Connect Psalm 74:6 with other scriptures on spiritual warfare and protection. A desecrated sanctuary and a present-day battle Psalm 74:6: “And now they crush all its carved work with hatchet and pick.” • In Asaph’s day, enemy invaders stormed the temple and hacked at the sacred carvings—symbols of God’s presence among His people. • Today, satanic forces still swing their “hatchets and picks,” aiming to deface what God calls holy: our minds (2 Corinthians 11:3), our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), our gatherings (Hebrews 10:25). Reading the scene through a spiritual lens • Psalm 74:6 reveals three realities of spiritual warfare: – A real enemy determined to desecrate (John 10:10). – Tangible damage that can be seen and felt (Psalm 74:7-8). – An invitation to cry out for God’s intervention (Psalm 74:22-23). The enemy’s weapons vs. the believer’s armor • Hatchet and pick picture destructive, close-quarters tools. Scripture names the devil’s equivalents: – Flaming arrows—fiery temptations and accusations (Ephesians 6:16). – Schemes—carefully laid traps (Ephesians 6:11). – Strongholds—arguments raised against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). • God outfits His people with greater equipment: – Belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel shoes, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-17). – Divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). – The blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Promises that blunt every hatchet • “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3) • “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17) • “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him.” (Psalm 91:14) Standing firm when the carvings are under attack 1. Recognize the battleground • Our fight is “not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). • Attacks on holy things—marriage, truth, worship—signal a deeper conflict. 2. Resist with God’s resources • Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7). • Speak the Word, as Jesus did (Matthew 4:1-11). 3. Remain in fellowship • Two are better than one for lifting the fallen (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). • The early church’s steadfast prayers shook prison doors (Acts 12:5-7). 4. Rest in God’s sovereignty • He who shattered Rahab and crushed the heads of Leviathan (Psalm 74:13-14) still defends His dwelling—now within His people. Hope beyond the splintered wood • Psalm 74 ends with a plea, not despair; faith sees God rise to “own His cause” (v. 22). • Christ has already triumphed at the cross (Colossians 2:15). The hatchets cannot destroy what He has redeemed, and the day is coming when every carved work—our lives, our worship—will be restored in flawless beauty (Revelation 21:5). |
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