Psalm 82:1-8 says, "God presides over heaven's court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: 'How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people. But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! They wander about in darkness while the whole world is shaken to the core. I say, 'You are gods; you are all children of the Most High. But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler." Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you." Asaph was the psalmist who wrote Psalm 82, and he was asking God to judge the wicked who oppressed and took advantage of the poor and needy. The "gods" in these verses means elohiym in Hebrew, which is the original language of the Old Testament. It refers to those who are in positions of power, such as religious leaders, rulers, kings, and governors. Although they have authority over people, they are still under the authority of God.
No matter how strong the oppressors in our day, God is going to judge them when the time comes. God will judge the wicked and restore the oppressed and needy. As we look around the world today, there is so much corruption going on. The people in power become more powerful and richer at the expense of the poor. We may not experience being oppressed in the US because we still have a justice system, but the majority of the countries in the world experience oppression from authorities. Many Christians are being persecuted because of their faith in the Lord Jesus. According to the Voice of the Martyrs magazine, while 80 Christians gathered on February 19, 2023, to worship, a mob of Hindu extremists broke the gathering and demanded proof of permission to gather. The pastor was beaten and put in jail. They ransacked the church to stop people from gathering to worship God. In Pakistan, local Christians are having difficulty finding jobs because of their faith in Jesus. Many of them work as street cleaners and sewage workers.
There will come a day when God will return to judge this world and restore it. In the meantime, we need to pray for those who are oppressed. One way to pray for the world is through Operation World. Click the link, and it will tell you what country to pray for today.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Who has the ultimate authority in this world? How can I minister to those who are oppressed? What is God going to do when Jesus returns to this world?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, I pray for my brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, who are being persecuted right now because of their faith in Jesus. I pray that you will give them the strength to endure the suffering that they are going through and provide everything that they need. Please minister to them in a very special way so that they may be encouraged by your Spirit and experience your peace and joy in the midst of persecution. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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