PSALMS
🎼
Psalms 78: 1 – 39
Psalms 78: 9 – 39
Sin dispirits men, and takes away the heart.
Forgetfulness of GOD’s works is the cause of disobedience to His laws. This narrative relates a struggle between GOD’s goodness and man’s badness. The LORD hears all our murmurings and distrusts, and is much displeased. Those that will not believe the power of GOD’s mercy, shall feel the fire of his indignation. Those who cannot be said to trust in GOD’s salvation as their happiness at last, who cannot trust His providence on the way to it. To all that by faith and prayer, ask, seek, and knock, these doors of heaven shall at any time be opened; and our distrust of GOD is a great aggravation of our sins. He expressed his resentment of their provocation; not in denying what they sinfully lusted after, but in granting it to them. Lust is contented with nothing. Those that indulge their lust, will never be estranged from it. Those hearts are hard indeed, that will neither be melted by the mercies of the LORD, nor broken by His judgments. Those that sin still, must expect to be in trouble still. The reason why we live with so little comfort, and so little purpose, is because we do not live by faith. Under these rebukes, they professed repentance, but they were not sincere, for they were not constant. In Israel’s history, we have a picture of our own hearts and lives. GOD’s patience, warnings, and mercies, ​embolden them to harden their hearts against His word. And the history of kingdoms is much the same. Judgments and mercies have been little attended to until the measure of their sins has been full. And higher advantages have not kept churches from declining from the commandments of GOD. Even true believers recollect, that for many a year, they abused the kindness of Providence. When they come to heaven, how will they admire the LORD’s patience and mercy in bringing them to His kingdom?

OLD TESTAMENT
🌈
Deuteronomy 21: 1 – 23
Deuteronomy 21: 10
Thine enemies referred to here are those outside of Canaan.
GOD’s people had earlier been instructed not to marry Canaanite people. The instructions given protected the dignity of women captives by forbidding their mistreatment.

NEW TESTAMENT
✝
Romans 11: 16 – 27
Romans 11: 25
The fullness of the Gentiles.
The fullness of the Gentiles signifies the completion of the purpose of GOD in calling out a people from among the Gentiles. It may also be related to a time when their wickedness is full when sin in the world reaches a full level of rebellion against GOD. At that time CHRIST will come to judge the world.