- araratchurch
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 26
100 “Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.”
Psalms 7:14-16 NKJV
I don’t know if phrases about “getting a taste of your own medicine,” are still in common usage, but I heard it a lot growing up. When you heard it, you knew what it meant: something that someone had done to someone else, a way in which they had treated someone else, some deceit, and so on, had come back on that person; now they were having to eat what they had dished out (to use another idiom).
In the Bible, the most commonly known example of “getting a taste of your own medicine,” is that of Haman. You see, Haman built gallows on which Mordecai was to be hung. But it turned out being used for him and his household.
“And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?” As the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.”
Esther 7:6-10 NKJV
Consider these two very short scriptures:
“And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”
Luke 6:31 NKJV
“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Matthew 7:2 NKJV
In these two scriptures, both the words of Jesus, you pretty much can understand God‘s philosophy in terms of our dealings with others.
Sometimes it may seem that God doesn’t see what evil people are doing. But He does see and He does turn the plans of the wicked back on themselves.
“When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you.”
Psalms 50:18-22 NLT
I take no pleasure when I see people “get what’s coming to them.” But I have seen it and it isn’t pretty.
Given, it’s hard to be patient when you are the one being done wrong or dealt with deceitfully. You may feel that retribution can’t come fast enough. But remember, God—being the perfect Judge—works in His own time to bring perfect justice. Our part is to not allow the plots of others to change our own heart to be as ugly as those who plot against us or despitefully use us.
In our opening scripture, we see that David—in the midst of discussing the evil plans others have made against him—attests to the fact that God has and will use the traps of the wicked against them.
David’s sentiment about those who planned against him “getting a dose of their own medicine,” turned out to be a common theme for him. For example, in reflecting on the time he had to run from Saul, he says this:
“They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah”
Psalms 57:6 NKJV
Child of God, remember, no matter what you see people “dosing” out to you, make no mistake, God sees it. Therefore, let’s know and understand what David knew:
God uses the plans of the wicked against themselves.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Jul 23
- 2 min read
“I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer.”
Psalms 6:6-9 NKJV
Considering the suffering of people all over the world can be overwhelming. There seems to be so much pain, so many tears, in a world brought close through modern technology.
Yes, across our devices, we see suffering souls navigating a variety of catastrophes, wars, crimes, etc., writ large. Increasingly, our neighborhood is the world, a world full of suffering and sorrow. And—with suffering so great—what or who can offer any meaningful relief?
Sometimes that suffering soul is the person looking back at us from the mirror. And in those times, we may wonder if anyone really sees our tears. Does anyone really care?
Someone once said, “Smile and the world smiles with you; cry and you cry alone.” Now, you may have at least one person who does care when you have sorrow. But suffering can make us feel very isolated, very alone.
There was a song we sang when I was growing up: “I Must Tell Jesus.” The message of the song is encapsulated in its chorus:
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
Sometimes we may not only feel this sentiment, but often, it may actually be the truth.
Indeed, there is a level of sorrow, grief, and sadness, that can only be soothed by the Master’s touch.
In today’s portion of David’s psalms, we see that David is pouring out his very raw emotions to the Lord. He is not ashamed to “cry his eyes out” before his Shepherd, knowing that He sees, hears, and will answer.
In another place David expresses that the Lord stores up our tears in His bottle and writes about them in His book!
“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”
Psalms 56:8-9 NKJV
Our Lord is intensely personal with His own children. He cares when we are hurting. And, He is ready and willing to comfort the sorrowful soul.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
God sees our tears. And He cares.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
“But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.”
Psalms 5:7, 12 NKJV
For many years of his life my father was a very physically powerful man. He was one who would do seemingly ill-advised things like tying a refrigerator on his back and carrying it up a hill. His large hands had an iron grip. And if he grabbed hold of something, it was not likely to prevail against him.
I was in awe of my father and I always felt safe if he was near. On the rare occasion that I needed correction, just one word or look from my father brought me to immediate tears. So, I never needed him to lay a hand on me in discipline. On the other hand, I never was afraid that he would hurt me; I knew he would only ever do good things to/for me.
Because of my relationship with my father, I am stymied when I hear pastors, teachers, and so on, minimizing the fear of the Lord, sometimes actually presenting it as something we should never have!
Now, we need not fear the Lord as someone who is at cross-purposes with Him. Rather, we walk in reverential fear and awe of His mighty power, overwhelmed by His awesome presence.
In today’s opening scripture, we see a portion of Psalms 5. In this psalm David is contrasting himself with those who do not fear the Lord, those who are living wickedly.
“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.”
Psalms 5:4-5 NKJV
He reflects on the great mercy of the Lord through which he is allowed to come into the Lord’s presence. However, when David goes into the presence of the Lord, he does so with great fear.
The fear David expresses for the Lord is reverential fear, the awe of knowing the fathomless measure of His power and might.
Not just here, but in other psalms we see the cause-effect relationship between the fear of the Lord and the favor of the Lord. For example:
“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.”
Psalms 34:7, 9 NKJV
Just like a wonderful father, our Lord protects, keeps, and shows favor to those who walk in fear of Him. Additionally, I doubt if those who have no fear of the Lord have ever really known Him.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The fear of the Lord and the favor of the Lord are inextricably connected.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!