May 17: PROPHETIC PARALLELS

OH, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Psalm 105:1

There is a special place in the believer’s heart for the Psalms. The wisdom they contain crosses every sort of boundary that man can devise. These “songs” are not only personal and practical, there is hardly a human emotion or experience that they do not address. It is a tested and proven fact that expressing gratitude has risen to the top of the recommendations list for patients suffering with mental health issues. Conversely, a lack of appreciation toward God and others lies at the foundation of serious depression and a host of mental illnesses. OH, give thanks to the LORD! This practical, personal imperative has a tangible list of benefits.

Those who love the LORD actively stake a claim to every promise found in this book known as a devotional guide and temple hymnbook for God’s people. Even greater benefits—namely a deeper understanding of God’s character and purpose among people—will enter into to the teachable heart. Psalm 105 provides a review of history highlighting His works through the chosen nation of Israel for the eternal benefit of all who heed the LORD’s voice.

Evidence surfaced during Abram’s sojourn to Egypt of weaknesses in his character, for he had cultivated the thought his only safety against the Egyptians lay in deceiving them. Beneath this thought was a dark shadow of distrust of divine protection. Heretofore, Abram had projected his character as one of integrity; he may have reasoned that presenting Sarai as his sister was at least half true, but deviations from strict integrity by God’s professed children will not meet with His approval. Years later, this lesson was revisited upon the couple (see Genesis 20).

In the account of Abraham and Sarah, we see that over the years, God was patiently working with them. This is the “takeaway” for times of discouragement when we have denied the LORD of Glory with our wrong attitudes, words, and actions. If you are still living and breathing, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name. In turning toward Him, each of us is invited to call upon Him for a renewal of that most precious relationship with the only One who can save us. Paul declares that the spiritual man has the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) – which is a calling to view others with forgiveness, as He has forgiven us (Matthew 6:12). This is at the heart of spreading the everlasting gospel.

The strong similarities between Abraham’s time in Egypt and the experience of his posterity generations later are understood as prophetic parallels. In both situations, they went down to Egypt due to a famine. Both groups sojourned there. Divine judgments were manifested in behalf of both, producing the same result both times: the fear of them fell upon the Egyptians. Prior to their exits, both were greatly enriched by gifts, and they went out with tremendous wealth. Now we also have a prophetic spiritual future “takeaway” in the song of Moses. They sang: All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as stone, till Your people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which You have made for Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established. Exodus 15:15b-17 (compare to Revelation 15:3-5)