God alone is to be worshiped
Ps 50
1
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3
Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
4
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5
"Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
6
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. "Selah"
7
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God.
8
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9
I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
10
for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
12
If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
13
Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14
Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
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and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
16
But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips?
17
You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
18
When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.
19
You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
20
You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son.
21
These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
22
"Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:
23
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."The Psalm opens up with Gods vision of the earth. God is meeting with all the rulers of the earth. He "speaks and summons from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets". Just as the sun goes on a straight course from day to day so is the Lord of glory enjoys unhindered rule over the earth, is pursuing men who rule through brute force. This is done by ignoring God so that they become their own gods and use physical things to gain acceptance through the inward moral compass that God has gifted all men with.
"From Zion perfect and beautiful our God shines forth." Gods presence in the temple has a road going out into the nations to bring His people back from exile and take them to His eternal abode. God the "Mighty One" has a perfect history of returning Israel and their converts to the worship that He deserves by showing forth His glory in defeating Israels enemies.
But on this occasion God has something against the people who come to the temple. So you see God displaying His wonders on behalf of a people who have taken a physical marker in worship and have set it up as an idol , like the nations who sacrifice their children to the Sun god. False worship always brings about dictatorial rule in society. This God who has displayed His Majestic rule in setting Israel free is now being lowered by religious people who trust in a physical sacrifice for their acceptance.
This is the reasoning here. God is saying" If I delivered you from all of your enemies and given you all the riches you need. Dont you think that My wealth includes my giving you animal sacrifices through which i have turned my wrath from you so that I can defeat your enemies for you? Instead of giving God all of the glory they have taken something that has no significance in gaining acceptance with God and trusted in that physical thing. This comparison is giving up being in the eternal Governors mansion for dwelling with the flesh from the beast of the field. lol
We must understand that God has obtained everything by legal rite. It has been placed under the feet of His Son. When we worship God we are worshiping a God who has no equals. Every kingdom that has opposed this God has been destroyed. We do not use His word to gain favor. We do not trust in the physical things in approaching God . We are required to see that everything that we have is gifted to us and that alone should be the reason that we enjoy being in the company of those who were the prisoners who have been delivered from this world and are approaching heaven with a throng of people who have also been delivered. If we praise God genuinely, then we will be seeking our full salvation and not creating gods out of men and physical things.
The thank offering is really an analogy of the heart who has sought God through His glory that shines forth in the military endeavors. You will see your next deliverance through the power of God if you avoid the pitfalls of trusting in other things. We are all soldiers in Gods army until we obtain our full salvation.
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