1. Conflict Discovery / How can we know God?
1) We can know God by (listening) from someone else.
(Psalm 44:1) O God, we have heard with our ears, our ancestors have told us, the deeds you did in their days, in days of old.
If Psalm 44:1 were to be expressed in one sentence, it might be phrased like this:
"God, we have heard a lot of words!"
"We were familiar with God, having heard and known about Him!"
2) What we hear from someone else (needs to be shared) to grow even more.
"When studying the book of Joel, we encountered many precious words, but the statement in Joel 2:32 stood out as the most powerful rhema:
'And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
2. Conflict Analysis / Who came to know God and how?
Psalm 44 seems to be spoken in what situation, and what level of understanding does it have about God?
1) The knowledge about God is very (specific).
(Psalm 44:2-3) With your hand, God, drive out the nations and plant our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.
2) God (delights) in that person and shows Himself concretely.
(Psalm 44:3) It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.
God takes pleasure in His people. He concretely reveals His love to those who recognize Him as the true Lord of their lives.
3. Summary / The descendants of Korah (trusted) in God.
The descendants of Korah expressed gratitude for the grace of God, who saved them from impending death.
1) They believed that when God commands salvation, it (will be accomplished).
They understood that, regardless of the difficult situation Israel might be in, if God commands salvation, all the people will be saved by God. They trusted in the power of God's command for salvation.
(Psalm 44:4) O God, you are my King and my Savior; command victories for Jacob.
2) They relied on the Lord (rather than) their own bows in battle.
They recognized that relying on the Lord instead of their own strength was the key to obtaining salvation.
(Psalm 44:5) Through you, we push back our enemies; through your name, we trample our foes.
(Psalm 44:6) I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory.
3) They believed that only the Lord (provides salvation) and prevents them from being put to shame.
They acknowledged that relying solely on the Lord for salvation was the path to victory, ensuring that they would not be put to shame by their enemies.
4. Gospel Presentation/ Who is God?
Who is the God that the descendants of Korah are calling out to?
1) He is the God who provides salvation to (Jacob).
The God praised by the descendants of Korah is the 'God of Jacob.'
(Psalm 44:4) O God, you are my King and my Savior; command victories for Jacob.
The descendants of Korah confess concerning their salvation:
"O God, be the King to us, command salvation for Jacob!"
"Command the salvation of Jacob!"
2) Why is He referred to as the 'God of Jacob' and not the God of Abraham or Isaac?
Concerning this, there is contemplation about why He is specifically called the 'God of Jacob' and not the God of Abraham or Isaac.
a) Jacob was a (deceptive) person.
*Jacob = 'one who grabs the heel' or 'supplanter.'
Jacob was born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel, symbolizing his deceptive nature. He was a person filled with jealousy and cunning, not hesitating to deceive to achieve his desires.
However, calling upon God as the 'God of Jacob' doesn't sit comfortably given Jacob's nature.
b) Jacob was a (calculating) person.
Furthermore, Jacob was an extremely calculating individual. Even in his prayer to God at Bethel, his prayer was conditional.
"If you will be with me, protect me on this journey I am taking, and give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father's household, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
(Genesis 28:20-22) Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's household, then the LORD will be my God, and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
c) Jacob was a person who (longed for) God's blessings.
Indeed, the realization struck that Jacob harbored a longing for blessings. He cherished the importance of the birthright that came from God.
In Genesis 25:31-33, Jacob is seen valuing the birthright, even going to the extent of bargaining with his brother Esau, who was desperate and willing to trade his birthright for food.
"So Jacob said, 'Sell me your birthright today.' Esau replied, 'I am about to die! What good is the birthright to me?' But Jacob said, 'Swear to me first.' So, he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob."
So, even at this early stage, Jacob had a deep appreciation for the blessings that came from God, including the significance of the birthright.
Moreover, at Jabbok, he exchanged God's blessings and his well-being.
In Genesis 32:24-26, Jacob wrestled with a man until daybreak, and when the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he touched Jacob's hip, dislocating it. Yet, Jacob, despite the pain, refused to let go until the man blessed him. The man asked Jacob for his name, and upon learning it was Jacob, he changed it to Israel, signifying that Jacob had struggled with God and humans and had overcome.
d) Lastly, Jacob was a person of (blessing).
However, Jacob wasn't merely a person longing for blessings; he was someone who distributed the blessings he received. Even during a famine when his material blessings were running out, he sought a blessing from Pharaoh.
In Genesis 47:7-10, Joseph led Jacob to stand before Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and when Pharaoh asked about his age, Jacob responded, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers."
Especially noteworthy is Genesis 49, where Jacob blesses his twelve sons. The blessings and prophecies he imparts to each son are truly remarkable.
Jacob, known as Israel, was a person who not only longed for God's blessings but also shared the blessings with others. The song "The Blessing" originally titled "Jacob's Blessing" reflects Jacob's character as someone who effectively shared the blessings he received from God.
(Genesis 49:22) "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall."
5. Conclusion/ We have grown in knowledge and deepened our relationship with God by listening to the stories shared by others. If so, we also bear the responsibility to share about God in a very concrete manner. Particularly, there is power in sharing what one has personally heard, seen, and experienced.
