Psalm 91 remains one of my favorite of the psalms, and definitely a cherished set of promises from God. Other posts share my powerful personalization of this psalm (i.e., interpreting/translating it into the first person present tense), and explain how it is a discourse among four voices/persons. Powerful!
As I read/see horrific news reports from across our world, there is one section of this psalm that echoes in my mind, namely verses 7 - 8: “A thousand shall/may fall at your side. And ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.” Across the entire spectrum of The Bible, ‘the wicked’ are those who staunchly reject and disobey God’s way and plan. In John 14:6, Jesus declares, “I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life!” Ergo, Jesus rejecters are ‘the wicked’ in God’s sight.
Irrespective of the reason, we who love and nurture life, generally do not like the idea of thousands falling (being judged or dying), especially if we have to witness their apparent sentences or their deaths in real time, or learn about it shortly thereafter. Yet God promises the righteous will witness/see the rewards of the wicked – rewards or punishments that become due and payable after Grace has been l-o-n-g extended, yet rejected.
These rewards or punishments are delivered in stages. The above verses, however, only refer to the final stage, the actual, physical fall of the wicked, whether it is death or lesser punishments (e.g., jail sentence, public shaming, broken homes, lost jobs and opportunities, etc.). Well before this physical fall, the real fall, the real deal, occurs…spiritually! This is the point at which God pronounces His “judgment that allows the destroyers access” or entry to bring the spiritual fall to physical fruition. Consider it as a high court judge pronouncing judgment on a criminal, who is then turned over to law enforcement officials to administer or execute the judgment.
An absolutely clear example of this staged judgment/execution process is found in Ezekiel 9. Those familiar with Scripture, may recognize this as the chapter in which God reveals, ‘Judgment begins at The House of God.’ This chapter is worth frequent reading and pondering/meditation to perceive how it may apply to our world today. I believe it does.
In it, we clearly see One, believed to be pre-incarnate (pre-birth) Jesus, pronouncing judgment on those who have rejected God’s way. They had killed His prophets, sacrificed their babies in fire to demons, worshiped idols, or simply sanctioned or did not cry or sigh about the above evils. He directs a spirits (who appear to Ezekiel in the form of men) first (a) to ‘seal’, put a protective mark on those who do cry and sigh over evils committed; then (b) to kill/slay all the rest, with no mercy – “old and young men, maidens and little children and women.” Shortly following this pronouncement, one of the angels returns to say, “I have done as You commanded me.”
Ponder this: Though they were sealed/marked for protection, the righteous (those protected) felt no such thing, neither could they or others see the mark received. Similarly, though slain in the spirit, the wicked felt no such thing, neither could others see anyone being slain. But indeed, ‘slain in the spirit’ they were! This, my Friend, is ‘the real deal’ about being slain in the spirit, i.e., judgment pronounced and executed spiritually, yet undetected physically, for the time being. Judgments pronounced and executed spiritually in Ezekiel 9, were subsequently brought to physical life when the Babylonian army sequentially/iteratively invaded and destroyed Judah and Jerusalem, its capital, leaving alive only a remnant of the people, just as God had promised on many occasions. Another remnant was captured and taken to Babylon to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. This group famously included Daniel and his 3 close friends who rose to the apex of wise men in the Babylonian, and subsequent kingdoms of Medo-Persia, and Persia. It also included Mordecai, who raised a young relative whose parents had died. Her name was later changed to Esther, and she eventually became the queen of Persia! Voila! The Bible stories (books) of Daniel and Esther were thus birthed!
Another similar example of this spiritual principle, the real deal about being slain in the spirit, is hinted at in Joshua 5:13-15 and 6:1-2. Here, however, Joshua does not see the destroying angels over whom the pre-incarnate Jesus is captain. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Jericho were slain in the spirit well before the Israeli army took the first step toward that city!
Here's a handy way to remember lessons from this post:
Though marked for goodness, we righteous won’t feel it,
And slain in the spirit, the wicked won’t even know it.
And slain in the spirit, the wicked won’t even know it.
But know this in the recesses of your mind and heart,
Though full of Love and Grace, God is Judge in Heaven’s court.
Even when His judgments are pronounced, He still may relent,
But this is only possible for those of us who repent.
Though full of Love and Grace, God is Judge in Heaven’s court.
Even when His judgments are pronounced, He still may relent,
But this is only possible for those of us who repent.
Tell me, Friends, have you?
Across our world, unrepentant folks are thus being slain,
When long-term Grace from The Lord, they decided to disdain.
Others, who responded righteously to Grace, are being sealed.
They’re protected when lives and life quality, judgments steal.
Even when, by collateral damages, they’re impacted,
Alive or deceased, The Lord ensures ..they will be protected!
In which group are you?
