11/25/2022 – Day 270 – Psalms 114 – 116 // Commentary on Psalms 116:15: “The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.”
Here is what my Apologetics Study Bible says on this verse:
“The psalmist confessed that the love to God would not easily permit adversity (4:3) or an early death for His saints (79:11; 102:20). That which is ‘valuable’ is rare and highly treasured. Some scholars argue for a meaning ‘grievous’ for the word yaqar, interpreting the line to mean that the deaths of His saints grieves the Lord, but that makes Him into a mere observer. No saints die untimely deaths in God’s plan; their deaths are precious to Him.” So called scholars are constantly trying to twist scripture to meet their evil desire. This is why in Christian apologetics, we let Scripture testify to Scripture. (See 2 Timothy 3: 16 – 17: “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be throroughly equipped for every good work.”)
In Revelation 6:10, the martyrd saints cry out to God: “Oh Lord, how long until until you avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” And in verse 11, God gives each of them a white robe and tells them to wait a little while longer. The verse 11 also reminds us that nothing is a surprise to God, He is completely sovereign over everything!
Jesus says in Matthew 16: 25 – 26: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life?” This of course does not just apply to martyrs, for when we give our life to Christ, we proclaim “all in” for Him, thereby leaving behind the things of this world, for this world belongs to the Devil. Jesus pronounces elsewhere in Scripture that we cannot love both Him and the world. So, we witness to lost souls that are “future” Christians.
Soli Deo Gloria!