69 – The man in true honour

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:20 KJV

Psalm 49 speaks about the life of a man who is honoured among men though lacking the true knowledge of God. Due to his riches and prestige, he is renowned among men and seems to have a good life. However, the psalmist points out their folly. According to the psalmist, their riches, fame and wealth is not true honour at all and as a reward for this ignorance, they die as beasts of the field. Their fate is to be destroyed, while the righteous had dominion over them in the morning, the resurrection.

Man was created in the image and likeness of God and crowned with glory and honour, by God, over all creation, Psalm 8:4-6. Man was meant to be fruitful, multiply and have dominion over the earth, Genesis 1:26-28. However, the man in the beginning, though crowned with honour, was ignorant of the extent of this honour. This was why he would disobey God and chose death over life. Galatians 4:1-3 speaks of a child who though being an heir, is not different from a slave (one in bondage). Knowledge, therefore, is the difference between the one who would have dominion in the morning and the one who perishes like a beast in the field.

Although the man in Christ has been restored to full honour, there is still the tendency to despise and miss out on this honour due to ignorance, as Esau did, Hebrews 12:16. This emphasizes the need for understanding. The man in Christ has been raised together with Christ in the heavenly places and is one who will reign with Christ, Ephesians 2:6-7. The reason for this is that we were redeemed by the blood of Jesus and we experienced a role change, from a slave to a son. Psalm 16:9 says the lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places and that we have a good heritage. While many great and precious promises are made to us, we have an adversary who is determined to keep us from obtaining these promises, as he did to Adam. His tricks and wiles are the same, appealing to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. A man who lacks understanding will sacrifice his inheritance on the altar of lust and pride. However, there were the Patriarchs of old who heard about this promise and fought to receive it.

Hebrews 11 shows men who left their homeland for the promise. Moses was said to leave his right to rule in Egypt, choosing to suffer affliction with God’s people that he may obtain the inheritance promised them. A lot of the time, believers who have turned to the Lord can be carried away by the fading honour of those without understanding. Psalm 73 shows a man who was meant to be upright. As an upright man, his feet were made like hinds feet, allowing him to stand firm in the steepest of terrains, Habakkuk 3:19. However, due to ignorance, he began slipping. He envied the fame of the wicked. If we are not careful, we could be like this man who was moved by what he saw, the riches and prosperity of the wicked. It was this lust that drove Adam to trade his inheritance and Esau to lose his birthright. However, when this man came into the sanctuary of God, he saw the end of the wicked. They were like grass that fades away and would perish, but the righteous will rule over them. His words then, were of praise, acknowledging that his true inheritance on earth was God.

Those who obtain the promises are those who do so by faith and Patience. To have this faith and patience, a person must have clearly understood the hope to the point that this hope becomes a Joy in them. Jesus knew clearly the glory set before Him and for that reason, the shame of the cross was so insignificant to him that he despised it and embraced death. There were men who were killed and would not accept deliverance, counting themselves pilgrims for the sake of the promise. Yet, a lot of these patriarchs died believing but never received the promise. God has better reserved for us, that they without us will not be made perfect. Seeing that we are a people upon whom the end of the age has come, how much more diligent should we be in pursuing this promise. The bible says it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, however, the honour of noblemen and kings is to search out these mysteries. By the knowledge of these promises, we are able to secure our share in them, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

Prayer for today: Father of glory, please give to me today, the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You: the eyes of my understanding being enlightened; that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, and what the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the me, and what is the exceeding greatness of Your power to me, according to the working of Your mighty power,  Which You wrought in Christ, when You raised him from the dead, and set him at Your own right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and dominion. Amen