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Proverbs 10:7
"The name of the wicked shall rot."
Deuteronomy 32:35
"Their foot shall slide in due time."
II Thessalonians 1:7b-9
" ...The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." II Corinthians 5:lla
"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men ..." Proverbs 16:4
"The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." Proverbs 13:24
"He that spareth his rod hateth his son.... " Proverbs 23:13, 14
"Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shall beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Hell."
Text: "Great peace have they which love Thy Law and nothing shall offend them." -Psalm 119:165-
WHAT IT IS THAT IS SPOKEN OF HERE: Peace, great Peace is the theme of the Psalmist’s convictions. The Hebrew word for "peace" is "shalom" and signifies not merely "peace" but those things that accompany peace, namely, "prosperity" and "safety." Therefore, the common Hebrew greeting "Shalom lekha" means "Peace be with thee" and includes its attendant companions of prosperity and safety.
God is the God of Peace; consequently there can be no peace but through the reconciliation brought about between the sinner and God Himself by the blood of Christ. (Romans 5:1) For this reason, God the Son is called the "Prince of Peace," and the Gospel of God is known as the "Gospel of Peace." The Spirit of God is referred to in Scripture as the "Spirit of Peace," and the People of God are called the "Children of Peace." Consequently, no man can be at peace with himself or with his fellow man who is not at Peace with God, for God is not only the Creator, the Lawgiver, the Judge, but also the Saviour. He is man’s only resort in all the concerns of his soul. But they who can say of God, "He is our Peace," though everything without may agitate, or threaten, or alarm, still he can "lay down and his sleep shall be sweet." Afflictions cannot dispel his comforts. In times of deepest troubles, even in the throes of death, his confidence will not be shaken, but will remain firm.
WHOM THIS GREAT PEACE IS SPOKEN: This great Peace can only be known experientially, however, by them who love the Law of God. He is the true Christian man who revels not only in the Promises of God, but who finds refreshment, comfort, blessing and Peace in the Law of God as well. Obedience to the will of God as revealed in His Law brings Peace to the child of God though he is threatened, and reproached by the world. Integrity that results from an obedient life gives confidence with God so that they may "come boldly before the throne of grace;" while at the same time it breeds boldness towards men though the storms of accusations roar without.
In order for out obedience to be acceptable with God, however, it must be the natural result of our love for the Law of God. Obedience that results from the fear of what will happen to us if we do not obey is highly offensive to the Majesty on High.
Note that it is not they who obey "perfectly" who enjoy the Peace of God, "for there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not;" but it is the gracious blessing given to them who obey because they love the Law of God. They have Peace --Great Peace.
THE GRACE CONVEYED TO THEM WHO LOVE THE LAW OF GOD: On account of this great Peace they already experience who love the Law of God, "nothing shall offend them." Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us "It must needs be that offences come," and oftentimes troubles come our way to frighten off those whose faith is not properly grounded.
The word "offend" used here refers to "stumblingblocks" that are set in our way to cause us to turn from the Law of God. The person who loves it, however, will not be daunted– not by Persecutions, nor by Temptations, not even by their Friends who apostatize and turn back.
The malice of enemies will not cause them to turn against the Law --which he knows to be a good law since it is the Law of a good God; nor will anything they Hear, or Feel, or Think cause them to abandon their Rock, their Fortress, their Shield, their Defender. Wealth will not turn them out of the way, nor will Tribulation, or Anguish.
All who truly enjoy the Peace of God that "passeth understanding" are changed into His image so that they love the Law. They who live at random according to the desires of their own heart have not ever truly been converted, but are still in the "gall of bitterness."
While the world accuses the obedient Christian of being in bondage to a life of severity and joylessness, they are even the slaves of their own passions and to their god, their own belly.
God’s people will not be offended and turn aside from God’s Holy Commandment because someone hurt their feelings. Nor will they turn back because of scandal. Neither will they apostatize on account of the hardships their Master may put them through. Nothing can turn them from the way of the Lord --they cannot turn back because "Great Peace have they which love Law and NOTHING shall offend them."
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