Funerals and Feasts
It seems that Providence has brought me to more funerals than feasts lately. We thank God for those wedding feasts and monthly social gatherings of friends. Births of children and grandchildren bring great joy to the hearts of the living and memories of our aging generation.
But now that I have surpassed three score years and ten Solomon’s reminder returns my thoughts near to home more often.
Better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting
Because that is the end of all mankind,And the living puts this in his heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 Legacy Standard Bible
Heaven and earth – Glory and dust
The heavens declare the glory of God,
Psalm: 19:1 לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃ (WLC 19:2) הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד־אֵל וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו מַגִּיד הָרָקִיעַ׃
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Consider both the mourner and the reveler: they are without excuse in acknowledging that their flesh will wither and fail. All men and all women will bow down to our Maker, even those who fail to repent in dust and ashes during our brief days of glory.
תְהִלִּים (Psalm) 71
We are about to sing a Psalm – a plea to Almighty God:
Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come;
You have given the command to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.
.. For You are my hope;
O Lord Yahweh, You are my trust from my youth..
My mouth is filled with Your praise
And with Your beauty all day long.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Psalm 71:9 Legacy Standard Bible
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
O God, do not be far from me;
O my God, hasten to my help!
.. O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your might to all who are to come.
For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
Psalm 71:18-19 LSB
You, who have shown me many troubles and evils,
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
My lips will sing for joy when I sing praises to You;
And my soul, which You have redeemed.
My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;
For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek to do me evil.
Mourners and Scoffers
Observe three types of souls destined to live and breathe their last one day:
- The worshiper of God who lives out their days remembering the blessed ones of God.
- The scoffer who denies the One God, Creator of all things and Judge of all mankind.
- The Redeemed in Christ Jesus, the Son of Man, sacrificed for sinners (like us) that those who believe will be granted the resurrection of everlasting life.
Psalm 71 – Proclaimed as Gospel
GOOD News: Preached by Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), often known today as the Prince of Preachers, began his pastorate at London's New Park Street Church in 1854..
A strong emphasis in Spurgeon’s preaching was God’s grace and sovereignty over man’s helpless state. He also knew well the terrible joy that comes only through suffering as he lived quite afflicted (both by illness and slander).
C.H. Spurgeon left this earth for his heavenly hope in 1892.
BlueLetterBible.org
Just a few brief points from Spurgeon:
- “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust.” Jehovah deserves our confidence; let him have it all. Every day must we guard against every form of reliance upon an arm of flesh, and hourly hang our faith upon the ever faithful God. Not only on God must we rest, as a man stands on a rock, but in him must we trust, as a man hides in a cave.
- “Cast me not off in the time of old age.” Old age robs us of personal beauty, and deprives us of strength for active service; but it does not lower us in the love and favour of God.. To be forsaken of God is the worst of all conceivable ills, and if the believer can be but clear of that grievous fear, he is happy: no saintly heart need be under any apprehension upon this point.`
Spurgeon commentary – Verse 20.
Here is faith’s inference from the infinite greatness of the Lord. He has been strong to smite; he will be also strong to save.. and though I have been almost dead and buried, he will give me a resurrection, and “bring me up again from the depths of the earth.”
A Lament of Job
If a Man Dies, Will He Live Again?
Job 14 LSB “Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
“Like a flower he comes forth and withers.
He also flees like a shadow and does not stand.
Job 14:2
- “Who can make the clean out of the unclean?
- Man breathes his last, and where is he?
- “If a man dies, will he live again?
These are the QUESTIONS of a righteous man.
ARE you so right before Almighty GOD – Remembered, REDEEMED or simply a scoffer soon to be JUDGED?
Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
Lent 2024 C.E. #1 in preparation for Easter + To be continued, God-willing
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