February 15 ▪ Day 46

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 11:4
Isaiah 41–42
Mark 7
Psalms 46

Verse Focus (Proverbs 11:4)

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
     but righteousness delivers from death.

Meditation

Today’s proverb invites us to consider eternal realities. Proverbs 11:4 says, “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” In the Bible, the day of wrath is always God’s day of judgment against the nations and the peoples. Although there is a coming Day of Judgment when Christ will return, there have been many smaller days of judgment that have occurred throughout history. The Israelites faced a day of judgment when Assyria conquered them and deported them from the Promised Land; Judah also faced a day of judgment when the Babylonians conquered and deported them. Surely Europe faced days of wrath during World War I and World War II.

As I’ve been meditating on this proverb, I’ve wondered if the “day of wrath” always has to refer to God’s actions in judgment. Can it also refer simply to calamitous events in a particular nation’s history? Would you consider the stock market crash a day of wrath? In one sense, the question is moot. God is in charge of all of history and whatever happens is by His permissive if not His active will.

Whatever the future holds for our nation and for all nations, we do know that there is at least one day of wrath still to come. And on that day, our wealth will not be able to save us. Only Christ can save us then. If we are trusting in Jesus’ righteousness, whatever else may happen, we will be saved.

This proverb calls us to invest our time in things that will last — working for God’s kingdom. If God blesses us in this life with material wealth, that’s wonderful. But we should always remember that money can disappear in the blink of an eye.

Isaiah 41 is God’s promise to his people, whatever our circumstances. In verse 10, Scripture tells us, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” Twice we are told not to fear. And six times in this one verse we are told to put our focus on God and His power. Verse 13 repeats the promise, “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‛Do not fear, I will help you.’ ” If we remember to trust in God, all will be well — even when the day of wrath comes.

As the chapter continues, God speaks of how idols are futile and worthless. They cannot predict the future; they cannot do anything, good or bad. As He declares in verse 29, “No, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their images are empty wind.”

Although in our current society very few people worship the kind of idols that were prolific in ancient Judah, we must always remember the metaphorical applications. Wealth can be an idol. Ambition can be an idol. But idols do not just come from our vices. Anything good in our lives can become an idol if we value it and praise it more than the God of the universe.

Isaiah 42 is a wonderful Messianic prophecy. Verses 1 through 4 are familiar to us — they are quoted in Matthew chapter 12. We remember that Jesus did not “cry out” — even when he was arrested and sent before the Sanhedrin and before Pontius Pilate. Jesus is gentle with us: those who are bruised, who have “dimly burning” candles are encouraged and strengthened. As it tells us in Isaiah verses 6 and 7, Jesus has been given “as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

These first four verses in Isaiah 42 are also notable because the poem in these four verses is considered the first of the four “Suffering Servant” songs found in Isaiah. Although other Scripture passages will speak of God’s servants (such as Abraham, Moses, or David), the four poems identified as the Suffering Servant songs are distinct. The servant is unidentified, but has a mission of bringing justice and peace. Further, it becomes clear that the servant suffers abuse, pain, and humiliation because of what he has been called to do. By his suffering, the servant redeems his people and he is rewarded. In this first song, the focus is on the servant’s mission to bring justice to the whole earth. Some Biblical scholars also include verses 5 through 7 as part of the first servant song. The other Servant songs are found in Isaiah 49:1–6, Isaiah 50:4–7, and Isaiah 52:13–53:12. Naturally, Christian interpretation sees Jesus as the suffering servant described in these passages, although most Jewish interpretations see the servant as the nation of Israel, rather than as a specific individual.

As chapter 42 continues, the LORD declares these “new things” (v. 9) He is going to do and the prophet writes a hymn of praise (v. 10-13). God will turn things upside down — laying waste to mountains, turning darkness into light. The chapter continues in a more somber tone to describe how God’s people have been imprisoned and are deaf and blind. Yet it was God who did this to Jacob, because they were not willing to abide by His ways (v. 24). God allowed his anger to punish Jacob with war, but — saddest of all — is Scripture’s commentary that “it burned him, but he did not take it to heart (v. 25).”

In Mark chapter 7 we read some more familiar stories. We hear Jesus condemn the Pharisees for making the traditions of the elders more important than God’s law. We marvel again at the faith of the Gentile woman who believes that Jesus’ “crumbs” are more than enough to heal her daughter. And Jesus heals a deaf man.

As we have seen before, there are small differences between Matthew’s account and Mark’s telling of the same stories. As Jesus talks about the things that defile you coming from the heart, Mark makes the point to tell us that “Thus he declared all foods clean (v. 19).” In the story of the Gentile woman whose daughter was healed, Matthew describes her as a Canaanite whereas Mark describes her as a Syrophoenician. Again, easily explained — “Canaanite” refers to ethnicity, while “Syrophoenician” refers to the region where she lived.

I noticed as I read Mark chapter 7 that verse 24 tells us that Jesus “went away to the region of Tyre” and that he “did not want anyone to know he was there.” I realize that Jesus was looking for respite — he traveled to a Gentile land to escape the demands being placed on him in Galilee and Judah. But even in Tyre, people turned to Jesus for healing. Scripture tells us “he could not escape notice” (v. 24).

Hopefully Jesus got some relief from all the crowds while he was in Tyre. It was as he was returning to Galilee that he healed the man who was deaf. I noticed that the Scripture tells us in verse 33 that “he took him aside in private, away from the crowd” to heal the deaf man. Despite Jesus’ efforts to maintain a low profile, nothing worked. Verse 36 tell us the more Jesus told people to keep quiet, “the more zealously they proclaimed it.”

Psalm 46 has always been a favorite psalm, but it has become even more special in the past year. This is a psalm meant for a pandemic, or for any calamitous time. Verse 1 declares, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” I can’t help but see what is going on in the world in verse 6’s comment, “The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter.” Verse 8 is chilling as it invites us to “Come, behold the works of the LORD; see what desolations he has brought on the earth.” We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has been allowed by God. Desolations, indeed!

Verse 10 is the crux of it all. “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” Whatever the crisis, this is our call. To be still before the LORD. To recognize His hand at work. To remember that He is sovereign. And to remember, not only His sovereignty, but also His merciful love to us in Jesus Christ: “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge (v. 11).”

Father God, help me to be still before you and to remember that you are my refuge. You are our strength and our hope. Whatever desolations surround us, we are secure in your right hand. Thank you for sending Christ to save us. Thank you for freeing us and opening our eyes and ears. We look forward to the day when all the heavens and the earth will submit to Christ’s rule. In Jesus’ name, Amen.