14/08/10

Lord is working in his sanctuary

Psalm 60:6 - God hath spoken in his holiness [sanctuary]; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.


We as believers have our eyes focused on those who do not know God, on how to tell them the Good News and how to preach to them about the Lord Jesus Christ. But these days unlike us the eyes of the Lord has been on his people. He is working on his people refining them and bringing them to a level that his glory be seen among them.

Today's message is a very strong message to us for the two things which the Lord will rejoice in doing among his people is to divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth.

Divide Shechem: The first incident of rape in the Bible has been link to this name Shechem. Shechem was a Canaanite prince who forcefully took Jacobs daughter Dinah. He was then treacherously slain by her brothers Simeon and Levi. The city where he dwelled in was called by his name. Thus when the Lord uses the name with his people He identifies the people who have no control over their desires and acting like Shechem abuse the blessings of God.

When the Lord uses the word 'divide' here, the word does not mean to part. The Hebrew word 'chalaq' over here is rendered with Piel thus means to scatter. So those who abuse the blessings of the Lord and harbor Shechem in them will be scattered; and seeds which are scattered on the ground are eaten up by the birds of the air.

Mete out valley of Succoth: The word 'mete' means to measure and this Hebrew word is rendered here with Piel thus means to measure line to line, meaning to go into fine details. Here the Lord is saying He will measure going into the minute details the valley of Succoth. Now who are those among God's people who dwell in the valley of Succoth. Succoth was the first location where the Israelites settled down in when they were freed from Egypt. This symbolically identifies as the starting stage of one's spiritual life. People who believe in Jesus Christ but do not want to grow in spirit are those who dwell in Succoth.

We may not find it a great concern if we are in the Lord but not growing. If we compare this with the Israelites then we will understand the seriousness of dwelling in Succoth. The people who were in confusion 'Babylon' made tents calling them Succothbenoth meaning 'tents of Succoth' in which dwell prostitutes. Prostitutes are those who sell themselves for riches of this world. In spiritual terms it implies people who compromise or twist the Truth as to enjoy the pleasures of this world. The word 'mete' in the Bible is also associated with the Ethiopians who measured off other peoples for destruction and trod them down. Thus the Lord will deal very harshly with those who play with the Truth for their pleasure.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, Your coming in glory is delayed because your Body is not in proper function. Your people do not know if they are an arm, leg or shoulder; all want to be the stomach. Lord, intervene into the lives of your people and let your glory be seen among them. We pray that your grace be abundant on them and their hearts renewed...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Genesis 33:18-21; 34:1-2
18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.
1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

Genesis 34:24-27
24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

2 Kings 17:29-31
29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

Psalms 108:5-7
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.
7 God hath spoken in his holiness [sanctuary]; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

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