God’s Assurance for Man’s Need

GOLDEN TEXT: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” —Psalm 24:1

PSALM 104:1-5, 10-14, 24, 33

IN THE United States a day for national thanksgiving will be observed this week, and our lesson is appropriate to the occasion, for it reminds us that the Lord is the great Provider of all life’s blessings. As the Golden Text states, the earth is indeed the Lord’s. He created it, but not to supply his own needs, nor for his own pleasure particularly, but as a home for his human creation. Another Psalm says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.”—Ps. 115:16

The marginal translation of Psalm 104, verse 5 reads, “He hath founded the earth upon her bases, that it should not be removed forever.” One commentator on the lesson has written concerning this statement: “The creation of God seemed to the Psalmist to be eternal.” In other words, this writer does not believe that the “earth abideth for ever,” that this was merely the way it seemed to the Psalmist.—Eccles. 1:4

To take this viewpoint, however, is to deny the New Testament assertion that “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (II Pet. 1:21) The fact is that the earth will abide forever. Through the Prophet Isaiah, we are assured by the Lord that he has established the earth, and that he created it “not in vain,” but “formed it to be inhabited.”—Isa. 45:18

From the human standpoint it might almost seem that the earth would soon be emptied of its inhabitants, that man, by his own unwisdom and selfishness would destroy himself by atom and hydrogen bombs, but the Lord assures us to the contrary. True, soon after our first parents were created they disobeyed God’s law and were sentenced to death, and they, in turn, bequeathed to all mankind a heritage of death. But the redemptive program of God, as it is centered in Christ Jesus, makes provision for the recovery of the human race.

It was for this purpose that Jesus was sent into the world to be man’s Redeemer by taking the sinner’s place in death. During the thousand years of his second presence, he will restore the dead world to life. Peter describes this work as one of “restitution” and says that it was foretold by all God’s prophets since the world began.—Acts 3:19-21

The footstep followers of Jesus during the Gospel age are promised a heavenly inheritance, to live and reign with Christ. Many, mistakenly, have understood these promises to mean that all who will ever be saved will be transferred from earth to heaven, and that ultimately the earth will be destroyed. But this is not God’s design. Only a comparatively few during this age are being selected to be the channel of “restitution” blessings for all mankind during the age to come. The earth is “established” and will be man’s home forever.

Verse 24 sums up the contents of the entire 104th Psalm—“O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” This is a truism that should be apparent to all thinking people, but actually it is only those who reverence the Lord and believe that he is the great Creator of all things, who are able to appreciate it. And to them this blessed realization is itself a great cause for thankfulness.

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s provision, not only for man, but for the lower forms of life on earth and in the sea. All of this is an evidence of divine wisdom and love. In providing these blessings God is impartial, causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and on the unjust.—Mat. 5:45

Jesus admonished us to be “perfect, even as” our Heavenly Father is perfect. Our earnest endeavor to follow this admonition in our attitude toward and dealings with our fellowmen is one way in which our faith will be demonstrated by our works. It is a wonderful blessing to be able to believe in God as the great Creator of the universe, and that he provides all our needs. For this we should be truly thankful; but our belief is somewhat negative unless, in our appreciation of our Heavenly Father’s love, we endeavor to follow his example of generosity by extending to others whatever blessings we can.

And for this privilege we also can be thankful—thankful, that is, for the privilege of sharing our blessings, particularly the blessings which are ours through a knowledge of God and of his divine plan of salvation. And truly the Lord has been good in permitting us to know the mysteries of his kingdom.

Because of the abundance of the Lord’s blessings, both temporal and spiritual, the words of the Psalmist should find a ready and hearty response in our hearts—“I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” The best way to sing his praises is to make known the glad tidings of his kingdom.

QUESTIONS

What was God’s purpose in creating the earth?

What assurance do we have that the earth will never be destroyed?

Since the human race is dying, how will it be true that the earth was not created “in vain”?

What is the nature of God’s promises to the footstep followers of Jesus?

What did Jesus say concerning God’s provision for all mankind, and what lesson is there in this for us?

How can we best show forth God’s praises?

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