Christ. Please never believe the lie that you are not smart enough, don't know enough, etc. to understand God's Word. God never told us to get advanced degrees in order to get close to Him. In fact, those who uphold their own intellect, will often not open themselves up to understanding, as we read in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;". We tend to elevate ourselves, and we tend to rank sins according to those that we don't we personally struggle with. When we despise God's Word, this is possible. Once we allow God's Word to pour over us, we will be driven to our knees as we see ourselves and Him rightly. This only happens if we make a choice not to despise His Word.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: