PSALMS
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Psalms 111; 112; 113 and 114
Psalms 112
The blessedness of the righteous…
We have to praise the LORD that there are people in the world, who dear HIM and serve HIM and that they are happy people, who owe entirely to HIS grace. Their fear is not that which love casts out, but that which love brings in. It follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend. This is both fear and trust. The heart touched by the ​ SPIRIT of GOD, as the needle touched with the loadstone, turns directly and speedily to GOD, yet still with trembling, being filled with this holy fear.

Blessings are laid up for the faithful and their children’s children; and true riches are bestowed on them, with as much of this world’s possessions as is profitable for them. In the darkest hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope and peace will spring up within them and seasonable relief shall turn mourning into joy. From their LORD’s example, they learn to be kind and full of compassion, as well as just in all their dealings; they use discretion, that they may be liberal in that manner which appears most likely to do good. Envy and slander may for a time hide their true characters here, but they shall be had in everlasting remembrance. They need not fear evil tidings.

A good man shall have a settled spirit. And it is the endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed upon GOD, and so to keep calm and undisturbed, and GOD has promised them both cause to do so, and grace to do so. Trusting in the LORD is the best and surest way of establishing the heart. The heart of man cannot fix anywhere with satisfaction, but in the truth of GOD, and there it finds firm footing. And those whose hearts are established by faith will patiently wait till they gain their point.

Compare all this with the vexation of sinners. The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The desire of the wicked shall perish; their desire was wholly to the world and the flesh, therefore when these perish, their joy is gone. But the blessings of the gospel are spiritual and eternal and are conferred upon the members of the Christian church, through CHRIST their head, who is the pattern of all righteousness, and the Giver of grace.

OLD TESTAMENT
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Jeremiah 48: 11 – 47
Jeremiah 48: 14 – 47
The destruction of Moab is further prophesied, to awaken them by national repentance and reformation to prevent the trouble, or by personal repentance and reformation to prepare for it. ​After reading this long roll of threats, and terror, it will be of more use to us to keep in view the power of GOD’s anger and the terror of HIS judgments, and to have our hearts possessed with a holy awe of GOD and of His wrath, than to search into all the figures and expressions here used. Yet it is not perpetual destruction.

The chapter ends with a promise of their return out of captivity in the latter days. Even with the Moabites, GOD will not contend forever, nor be always wroth. The Jews refer it to the days of the Messiah; when the captives of the Gentiles, under the yoke of sin and satan, shall be brought back by Divine grace, which shall make them free indeed.

NEW TESTAMENT
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Acts 7: 17 – 43
Acts 7: 38
The church in the wilderness…
The church in the wilderness refers to Israel as the people of GOD. In Hebrew, the word translated “church” is qahal and is rendered in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) as ekklesia (assembly of church)
1) Just as Moses led the assembly in the Old Testament, CHRIST leads the assembly (i.e. church) of the New Testament. The New Testament church, designated Abraham’s seed and the GOD of Israel stands in continuity with the assembly of the Old Testament
2) Like the Old Testament assembly, the church of the New Testament is in the wilderness i.e. it is a pilgrim church on a journey of faith to the promised land. For this reason, we must never become too comfortable with life here on this earth. ​