Psalm 49:1-9
“Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, low and high, rich and poor together! My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life, is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.”
The sons of Korah were the gatekeepers at the Temple and led out in the praises of God; in Chapter 48:1a, we see them leading the people in worship by proclaiming, “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God!”
As we visit chapter 49, it is the message to the Church. Yes, always, but so much more it is to all people of the world, and that means red, yellow, black, and white. But the Psalmist goes even further; it matters not your finances, it is also for the rich and the poor alike, the ruling class, or the lowest of people.
The Psalmist asks a question it seems to himself, why should I fear, and in chapter 47, we spent a lot of time on fear, the fear of man. But it is only God we should fear, for man can only kill us, but Jesus tells us God has the power to send us to an eternal hell. We must never forget the Scripture tells us that only a fool will say there is no God.
Who is it that wants you to fear? Many that want you to buy a product, I call them want creators, they make all kinds of promises about how it will enrich your life, have you fell for this trap? God designs us to be loved, and often we follow our fleshly desires wanting to earn someone’s love or acceptance and yet Jesus has told us He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He wants you also to find in Him life, truth, and the way to the Father.
My prayer is that you will not be fooled or deceived by a religion that tells you for the right amount of money they can bargain with God for the soul of a sinner to keep them out of hell, or to a better place than hell. That is counter to this Scripture, in fact, Jesus leaves no wiggle room for what is required to be in right standing with a Holy God in John 14:6. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
When it comes to God, your wealth and your status in life mean nothing, only what you do with Jesus! Any religion that teaches anything else is not of God, but man. No one can bypass the Cross and the finished work of Jesus, God’s only Son.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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