The battle for victory over sin is a difficult one and if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we lose the battle more often than we win it. We try and try to stop certain behaviors. The battle for pure thoughts in our minds is even harder as we live in a world that is constantly attacking us.
Jesus warned us in Matthew 26:4, saying this, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Yet, we cannot excuse our behavior, there is never an excuse for sin. He tells us we always have opportunity and the ability to say no to our sin nature. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Yet, we fail Him daily. Reading this morning in Psalms, it is clear that God’s people in the Old Testament were just like us. In Psalm 78, we read of the repeated failings of the people.
Psalm 78:10-11
They did not keep God’s covenant but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.
Psalm 78:17-19
Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?
Psalm 78:21-22
Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel, because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.
Psalm 78:29-31
And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved. But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.
Psalm 78:32-37
In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe. So, he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.
Whoa, these people were messed up. Despite all God had done for Israel and all that He gave them, they still sinned against Him.
But if we look closely at our own hearts, are we any better? For all God has blessed us with, even giving up His own Son to die for our sins, we turn back to our selfish desires habitually. We complain, we whine, we live our lives in fear and anxiety and we simply don’t obey His commandments. We are just like Israel.
But there is more to the story in Psalm 78 then the failings of God’s chosen people. There is an amazing description of how God responds to His people, even in the midst of their failings.
Psalm 78:38-39
Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
It is popular these days to say to people, “God is not angry with you.” Uh, not Biblical!
Exodus 32:9-10
And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
Those were God’s people He was angry at. Look at the next verse, it says so.
Exodus 32:11
But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
Yes, God’s wrath can burn hot against His own. Was Moses not one of God’s chosen and favorite people?
Exodus 4:14
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses…
Of course, God can be angry with us. But back to the comforting words of Psalm 78.
Psalm 78:38-39
Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.
This is a picture of the Gospel. He atoned for their iniquity. That is an OT picture of Jesus. This is the beauty of the Gospel. Despite our sinfulness and our continued return to sin, Jesus paid the price for our sins, once and for all. He restrains His anger.
The Psalm doesn’t end here. It goes on to show that the people of Israel continued to fail God.
Psalm 78:40-42
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe.
Just as they rebelled against the God who brought them out of captivity in Egypt, we rebel against the Savior who delivered us from the captivity of sin.
Psalm 78:56-59
Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep his testimonies, but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols. When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.
The Psalm goes on to explain how God disciplined His people.
Psalm 78:62-64
He gave his people over to the sword and vented his wrath on his heritage. Fire devoured their young men, and their young women had no marriage song. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
He vented His wrath on them. He came down hard.
But then the Psalm ends with this reminder that God has sent a shepherd to lead His people home to the safety of His sheepfold.
Psalm 78:70-72
He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.
Once more we see in the Old Testament, a picture of our wonderful Savior, Jesus, who, with His upright heart, shepherds His people and guides them with His skillful hand.
I don’t think there is any question but to conclude Psalm 78 is a picture of the Gospel.
Yes, we fail Him daily. But it won’t be our faithfulness that saves us in the end, it will be the faithfulness of Jesus by which we shall persevere. The words of Psalm 78 bring great comfort to the heart of a repentant sinner, who is humbled by the failings of his own heart, but who looks to Jesus to bring grace and mercy to His people.
Turn to Jesus today. It’s our only hope. But it’s a sure hope.
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