Friday 13 October 2017

Psalm: Psalm 102:12-22

Background

Throughout this week we've seen how the author of Hebrews iswriting to encourage people to stay faithful to Christ, and theHebrew Scriptures (in particular Psalm8 and Psalm 95) is unpacked to explain what ishappening and to undergird the argument. In the two verses whichform today's passage, the writer pauses for a moment to stress whytheir use of Scripture and desire to hear the living word of God isso important.

It may help us to remember some of Jesus' encounters with thePharisees. The Pharisees were a lay renewal movement in the nationof Israel who sought to revitalise the nation by building 'a fencearound the law'. They did this by developing regulations designedto ensure that people didn't accidentally break God's law. Jesus'major criticism of them was that, far from bringing new life, theyhad actually suffocated God's word and failed to help people toencounter the living God.

Scripture, today's passage affirms, is thus more than a rulebook to be protected or a historical account to be consulted as theneed arises. It is the living word of the living God. And here weare reminded that, as we hear and seek to interpret the Scripture,so God evaluates us.

Once again we see the way in which our author can sometimes usethe carrot of encouragement and sometimes the stick of warning.Thus we read that we are all accountable to the God from whomnothing can be hidden. But while these words seem undoubtedlystern, they may also bring us comfort in that the God who knows thesecrets of our hearts is also the God of mercy.

To Ponder

• What helps you to experience the word of God as alive andactive?

• Are there living words of Scripture which, as Christians today,we are failing to hear and heed? What might they be?