You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (Psalm 23:5)
It is always been of great interest to me that God situated the land of Israel in one of the most violent and explosive regions on earth. In fact, I’ve often joked that one of the cardinal rules of real estate is “Location, location, location,” and yet God called for His people to live in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods on the planet. That this is so must have a purpose beyond what we might assume. What I mean is, the argument has been made that the area became agitated and combative in response to God giving the land to Israel. While that might be partly accurate, I contend that it was already antagonistic and violent and that is why God planted His people right in the middle of it. He wanted to place His people in the midst of their enemies in order to demonstrate His sovereignty over all nations and His goodness to Israel.
Even before He brought them into Canaan, while they were still in Goshen surrounded by their enemies, He caused plagues to affect their oppressors but without touching His people. For example, when darkness descended upon Egypt for three days, there was light in Goshen. When the Destroyer went through the land killing the firstborn of man and beast, Israel sat down to a sacred meal and were preserved. When they were in the wilderness, Pharaoh and others believed that the wilderness had shut them in and that they were destined to perish in the desert. Instead, God opened up a sea and led them through on dry ground; He fed them with bread from heaven and provided water that gushed from a rock. In spite of man’s hostility and best efforts to destroy Israel, God sustained them while their enemies looked on, confounded and frustrated by God’s protection of them.
This kind of provision is what comes to mind when I read David’s words, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” By this, God clearly demonstrates to the nations that His Sovereignty can not be overturned. Not only that but, to their chagrin and dismay, “You anoint my head with oil” to demonstrate that God chooses and raises up according to His Will, not the will of man. When God places His call upon someone, whether David or you dear reader, no power on earth can undo what He has ordained. And so, this truth connects us to this final thought: “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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