We had an awesome service Sunday morning with all the battle and patriotic hymns. We even had our cello and trumpet player come in to add to the music.
Here a devotion on Psalm 68 I wrote a couple months ago, but my daily devotion was this psalm again so it reminded me. I do not believe I have posted it on here before, but I apologize if I have and this is a repeat. Blessings to you all!
“As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!”
I do not know if this was the psalmist’s intention when he wrote this verse or not, but what I noticed about this verse is that there are two metaphors both centered around the same thing. Both smoke and wax are fleeing from the fire. Now this is certainly not the only time God is compared to fire in the Bible. The wrath of God is compared to an unquenchable fire many times, and most often it is talked about burning the chaff that does not belong with the harvest. Here however, the fire is not consuming the particular details in the metaphors, but rather it is chasing them away. Think about how many times you have seen a thick cloud of smoke rising in the sky. Coming from a small town, that sight was a major deal. When you see smoke rising in the distance, you can bet most folks are dropping what they were doing to either jump in the car and go find the fire or are picking up the phone to find out who knows what about the fire. Smoke rises on its own or is blown away by the wind. It never just sits and hangs around the fire though. Smoke is always being driven away from fire.
Same is true about wax. As soon as wax gets anywhere near a flame, it heats up, melts, and then either runs or drips. This is one of the biggest details we spent the most time discussing about our Christmas Eve services. There is always a wax mess in the pews or on the floor to clean up the next day because of all the candles. Wax runs and drips away from the heat of the flame. Smoke is rising and being blown away, wax is running or dripping away; both are getting away from the fire and the heat of the flame. Both of these metaphors for the wicked fleeing from God easily grab our attention towards the smoke and the wax. What about the focus of the flame or fire though? Fire is a good thing, flames giving heat has been necessary for the entire time creation has been around.
Fire not only gives heat for warmth, it cooks food, it refines metals, it recycles whole forests, and overall is a good thing. It provides light in the dark and can be a defense against animals and enemies. So the fire and the flame in these metaphors are good things, just not for the smoke or the wax. It makes me think of 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The fire and the flame are a heat source, light source, food source, and defense source for those who depend on it. It is only for the smoke and the wax that the flame and the fire cause them to flee away. So yes, the wicked are the wax and the smoke, fleeing from God in every direction. The wicked rebel against God and try to get as far away from Him as they possibly can. However, for those of us who are righteous in Jesus’ salvation and redemption, we are drawn towards the fire. We are drawn towards the light of the world that the darkness cannot overcome, towards the heat of the flame that keeps us warm, towards the sure defense of the flame’s protection. This is exactly what verse three goes on to say too. “But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!” So while the smoke and the wax are fleeing in every direction because to them the heat of the flame and the fire is the end of them, those of us who are the righteous because Christ has died for us, redeeming us in His blood, are being drawn to the light. The wicked flee like the smoke and the wax, but you and I who are saved are drawn to the never-ending light and warmth of that loving, gracious fire and flame who is our God, the one and only Triune, Almighty God. Amen.
Same is true about wax. As soon as wax gets anywhere near a flame, it heats up, melts, and then either runs or drips. This is one of the biggest details we spent the most time discussing about our Christmas Eve services. There is always a wax mess in the pews or on the floor to clean up the next day because of all the candles. Wax runs and drips away from the heat of the flame. Smoke is rising and being blown away, wax is running or dripping away; both are getting away from the fire and the heat of the flame. Both of these metaphors for the wicked fleeing from God easily grab our attention towards the smoke and the wax. What about the focus of the flame or fire though? Fire is a good thing, flames giving heat has been necessary for the entire time creation has been around.
Fire not only gives heat for warmth, it cooks food, it refines metals, it recycles whole forests, and overall is a good thing. It provides light in the dark and can be a defense against animals and enemies. So the fire and the flame in these metaphors are good things, just not for the smoke or the wax. It makes me think of 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The fire and the flame are a heat source, light source, food source, and defense source for those who depend on it. It is only for the smoke and the wax that the flame and the fire cause them to flee away. So yes, the wicked are the wax and the smoke, fleeing from God in every direction. The wicked rebel against God and try to get as far away from Him as they possibly can. However, for those of us who are righteous in Jesus’ salvation and redemption, we are drawn towards the fire. We are drawn towards the light of the world that the darkness cannot overcome, towards the heat of the flame that keeps us warm, towards the sure defense of the flame’s protection. This is exactly what verse three goes on to say too. “But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!” So while the smoke and the wax are fleeing in every direction because to them the heat of the flame and the fire is the end of them, those of us who are the righteous because Christ has died for us, redeeming us in His blood, are being drawn to the light. The wicked flee like the smoke and the wax, but you and I who are saved are drawn to the never-ending light and warmth of that loving, gracious fire and flame who is our God, the one and only Triune, Almighty God. Amen.