All Things New

We live in a world that is decaying and dying. It has been that way since Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world in Genesis 3. Since that moment, sin has destroyed the world God created for us in Genesis 1 & 2. The history of humanity is full of examples of pain, suffering, disappointments, cruelty, destruction, and even death. Paul tells us that creation itself groans for God because of the destruction of sin (Romans 8:22). So, nature itself cries out to God because of the state of the world.

So naturally, it is really easy to look around us and become very discouraged (Even though we, the people of God, contribute to that decay when we lose the battle to sin in our own lives.). We see evil, pain, suffering, injustice, and death abound and we experience them ourselves. We aren’t alone in our discouragement. David often cried out to God about the wickedness in the world and the apparent prosperity of the enemies of God. In the early chapters of the Psalms David cries out to God multiple times “Arise, O God!” He makes this plea in Psalm 3, 7, 9, and 10. In each Psalm, David begs God to come and deliver him or the righteous from the wicked.

“Why do you stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor. Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. (Psalm 10: 1 – 4).

Throughout Psalm 10 (and many other Psalms of David), David details the evils committed by the ungodly and particular focuses on how they treat the poor and the righteous. He calls out to God “Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble. (Psalm 10:12)” But then, David immediately slips back into his frustrations about the wicked, “Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, ‘You will not require an account’. (Psalm 10: 13)” Yet, then David recognizes that God does see and He will eventually punish the wicked. “But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief. To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none. The LORD is KING forever and ever… (Psalm 10: 14 – 16).” While David was clearly very upset about how the wicked boast in their evil, treat the righteous, and show no regard for the LORD, he had total confidence that the Lord would hear his cry and eventually arise to judge the ungodly.

While the book’s organization is not chronological and there are a variety of scholarly opinions if there is even a true organization to the collection of Psalms, God’s providence and wisdom shows His answer to David just two Psalms later in Psalm 12. Again, David begins this Psalm with a cry for God’s help. “Help, Lord for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men… (Psalm 12: 1). Yet, in this Psalm we get one of the rare instances where God answers back to David. “‘For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now, I will arise‘ says the Lord; ‘I will set him in the safety for which he years‘. (Psalms 12: 5)

So, if you find yourself wondering or even crying out to God – “How long God?!” You are in good company. And like David, God has already answered our cries. In Revelation 21 in the middle describing the New Jerusalem and detailing how there would be no sorrow, pain, or sadness Jesus turns and looks at John and says “Behold, I make all things new…I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone…” (Revelation 21: 5 – 8).

Jesus knows that we are stuck in a wold full of sorrow, evil, suffering, and pain. It was not intended to be that way but once sin entered into the world there was no way to be rid of it. The only recourse God had was to send Jesus to die for our sins and offer each of us the possibility of entering the a world with free of the decay and destruction of sin. Jesus has already made that place – “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house ARE many rooms, if it WERE not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (John 14: 1 -2).” Our new home – a place where there is no evil, pain, suffering, decay, or death – is ready. Jesus is just waiting to receive us. Jesus is the door into the New Heaven (John 10: 9). It is up to each of us to seize Christ’s invitation and open the door through obedience and submission to God.

So take courage. God will arise. He will judge and punish the wicked. And, He will save the righteous for God has made all things new.