PRÉCIS ON THE HEART OF THE FATHER: EVEN NOW HE DESIRES TO RAISE UP THE LEAST OF US!

SCRIPTURE. “[The Lord] raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and the dung hill, that He may seat them with princes, even with the princes of His people.” – PSALM 113:7-8, AMPC

KEY TERM: “RAISES.” ‘Qum’ [קוּם]: “‘To arise in order to accomplish;’ to [make to]  stand, establish, confirm, endure, fulfill; to get up [our from the dust heap of life]; an indication of arising from a lower to a much higher position; often used to mark the fulfillment of a promise or prophecy on the occasion of starting out on some new journey, enterprise or mission.”

QUOTATION. “‘God is going to send you someone that will rescue you.’ Then one day you will rescue them in return and together your story will rescue others. He has always been a God of Rescues and a Maker of Warriors for His grace. You only need to believe that you are part of something greater than you know.” – SHANNON L. ADLER, Author of, Visions of Glory: One Man’s Astonishing Account of the Last Days, 2012; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘He raiseth up the poor’ — Yet, great and glorious as He is, He stoops so low as to regard and advance those whom all men, even their own brethren, slight and despise; ‘out of the dust,’ &c. — From a most contemptible and miserable condition; ‘that he may set him with princes’ —In equal honour and power with them, as he did Joseph, David, and others; even with the Princes of His people, who, in God’s account, and in truth, are far more honourable and happy than the princes of Heathen nations [or a Reprobate church], and their subjects more noble; for they have God’s Special Presence among them, and His Special Providence watching over them.

One of the Jewish Rabbins applies this passage to the Resurrection of the Dead, and some Christian commentators have applied it to the work of Redemption by Jesus Christ, and not improperly, for through Him poor, fallen men are raised out of the dust, nay, out of the dunghill of sin, and set among Patriarchs and Prophets, yea, among Angels and Archangels, those Princes of God’s people, those leaders of the Armies of Jehovah. And, as Dr. [Thomas] Horne observes, ‘What is the exaltation of the meanest beggar from a dunghill to an earthly diadem, when compared with that of human nature from the grave to the throne of God! Here is honour worthy of our ambition; honour after which all are alike invited to aspire; which all may obtain who strive worthily and lawfully; and of which, when once obtained, nothing can ever deprive the possessors.’” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK’S TAKE. I still marvel nearly every day, beloved, at the explosion of pure Love and Power that raised me from the dark caverns of alcohol addiction, debauchery and rapidly failing health in 1979 to what I am still becoming today. Still wretched in my flesh in too many ways, but oh what Freedom I now have! Freedom to choose a Better Course each day and have direct access to Unlimited Strength in order to achieve it.

Even now in the Last Hour of human history as we understand it, ‘God is still beckoning!’ To the lost, the broken, the contrite, the oppressed, and the poor of all stations to reach way down and Lift them up from The Catacombs.

CODA. He shall yet go after the one Stray who has fallen upon the dangerous and barren rocks at his worst moment – To Rescue, to Cleanse, and then to Make Complete that new child of the King for His now very soon Return.

All one needs to do is, ‘Ask!’ Selah.