May 28: Trust and Obey; Rest in Hope
I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 116:9
Like Noah, David knew what it was to count himself among the wicked; his plea for mercy and pardon followed his acknowledgement before Almighty GOD of his own sins. Indeed, he was mercifully granted pardon because he chose to accept the gift of repentance that Yahweh had set before him.
The opening statement above is a declaration of faith and absolute confidence in the grace and saving power of Yahweh. It is prophetic—and as yet still future. Peter made that clear when he addressed the crowd on the day of Pentecost:
“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day . . . For David did not ascend into the heavens . . .” Acts 2:29,34
Peter was preaching about a reality that had already occurred: the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, David’s descendant, as prophesied by David himself. And he, David, spoke of his own death, saying, “my flesh also will rest in hope” because he understood that even though the Messiah would come into the world and die for the sins of mankind, Yahweh “will not allow [His] Holy One to see corruption”, that is, to decay. It was not possible that [Jesus] should be held by [death] because of His sinlessness (vv.26,27,24).
By contrast however, it is possible for death to have a permanent hold on the rest of us. In fact, apart from the essential acceptance of the robe of His righteousness that Jesus provides, it is a certainty that death will indeed have a permanent hold. This is what is meant by the second death (Revelation 2:11; 20:6). The first death is the death that both the righteous and the wicked experience. But the second death is an eternal death from which there is no resurrection.
The ark that Noah built was built according to the Master’s design. It was a masterpiece of construction. It stands as a fitting symbol for what can be accomplished through a man who is fully submitted to God. His deep love for man was matched with a depth of sadness in His great heart that the world, so near its infancy, became so thoroughly saturated with corruption; and all because of man’s refusal to live according to the righteous requirements of the Creator.
The ark, though constructed according to the directions of God down to the last detail, could not have withstood the rigors of the raging storms that brought the flood with its swirling currents and violent waves—and each with the potential to slam it against the mountains—that is, apart from the protecting hand of the One in whose character Noah placed his trust. This is a perfect display of God and man in harmony with each other: man’s obedient response to the love of God that places himself under the divine banner of protection.
In our day, so near the end of this age, an important question comes to mind: What does it mean to get into the ark? The simple answer is unreserved obedience to the King of the universe, with the understanding that the power of His love enables true obedience: obedience from the heart.
Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:23-24