Immanuel

Written on: October 28, 2024

Article by: Thayer Salisbury

Psalm 46

This psalm does not promise that believers will never have problems. It makes it quite clear that we will have them. This psalm does not promise that God will always fix our problems. What it promises is God’s presence. God is with us.

In natural disasters

God is with us amid natural disasters.

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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (1-5)

The words picture the parts of creation that appear most solid and immutable (the mountains) as being overwhelmed by the most fluid and unruly part (the sea).But within God’s city things are different. Here the water is not a threat but a source of life (4).The mountains may be moved (2), but not God’s city (5). His mere presence assures that it will remain stable.

In human disasters

God is with us in the midst of human disasters.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” (6-9)

For most of us, human disaster is as much a threat as natural disaster. It is appropriate to give human caused disaster attention as well.

Historically speaking, God’s means of dealing with human disaster is not designed to make us comfortable.In fact, he is cited as the unseen cause of many kinds of disaster. “He has brought desolations on the earth” (5, 8).Habakkuk is a book entirely about the uncomfortable ways God allows human disaster to work. Job acknowledges that he allows disaster. The Psalms often attribute disaster to the will of God.

Today, the whole world is tottering on the brink of multifaceted disaster.God will deliver his people through that disaster.The trouble is that he may do so by allowing it to engulf and destroy life as we have known it.We may be headed for Muslim domination of the world.Or for a near complete breakdown of the world economy. Or for universal communism.

If he allows one of these to occur, it will be tempting to ask where he is, why he is not acting — even as he is acting.The greatest act of God in human history looked like a disaster. It looked like a moment when he was not present. But he was at Golgotha, hanging there between those two thieves.

Someday,humans and even nature itself will ultimately exalt him. (10).God is with us (11). The God who is with us isthe God who controls nature, and who will ultimately dissolve nature.He is also the God who controls humans. He will eventually compel them to exalt him.

His methods are inexplicable to us. Instead of immediately receiving us into the safety of his home, he descends into the suffering of our world. In good times and bad, through natural disaster or human disaster, he is with us. He is Immanuel.

This psalm does not tell us why he chooses to be with us in our troubles, instead of removing those troubles. But it tells us that this is his choice.

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.