For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
When the wicked run the government their policies lead everyone else to suffer, sometimes because of government oppression, sometimes just because of the economic consequences of government policy. When the godly run the government their policies lead everyone to be glad. The third of today’s proverbs explains part of why this is so. When the rulers enforce justice, there is stability because people know what to do to avoid government sanctions. When the rulers demands bribes there is instability because there is no way to know what will bring the government down on one’s business.
This psalm reminds us how we should live our lives. We should keep our eyes constantly on God so that we can see the smallest change in His will for us. I will focus on God so that I know when my actions cause Him even the most mild displeasure. I will strive to change my actions to bring Him pleasure, no matter how large or small those changes may need to be.
If we are truly children of God then God’s Spirit lives in us. If God’s Spirit lives in us then we will love one another. If we do not have love for our fellow believers, and our fellow man, then God does not live in us and we are not His children. More than that, if God lives in us we will acknowledge both that Jesus is the Son of God and that He came in a real, human body. No one who denies either of those things is a child of God, let alone a prophet of God. If we wish to live in God we must live in love. The longer we live in God’s will the more we will love our fellow man. As God’s love grows in us, our fear will diminish. The more we are filled with God’s love the less we will fear God’s judgment. But, as we grow in love, not only will we have less fear of God’s judgment, we will have less fear of what mortals can do to us. We will have lees fear of anything.
No one can honestly say that they love God if they hate their fellow man. If we love God we will love those whom God loves and God loves all of mankind.
Daniel continues his description of the trials and troubles which will come. He tells us that many will be refined, cleansed, and purified by the trials and tribulations that will occur during the end times (and, during other times of strife which we might not consider as the “end times”). However, the wicked will continue in their wickedness and will fail to acknowledge, or even recognize, the ways in which events are working out according to God’s plans and predictions. Let us strive to be among the former and not the latter.