Psa 103:12-16 “Bless The Lord” – Part 3

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 
Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 
Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 
Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 
Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 

This section of Psalm 103 talks about a holy passage of time that is reserved for the saints who are being shown that it is indeed our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom of God as stated in:

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Our understanding of what that kingdom is and what we are to do with it while we occupy our very temporal vapour-like life, matures and grows as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and become convinced of His intimate knowledge of all that He is doing within the body of Christ both to will and to do within the many-membered body of Christ “that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ”.

Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (1Co 7:1-23)
Jas 4:16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The spirit of God is bearing witness of this work “at that day”, also called ‘the day of the Lord’, that we are sons of God who are being changed and growing as we go from glory to glory, and in this study we will look at how His mercy, His pity, His forgiveness, among other things, accompany His precious little flock all along the journey “from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him” (of verse 17).

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The next few verses after Luke 12:32 explain to us what God is in the process of doing in each of our lives, so that we are a people who are convinced that it truly is our “Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”.  Right after Christ utters these words “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”, He proceeds to tell us what will happen in our lives in order to work out our own salvation through Christ as God “worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”.

The highlighted words that are found in Philippians 2:12-13, along with those verses that precede (Luke 12:32, namely verses Luke 12:33-53), must be lived in our lives if we are going to have the much needed patience and faith (Rev 14:12-13) of the saints developed within us, so that we can possess our souls to the glory and honour of our great Father (Luke 21:19).

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The instructions of Christ in Luke 12:33-53, and also found in this Psalm under discussion, help us to understand what it means to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” and the resulting “Fear not, little flock” effect which this work has on each of our lives, an effect that Christ declares before He goes into the details of what we must do. The Lord will do this through us if we are called and chosen and being dragged through the experience God’s word calls “the patience and faith of the saints”, we will drink the cup (Mat 20:23). We “Bless The Lord” that He has given us this honour and privileged to be purified in this age through the much tribulation which accompanies our salvation that is unfolding as we drink that cup together (1Co 10:16).

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith (and that is how “their works do follow them” that were ordained from the foundation of the world – Eph 2:10), and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Here is a list of admonitions from Christ so that we can have that peace which passes all understanding and know in our hearts that it is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom:

Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have (1Jn 2:15), and give alms (Heb 13:15); provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth (how do we provide bags which wax not old, or treasure in heaven that fails not? Rev 3:18).
Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luk 12:35  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; (the whole suit armour so that we may be able to stand in the Lord and the power of his might – Eph 6:10-18)
Luk 12:36  And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately (1Pe 3:15-18 , parable of the ten virgins Mat 25:1-13).
Luk 12:37  Blessed are those servants [“Bless The Lord”], whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Luk 12:38  And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. [another way of saying “from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children”]
Luk 12:39  And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

The point being made that there is none good (Rom 3:10, Mar 10:18), and that it is a miracle, and only by the grace and faith of God, that the bride will be made ready in that hour so that the thief (in this case, Satan) will not come and destroy us, because we have been blessed to be among those who are heeding the admonition to  “watch and pray” (Mat 26:41).

Luk 12:40  Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Luk 12:41  Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

Peter is asking on our behalf, “Are we the ones who are working out our salvation with fear and trembling, or are we the unwise servant who has no fear of God and are reflecting that lack of reverence by not providing any food or drink for Christ today?” Maybe we think we are profitable when Christ tells us that we are in fact only profitable because of the work that He is working in us, again, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Eph 1:12, Luk 17:10).

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (while it is called today “Bless The Lord” and be about our Father’s business – Heb 3:13)
Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming [through the deceitfulness of sin]; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; (1Pe 5:8-9)
Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (did not work out his own salvation with fear and trembling – Php 2:12).
Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

If ever there were a verse that should make us sit up and take notice, it’s this one right here…because we’re being told to wake up (Eph 5:14) and realize we are the ones “unto whomsoever much is given”, and so we are being admonished to not neglect so great a salvation (Heb 2:3) by stirring up the spirit within us and not forsaking the assembling of the brethren (Heb 10:25) so we can be partakers of that tremendous blessing of being in the blessed and holy first resurrection which we are to striving to enter –  Rev 20:6, Mar 10:30, Php 3:14, 1Co 9:27).

Luk 12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? (Act 14:22, 1Pe 4:12)
Luk 12:50  But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Christ is not just speaking about his baptism of fire that had to take place but also speaking of his body that must yet fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ Col 1:24)
Luk 12:51  Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Luk 12:52  For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
Luk 12:53  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Christ is preparing our hearts right now for the division that will become louder and louder in this ungodly age, and is blessing us to come together and be His real family, His real brothers and sisters fulfilling our Father’s will (Mar 3:35), even as He allows the world outside of ourselves to become more and more fragmented. That is the former conversation we all had and out of which we come out, seeing the fruits of Adam that did not produce the unity and joy and love that God’s people are blessed to enjoy today, because we are not divided by the sword of God’s word but united through the dying daily process that He has called us unto (2Sa 12:10).

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

The dividing within us of father against son, mother against daughter, daughter against mother (churches also) mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (2Th 2:8) must all happen within us in order to have the hearts of the fathers turn to the children and the children to the fathers within us first (Mal 3:1-3, Mal 4:6).

Luk 21:21  Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto (Psa 121:1-2).
Luk 21:22  For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. [The day of the Lord, the day of his vengeance speaking of God’s elect, Zion! Isa 34:8, Isa 63:4]
Luk 21:23  But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

We need to mature together as a body if we are going to endure until the end and be faithful through the “great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people” in this life.

Luk 21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Rev 11:1-2  – the times of the Gentiles within  – Jer 2:19, Gen 15:16).
Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; [within and without]
Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (The solution to enduring until the end is in these following verses: Psa 104:15, Mal 3:16, Heb 10:25).

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Adam and Eve cannot begin to see the need for the sacrifice of Christ in his or her life while they are in the idyllic garden of Eden, and yet God has devised a means to redeem that first Adamic seed which is likened to water that has been spilt into the ground, seemingly not able to be recovered, and this need to be recovered, or reinstated is true of all mankind (1Sa 15:15, Eze 37:4-5, Joh 17:17).

The transgression of Adam extends from start to finish, from east to west (Mat 23:35), and as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive through Christ, through the church typified by Mary, born of that Adamic seed which is coupled with the seed of the Father (1Co 15:22, Joh 3:16, 1Jn 4:9-11, Gal 3:16). The garden of Eden is symbolic of a womb where Adam and Eve were formed (Gen 2:8).

Mary is blessed above all churches (Luk 1:42), and we are blessed above all people on the earth for this reason, that we have this new life within us (Col 1:27), this holy seed that is being formed through much tribulation that was symbolized by Christ’s time in the womb, and also his time in the earth that he came out of (Jer 22:29).

It is important to note that Adam and Eve could not partake of the tree of life because there was no life in them, no seed of Christ, and no desire to be connected to Christ in that regard. They knew Him only after the flesh (2Co 5:16). It would take the destruction of that first marred-in-the-hand-of-the-Potter vessel (Jer 18:4) and the redemptive power of the holy spirit working in our heavens to become that new man child (Rev 12:17) who has been raised in heavenly places today for that purpose of going unto perfection on the third day (Eph 2:6, Luk 13:32). Adam and Eve will one day have that holy seed, that holy spirit within them as it was in Christ without measure and they shall then be able to overcome, giving an accounting in the great white throne judgement for all the sins of the world within themselves that were cleansed by the blood of the Lamb from east to west (1Jn 2:16).

Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth^H7355 his children, so the LORD pitieth^H7355 them that fear him.

Jacob is loved of the Lord, and Esau is hated to remind us that God sees nothing in our flesh which we can offer Him, but has given abundant life through Christ, who is typified by Jacob (Rom 9:11-15).

H7355   râcham   raw-kham’  A primitive root; to fondle; by implication to love, especially to compassionate: – have compassion (on, upon), love, (find, have, obtain, shew) mercy (-iful, on, upon), (have) pity, Ruhamah, X surely.

Rom 9:11  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Rom 9:12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Speaking of Esau within us, who needs to be destroyed and judged today by Mount Zion (Oba 1:21), we read in Romans 11:

Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
Rom 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

As we can see, God has great plans for all of His children (Rom 11:12), and He loves them all, and in due time He will extend that mercy and love unto all of his creation. We must not boast against those branches that are broken off, and we are to consider the mercy that God has extended to us in this age very carefully.

Rom 11:17  And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 
Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

It is very reassuring to know that God knows “our frame” and remembers “that we are dust”, that we are descendants of Adam and Eve who need to be redeemed from the earth.

We are likened unto grass and flowers of the field that flourish for a season, in the world which is the field (Mat 13:38), but then “the wind passeth over it” and that is symbollic of the spirit of God that passes over us, (Joh 3:8) first very symbolically as the Passover lamb with the blood on the lintels of our doors (Exo 12:7-13, 1Co 10:11), but then in a very real and living way with the life of Christ within us that causes the grass or flower to decreases as Christ increases in us if he is working with us in this age (Joh 3:30).

The following verses in Exodus are very much connected to the idea of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but also to the thought that it is with the Passover Lamb being digested in our lives, so that we can be strengthened or quickened of the Lord both to will and to do what the Father’s good pleasure is for us to do. These admonitions also parallel the verses we looked at earlier in Luke 12:42-53.

Exo 12:7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
Exo 12:10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
Exo 12:11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.
Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Exo 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

We are a new creation that is groaning and growing in the Lord, and that is the reason it is written that after God has worked this holy work within us and perfected us on the third day, there is nothing left of the first man Adam – “it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more”. We become new, and God is reconciling the world within us unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, through the church which is the means that God will use to reconcile all the world in time (1Sa 15:15)

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (Adam of 1Co 15:23 and 1Co 15:50).

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last part of our four-part study entitled “Fear The Lord” where we look at verses 17 to 22 that speak of how God’s angels will “Bless The Lord” for His wonderful works unto the children of men, works that have been accomplished in His little flock who are blessed to know that it is His good pleasure to give the kingdom to them in this age.

Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Psa 103:17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
Psa 103:18  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psa 103:21  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Psa 103:22  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.