Psalm 46:10 – What Happens When God Gets Fed Up?
Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.” When we hear this, we usually think of peace. When God said it, He had something very different in mind. I’ll prove it to you in less than 10 minutes.
God has enemies. Sometimes, I think we forget this. And even when we notice it, we don’t really understand who His enemies are. That’s because we’ve reduced the Gospel down to “individual salvation.” This is an amazing part of the Gospel, but it comes up woefully short. The Gospel of the Kingdom is that the God of Heaven is once again Ruler of Earth. This victory was secured in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every individual is presented with an opportunity: confess their rebellion, receive forgiveness, and surrender to YHWH’s benevolent rule. But just like we as individuals would rather rule ourselves, the kingdoms of this earth have the same problem. But, YHWH will one day deal with them.
Your Kingdom Come…
Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “Your Kingdom come…on earth as it is in Heaven.” This Kingdom isn’t some ethereal dwelling place in the skies where Christians go when they die to float on clouds, strum harps, and sing Amazing Grace for the rest of eternity. Seriously? That doesn’t sound like Heaven at all. The Revelation gives us a glimpse of what’s going to happen. Our King is going to have enough of the rebellious empires of this earth. God’s patience with mankind’s corrupted religions will eventually run out. And the cries of His persecuted followers will tip the scales. He will return to the Earth with a vengeance. The armies of mankind who have pledged their allegiance to Jesus’ sworn enemy will be gathered together and He will utterly destroy them. And this is the context of Psalm 46:10.
YHWH of Heaven’s Armies is on Our Side
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. God gives a shout, the earth dissolves. But, YHWH of Heaven’s Armies is on our side. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. So come, witness the exploits of YHWH, who brings devastation to the earth. He brings an end to wars throughout the earth. YHWH shatters the bow and breaks the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!” YHWH of Heaven’s Armies is on our side! The God of Jacob is our stronghold! (Psalm 46:6-11)
In the words of my friend Pastor Scott: “If that doesn’t get you going, your goer ain’t going nowhere!” We need this today. The world is in chaos. Evil is everywhere. Righteousness and true justice are harder than ever to find. God’s people are increasingly being marginalized throughout the world. And in many places, they’re being outright persecuted. The Good News of the Kingdom is this: our King Jesus is victorious! He is on His throne! And His enemies will one day bow before Him.
When the Psalmist wrote Psalm 46:10, he wasn’t talking to Israel. The entire psalm is a battle cry of a people who know that YHWH reigns in Heaven and Earth. YHWH is their refuge! Their strong tower in the midst of attack. The Earth may shake and the mountains may tremble. But YHWH – the God of Israel – is on their side. When YHWH roars the words, “Be still and know that I am God,” He is telling His enemies that their day has come, and their defeat is imminent.
