Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

June 1, 2009
Volume 8 Number 11

Understanding God’s Loving Kindness

Psalms 107 is a guide to understanding Yahweh’s loving kindness. It begins by reminding us to thank Him for His goodness and mercy, which endures forever:

1 O give thanks unto Yahweh, for he is good: for his mercy endures forever. -Psalms 107

If we have been redeemed from the hand of the enemy, then we need to say so:

2 Let the redeemed of Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy; -Psalm 107

He has gathered us from our aimless wandering through the wilderness of sin. Our souls had fainted because we hungered and thirsted for the Word of God:

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. -Psalms 107

Finally, in our trouble, we cried out to Yahweh. He delivered us from our sins and led us back to our dwelling place with Him:

6 Then they cried unto Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. -Psalms 107

We need to praise Him. He has saved us from our sins and satisfied our hungry souls with His goodness:

8 Oh that men would praise Yahweh for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. -Psalms 107

However, when we rebelled against His Word, we found ourselves in affliction and bondage. Our hearts sank as we sat in a cloud of darkness in the shadow of death:

10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the most High:

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. -Psalms 107

Again, in our trouble, we cried out to Yahweh. He broke the chains that bound us and brought us back to Him. He restored our broken heart, bringing us out of the cloud of darkness and from the shadow of death:

13 Then they cried unto Yahweh in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in pieces. -Psalms 107

We need to praise Him. Through His goodness, he has brought us out of the bondage of sin and has restored the joy of our salvation:

15 Oh that men would praise Yahweh for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in two. -Psalms 107

If we refuse to call upon His name in repentance, we are fools. By rejecting the food of His Word, we approach the gates of death:

17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18 Their soul abhors all manner of food; and they draw near to the gates of death. -Psalms 107

Finally, in our trouble, we cry out to Yahweh. He sends us the food of His Word and we are healed as we are delivered from destruction:

19 Then they cry unto Yahweh in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. -Psalms 107

We need to praise Him. Let us offer sacrifices of praise, thanking Him for His mercy, which endures forever:

21 Oh that men would praise Yahweh for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. -Psalms 107

However, even as we walk in His goodness and in the assurance of His salvation, we still encounter stormy seas. Trouble comes upon us in the form of trials and temptations. Even in the depths of these troublesome waters, Yahweh shows us His mighty works:

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of Yahweh, and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. -Psalms 107

We again, in our trouble, cry out to Yahweh. He rescues us from the stormy seas and brings us into the quiet harbor of His peace:

28 Then they cry unto Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses.

29 He makes the storm calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they are quiet; so he brings them to their desired haven. -Psalms 107

We need to praise Him, in the midst of the congregation and in the assembly of elders, for His goodness and for His wonderful works. Let us exalt Him:

31 Oh that men would praise Yahweh for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. -Psalms 107

When we cried out to Him in our troubles He heard our cries and delivered us. Now we need to praise Him for His goodness, because His mercy endures forever!

He curses those that refuse to keep His Word:

33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground;

34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. -Psalms 107

He blesses those that keep His Word:

35 He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs.

36 And there he makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and allows not their cattle to decrease. -Psalms 107

He brings low those that exalt themselves:

39 Again, they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40 He pours contempt upon princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. -Psalms 107

He lifts up those that humble themselves:

41 Yet sets he the poor on high from affliction, and makes him families like a flock. -Psalms 107

Who can understand the goodness of His loving kindness? He told Daniel that not all can understand His words, telling him to seal them up until the end of time. While many will be cleansed from their sins, the wicked, will continue to do wickedly and will not understand. But the wise shall understand:

9 And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. -Daniel 12

As the end of time approached, however, the angel of God told John that the prophecies he had received were to be sealed. After having been given a chance to hear the gospel, those who reject it will remain unjust. Those who have believed it and repented of their sins are the righteous who will receive the reward of God:

10 And he said to me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. -Revelation 22

The righteous will see the fruit of His loving kindness and will rejoice because their sins have been cleansed:

42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of Yahweh. -Psalms 107

The wise shall understand God’s loving kindness. They will "give thanks unto Yahweh, for he is good: for his mercy endures forever."

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper Name Version of the King James Bible.