Psalms 68:1-3 KJV
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
The thought occurred to me this morning, "Who are they that hate God?" I think we sometimes look at passages like this and dismiss them. We view them as Old Testament and having nothing to do with our present spiritual economy or else we view all people as righteous and thus, outside of these Scriptures. We may view these enemies (I think with some legitimacy) as being the world, the flesh and the devil. We can also apply them to those influences (rather than people) that draw us away from a close relationship with the Lord.
So what do we know from the Scripture as a description of those who are either God's enemies or those who hate God?
Matthew 6:24 KJV
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Romans 8:7 KJV
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
James 4:4 KJV
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Though there are differences and subtleties that would be good to explore in these verses the one common theme through them all is worldliness; a love for the things of this world. In other words, to love the things of this world is to hate God and be His enemy.
Now this gets to be a little more personal! Surely each of us can see ourselves in this definition.
Oh, Lord, deliver us from our affections for the things of earth. Grant us hearts that desire only heavenly things! Then may we say we truly love the Lord.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
The thought occurred to me this morning, "Who are they that hate God?" I think we sometimes look at passages like this and dismiss them. We view them as Old Testament and having nothing to do with our present spiritual economy or else we view all people as righteous and thus, outside of these Scriptures. We may view these enemies (I think with some legitimacy) as being the world, the flesh and the devil. We can also apply them to those influences (rather than people) that draw us away from a close relationship with the Lord.
So what do we know from the Scripture as a description of those who are either God's enemies or those who hate God?
Matthew 6:24 KJV
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Romans 8:7 KJV
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
James 4:4 KJV
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Though there are differences and subtleties that would be good to explore in these verses the one common theme through them all is worldliness; a love for the things of this world. In other words, to love the things of this world is to hate God and be His enemy.
Now this gets to be a little more personal! Surely each of us can see ourselves in this definition.
Oh, Lord, deliver us from our affections for the things of earth. Grant us hearts that desire only heavenly things! Then may we say we truly love the Lord.
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