May God Arise!

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. (Ps 68:1)

I was grabbed by this verse. When God arises, his enemies are scattered. It's not that God is asleep and needs to be awoken, but that he chooses not to respond to wickedness immediately. He gives all a chance to repent and turn, not wishing any to perish. But there come moments when God decides enough is enough, he rouses himself, and we have a "suddenly" moment, when things change. His people are preserved and his enemies are scattered.

It makes me think of two examples in the Scriptures. The first is of Samson. Samson is a type of Christ for us in the Old Testament, believe it or not. Not because of his character - his flaws are obvious in that department, but because the events of his life unfold in a prophetic drama that point towards the realities found in Christ. First Samson was one of the Judges and thus was a savior for his people. His birth was announced by angels, and he was conceived as a result of a miracle. He was driven by passion for his bride, even to the point of surrendering his life, and through his death he brought about a mighty victory for God's people.

The event, or rather events, in his life I'm thinking of occur in Judges chapter 16, where Delilah is trying to find out the secret of his strength. Each time she tries to bind him, but each time as she cries "The Philistines are upon you", he rouses himself and his bindings fly off him. In the same way, when God arises on behalf of his people, it doesn't matter what threatens to bind us, or what enemies oppose us, they will be scattered just like the chords that snapped and scattered as Samson awoke.

The other event I'm reminded of is in the New Testament as Jesus is asleep in the boat. A great storm arises and the disciples are in fear for their lives. But as soon as Jesus awakes, at a word the storm is no more. It doesn't matter how bleak the situations we go through may look, if Jesus is in our boat we have peace that we will be safe. When God arises just one word is all it takes to calm even the most violent of storms.

Of course there is one more example. The greatest example of all. For our God has already risen! And as he rose from the grave his enemies received their final routing! Because God has arisen we have his authority to cause his enemies to scatter too! We are more than conquerors!


Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Lk 10:19)