Sermon(Ps 52): A green olive tree in God's house

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50026100717

 

 

 

Scripture reading: Ps 52

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>> 1 Why do you boast, O mighty man, of mischief done against the godly? All the day 2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. 3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down for ever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. 6 The righteous shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 "See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and sought refuge in his wealth!" 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever. 9 I will thank thee for ever, because thou hast done it. I will proclaim thy name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. <<

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David fled from king Saul to priest Ahimelech at Nob. The priest gave David food and Goliath's sword that he had kept in the temple. But Doeg, an Edomite who was Saul's servant, was there. David went from there to another place, and Doek to Saul. By the way, this man Doeg told Saul what Ahimelech did for David. Saul killed Ahimelech and other 85 priests who were with him at Nob. In addition, Saul put to sword Nob, the city of the priests; he put to sword both men and women, children and sucklings, oxen, asses and sheep (1 Sam 22:19). When David heard this, he wrote a poem to condemn Doeg for using his evil tongue to kill many people. Today's Ps 52 is the poem.

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The priest, Ahimelech, is truly a servant of God. He is a good shepherd. The true servant of God is a good shepherd to the people of God. Ahimelech received the righteous man being chased and gave him food. He who protects the sheep is a true shepherd. Ahimelech is not a servant of God if he, knowing the feud between Saul and David, rejects to receive David into his house. If he did so, he was a hired shepherd. A good shepherd does not consider his own circumstances or the domestic political situation when he meets the sheep of God. He always cares for the sheep and strengthens, comforts and encourages them in the divine mission of God.

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Ahimelech gave the bread of the presence to David, bread that shouldn't be given to a layman such as David. Jesus also thought this to be right. (The bread of the presence was an offering offered to God and only the priests could eat it.) David sins if he himself insists first on taking the bread. The sheep of God were fatigue from a long walk and asked the priest for something to eat, so the priest told them to eat the bread if they (David and his friends) were not unclean. Of course he might have prayed to God inwardly and gotten permission from God that he might allow them to eat it. A good shepherd tries to understand the situation of the sheep if he loves the sheep, and prays to God for them to lead them well if he loves them. >Not unclean< is really important here. Even though Ahimelech loves the sheep so much that he wants to care for them, he should not give them food if it violates the holiness of God. The priest wouldn't have given them the shewbread had they been unclean. Because it would defile the glory of God if unclean men ate the bread. You should not allow exceptions of the law as you judge! Do not let prostitutes or homosexual psychos crawl into Christianity and desecrate the holiness of God under the pretext of the story of David and his friends.

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There is a phrase >목에 칼이 들어와도(Even if being threathened by the neck with a knife)< in Korea. It is usually used by those who do not side with corrupt power, and keep their righteous beliefs with determination. Ahimelech, the priest, was kind to David, a layman, and helped him as a priest while Doeg, Saul's servant, was witnessing the scene. He even gave David a sword so that David could protect himself in case he met beasts or robbers on his way. His behavior as a true shepherd was unshaken even when Doeg, an evil man, was watching. When Saul, an evil king, rebuked him, he replied nothing but the principle. He said that he didn't sin for he as God's servant helped David. He didn't succumb to Saul's sword. A servant of God brings shame on God if he succumbs to corrupt power. It's a shame for a servant of God to praise and flatter an evil man. In particular, the servant of God must condemn the politicians who worship idols and shed the blood of the righteous, by the word of God. Especially God's servant must stand by the weak and rebuke the wicked powerful men who bully them. This is the answer of Ahimelech the priest: "And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? (1 Sam 22:14)" The duty of God's servant is to defend the righteous before the evil power. At last the priest Ahimelech bled the blood of martyrdom. He wore the most honorable crown in the world.

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"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever. (v. 8)" First, David seemed to say this when he thought of Ahimelech, the priest of God who was righteous and faithful. Ahimelech, who helped David so warmly although Doeg, Saul's servant, was there, was truly a green olive tree in the temple of God. The green olive tree is a living olive tree, which is a very good analogy for Ahimelech who worked as a sincere priest of God and bore holy fruits. David must have been deeply impressed by the holy nature of Ahimelech - gentle outwardly and strong inwardly. Seeing the martyrdom of Ahimelech, David thought he was truly a green olive tree in the house of God.

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What does it mean? In the eyes of David, Saul and his servant Doeg, who were assumed power and wielded the power, were rotten trees that were on the brink of death, while Ahimelech, who died a miserable death in the eyes of people, was a green olive three that would live forever in God's house. David, who had entered politics, decided not to go the way of Saul and Doeg but to follow the faith of Ahimelech. You can see this from the fact that David himself chose the 'green olive tree in the house of God' as the symbol for himself. Brethren, judge people with the eyes of right faith, like David. Is Saul the green olive tree in the house of God just because he has been anointed to be a king by the servant of God? No! Beware of the idol of office and position!

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David's judgment on Saul and Doeg shows how he judges reality exactly by faith. Saul lied to David many times and tried to kill him by tricks. Doeg told Saul what Ahimeleck did to David, and after all killed dozens of servants of God. The characteristics of these two villains are 'the evil trick' and 'the cunning tongue sharp like a razor'. “Why do you boast, O mighty man, of mischief done against the godly? All the day you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. (v. 1-2)” The characteristics of these two villains are to love evil rather than good and to use their power to do evil. “You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. (v. 3)” David saw in Saul and Doeg not the vitality of men who came into power but the souls that were cursed eternally so that they were dying.

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David knows exactly where the fruits of evil life of Saul and Doeg come from. “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and sought refuge in his wealth! (v. 7)” In the days of judges, Abimelech collected money from his relatives and used it to gather gangsters, making them his subordinates. This evil man killed his half brothers brutally with his subordinates and became a king. The wicked gather money by evil means and use it for evil politics. The wicked also consolidate their power by hardening their heart with evil mind. The wicked use their wealth and evil mind for their worldly fame and success.

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Cruel deeds come out of such evil roots and hurt many good, righteous and holy ones. But the end of these villains is obvious. David predicts the end of these wicked men : “But God will break you down for ever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. (v. 5)” The land of Israel in Canaan was equally distributed by God to all descendants of Jacob, that is all the Israelites. No one can buy others' land forever and take possession of it forever. Everyone in Israel has a right to live as a dignified human being. God blessed all the Israelites to live in the protection of life in Israel. But in this blessed land, there was a band of evil men persecuting, killing and expelling the righteous. This is a direct challenge to the authority of God. Brethren, your neighbors are those who live in the blessing of God. Don't forget that violating their right (to live) is challenging the authority of God, who blessed them to live. Therefore, stop behaving lightly! As the wicked devour the lives of the righteous in the blessed land that God has given them, God declares that he will root out the wicked. David says that wicked men who destroy others and persecute others will be destroyed before God for ever. My brethren, David's such condemnation is a kind of authoritative curse. If you persecute the weak and often hear such a curse uttered with a sigh by them, you'll be really cursed like Saul. on the contrary, if you keep helping the weak and the poor, and often hear from them the wish, "God bless you!", this hopeful utterance will become an authoritative blessing and really bring God's blessing upon you as they wish. Brethren, be careful not to shed tears in the eyes of others. Have thoughtful consideration of others so that you may be praised often by them and blessed much by God. It is the season of year-end and year-beginning. Think of those who are living lonelily in orphanages or nursing homes. Please help them if you live somewhat well. If you help them when they pray to God, "We really need such and such things," God will reward you ten thousand times as much as you spend. Because those you helped will obviously thank and praise God, "Thank you, my God. You've heard my prayer!" God has to bless you with overflowing blessings because he was glorified because of you. Am I wrong? Do not merely pray to God for blessings day and night, but do what will bring God's blessings upon you. Didn't Jesus say that you'll get abundantly (from God) if you give someone first? You also who are poor can help others who are poorer than you. Didn't a poor widow have a good fortune when she helped Elijah who had lived homeless(!) long time? If you value others' lives, God also will value you and care for you.

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David defined himself as 'a green olive tree in the house of God', because he didn't want to live like Saul and Doeg, but sought the true life and blessing in God. Then what is the life like the green olive tree in God's house specifically? In verse 8 David refers to 'the mercy of God'. David pledges himself to live a life that depends on God's love forever. He says he won't live by his unrighteous wealth, his strength, his wicked heart, and even by his own goodness, but will live by God's unfailing love. He who depends on God can not be proud; he who lives by God's love can not harm others whom God loves. He who relies on God cannot but help others. He is helped by God, so he must help God's people. Brethren, live as a green olive tree in the house of God like David. Depend on God's love while living. God will bless you and make you a fruitful olive tree.

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May all of you be a green olive tree in the house of God.

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Chong Tack Kim

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                                    - Dongtoma Sunshine Church -

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