Lesson 9: In the Psalms, Part 2

9.2 Hope Amid Turmoil
The Unmoved Throne over a Storm-Tossed World

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Introduction

In a world dominated by crises, conflicts, and catastrophic headlines, we long for stability and hope. Biblical prophecy reveals that this earth—as we know it—will one day undergo a complete “reset”: the fallen realms of sin and suffering will collapse, and God Himself will create a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 22:1). Until then, we walk through days of upheaval and confusion. But how can we stand firm in faith when everything around us seems to be falling apart?

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Bible Study

1. Jeremiah 4:23–26

“I looked at the land, and there was nothing but chaos; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they trembled, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled.”

Jeremiah paints a scene in which even the foundations of creation—sky, earth, and mountains—quiver. This vision points not only to spiritual but also to physical upheavals: the world as we know it will pass away before God’s new work begins.

2. Daniel 7
   In this vision Daniel sees “a stormy sea” (Dan 7:2) from which hordes of nations and kingdoms arise only to fall again. None can solve humanity’s deep-seated problems, yet the chapter announces an eternal kingdom whose throne is “unshakable” (cf. Ezek 1:26).

3. Psalm 46:7–8

“The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Here we hear God’s voice like thunder bringing earthly kingdoms to ruin, while at the same time He promises that He Himself is our unshakable refuge.

4. Matthew 24
   Jesus Himself warns that the end times will be marked by growing chaos. But these signs are not random disasters—they are signposts pointing to His return.

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Answers to the Questions

Question 1: Read Jeremiah 4:23–26. What do these verses tell us about the fate of this world—at least until there is “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 22:1)?

These verses paint a picture of total devastation: no sun, no stars, no people, no birds—creation itself is affected. We learn that God’s judgment touches the material world, not just the spiritual. The old earth must be purified from the stain of sin before it can be transformed into something new. Until then, we live in the prologue to God’s ultimate “reset.”

Question 2: Our world undeniably seems chaotic and out of control. How should Daniel 7’s prophecy help us recognize that, ultimately, all will be well for us if we remain faithful to God?

Daniel 7 shows that human empires rise from the turbulent sea of history like wild beasts and then fall again. Yet above them all sits the immutable kingdom of God. If we seek our citizenship not in these fleeting kingdoms (Phil 3:20) but in that eternal realm, we can stand firm even in the storm. God’s throne and sovereignty secure us: despite all political and social upheavals, our destiny is safe in His hands.

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Spiritual Principles

• God’s judgment encompasses all creation. The physical world will be remade (Jer 4:23–26).

• Imperial kingdoms are transient. Their rise and fall serve God’s grand plan (Dan 7).

• God’s throne is unshakeable. He is our stronghold amid chaos (Ps 46; Ezek 1:26).

• We are citizens of heaven. Our true home is not this world but God’s eternal kingdom (Phil 3:20).

• End-time signs call us to watchfulness. Jesus expects our faithful endurance until He returns (Matt 24).

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Application in Daily Life

• Be a peacemaker: Where conflict rages, show love and forgiveness—a foretaste of God’s new Jerusalem.

• Cultivate heavenly priorities: Invest your time in prayer, Scripture, and acts of kindness, not in earthly power struggles.

• Trust God’s timing: When circumstances tremble, remember His firm promises.

• Encourage others: Speak of God’s eternal reign so that hope does not die even in hard times.

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Conclusion

Biblical prophecy captivates us not merely with symbols but with the assurance that—no matter how fiercely the world plunges into chaos—God’s plan will inexorably reach its fulfillment. We are invited now to live as citizens of His kingdom, unshaken by the world’s tremors and shining as beacons of hope.

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Thought of the Day

“Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, God’s throne remains unshaken.”

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Illustration – “Lighthouse in the Storm: Hope Above the Waves”

The city of Metroville quaked under a relentless roar of storm-tossed waves and political tremors. On the coast stood an ancient lighthouse, silent witness to a time when no one yet foresaw how fierce the chaos would become. In the midst of this global tumult lived Anna, a furniture designer and daughter of a fishing family rooted at the harbor for generations. As the first genuine disaster alarms sounded, she sat in her studio, feeling the floorboards tremble: distant conflicts had stalled supply chains, while storm surges battered the beaches.

Frightened, Anna reached for her cherished Luther Bible—its pages worn by countless hands in her living room. She opened Psalm 46 and read, “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice—the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” A strange relief washed over her. The salt spray on the windows sounded as if the waves themselves were echoing psalm verses.

That evening her brother David returned from the coast guard with tales of colleagues’ boats struggling in the surf. He told her of Daniel’s vision of the stormy sea and the successive kingdoms that rose and fell like wild beasts. Yet above them all sat an unshakeable realm, David insisted. Anna felt her heart lighten: they were not prisoners of a sinking ship but citizens of an imperishable kingdom.

When the hurricane finally struck the town, neighbors and siblings huddled in Anna’s basement. The floodwaters pounded the walls for hours, yet the foundation held firm. Anna whispered psalms as David distributed supplies and calmed those around him. When the wind subsided, the silence was almost deafening. Venturing outside, they found streets turned into broken waterways—but their home stood firm, a miracle amid the ruins.

In the days of rebuilding, young and old gathered in the nearly intact church at the market square. Pastor Jonas led them through Jeremiah 4, where sky, earth, and mountains collapse until only God’s purifying judgment and renewing grace remain. They learned that the old paradise must first be destroyed before God creates the new. They heard of Matthew 24, which warns that end-time signs don’t bewilder us but prepare us for Christ’s return.

Anna changed her design style: instead of luxury furniture, she drafted provisional shelters to ease suffering. David not only patrolled the coast but stood watch over flood-threatened shores. Pastor Jonas organized prayer vigils where people laid out their hopes and fears before God. Day by day, the heavenly principle showed itself true—that forgiveness and compassion are stronger than any natural disaster or human tyranny.

A year later, in the soft light of dawn, Anna, David, and Jonas stood by a new monument at the harbor: a modern lighthouse of glass-reinforced concrete bearing the inscription, “God rules the sea, yet He carries us through the storm.” Anna’s tears were not of fear but of gratitude. She now knew: even if the world continues to rage and kingdoms totter, God’s throne stands firm. His light guides through every darkness. And one day, when the great reset comes, He will transform this earth into the new heaven and new earth for which they all longed. Until then, their shared faith shone brighter than any storm surge, leading them unwaveringly into the morning light.