Lifting Up

After Job lost his family and all his possessions, three of his friends came and sat with him for a few days. They took turns speaking to Job and admonishing him about his condition. Eliphaz spoke and suggested that perhaps Job was not pure in all of his ways. He admonished Job to return to God so that be would be built up and his treasures would be restored. He said that Job would be able to decree a thing and it would be established unto him and the light of God would shine upon his ways. When someone is cast down, perhaps due to pride, then there is a lifting of others who are humble. He may have suggested that Job was brought low due to pride. However, if Job knew how to humble himself, then God would raise him up again.

David was well acquainted with being low in spirit and trusting God to raise him up. In Psalm 3, he lamented of the increase of those who made trouble with him. There were many who had risen up against him and said there was no hope for him in God. “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; My glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3). David cried unto the Lord and he heard him out of his holy hill. He laid down and slept and the Lord sustained him. His spirit was encouraged so that he was confident, not to be afraid of ten thousand of people, who set themselves against him. He trusted in God to arise, save him, smite the enemy upon the cheek and break the teeth of the ungodly.

In Psalm 24, David declared that the earth belongs to God and everything in it. He asked who would ascend into the hill of the Lord and who would stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who had not lifted up their souls unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Those who are holy will receive the blessing from the Lord and righteous from our God. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in” (Psalm 24:7). The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord of host is our king of glory. As we lift our eyes towards God, he will lift us up, as we sit with him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Isaiah wrote of a new Jerusalem, which will arise and shine for the light of God and the glory of the Lord will be risen upon her.

We are living in dark times, yet the Lord will shine his light upon his people and his glory will be seen among us. “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isaiah 60:3). God is gathering his people from all nations of the earth and the abundance of the seas will be converted to us. Nations shall gather around the children of God and strangers shall rebuild our walls. God will not forsake his people and he never forgets his covenants or his promises to us. It does not matter what the circumstances look like or the worldly predictions about disaster and gloom. God will raise his children and establish those who are his, so that the world will see our light and come to glorify God. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14).

A.P.-Y.