Malicious witnesses testify against me.
They accuse me of things I don't even know about.
They repay me with evil for the good I do.
I am sick with despair
Psalm 35:11-12
History tends to repeat itself. As George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
We know this, indeed, from a purely worldly perspective. But Biblically this pattern is even more prevalent.
Old Testament events frequently "prefigure" New Testament events, and several Old Testament characters are seen as a "type of Christ." For example, we see this "typology" in Romans 5 and Ephesians 3 when the roles of Adam and Abraham (respectively) prefigure the role and ministry of Jesus.
When you consider, in addition, all of the Messianic prophecies throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, it is clear that much of the Old Testament points squarely toward Jesus.
Today's verse is penned by David. (He was himself a "type" of Israel's coming Messiah, Jesus). Is this a prefiguring?
· For example, can you imagine David, being hounded by the authorities of the world (the corrupt governors over Israel, the murderous King Saul) and crying out: "Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of things I don't even know about. They repay me with evil for the good I do. I am sick with despair"?
· And can you imagine Jesus, being hounded by the authorities of the world (the corrupt governors over Israel, the murderous Chief Priests and scribes) and crying out: "Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of things I don't even know about. They repay me with evil for the good I do. I am sick with despair."
The point of this is not to definitively proclaim that Psalm 35:11-12 is a Messianic prophecy. The point is to suggest that history repeats itself.
· Persecution happened for David.
· Persecutions happened for Jesus.
· Persecution happened for the Apostles – 11 of 12 were executed for their faith.
· And while we America have mostly been immune to violent opposition to our faith, persecution could happen to any of us at any time … and isn’t it occurring in small ways more and more. (What’s the trajectory?)
When your faith is challenged, will you respond …
peacefully like Jesus,
heroically like the white-robed martyrs in Revelation 7,
and/or faithfully like David, who in spite of his trials, cried in faith in this Psalm: "10 I will praise him from the bottom of my heart: 'LORD, who can compare with you?'"
In Christ's Love,
a guy who prays for
increasing boldness
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