Psalm 20:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Ezekiel 34-35.

I longed for a word from the LORD to my uneasy heart, so I rose from my pillow and reached for my Bible. It was not there. I left it in my office after my podcast. As quietly as I could, I made my way to my office to retrieve my Bible. On the way, I said, ‘Lord, speak comfort to me.’ I expected to open to some Psalm in which God spoke comfort to David, or a blessing to Israel, or some effusion of love for His people that I could take as from Christ to my heart, being, as I am, grafted in (Romans 11:17-21), numbered by Christ among the “people of God,” His “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9), a king and priest unto God (Revelation 1:6), to whom these oracles were written (Romans 15:4).

I opened to Ezekiel 35 and read verses 11-15, and I was disappointed. The passage was a rebuke against Edom for exalting itself over Israel during her judgment. Then I looked over at Ezekiel 34:19-31, and saw the tender love of GOD for the children of His friend, Abraham (James 2:23; see 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8). He will restore Israel.

That’s when the LORD gave me the insight He wanted me to take with me to the pulpit tomorrow.

Along the still waters, the Spirit said to me, Every blessing you take from the Old Testament, and every blessing I have spoken to you through my servants in the Old and in the New Testaments, came to you from Abraham’s Seed! He reminded me that Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews,” and to the Syrophoenician woman, He said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” The Gospel is “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles,” and if one asks, what advantage is it to be a Jew, the Spirit answers, “much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1-2).

The Spirit said, Read Genesis 12:1-3. I obeyed.

Genesis 12:1 ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

There is not one blessing I have received from GOD that did not come to me through Abraham, and the “great nation” that came from his posterity through Isaac, and Jacob—Israel.

I am humbled! Let us never exalt ourselves over the natural branches, or exult in her present troubles, or lift ourselves over her and gloat. Let me be ever grateful to GOD for Israel, to whom were given the oracles that brought light into my darkness, and salvation to my soul!

In the valley, I knelt in the shadow of the Cross on which the greatest of God’s gifts was given! His Son, the Seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16), the seed of David (John 7:42; Romans 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:8), died for our sins and arose the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-3). All His blessings have come into the world through Abraham’s Seed. “Salvation is of the Jews.” We have a Jewish Saviour.

Jesus beckoned, and looking toward Him, I said, “Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.” I heard His call: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I heard it again as I always hear it, as if it were the first time.

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace to overflowing. Goodness and mercy ran to catch up as we walked into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

“See you in church!”