Shalom,
Psalm 142 is a Psalm of David that came out of a time when he was hiding in a cave and being pursued by Saul. He was in a desperate situation, but he knew exactly WHO to turn to! Do YOU? David cried out to the LORD, and he did it in faith! How do we know? Look at verses 7:
7 Bring my life out of prison, that i may confess, praise, and give thanks to Your Name; the righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.
He will deal bountifully with each of us, IF we come with expectant hope and eager anticipation that His Word IS Truth and that He WILL do it! AMEN!
In John 19 we see the religious leaders calling for the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. These are the same people who watched Him heal the people and deliver them from bondage! These are some of the same people who fell backward at the sound of His Name in the Garden of Gethsemane! They were given every possible opportunity to receive Him as their LORD, and they chose NOT to do it! When Pilate told Jesus that he had the power to release Him or to crucify Him, Jesus replied with this in verse 11:
11 Jesus answered, you would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.
Who was Jesus referring to? Caiaphas, who had access to the Word of God and should have known Who Jesus was! The trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was totally illegal and the greatest tragedy, in the natural! But in the supernatural realm, it was the most beautiful gift and the most powerful statement of Love that this world has ever seen! I like what I found in the Bible Exposition Commentary on this:
When Israel asked to have a king, and God gave them Saul, the nation rejected God the Father (1 Samuel 8:5-7). When they asked for Barabbas, they rejected God the Son. Today they are rejecting God the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51; Romans 10:21). Yet there will come a day when they shall see their King, believe, and be saved (Zechariah 12:10-11; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).
Jeremiah had spent over 40 years speaking to God's people about what was to come and what they must do. Now he turns to the gentile nations that had some connection to the Jewish people and began to tell them what God had planned for them! JUDGMENT! It is interesting to read these accounts of God's judgments on the heathen nations, and then to check out the history and see that everything God said took place exactly as He said that it would! What about the Jewish people? He did NOT forget them! he made them this promise in Jeremiah 46:27-28:
27 But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their exile; and Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid. 28 Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full and complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you; yet I will not make a full end of you. But I will chasten and correct you in just measure, and I will not hold you guiltless by any means or leave you unpunished.
God ALWAYS keeps His promises! Find out what they are and stand on them in strong, expectant faith! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
