The Sunday school lesson that I will teach this week on eternal security is from Psalm 23 and the Lord so impressed upon my heart some of the points that I wanted to share them with you. Perhaps someone needs to hear this word from the Word.
Psalm 23: 4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” Ok, here is where we can find great assurance that God will never lose us. The Hebrew word used for “shadow of death” is ‘salmawet’ and it means deep darkness. I believe that most Christians would say that it is easy to believe that God holds us tightly when things are going well. But what about those times of deep darkness, the times in the valley of the shadow of death? It doesn’t feel quite as certain does it? God tells us here that we don’t have to fear evil in that valley because the One who made the valley, the One who allowed the shadow, the One who allowed the deep darkness is always with me.
I am reminded of Moses and how he had led those griping, complaining, moaning, mumbling Israelites out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land. He had performed miracles with the help of the Lord, had visited with God on the mountain, received the Ten Commandments and lived a godly life before the people. Exodus 32 tells us that while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses’ brother Aaron and the people were down below making a golden calf to worship because they decided that Moses had abandoned them or been killed. When Moses returns to the bottom of the mountain and sees what has happened he throws down the stone tablets and breaks the Ten Commandments (no pun intended!!).
Moses returns to the top of the mountain and visits with the Lord only to find that the Lord has decided that He has had enough of the Israelites. God tells Moses to take those Israelites on to the Promised Land but that they would go without His Presence. After much pleading by Moses, God finally relents and agrees to go with them. Moses asks God to show him His glory, perhaps as a sign of good faith.
Exodus 33: 19-23 tells us, “And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Could it be that in our darkest times, when we are going through that place of deep darkness, when we think that God has completely abandoned us—could it be that He simply has placed us in a cleft in the Rock and He has His hand over us while His glory is passing by?
Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Did you get that? Think about a wonderfully prepared table with all the finest food, the most beautiful china, the most exquisite crystal. What a sparkling site it would be! Now imagine that you are the guest of honor and Jesus is the host. Jesus leads you to your seat, you place the delicate linen napkin in your lap and gaze at the tablescape. Jesus looks at you and asks, “Do you like it? I prepared it just for you! Taste it all.” Everything looks so good and so beautiful that you are almost afraid to touch anything, but at the same time your anticipation is almost too much to bear. You begin to try the food and find it to be the most delicious food you have ever tasted. The entire meal and setting are luxurious and the unbelievable thing is that Jesus did all that just for you. Oh, but wait, who is that slouched over in the corner? It’s your enemy, Satan, and he doesn’t look at all happy, especially since he seems to be tied into his seat. Jesus, your Father, your Protector, the One who died for you and who will never let you go has spoiled you rotten right in front of your enemy and forced Satan to sit there and watch.
Ohhh, I just love the Word of God and how it speaks to us so personally. When you and I are in those places of deepest darkness we can be assured that God has His hand on us and that He makes certain the enemy of our souls knows that we are His beloved. Rejoice! You truly are His beloved!!
