Ps 11:3, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do”?
The question sounds hopeless. If the foundation of anything is destroyed, the whole structure built upon it is coming down. You get the sense that if the foundations are destroyed, you must give up; there is nothing you can do.
However, there are some things you can do, if you are righteous.
Trust the Lord, Ps 11:1-2. “In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain”? Don’t run. Trust the Lord instead. His foundation is sure, Is 28:16. In Neh 6:10-11, Nehemiah didn’t run when he and the Jews were rebuilding the wall. Shemaiah tried to get Nehemiah to flee to the temple for protection. Nehemiah replied, “Should such a man as I flee”?
I know some men who ran when they should have stayed and some men who stood when every instinct told them to run. They trusted the Lord and got through the difficulties. The wicked will try to take you out, Ps 11:2. Like Jeff Williams said, “the devil wants you out of the ministry whether you rust out, foul out, or burn out. The point is you’re out”. Bro Roberts and I said it this way, “The devil tries to get you to foul out, flame out, fall out, fizzle out, or flunk out”.
You’re going to see some things in this country you’ve never seen before, should the Lord tarry his return. Threats against Christians will probably rise as the foundations of our country crumble. Don’t flee from reproach and ridicule.
Stand. Others who don’t know the Lord will come to the Lord through your testimony and faithful witness. They are getting saved by the hundreds in Ukraine right now because the men who continue to trust the Lord have stayed to preach the gospel.
Furthermore, when skeptics near the end of their life, they are often more receptive to the gospel because their skepticism no longer holds up. Their foundation is destroyed. It’s a good time for you to preach.
Rejoice in the trials, Ps 11:4-5. “The Lord is in his holy temple”. “His eyelids try the children of men”. “The Lord trieth the righteous”.
He tried Abraham, the friend of God, Gen 22. He doesn’t try the wicked. His soul hateth the wicked. He tries his people. What better time for a trial than when the foundations are destroyed.
Right now many of you probably can’t even identify a trial through which the Lord has taken you. Hang on. Your time is coming. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”, 2 Tim 3:12.
When the end of all things is at hand, 1 Pet 4:7, the foundations are going to be well nigh gone. 1 Pet 4:12 says, “think it not strange concerning the fiery trial”. 1 Pet 4:13, says “Rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings”. 1 Pet 5:10 says, “But the God of all grace… after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, settle, strengthen you”.
While the trials are taking down those who are not on a good foundation, the trials are making you stronger. So, rejoice in the trials and don’t crumble with those whose foundations are destroyed.
Walk in righteousness, Ps 11:6-7. “The righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright”. The Lord loves righteousness. And so when everyone and everything else around you is descending into apostasy, don’t descend with it. Keep doing right.
You can see others weakening in their Christian walk. Don’t think that, just because it appears they are getting away with it, you should weaken your walk and go along with them. Walk in righteousness. Stay the course.
The expectation of the wicked is vasty different from the expectation of the righteous, Prov 3:31-35. You don’t want what they’re going to get. You’ll receive far better for walking in righteousness.
Conclusion: there is plenty that the righteous can do when the foundations are destroyed. You won’t be able to prop up the crumbling structures, but you will be able to please God and lead some souls to Christ.