Psa 135:10-11 | KingComments | STEP | God is not only great in His power over creation and nature, He is also great when He uses His power to redeem His people. That people He has chosen to be His people, that they may serve Him. The redemption of the remnant of Israel in the future is now described in the language of the redemption from Egypt. The redemption from Egypt is a foreshadowing of the redemption to come. The redemption from Egypt focuses on the death of the firstborn ( ), and from on the death of the hostile kings. The future redemption involves driving out the antichrist and defeating the kings of the nations. In their deliverance from Egypt, God acted with great display of power. The greatest display of power is mentioned first, which is His power over life and death. For the deliverance of His people, He broke the power of the enemy by smiting “the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast” ( ). It is the culmination of the ten plagues on Egypt, the culmination of the signs and wonders for God’s people. Egypt is struck to the heart by it. He did have this supreme display of power precede by “signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt” ( ; ). In the middle of his argument, the psalmist suddenly addresses Egypt, so involved is he in and impressed by what God has done. Pharaoh and all his servants have had to acknowledge the power of God in the signs and wonders done in their midst. The Israelites owe their existence to the LORD’s deliverance from Egypt. That is why this is repeated again and again (cf. ; ). The believers of the New Testament dispensation realize that they owe their existence to the redemption by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Therefore, their redemption is also spoken of with regularity (cf. ; ; ). After He delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt, He did not leave them to themselves. On their journey through the wilderness, He “smote many nations and slew mighty kings” ( ; ) who sought to bar their way to the promised land. The first redemption of Israel is their redemption from the power of the false king, Pharaoh of Egypt. The first deliverance in the future is from the power of the false king of Israel, the antichrist. The final deliverance of Israel, before the people enter the promised land, is from hostile powers in the wilderness side of Jordan. The last deliverance from hostile powers in the future, just before the realm of peace, is also in the area at the eastside of Jordan, namely from the power of the hostile nations in Edom ( ). God killed “Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan” and defeated “all the kingdoms of Canaan” ( ; ; ). Sihon and Og are mentioned by name. The defeating of these kings is described in detail in Joshua 12 ( ). They are the first hostile nations of whom God tells His people to conquer and take possession of their territory. Of the rest of the kings, “all the kingdoms”, only the names are mentioned in Joshua 12 with the mention at the end of “in all, thirty-one kings” ( ). Having thus paved the way for His people in power and majesty, God gave the land of the hostile nations “as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people” ( ; ; ). The heritage consists of both the possession of the land on the east side of Jordan ( ) and the possession of the land of Canaan.

‏ Psalms 135:10-11

God Redeems His People

God is not only great in His power over creation and nature, He is also great when He uses His power to redeem His people. That people He has chosen to be His people, that they may serve Him. The redemption of the remnant of Israel in the future is now described in the language of the redemption from Egypt.

The redemption from Egypt is a foreshadowing of the redemption to come. The redemption from Egypt focuses on the death of the firstborn (Psa 135:8), and from Psa 135:10 on the death of the hostile kings. The future redemption involves driving out the antichrist and defeating the kings of the nations.

In their deliverance from Egypt, God acted with great display of power. The greatest display of power is mentioned first, which is His power over life and death. For the deliverance of His people, He broke the power of the enemy by smiting “the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast” (Exo 11:5 ; Exo 12:29). It is the culmination of the ten plagues on Egypt, the culmination of the signs and wonders for God’s people. Egypt is struck to the heart by it.

He did have this supreme display of power precede by “signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt” (Psa 135:9; Psa 105:27-36). In the middle of his argument, the psalmist suddenly addresses Egypt, so involved is he in and impressed by what God has done. Pharaoh and all his servants have had to acknowledge the power of God in the signs and wonders done in their midst.

The Israelites owe their existence to the LORD’s deliverance from Egypt. That is why this is repeated again and again (cf. Psa 78:51; Neh 9:10). The believers of the New Testament dispensation realize that they owe their existence to the redemption by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Therefore, their redemption is also spoken of with regularity (cf. Gal 2:20; Eph 1:7; Rev 1:5b).

After He delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt, He did not leave them to themselves. On their journey through the wilderness, He “smote many nations and slew mighty kings” (Psa 135:10; Deu 7:1) who sought to bar their way to the promised land.

The first redemption of Israel is their redemption from the power of the false king, Pharaoh of Egypt. The first deliverance in the future is from the power of the false king of Israel, the antichrist. The final deliverance of Israel, before the people enter the promised land, is from hostile powers in the wilderness side of Jordan. The last deliverance from hostile powers in the future, just before the realm of peace, is also in the area at the eastside of Jordan, namely from the power of the hostile nations in Edom (Isa 63:1-6).

God killed “Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan” and defeated “all the kingdoms of Canaan” (Psa 135:11; Num 21:21-26 ; 33-35; Deu 2:30-33 ; Deu 3:1-6). Sihon and Og are mentioned by name. The defeating of these kings is described in detail in Joshua 12 (Jos 12:1-6). They are the first hostile nations of whom God tells His people to conquer and take possession of their territory. Of the rest of the kings, “all the kingdoms”, only the names are mentioned in Joshua 12 with the mention at the end of “in all, thirty-one kings” (Jos 12:9-24).

Having thus paved the way for His people in power and majesty, God gave the land of the hostile nations “as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people” (Psa 135:12; Deu 4:38; Psa 111:6). The heritage consists of both the possession of the land on the east side of Jordan (Deu 3:12) and the possession of the land of Canaan.