Sin and those who participate therein anger Lord. In the days of Noah, sin grieved the Lord so badly that it repented God that he had made man on the earth.
Paul’s stedfastness in the gospel message caused a stir throughout Asia. He boldly declared that the people’s idols were no gods at all. Such preaching angered the local craftsmen so they met together to discuss how to stop Paul and end his message’s impact of their livelihood. The mass confusion intensified the fear as it spread throughout the city. As some of Paul’s companions were ushered into the theatre, the crowd cried out conflicting things to the point that many had no idea why they had even gathered together. The people’s confusion escalated. Because of conflicting reports, they were unable to discern the reality of the situation. Confusion thrives when conflicting statements or feelings are present and people fail to discern the truth.
The Bible says that vanity is meaningless and empty, yet men love vanity. It fills their imaginations (Psalm 2:1), their thoughts (Psalm 94:11), and their speech (Psalm 144:8, 11). Vanity consumes man so much that he will weary himself for it (Habakkuk 2:13). In comparison to the vanities of this life, most people spend a brief moment in the eternal word of God. Far too many Christians fear to speak God’s righteousness but demonstrate boldness as they speak on behalf of their favorite vanities. As men tend to forget to spend time with the Lord, they spend entire days pondering the vanity to be enjoyed later in the day. Is it any wonder why people need so many “pick-me-up” drinks and drugs as they weary themselves in pursuit of vanity.
The Bible provides several sources of man’s joy, but each source can in some way be directly traced back to the Lord. In today's passage, Psalm 43:4 describes God as the psalmist's “exceeding joy.” According to Psalm 16:11, there is “fulness of joy” in God’s presence. While the Bible indicates that man’s soul can be joyful in the Lord (Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10), it also associates joy directly to God’s strength (Psalm 21:1). Moreover, God’s word provides a source of joy for the saint (Jeremiah 15:16). In the New Testament, the book of Romans identifies God as the saint’s source of joy, but specifically, this joy comes “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:11). Perhaps men lack the joy of the Lord because they disregard the Lord of their joy.
