When Nations Rage

READ PSALM 74

Psalm 74:12-15 (ESV)

¹² Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.¹³ You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.¹⁴ You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.¹⁵ You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.

"I don't think things have ever been worse," a friend said to me, "The world is out of control, and I disagree with everything going on in our country right now. There's fighting and war all over. World War 3 has to be just around the corner. I'm worried about everything!"

My friend, God is bigger, stronger, and most importantly over everything!

You may be discouraged and concerned, even angry, over the news that comes across your TV each morning, but our verses in Psalm 74 today remind us that God is not only in control, but is actively "working salvation in the midst of the earth."

In verse 14 we're told that God "crushed the heads of Leviathan." in biblical times Leviathan was the name for the largest sea creature known to man. It is referred to multiple times, Isaiah 27:1 and Job 41, are two examples that describe the creature and the power it was believed to have. This was not a mythical monster, but a mighty destroyer that often was used as a symbol for wickedness and corrupting power in the world. In Psalm 74:14 Leviathan is used figuratively as a beast that represents the power and might of nations that rage against each other and do not fear the Lord.

What is the context of all this?

The Jews had watched in horror as Babylon swept into Judah and destroyed God's Temple. They burned it (v. 7) and carried the people into exile. The sheer size of Babylon's empire seemed indestructible. For 70 years the Jews were in Babylonian exile and they repeatedly cried out to God for mercy and deliverance.

This Psalm is all about believing that God will forgive the sins of the people, hear their cry, and destroy the mighty heads of Leviathan that appear to be unbeatable to the human eye.

God heard the cry and Babylon fell.

My friends, remember this, the nations may rage and people may believe the power of an empire stands over the Might of our Heavenly God, but God always wins.

We worship the same God of the Bible, Yahweh, and the day is coming when Jesus will return in all honor and glory and power. He will crush the head of the enemy and shout, "Enough!"

He wins...and not even the mightiest "Leviathans" will stand in the way.

Josh Huisman is the senior pastor of Crosswalk Church in Brentwood, TN. If you would like to support this website and make it possible for this page to stay active and these devotions to reach a wider audience, CLICK HERE

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