Psalm 58:1-2 is addressing unrighteous rulers:
1 DO YOU indeed in silence speak righteousness, O you mighty ones? [Or is the righteousness, rightness, and justice you should speak quite dumb?] Do you judge fairly and uprightly, O you sons of men? 2 No, in your heart you devise wickedness; you deal out in the land the violence of your hands.
These rulers who should have been speaking right and true things, the things of the Word of God, were NOT doing so! The Message Bible is even clearer:
1 Is this any way to run a country? Is there an honest politician in the house? 2 Behind the scenes you brew cauldrons of evil, behind closed doors you make deals with demons.
Now doesn't THAT just sound like the days we're living in right now, especially in the USA! But those who wait on the LORD will NOT be disappointed! Verse 11 says this:
11 Men will say, Surely there is a reward for the [uncompromisingly] righteous; surely there is a God Who judges on the earth.
The Message Bible:
11 Everyone cheering, "It's worth it to play by the rules! God's handing out trophies and tending the earth!"
There will ALWAYS be rewards and blessings involved in doing things God's way! Thank You, Jesus!
In Mark 8 Jesus again feeds the multitude having only a few fish and a few loaves of bread. It is amazing that His own disciples don't seem to remember when He fed the 5000 previously, with plenty left over! He does the same here! Don't be too hard on these people, though. Remember that they did NOT have the Holy Spirit living in them to bring those things to their remembrance! We can sometimes take a lot things for granted in our lives that are really very vital! And then we have Jesus speaking in verses 34-38. These verses are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible:
Then Yeshua (Jesus) called the crowd and his talmidim (disciples) to Him and told them, "If anyone wants to come after Me, let him say 'No' to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. 35 For whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will save it. 36 Indeed, what will it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? 37 What could a person give in exchange for his life? 38 or if someone is ashamed of Me and of what I say in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels.
Give HIM your whole heart! He CAN be trusted with it and He WILL make your whole life a very blessed life! AMEN!
Isaiah 29-30 give warning to Jerusalem of things that will happen as a result of their turning from Him. There is also this promise for when they turn back to Him! Isaiah 29:22-24:
22 Therefore thus says the LORD, Who redeemed Abraham [out of Ur and idolatry], concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not then be ashamed; not then shall his face become pale [with fear and disappointment because of his children's degeneracy]. 23 For when he sees his children [walking in the way of piety and virtue], the work of My hands in his midst, they will revere My Name; they will revere the Holy One of Jacob and reverently fear the God of Israel. 24 Those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur [discontentedly] will accept instruction.
Remember to continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, no matter WHAT the world is saying about them! Here is something interesting I found in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Here is a song by Paul Wilbur called, appropriately: Shalom, Jerusalem!
Shalom in Him!
