Today's Reading August 18

Good morning. Last night the local weather told us we would hear thunder but would not see any rain, probably. We were awakened around 12:30am to heavy rain. We're grateful for it - the area's been in a drought condition for a year. But the same people purport to tell us things about the climate a hundred years from now. If they can't predict 3 hours ahead, may I be skeptical about their ability to predict a century out?
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Continuing in the Psalms this morning, we get into Psalms 109, 110, and 111.
Of the three, I like 110 the best (but 111 is great read aloud - try it). And the reason I like it is because you see it quoted in the New Testament, quoted quite extensively in fact. Even when the Lord was inspiring the Psalmist, He was preparing for the Incarnation of the Son.

Chapter 110

1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Matt 22:44, 26:64
Mark 12:36
Luke 20:42
Acts 2:34
1 Cor 15:25
Heb 1:13

2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 5:6, 7:17, 21

5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

See what I meant about the later use? Now, to be complete, it would be good to turn to those New Testament sections and see how this passage is used. I assure you, it's not there by accident.

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This evening we complete Romans with chapter 16. It is tempting to regard this as somewhat of a ''throwaway'' passage, consisting as it does primarily of Paul's greetings to individuals. Don't make that mistake. Do you know these people? No, and neither do I. But Paul did, and they were important to him. And they were important to God also. Someday we will meet them in Heaven. To an extent, the world in which we live was shaped by those people who,quietly and diligently, served the Lord and furthered the spread of the Gospel and lived in a world we can't imagine. Many of them died quite badly because that was the price paid for faithfulness. And yet, knowing this, Paul greets them and ends his letter quite well --

24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

I'll take that blessing any day.