04/03/13

God does not delight in the legs of a man

Psalms 147:10 - He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs (thigh / shoulder) of a man.


People may be taken back by the title of today's message and the message itself. Unless one has the knowledge of Bible Image Study one will never understand this message.

In the Bible we see people like Job, Daniel and even Solomon in the OT had the wisdom to understand the symbolism in which the Lord spoke not only in His Word but also through His creation. When God created all beings in creation He did in an image according to His kind and their kind yet He said all is good. That is why even though God forbid eating of some animals by classifying them unclean yet we see it was God who gave an okay to Peter to eat all animals. The clean and unclean had nothing to do with the animal but with their image, what they symbolize.

One can eat a pig but not live the nature of the pig which consumes all things without discerning thus living a life in filth. Also when Satan came as a snake it did not mean a real snake but meant he came to deceive for the snake symbolizes deceit. It was the deceit of Satan that has caused man to see good and bad (fruit of doubt) in creation even though God said all that He created was good. The only thing bad was Satan himself. So in other words man who was innocent of evil came to know evil by eating the fruit of doubt. Therefore it is only by faith (the antidote of doubt being faith) that we can be saved, for by faith we tap into the grace of God made available by Jesus Christ. Jesus crushes the head of deceit (the snake) by giving us the Spirit of Truth.

Before I come to today's message there is one more thing I like to clear. The word used here for legs specify a certain upper part of the limb that would mean either thigh or shoulder. According to Bible Image Study both these have symbolization. Shoulder symbolizes teaching and thigh symbolizes prophecy. Also the horse symbolizes prosperity or progress, moving from one phrase to another.

In today's message God is telling us He does not delight in the efforts man makes to prosper, nor does He delight in the teachings or prophecies of man. In the very next scripture God gives reason why. He states He takes pleasure in them that fear Him or know Him or have the knowledge of who He is, and those that hope in His mercy.

We need to understand God did not complicate life but man did by not trusting God. It was due to sin that creation became an enemy of man. Dead was never a part of man but due to sin man was driven far from God and therefore dead came into the life of man. Fear of God or our knowledge of who God is, brings us closer to God. We also need to note it is the mercy of God that keeps us before Him, or else things could be unimaginable to man knowing the fact that our God is a Righteous God.

God tells us to be a vessel not a cook, let Him work in us and through us. As cooks we may succeed to some extend but soon all our success comes to a naught. God takes delights in us when we overcome doubt and know He can do all things through us, even though we may be still unworthy before Him yet because He is merciful He will not consume us. He has made a way for us to approach Him because He is God who loves us.

Let us not try by our strength and annoy God but let us surrender to Him and be vessels through whom He can work. Let us give pleasure, delight and glory to our Creator by knowing Him and trusting Him.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we ask for forgiveness for the times we have not acknowledged You in our lives, when we have tried to do things by our strength and for the times we have felt hopeless in life when calamities surrounded us. We know You are God and there is nothing impossible for You. Even though You get angry with us for disobeying You yet your mercy keeps us from your wrath. Lord, your Love covers us and keeps You with us in our lives...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Psalms 147:11 - The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Psalms 25:10 - All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Psalms 57:3 - He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

Psalms 85:10 - Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Genesis 24:2-3
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)