Psalm 14 continues David’s expose of the generation of evil doers at the time when God establishes his everlasting kingdom, but we need to understand God’s doctrine of food to fully comprehend it. In the beginning God established the pattern of “first the natural, then the spiritual,” beginning with Adam, a natural man, and ending with Jesus, a spiritual man. Likewise all of us begin our journey as Christians understanding doctrine on a natural level before God reveals his truth to us on the spiritual plane. Let’s begin this study by looking at Paul’s statement,
Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing; but worked with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you: Not because we have not that right, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (2 Thes. 3:8-10 KJ2000)
We have all taken these words naturally to mean that if a person desires to eat food and feed his family, then he must work with his hands and his mind for money or products that will provide for his and his family’s needs. This certainly conveys Paul’s meaning in the context. But the words mean much more than this. God calls some to “make no provision for the flesh.” They simply follow the leading of the Spirit and do not always do work which provides income for natural food. They expect God to feed them, and rightly so. They understand that
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. (John 6:29)
Just prior to this Jesus said, “Labor not for the food which perishes, but for that food which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for on him has God the Father set his seal.”(John 6:27) Clearly Jesus speaks of spiritual food here. Then, right after saying these things, Jesus proclaims that he is the Bread of Life and that all who desire to have life within themselves must eat his flesh and drink his blood! After proclaiming this deep spiritual truth many of his disciples left him, for who could bear such a teaching? Only his overcomers, for like those early disciples, they too have counted the cost, examined the options, and say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yes, they are sure.
The question is, are we sure of the same thing? Ultimately that is a question of faith in God. Do we really believe that God exists? Do we really believe he is who he said he is, and this speaks of Jesus. Was Jesus just a “great teacher” like so many saints of the various new age and ancient religions? Or was Jesus the Word of God who actually created all things and reveals himself as the God of the Old Testament and the Savior of the New? And so we now come back to Psalm 14 where David castigates the fool who says there is no God.
(A)The (B)fool says in his heart, (C)“There is no God.”
They are (D)corrupt, they do abominable deeds,
(E)there is none who does good.
2 The Lord (F)looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[a]
who (G)seek after God.
3 They have all turned aside; together they have become (H)corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
4 Have they no (I)knowledge, all the evildoers
who (J)eat up my people as they eat bread
and (K)do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they are in great terror,
for God is with (L)the generation of the righteous.
6 You would shame the plans of the poor,
but[b] the Lord is his (M)refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord (N)restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Notice that David says that all have turned aside and that no one does good. I believe this speaks of multitudes who call themselves Christians. Surely it referred to most of ancient Israel as Micah makes clear.
And I said:
(A)Hear, you heads of Jacob
and rulers of the house of Israel!
(B)Is it not for you to know justice?—
2 you (C)who hate the good and love the evil,
(D)who tear the skin from off my people[a]
and their flesh from off their bones,
3 (E)who eat the flesh of my people,
and flay their skin from off them,
and break their bones in pieces
and chop them up like meat in a pot,
like flesh in a cauldron. (Micah 3:1-3)
Notice that the Israelite leaders “ate” God’s people just as David’s Psalm 14 evildoers. Yes, many so-called religious leaders and believers are in fact evildoers who take delight in destroying God’s people. So, we see that when David speaks of “all people” in Psalm 14 he means all except for “God’s people” which he specifically mentions in verse 4. From the beginning Satan’s goal has been to “eat the dust of the earth,” to consume God’s people from the face of the earth so that none would overcome and be birthed into God’s family. The “generation of the righteous” we see in Psalm 14:5 is the generation of overcomers, all people whom God selects to become one with him as a glorified son. “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
These overcomers return with Christ at the very end of this age and throw all evil doers into terror. This is David’s great prayer at the end of this psalm. Likewise we yearn for the day when Satan’s rule ends and God’s Kingdom of peace begins.
Therefore examine yourself to see if you still walk by faith and in faith in the Son of God. Do you want to sit at table with your LORD one day? Do you want to eat bread in the Kingdom of God? If a man will not work, neither shall he eat, and the work of God is this: to BELIEVE IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT!”
