By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher
Text: Psalm
82
Psalm
82:3-4
Give
justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
(ESV)
This is not a good time
to be a child in this world. First, I want to congratulate all the children
that were born and not aborted but those that were born face many challenges
from the woke culture. There is gender confusion as children have the option of
surgery to change their gender even without parental permission in some states.
Gay marriage is legal with gay couples adopting children raised without the
influence of a father and mother. In addition, Critical Race Theory (CRT), taught
in many public schools, pits one race against another making some children feel
superior while others feel inferior. With children among the neediest
individuals in society, the words of Asaph in Psalm
82 are applicable in our time.
Asaph has observed how
the wicked afflict the weak and needy in his community and addresses God who
sits in His place in the divine council (Psalm
82:1). God seems to show partiality to the wicked and is not executing just
judgment (Psalm
82:2). Asaph then pleads with God to give justice to the weak and
fatherless and to maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute (Psalm
82:3). He also pleads with God to rescue the weak and needy, delivering
them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm
82:4). He reminds God that the wicked lack knowledge and understanding,
walking in darkness with the foundations of the earth shaken (Psalm
82:5). However, Asaph realizes the wicked believe they are gods, sons of
the Most-High God, but will die and fall like all men (Psalm
82:6-7). In the end, it is God who will judge the earth and inherit the
nations (Psalm
82:8).
Asaph is concerned with
the treatment of the poor and needy by the wicked in the world. While we do not
know the historical context of Asaph’s writing, it could have occurred either
before or after Israel and Judah went into exile. If this were the context, the
wicked referred to in the psalm could be the Persians and Babylonians who
invaded Israel and Judah, but Asaph could also be referring to the rulers and
priests who were rebelling against God. With this context, I believe Asaph
refers to the wickedness of the rulers and priests in Israel and Judah since he
refers to them as sons of the Most-High (Psalm
82:6). However, Asaph could be referring to the wicked leaders of the
nations invading Israel and Judah since he concludes by saying God will judge
the earth and shall inherit all the nations (Psalm
82:8). Regardless of who Asaph is referring to as the wicked, all the
wicked end in death (Psalm
82:7).
The absence of a
historical context in Psalm
82 means it has application in any historical context. Therefore it has
application in the current political and religious state of our society. The
neediest people in our society are children who have total dependence on their
parents, or in many cases one parent, to take care of their basic needs of
food, shelter, and health care. In addition, parents who believe in God have a
spiritual obligation to pass on their Godly heritage to the next generation (Psalm
145:3-7). Asaph emphasized the importance of passing on Godliness to the
next generation in Psalm
78:4,6.
Out-of-control government
spending is contributing to the high rate of inflation occurring in economies
all over the world. Add to this, energy policies that prevent the drilling of
oil domestically, making it necessary to import high-priced petroleum, which contributes
to exorbitantly high gas prices. All of this makes it increasingly difficult
for parents to pay for food and shelter for their children and gas to go to
work. This problem is amplified for single parents having to meet the needs of
their children with only one income. These wicked economic and inflationary
policies are afflicting the poorest and neediest individuals in our society.
However, the most wicked
policy in our society is the promotion of an ungodly woke culture in our
society. For example, the bible explicitly states that Jesus Christ died on the
cross for the sins of all humanity, not just one particular race of people (2
Corinthians 5:14-15). CRT, taught in many public schools, teaches that some
races of people deserve preferential treatment over others. Children of
Christian parents subjected to CRT in school and told Jesus died for all races at
home can be confused, having to decide whether their parents or the teacher are
right. Children are not mentally or spiritually mature enough to make these
decisions with the Bible giving this responsibility to parents to avoid
confusion during the mentally and spiritually formative years of youth.
Unfortunately, the religious state of the Church in our
modern society is lukewarm teaching either a works-based righteousness teaching
salvation is dependent on one’s good works or free grace teaching God will save
someone regardless of his or her sin. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery
that she was forgiven and to go and sin no more (John 8:10-11)
providing the balance in one’s life of salvation by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9)
with one than growing in the knowledge of the Lord to sin less in their lives (Colossians 1:9-10).
If you are reading this
and have not made a profession of faith to accept Jesus as your savior, I
encourage you to do so now by praying with me,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23)
and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe
you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
May God challenge and
bless everyone reading this post.
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