Lesson 9: In the Psalms, Part 2

9.4 Wine and Blood
From the Cup of Judgment to the Cup of the Covenant

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Introduction

In the twenty-first century we witness daily the abuse of human power, the erosion of moral standards, and the shaking of civilization’s very foundations. The Bible, however, looks beyond: it promises that God will one day intervene to eradicate evil and establish a new, righteous world order. Psalm 75, Matthew 26:26–29, and Revelation 14:9–12 address aspects of this divine judgment and final renewal. How are wine and blood, abuse of power and justice connected—and why must this world be utterly destroyed before God’s new creation can be complete?

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Bible Study

1.Psalm 75

• Verses 1–3: “God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.” Worship acknowledges God’s sovereign justice and resists human arrogance.

• Verses 7–8: “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another.” Only God decides the rise and fall of the mighty.

• Verse 10: “All the wicked of the earth shall be cut off.” A pointed image of final destruction at the last judgment (Revelation 20).

2.Matthew 26:26–29
At the Last Supper, Jesus calls the bread His body and the wine His blood, “poured out for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus’ blood is the ransom of judgment—and points forward to the world’s purification by His sacrifice.

3.Revelation 14:9–12
A third angel warns against the mark of the beast and announces God’s wrath on all who receive it: “If anyone worships the beast and its image, they will drink the wine of God’s wrath.” The biblical wine of judgment stands in stark contrast to the forgiving wine of the Supper.

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Answers to the Questions

1. What does Psalm 75 reveal about themes in God’s judgment?

Psalm 75 portrays God as the true Judge who determines when human pride will fall. Abuse of power does not go unnoticed—those who “lift up their hands” arrogantly will be broken down, while the humble are raised. This foreshadows the final judgment scene in Revelation 20, where Satan’s kingdoms collapse and God’s people are vindicated.

2. How do Matthew 26:26–29 and Revelation 14:9–12 help us understand these themes?

• Matthew 26 reminds us of Jesus’ atoning blood—the foundation of future renewal. Those cleansed by His blood will not face the coming judgment.

• Revelation 14 warns of the wine of God’s wrath poured out on those aligned with the Antichrist. Together, Supper and Apocalypse show two sides of the same cup: the wine of redemption and the wine of judgment—until one world is discarded and a new one created.

3. Why must this world be completely destroyed?

Our fight for justice honors God, heals wounds, and brings temporary peace. Yet every human solution remains flawed while sin and its systems persist. A total destruction of the corrupt world order clears the way for God’s new creation—a world free from lies, oppression, and moral relativism. Only then can true justice and holiness flourish.

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Spiritual Principles

• God alone is Judge: He ordains the rise and fall of nations (Ps 75).

• Two cups, one goal: The Supper-cup points to redemption; the Apocalypse-cup to judgment (Mt 26; Rev 14).

• Abuse of power is not unpunished: God corrects human pride.

• Preparation for new creation: Our justice work is a foretaste, not the end.

• Faith endures moral decay: Hope in God’s final intervention prevents despair.

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Application in Daily Life

1. Pray daily with the Supper-cup: In breaking bread, remember Jesus’ blood and let forgiveness shape your actions.

2. Guard your heart: Watch for pride—God lifts the humble (Ps 75).

3. Pursue reconciliation: Seek peace, but cling to God’s standards, even when culture crumbles.

4. Share hope: Talk with friends about judgment and new creation; call them to repentance before the “wine of wrath.”

5. Serve justly: Advocate for victims of power abuse, knowing true justice awaits God’s kingdom.

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Conclusion

Psalm 75, Matthew 26, and Revelation 14 span the arc from human arrogance, through Jesus’ sacrifice, to the final judgment. They teach that grace and judgment are two sides of God’s saving order. While we remain in this fallen world, our efforts matter—but our ultimate hope rests in the new creation that God’s righteous King will establish.

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Thought of the Day

“The wine of grace comforts the righteous— the wine of wrath judges the wicked; until the day of new creation dawns.”

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Illustration – From the Cup of Grace to the Cup of Wrath: Hope and Renewal in the Storm of the Future

It was the year 2042. In a metropolis of glass towers and digital billboards, people gathered around the last ecumenical Peace Church—an oasis funded by corporations once guilty of corruption, now preaching moral renewal. Outside, skeptics streamed in, curious and critical.

Lena, a young pastor, prepared the Communion. In her hands gleamed bread and wine—symbols of Jesus’ sacrifice. On screens around her flashed headlines of poverty, AI-driven judgments replacing human courts, and redefined marriage in a tech-driven world. The crowd applauded as “New Life Inc.” boasted the power of its Tech-God.

As Lena distributed the elements, she spoke: “This is my body…this is my blood.” Her voice trembled as she read Revelation 14: the warning against the beast’s mark and the promise of God’s wrath. Then, bread in one hand and chalice in the other, she stepped into the street, offering both to the homeless, CEOs, children sporting “New Life” logos, and skeptical elders.

Suddenly a thunderous storm rolled in, as if reality itself struggled between mercy and wrath. Traffic lights flickered, billboards glowed red. In that moment a rainbow arched over the skyline—a divine stroke, as if God Himself was tearing down the old world and painting the new heaven above the earth.

Petals drifted like snow through the wind—a sign that even destruction bears fruit. Lena raised the cup and cried, “Come to the King, the righteous Judge!” People paused, feeling grace and judgment entwine in their hearts. Some faces softened like the wine in the cup.

By dawn the city lay transformed: where billboards once raged, dove sculptures now stood. Where digital banners flashed, streams of petals meandered through the streets. And Psalm 75 echoed on every lip: “Do not lift your hand in pride; God alone judges.” Thus began the first day of the world God remade—cleansed by the Lamb’s blood and the Word of the righteous King.

May 28, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Genesis 42 –The Journey of Jacob’s Sons to Egypt (Part 1)

Jacob’s Sons—Without Benjamin—Brought Before Joseph’s Throne

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Bible Text – Genesis 42 (KJV)

¹ Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

² And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

³ And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

⁴ But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

⁵ And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

⁶ And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

⁷ And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

⁸ And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

⁹ And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

¹⁰ And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

¹¹ We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.

¹² And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

¹³ And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

¹⁴ And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:

¹⁵ Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

¹⁶ Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

¹⁷ And he put them all together into ward three days.

¹⁸ And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:

¹⁹ If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:

²⁰ But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

²¹ And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

²² And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.

²³ And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

²⁴ And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

²⁵ Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.

²⁶ And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

²⁷ And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.

²⁸ And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

²⁹ And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,

³⁰ The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

³¹ And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:

³² We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

³³ And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:

³⁴ And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

³⁵ And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

³⁶ And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

³⁷ And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

³⁸ And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

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Introduction

In Genesis 42 the dramatic reunion begins between Jacob’s sons and their brother Joseph—now a powerful ruler in Egypt. Jacob, fearful for Benjamin’s safety, sends only his ten older sons to buy grain. Their return without Benjamin and their second appearance before Joseph trigger guilt, testing, and the unfolding of long-hidden truths.

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Commentary

1. Jacob’s Fear and the Mission Sent (vv. 1–4)

   • Jacob recognizes the famine in Canaan and sends ten of his sons to Egypt for grain.

   • He protects Benjamin by keeping him behind, fearing harm.

2. First Encounter with Joseph (vv. 5–8)

   • The brothers bow in reverence, but Joseph acts like a stranger and speaks harshly.

   • They admit they come from Canaan, yet he conceals his identity.

3. Accusation of Spying (vv. 9–17)

   • Joseph accuses them of being spies and demands proof: bring their youngest brother.

   • He confines them for three days to test their honesty.

4. Conditions for Release (vv. 18–20)

   • Joseph offers life if they leave Simeon as a hostage and return with Benjamin.

5. Conscience and Confession (vv. 21–24)

   • The brothers repent among themselves, acknowledging their past betrayal of Benjamin.

   • Joseph shows silent compassion—he weeps—yet still binds Simeon.

6. Provision and Ominous Sign (vv. 25–28)

   • Their sacks are filled with grain and miraculously include their own money.

   • The discovery terrifies them, revealing God’s unseen provision.

7. Return and Jacob’s Reaction (vv. 29–38)

   • The brothers recount their humiliation and Benjamin’s demand to Jacob.

   • Jacob is anguished, fearing Benjamin’s loss. Reuben pledges his life to protect him.

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Summary

Joseph’s brothers stand before him unrecognized, facing accusations that mirror their past deceit. Joseph’s testing—through Simeon’s detainment and the demand for Benjamin—confronts their conscience. Meanwhile, God’s providence shines through as their money is mysteriously returned, foreshadowing reconciliation and deeper revelations to come.

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Application for Today

• God tests our hearts: Crises reveal our true motives and integrity.

• Repentance begins within: Genuine remorse for past wrongs is the first step toward healing.

• Divine provision is often hidden: God works behind the scenes to meet our needs.

• Reconciliation requires courage: True healing demands we risk our comfort for the sake of others.

• Trust God’s unfolding plan: Even in fear and guilt, God calls us to take the next step in faith—just as Jacob’s family must send Benjamin to Egypt.

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May 25 – 31, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 7

The Flood

Read online here

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Introduction

In a world once of paradisiacal beauty, deep corruption reigned: idolatry, violence, and moral decay had driven out trust in the Creator. When God saw that “every intent of the thoughts of [people’s] hearts was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5), He announced a worldwide judgment by water—and at the same time provided a means of rescue: Noah’s Ark.

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Commentary

1.The Earth’s Fatal Condition

• • Corrupted by idolatry and self-deification

  • Adultery, violence, and licentiousness: violations of God’s order for life

2.Noah’s Commission and Preparation

• • 120 years of Ark-building as a living warning

  • Preaching repentance and extending an invitation to salvation

3.God’s Deliverance for Noah and His Family

• • The Ark as a sign of divine grace and obedience

  • The closing of the door: the end of all opportunity for repentance

4.The Day of Judgment in the Flood

• • The bursting of the subterranean springs and the opening of the heavens

  • Destruction of the unrepentant; preservation of the righteous

5.A Type of the Final Judgment

• • Parallels between Noah’s day and the last days (Matt. 24:38–39; 2 Pet. 3)

  • God’s warning and invitation remain in effect until Christ’s return

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Summary

The pre-Flood generation abused God’s gifts and life itself, denied Him, and forged their own destruction in sin. God revealed His judgment to Noah, yet at the same time offered rescue to him and his family through the Ark. Those who heeded God’s call were saved; those who persisted in rebellion were swept away in judgment. The Flood displays both God’s holy justice and His merciful deliverance for all who believe and obey.

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Message for Us Today

• Watchfulness and Repentance: As in Noah’s day, our hearts can easily be seized by selfishness and excess. God’s warning calls us to turn from sin and live holy lives.

• Obedience as Deliverance: Those who heed God’s voice and walk in His ways find rescue—not by their own merit, but by His grace.

• Eschatological Parallel: The Flood is a sobering picture of Christ’s coming judgment. Let us prepare by living in faith, shunning sin, and sharing the saving message with others.