Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their anger was kindled against us.
— Psalm 124:2-3
The world first comes like a beast to swallow us up alive. This means that the world comes by force to scare us and threaten us. For example, the world often tells us, “You had better love me! If you do not love me, you will have no future! You will be hopeless!”
Haven’t we all heard this voice? The world seeks to terrorize us. Sometimes the world speaks to us through our own family members. When members of our family are so worried about our future and so bothered that we are for the Lord, their words can cut deeply. This is how the world operates. It threatens us with noise. “If you do not love me, you will become nothing! If you give yourself to me, you can be so hopeful! You can be the president of a company!” The world lies to us: “If you give yourself to me, you can make a lot of money for the church! You can support the church!” Do not believe this. This is just the speaking of the beast which wants to swallow us up.
To be swallowed up means to disappear. Once we take the beast’s word, we will be gone. Once we follow the world we will disappear. There have been many dear brothers and sisters who loved the Lord but could not overcome the world’s voice. We must be aware. The world is always coming to us like a beast. “Give your life to me! I promise you everything!” This is the same as Satan’s promise to the Lord. Satan showed the Lord all the kingdoms of the world and said, “All these will I give You if You will fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9). The principle is the same for us today. Satan comes as a beast ready to swallow us up and devour us. He comes by tempting us through the world.
Adapted from The Journey of Life, page 46.
Tomorrow: “A Flood to Overwhelm Us.”