The Source of Abraham’s Faith
Romans 4:17
Reading, Rom 4:9-17
Introductory Thoughts
v Consider the Faith of Abraham—going off to nowhere to answer a call from a God Abraham did not know.
v Consider the faith that Abraham showed in God many times in his earthly journey: Heb 11:8-19
v Yes, Abraham was a man of faith—but what was the source of Abraham’s faith?
1. God Is the Author of The Promise—Rom 4:17"(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations")
a. The promise given to Abraham was sure—“it is written…”
b. It was beyond Abraham’s natural abilities to complete any part of the promise—he and his wife were too old to have children.
c. The promise was even greater in scope than Abraham could imagine at the time, because it included all of his Spiritual lineage too—Rom 4:16
d. The Promise to Abraham was part of a greater promise made in eternity—Titus 1:1-3
e. The promise was sure, definite, guaranteed— I have made you a father of many nations
f. The Promise to Abraham was authored by God Himself— I have made you a father of many nations")—Jonah 2:9 "… Salvation is of the LORD.""
g. 2 Pet 1:2-3 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,"
2. Abraham Had Faith In God—“…in the presence of Him whom he believed…” ..Gen 17:1-8
a. Abraham in God’s presence
(1) The promise of a People
(2) The promise of a land
(3) The promise of an everlasting covenant.
b. Abraham’s perception of God—One Abraham could believe in and depend upon IN ANY SITUATION—
c. The God of Abraham’s Faith—“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
d. The 20th Century has little knowledge of the Absolute God of the Bible--Acts 17: 24-27
e. The "god" of the 21st century—Psa 50:21…… “…You thought that I was altogether like you…”..
(1) The average modern American thinks "god" is just like him or her.
(2) Some thing of God as an errand boy, a cosmic, doddering doting old Grandpa, a gentleman who wouldn't hurt a flea.
(a) Does your "god" dismiss sin?
(b) Is your "god" at the mercy of Man or Nature?
(c) Is your "god" too small?
(d) Is your "god" "Itsy-bitsy, teensy-weensy?"
(e) OR è DO YOU WORSHIP THE GOD OF THE BIBLE?
(f) Is your God the god of Joseph, Who turns the evil intent of wicked men to His own use? (Gen 50:20)
(g) Do you worship the God of Job, Whose greatness caused that patriarch to abhor himself and be silent? (Job 42:1-6)
(h) Do you fall down in worship of the Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Isaiah? (Is 6:1-5)
(i) Do you realize that your life is ruled by the Sovereign Ruler and Omniscient God of Daniel? (Dan. 2:20-23, 27-28; 4:34-35)
(j) Do you trust in the God of the Psalms, who does as He pleases? (Ps 115:3, 135:6)
(k) Have you met the God of Paul, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords? ( 1 Tim 6:14-16).
f. Not only are the attributes of the Absolute God ignored in this era, they are hated and despised by many because of the selfish independence and self-worship of modern man.
3. Refresher course on God—
a. God is Creator "God, who made the world and everything in it,
b. God is Sovereign-- since He is Lord of heaven and earth. Basic Meaning of Sovereignty:
(1) God is THE BOSS, period
(2) God is subject to no one, and He is subject to no set of standards except His own.
(a) No one can tell God what to do or judge His actions. (Rom 9:1-25)
(b) Rom 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
(c) Psa 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases
.
(d) Psa 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.
(3) Divine Providence—God Rules The Forces of Nature and the fate of nations— 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
c. God providentially guides the Rise and Fall of nations and the events of human history –
(1) "...every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings..." Acts 17:24-26
(2) Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness…”.
(3) Rom 8:28 “…And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose…” Many of the people who love that verse probably fail to see the real significance of its meaning.
(4) God has a purpose for each of His people, and that purpose involves "all things" that touch our lives!
(5) God’s plan for us is detailed—Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
d. One of the most profound statements in the Bible is from a man who knew the reality of divine providence all too well. Joseph, one of the greatest men of all time, was faced with his brothers' fears that he would take revenge upon them for their cruel treatment of him many years before. What he said expresses the deepest understanding of how God runs the universe.....
(1) . Gen 50:19 ‘…Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…”
(2) Joseph did not see his trial as pleasant--he had no fond memories to express about being beaten, enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Joseph did not excuse his brothers for their evil intent and actions--but he knew that God had taken their evil intent and actions and turned it to the good.
(3) 1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
(4) Psa 37:23 “…The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand….”
4. The Source of Abraham’s Faith—Knowing God – “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
a. Life Giver— God, who gives life to the dead
(1) God is the I AM, the self-existent One, the One who needs nothing.
(2) John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
b. God is the only source of Life—
(1) God can raise the Dead (and has, and will again).
(2) Don’t forget, this includes spiritual life.
c. God the Creative Speaker— “…and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
(1) Gen 1:1-3 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light."
(2) Heb 11:3 "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
(3) 1 Pet 1:18-21 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
Applications
1. If we are children of faithful Abraham, we need to practice his faith, and the source of excellence in that pursuit is for us to know God better than we do.
2. Knowing God is the essence of eternal life—John 17:2-3 ""as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
3. If you are a believer going through trials and tribulations in this life, realize that the same God in which Abraham believed is your God.
If you are lost and in need of Christ, realize that the only source of life and the only source of comfort in the universe is to be found in the Source of
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Results of Abraham's Faith
Romans 4:18-22
Introductory Thoughts
v We have been talking about salvation by grace through faith, and in looking at faith, Romans has told us in detail about the faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful.
§ We learned about the vital doctrine of imputation, that our sins are paid for and the account is closed.
§ We saw the blessed doctrine of eternal security, that once truly saved, the believer is in a different relationship with God, and will not be lost.
§ We saw that Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and that as believers, we are children of Abraham, true Jews of the heart.
§ And we saw the source of Abraham’s faith. Abraham was able to believe God for the truly amazing promises made because Abraham knew God. Abraham knew who God was, and Abraham knew what God was like.
· And now, we see the results of the great faith that Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had.
1. The Physical Result: Heritage— "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be."
a. “…who, against hope…” Consider the enormity of God’s promise to Abraham—Sarah thought it was funny. Gen 18:9-15
(1) The promise was awesome in scope—the father of many nations
(2) The promise was massive in quantity—more descendants than the stars of heaven.
(3) The Promise was tremendous in its effect, for hidden in it was the promise of the Redeemer.
(4) The promise was against hope, contrary to hope—the word “hope” is not a word of wishful thinking. Properly applied and understood, even the word in its secular usage implies a reasonable expectation of success. In Biblical terms, “hope” implies a certain expectation of success. This promise was beyond any reasonable idea! Titus 2:13 "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,"
1. Rom 5:1-5
2. Rom 8:24-25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."
3. Col 1:1-5
b. Hope for the hopeless— believed in hope … Abraham, in spite of having no plausible reason to believe and hope, put his hope, faith, and trust in what God had said, and moved on.
(1) In this case, hope was not reasonable
(2) In this case, hope was not the least bit plausible.
(3) But Abraham pinned his hopes on God’s promise. Why? Because Abraham knew God!
c. The Heritage—the father of nations. that he might become the father of many nations
(1) Father of the Arab peoples
(2) Father of the Jewish peoples
2. The Universal Result—ONE of the descendants—according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be…”
a. One SEED, the same as the “Seed of the woman…”
b. But the SEED is made up of many. Gen 15:5 "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."
(1) But, who are these people?
(2) Even the Arabs and Jews taken together could not be this numberless.
(3) The answer is that in the promise to Abraham is hidden the full scope of God’s plan for man
(4) In the Promise to Abraham: a Savior for the whole world.
c. The SEED is Christ and His people—all who would ever believe in Him
(1) The saved are Numberless as the stars—Rev 7:9-14
(2) The saved, Abraham’s children, are from every tribe and nation-- Rev 7:9…. a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb
(3) The Saved, Abraham’s children, are the Children of the Promise— Gal 3:24-26 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
(4) All this is fulfilled, therefore, in Christ— Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
3. The Nature of Abraham’s Faith
a. Not Weak--19 And being not weak in faith,
(1) Sometimes, we just have to be strong. It may be that we ignore the possible consequences, it may be that we disregard them, but sometimes we just have to stand.
(2) No where is this more important than in the spiritual warfare we face daily—Eph 6:10-14
(3) Abraham was not weak in faith, he took his stand on what God had promised, and he stood on God’s Word.
b. Did Not Consider the obstacles— “…he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb…”
(1) Again, these were formidable obstacles, such as no man could overcome.
(a) His body
(b) Her body
(c) The fact that there were no other elderly people in Abram’s time that had been so blessed.
(d) Sarah had laughed at the idea that they would even have relations at that age, let alone a child!
(2) It was not that Abraham thought about it and said, “well, I guess God can do it,” or “it’s possible,” it was that Abraham did not even consider the obstacles!
c. Did not Waver “…20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God…"
(1) Abraham staggered not, he did not waver, he did not allow unbelief to be a factor.
(2) Heb 3:5-19—when unbelief takes over
(3) James 1:5-8 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
(4) Why did he not waver—whose promise was it? “…20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief…” This was the God that Abraham KNEW—not just knew about, but knew personally.
(5) This was God, Abraham’s FRIEND—(James 2:23) "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God."
(6) God had saved Abraham, God had justified Abraham, and therefore Abraham was called God’s friend. Are there any friends of God hearing these words or reading them? If you are His, you are His friend!
d. Fully Convinced— “…but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;"21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform..."
(1) The more he believed, the more God “helped his unbelief…”
(2) He gave all the glory to God for his faith.
(3) He was fully persuaded, fully convinced—why?—2 Tim 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
(4) He knew God’s abilities, he knew God’s faithfulness—21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
4. The Spiritual Result—Imputation. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
a. What kind of faith is saving faith?
b. Characteristics:
(1) The kind that believes despite obstacles.
(2) The kind that is not weak nor wavering— 1 John 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
(3) The kind that does not claim any glory or ability for itself.
(4) The kind that is fully convinced in the faithfulness and the ability of the object of the faith.
c. The Result of Saving Faith—a paid, clear, closed account.
Applications
1. Mere assent to facts does not equal salvation
2. Repeating phrases does not equal salvation
3. NO work can equal salvation.
4. Only by being fully convinced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, can anyone be saved.
5. When you are really saved, there will be no doubt about the promise or about the One who made the promise.
Introductory Thoughts
v We have been talking about salvation by grace through faith, and in looking at faith, Romans has told us in detail about the faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful.
§ We learned about the vital doctrine of imputation, that our sins are paid for and the account is closed.
§ We saw the blessed doctrine of eternal security, that once truly saved, the believer is in a different relationship with God, and will not be lost.
§ We saw that Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and that as believers, we are children of Abraham, true Jews of the heart.
§ And we saw the source of Abraham’s faith. Abraham was able to believe God for the truly amazing promises made because Abraham knew God. Abraham knew who God was, and Abraham knew what God was like.
· And now, we see the results of the great faith that Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had.
1. The Physical Result: Heritage— "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be."
a. “…who, against hope…” Consider the enormity of God’s promise to Abraham—Sarah thought it was funny. Gen 18:9-15
(1) The promise was awesome in scope—the father of many nations
(2) The promise was massive in quantity—more descendants than the stars of heaven.
(3) The Promise was tremendous in its effect, for hidden in it was the promise of the Redeemer.
(4) The promise was against hope, contrary to hope—the word “hope” is not a word of wishful thinking. Properly applied and understood, even the word in its secular usage implies a reasonable expectation of success. In Biblical terms, “hope” implies a certain expectation of success. This promise was beyond any reasonable idea! Titus 2:13 "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,"
1. Rom 5:1-5
2. Rom 8:24-25 "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."
3. Col 1:1-5
b. Hope for the hopeless— believed in hope … Abraham, in spite of having no plausible reason to believe and hope, put his hope, faith, and trust in what God had said, and moved on.
(1) In this case, hope was not reasonable
(2) In this case, hope was not the least bit plausible.
(3) But Abraham pinned his hopes on God’s promise. Why? Because Abraham knew God!
c. The Heritage—the father of nations. that he might become the father of many nations
(1) Father of the Arab peoples
(2) Father of the Jewish peoples
2. The Universal Result—ONE of the descendants—according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be…”
a. One SEED, the same as the “Seed of the woman…”
b. But the SEED is made up of many. Gen 15:5 "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be."
(1) But, who are these people?
(2) Even the Arabs and Jews taken together could not be this numberless.
(3) The answer is that in the promise to Abraham is hidden the full scope of God’s plan for man
(4) In the Promise to Abraham: a Savior for the whole world.
c. The SEED is Christ and His people—all who would ever believe in Him
(1) The saved are Numberless as the stars—Rev 7:9-14
(2) The saved, Abraham’s children, are from every tribe and nation-- Rev 7:9…. a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb
(3) The Saved, Abraham’s children, are the Children of the Promise— Gal 3:24-26 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
(4) All this is fulfilled, therefore, in Christ— Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
3. The Nature of Abraham’s Faith
a. Not Weak--19 And being not weak in faith,
(1) Sometimes, we just have to be strong. It may be that we ignore the possible consequences, it may be that we disregard them, but sometimes we just have to stand.
(2) No where is this more important than in the spiritual warfare we face daily—Eph 6:10-14
(3) Abraham was not weak in faith, he took his stand on what God had promised, and he stood on God’s Word.
b. Did Not Consider the obstacles— “…he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb…”
(1) Again, these were formidable obstacles, such as no man could overcome.
(a) His body
(b) Her body
(c) The fact that there were no other elderly people in Abram’s time that had been so blessed.
(d) Sarah had laughed at the idea that they would even have relations at that age, let alone a child!
(2) It was not that Abraham thought about it and said, “well, I guess God can do it,” or “it’s possible,” it was that Abraham did not even consider the obstacles!
c. Did not Waver “…20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God…"
(1) Abraham staggered not, he did not waver, he did not allow unbelief to be a factor.
(2) Heb 3:5-19—when unbelief takes over
(3) James 1:5-8 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
(4) Why did he not waver—whose promise was it? “…20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief…” This was the God that Abraham KNEW—not just knew about, but knew personally.
(5) This was God, Abraham’s FRIEND—(James 2:23) "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God."
(6) God had saved Abraham, God had justified Abraham, and therefore Abraham was called God’s friend. Are there any friends of God hearing these words or reading them? If you are His, you are His friend!
d. Fully Convinced— “…but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;"21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform..."
(1) The more he believed, the more God “helped his unbelief…”
(2) He gave all the glory to God for his faith.
(3) He was fully persuaded, fully convinced—why?—2 Tim 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
(4) He knew God’s abilities, he knew God’s faithfulness—21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
4. The Spiritual Result—Imputation. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
a. What kind of faith is saving faith?
b. Characteristics:
(1) The kind that believes despite obstacles.
(2) The kind that is not weak nor wavering— 1 John 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."
(3) The kind that does not claim any glory or ability for itself.
(4) The kind that is fully convinced in the faithfulness and the ability of the object of the faith.
c. The Result of Saving Faith—a paid, clear, closed account.
Applications
1. Mere assent to facts does not equal salvation
2. Repeating phrases does not equal salvation
3. NO work can equal salvation.
4. Only by being fully convinced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, can anyone be saved.
5. When you are really saved, there will be no doubt about the promise or about the One who made the promise.
God: Sovereign and Independent
Rom 9:6-23, Ps 135:6
Introductory Thoughts
v The Sovereignty of God—God's rulership over the universe.
§ This concept is often spoken of in our day, but I fear that it is scarcely understood.
§ God is Sovereign, that is, He is THE BOSS, period.
§ God is subject to no one--no one can tell God what to do or judge His actions.
§ The concept of a sovereign, that is, a ruler with absolute authority who answers to no one, is unfamiliar to most Americans.
v We may hear of a dictator or "strongman" who has sovereign-like powers, but that is a far cry from the classic definition of a sovereign.
v In history, a sovereign was a ruler who had absolute authority and who had the right to that authority, usually by heredity or conquest
Ø A Sovereign WAS the nation
Ø The Sovereign WAS the law
Ø The Sovereign answered to no one
v Earthly Sovereigns were always limited and temporary. They controlled a nation, perhaps an empire, but never absolutely. And earthly sovereigns did not last--a knife, a bullet, poison, a fever, or at last, time, unseated every sovereign that ever lived--
v The Only True God is the Only True Sovereign.
· Omnipotence (next week’s topic) talks about God's Power and Ability—
· Sovereignty expresses His authority by right, and the absolute nature of His authority.
1. The Absolute Sovereignty of God—Psa 135:6 "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."
a. There are no “controls” on God except His own nature.
(1) No restriction on God by category of action—“whatever…”
(2) No external controls or restrictions on God—“…the LORD pleases…”
(3) No control or restrictions on God by difficulty—“…He Does…”
(4) No realm where He is not free to act—“…In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places…
b. God Rules! God is Sovereign, that is, He is a King Who answers to no one.
(1)Psa 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
(2) Dan 4:34 “…His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 …He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
(3) Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is the Lord's, And He rules over the nations.
(4) Psa 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
(5)Mat 28:18 "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
c. A key point to understand in this debate is this: if God does something or says He will do something, that thing is right by definition.
(1) You and I may or may not know what we are doing at any particular moment,
(2) GOD Always knows what HE is doing!
d. Some Prime Examples of God's Sovereignty at work
(1) Bringing Israel out of Egypt
(2) The Sovereign protection of Israel in Esther
(3) The raising up and bringing down of Babylonia
(4) The Cross of Christ
Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; 23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
2. Dealing with Sovereignty
a. Emotional and intellectual problems dealing with sovereignty—False and sentimental philosophical speculations about God are useless and meaningless, and they detract from properly honoring His person. Some examples of false speculations are below.
(1) False speculation #1 God created us out of need—for companionship, for someone to love—God has needs only we can meet
(2) False speculation #2 God is not in control of history or human events, either by design or by inability. In order to respect human will, He voluntarily refrains from exercising full power in those areas.
(3) False speculation #3 God is subject to arbitrary standards of fairness that are obvious to all people—this is a key point. (The defenders of the "fairness doctrine" treat their ideas as if they were self-evident. for they can produce no scriptural evidence for them.)
b. How these false speculations apply to life's situations.
(1) "This cannot be God's will"
(2) God wants to help you, but your faith is too weak"
(3) "God is not in control of this situation"
(4) "This is God's fault"
(5) "There cannot be a God with so much evil and misery in the world. If there is a God, he must be a cruel being."
c. The answer to all of these false ideas is to apply the truth of the Bible to them, and to ignore and renounce all dependence upon mere human philosophy or folklore.
(1) False speculation #1 God created us out of need: for companionship, for someone to love: God has needs only we can meet.
(a) Answer –God does not need anything from anyone....
(b) Rev 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."
(c) Acts 17:24 "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
(2) False speculation #2 God is not in control of history or human events, either by design or by inability.
(a) Version 2 of the above—In order to respect human will, He voluntarily refrains from exercising full power in those areas.
(b)Isa 46:9 “…Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 … Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it…”
(3) False speculation #3 God is subject to arbitrary standards of fairness that are obvious to all people--this is a key point.
(a) (The defenders of the "fairness doctrine" treat their ideas as if they were self-evident. for they can produce no scriptural evidence for them.)
(b) To say that God must answer to an arbitrary standard of fairness is to say that there is a power above God. To invent a human standard, "fairness," and then place this standard above God, as something to which He must answer, this is sheer blasphemy!
(c) Remember what King Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way—Dan 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
d. Where the rubber meets the road—God is sovereign in our trials.
(1) The book of Job is a book which gives the history of a servant of God who went through unimaginable trials.
(a) The unique thing about its message is that it shows the behind the scenes actions in the court of heaven which led to Job's trials. (Job 1:1-2:9).
(b)It also involves long discussions between Job and three friends trying to explain his trials. Job 2:9 through Chapter 31)
(c) This is followed by the speech of Elihu, a young man with more insight into the nature of God than Job and his friends (Chapters 32-37)
(d)Then there is a magnificent monologue by Jehovah Himself (Chapters 38-41)
(e) The last chapter in the book (42) is when Job realizes his misunderstandings about the nature of the universe and his lack of knowledge about the person of God.
(f) The book of Job teaches us that God uses our trials and tests to grow us and teach us about Himself--particularly about His sovereignty.
(2) Joseph (Genesis chapters 37-50) was a man with a fascinating life story
(a) Torn from his family by the treachery of his own brothers
(b)Cast into slavery in a foreign land, then into prison for a crime he did not commit
(c) He ends up as the prime minister of his world's major superpower, Egypt.
(d) Joseph's unique understanding of the sovereignty of God over trials constitutes one of the most powerful theological statements in the Bible.
(e) After the death of Jacob, Joseph's father, Joseph's brothers feared he would take revenge against them. His reply to them is classic, simple, short, and profound in its understanding of the nature of the universe under God's sovereign rulership:
(f) Gen 50:19 “…Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive…”
e. God sovereignly rules the universe with the predetermined goal of accomplishing His plan for redemption and glory.
(1) We don't know the details of His plans until they come into the open,
(2) But God is on the throne, and He is in charge
(3) He rules by right, and His rule IS right.
f. What happens to a man or woman who really sees and understands the Sovereignty of God? It completely changes the way they think about everything—especially how they think about God and their own failings.
(1) Job understood—Job 42:1-6
(2) Daniel understood—Dan 2:19-23
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings;
(3) God's Answer to Job—God told Job to "Shut up and listen" Job 42:4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' "
g. A Vision of God and Its Effect on Job—Job 42:5-6 "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
h. Job was not suffering from low self-esteem—he was reacting to realistic self-esteem for the first time. Job had seen God as He is, and by comparison, Job saw no good in himself...
(1) Paganism tries to teach people that they are "god," but this approach leads ultimately to despair and total self-hatred
(2) Paganism teaches young people that they are an accident of natural processes, a mere blob of cells
(3) So young people see no purpose nor meaning to life.....the self-worship of paganism leads to despair and self-hatred.....
i. The Bible does not teach self-esteem....it teaches God esteem--and realistic self-assessment.
(1)The principle of the Holy Paradox—Mat 23:12 "...whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
(2) The answer to the whole problem of self-esteem is to know God and to know who you are in God.
(3) As a human being, I am a special creation of a loving God, and I am worthy of a measure of dignity for that reason alone.
j. God's other servants who have seen His Glory
(1) 1 Kings 19:9-20 -- Elijah on the mountain.
(2) Moses
(3) Manoah and his wife (Samson's parents)
(4) Elijah
(5) Isaiah
(6) The shepherds
(7) The disciples on the mount of transfiguration
(8) Stephen
(9) Paul
3. Lost Mankind’s Reaction to a Sovereign God—rebellion.
a. Remember again the first temptation: "Ye shall be as gods......."
(1) The pagan belief which directly opposes the sovereignty of God—"Self Determination”, "I did it my way..."
(2) The rebellious human race shakes its collective fist at God and says, "We don't need you..." Or, as the Jews told Pilate,
(a) John 19:15 “… Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
(b)This was a fulfillment of prophecy, for Israel of old was accused by Hosea:
Hosea 10:3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
(3) Well did Jesus depict Israel’s reaction to the Gospel in the following parable:
Luke 19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
------------------------
Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
b. False "gods" that result from human understanding
(1) The "Do Nothing" "god" of Deism: this "divine being" does not intervene in the natural processes of this world.
(2) The "Know Nothing" "god" of liberalism: this so-called "god" has changed his mind about all he ever taught us.
(3) The "You Ask for It You've Got It" "god" of the "name it and claim it" crowd: this is a "god" with some power who is basically an errand boy for anyone with enough faith to twist his arm.
(4) The "I Wish I Could" "god" of Arminianism: This is an all-powerful being who cannot use his power to really save people. This "god" is restrained because of some sense of fairness
(5) The "I Will if You Will" "god" of tepid modern evangelicalism: this divine being is about like Barak, who told Deborah that he would go to battle if she would go with him.
4. The Sovereign God and The People of God—Ps 135:6 "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."
a. Wrong approaches Found among Professing Christians
(1) Philosophy—especially dime store, armchair, "folk" philosophy. You can almost take it for granted that whatever you learned from these sources about the nature of God, the problem of evil, and the real way the universe runs, is all wrong.
(2) Speculation—Just don't do it. If there is no clear scripture on which to plant your feet, don't tread on the ground.
(3) Attempts at full understanding—It is OK to say "I don't know."
(4) Oversimplification: The problems of the world and the questions of unbelievers in need will not be answered by a "Forrest Gump" approach to theology. It is true that "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so," is the bottom line for believers, but more knowledge and maturity is required to defend the faith and evangelize the world.
1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(5) Emotion, i.e., "your heart."--Jer 17:9 says the heart is not to be trusted, and this is a topic on which the heart is most certainly not to be trusted.
b. Right approach—
(1) Study the scriptures, pray for understanding.
(2) Faith, submission, and obedience to what the Word of God says
Introductory Thoughts
v The Sovereignty of God—God's rulership over the universe.
§ This concept is often spoken of in our day, but I fear that it is scarcely understood.
§ God is Sovereign, that is, He is THE BOSS, period.
§ God is subject to no one--no one can tell God what to do or judge His actions.
§ The concept of a sovereign, that is, a ruler with absolute authority who answers to no one, is unfamiliar to most Americans.
v We may hear of a dictator or "strongman" who has sovereign-like powers, but that is a far cry from the classic definition of a sovereign.
v In history, a sovereign was a ruler who had absolute authority and who had the right to that authority, usually by heredity or conquest
Ø A Sovereign WAS the nation
Ø The Sovereign WAS the law
Ø The Sovereign answered to no one
v Earthly Sovereigns were always limited and temporary. They controlled a nation, perhaps an empire, but never absolutely. And earthly sovereigns did not last--a knife, a bullet, poison, a fever, or at last, time, unseated every sovereign that ever lived--
v The Only True God is the Only True Sovereign.
· Omnipotence (next week’s topic) talks about God's Power and Ability—
· Sovereignty expresses His authority by right, and the absolute nature of His authority.
1. The Absolute Sovereignty of God—Psa 135:6 "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."
a. There are no “controls” on God except His own nature.
(1) No restriction on God by category of action—“whatever…”
(2) No external controls or restrictions on God—“…the LORD pleases…”
(3) No control or restrictions on God by difficulty—“…He Does…”
(4) No realm where He is not free to act—“…In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places…
b. God Rules! God is Sovereign, that is, He is a King Who answers to no one.
(1)Psa 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
(2) Dan 4:34 “…His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 …He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
(3) Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is the Lord's, And He rules over the nations.
(4) Psa 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
(5)Mat 28:18 "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
c. A key point to understand in this debate is this: if God does something or says He will do something, that thing is right by definition.
(1) You and I may or may not know what we are doing at any particular moment,
(2) GOD Always knows what HE is doing!
d. Some Prime Examples of God's Sovereignty at work
(1) Bringing Israel out of Egypt
(2) The Sovereign protection of Israel in Esther
(3) The raising up and bringing down of Babylonia
(4) The Cross of Christ
Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; 23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
2. Dealing with Sovereignty
a. Emotional and intellectual problems dealing with sovereignty—False and sentimental philosophical speculations about God are useless and meaningless, and they detract from properly honoring His person. Some examples of false speculations are below.
(1) False speculation #1 God created us out of need—for companionship, for someone to love—God has needs only we can meet
(2) False speculation #2 God is not in control of history or human events, either by design or by inability. In order to respect human will, He voluntarily refrains from exercising full power in those areas.
(3) False speculation #3 God is subject to arbitrary standards of fairness that are obvious to all people—this is a key point. (The defenders of the "fairness doctrine" treat their ideas as if they were self-evident. for they can produce no scriptural evidence for them.)
b. How these false speculations apply to life's situations.
(1) "This cannot be God's will"
(2) God wants to help you, but your faith is too weak"
(3) "God is not in control of this situation"
(4) "This is God's fault"
(5) "There cannot be a God with so much evil and misery in the world. If there is a God, he must be a cruel being."
c. The answer to all of these false ideas is to apply the truth of the Bible to them, and to ignore and renounce all dependence upon mere human philosophy or folklore.
(1) False speculation #1 God created us out of need: for companionship, for someone to love: God has needs only we can meet.
(a) Answer –God does not need anything from anyone....
(b) Rev 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."
(c) Acts 17:24 "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
(2) False speculation #2 God is not in control of history or human events, either by design or by inability.
(a) Version 2 of the above—In order to respect human will, He voluntarily refrains from exercising full power in those areas.
(b)Isa 46:9 “…Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 … Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it…”
(3) False speculation #3 God is subject to arbitrary standards of fairness that are obvious to all people--this is a key point.
(a) (The defenders of the "fairness doctrine" treat their ideas as if they were self-evident. for they can produce no scriptural evidence for them.)
(b) To say that God must answer to an arbitrary standard of fairness is to say that there is a power above God. To invent a human standard, "fairness," and then place this standard above God, as something to which He must answer, this is sheer blasphemy!
(c) Remember what King Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way—Dan 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
d. Where the rubber meets the road—God is sovereign in our trials.
(1) The book of Job is a book which gives the history of a servant of God who went through unimaginable trials.
(a) The unique thing about its message is that it shows the behind the scenes actions in the court of heaven which led to Job's trials. (Job 1:1-2:9).
(b)It also involves long discussions between Job and three friends trying to explain his trials. Job 2:9 through Chapter 31)
(c) This is followed by the speech of Elihu, a young man with more insight into the nature of God than Job and his friends (Chapters 32-37)
(d)Then there is a magnificent monologue by Jehovah Himself (Chapters 38-41)
(e) The last chapter in the book (42) is when Job realizes his misunderstandings about the nature of the universe and his lack of knowledge about the person of God.
(f) The book of Job teaches us that God uses our trials and tests to grow us and teach us about Himself--particularly about His sovereignty.
(2) Joseph (Genesis chapters 37-50) was a man with a fascinating life story
(a) Torn from his family by the treachery of his own brothers
(b)Cast into slavery in a foreign land, then into prison for a crime he did not commit
(c) He ends up as the prime minister of his world's major superpower, Egypt.
(d) Joseph's unique understanding of the sovereignty of God over trials constitutes one of the most powerful theological statements in the Bible.
(e) After the death of Jacob, Joseph's father, Joseph's brothers feared he would take revenge against them. His reply to them is classic, simple, short, and profound in its understanding of the nature of the universe under God's sovereign rulership:
(f) Gen 50:19 “…Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive…”
e. God sovereignly rules the universe with the predetermined goal of accomplishing His plan for redemption and glory.
(1) We don't know the details of His plans until they come into the open,
(2) But God is on the throne, and He is in charge
(3) He rules by right, and His rule IS right.
f. What happens to a man or woman who really sees and understands the Sovereignty of God? It completely changes the way they think about everything—especially how they think about God and their own failings.
(1) Job understood—Job 42:1-6
(2) Daniel understood—Dan 2:19-23
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings;
(3) God's Answer to Job—God told Job to "Shut up and listen" Job 42:4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' "
g. A Vision of God and Its Effect on Job—Job 42:5-6 "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
h. Job was not suffering from low self-esteem—he was reacting to realistic self-esteem for the first time. Job had seen God as He is, and by comparison, Job saw no good in himself...
(1) Paganism tries to teach people that they are "god," but this approach leads ultimately to despair and total self-hatred
(2) Paganism teaches young people that they are an accident of natural processes, a mere blob of cells
(3) So young people see no purpose nor meaning to life.....the self-worship of paganism leads to despair and self-hatred.....
i. The Bible does not teach self-esteem....it teaches God esteem--and realistic self-assessment.
(1)The principle of the Holy Paradox—Mat 23:12 "...whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
(2) The answer to the whole problem of self-esteem is to know God and to know who you are in God.
(3) As a human being, I am a special creation of a loving God, and I am worthy of a measure of dignity for that reason alone.
j. God's other servants who have seen His Glory
(1) 1 Kings 19:9-20 -- Elijah on the mountain.
(2) Moses
(3) Manoah and his wife (Samson's parents)
(4) Elijah
(5) Isaiah
(6) The shepherds
(7) The disciples on the mount of transfiguration
(8) Stephen
(9) Paul
3. Lost Mankind’s Reaction to a Sovereign God—rebellion.
a. Remember again the first temptation: "Ye shall be as gods......."
(1) The pagan belief which directly opposes the sovereignty of God—"Self Determination”, "I did it my way..."
(2) The rebellious human race shakes its collective fist at God and says, "We don't need you..." Or, as the Jews told Pilate,
(a) John 19:15 “… Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
(b)This was a fulfillment of prophecy, for Israel of old was accused by Hosea:
Hosea 10:3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
(3) Well did Jesus depict Israel’s reaction to the Gospel in the following parable:
Luke 19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
------------------------
Luke 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
b. False "gods" that result from human understanding
(1) The "Do Nothing" "god" of Deism: this "divine being" does not intervene in the natural processes of this world.
(2) The "Know Nothing" "god" of liberalism: this so-called "god" has changed his mind about all he ever taught us.
(3) The "You Ask for It You've Got It" "god" of the "name it and claim it" crowd: this is a "god" with some power who is basically an errand boy for anyone with enough faith to twist his arm.
(4) The "I Wish I Could" "god" of Arminianism: This is an all-powerful being who cannot use his power to really save people. This "god" is restrained because of some sense of fairness
(5) The "I Will if You Will" "god" of tepid modern evangelicalism: this divine being is about like Barak, who told Deborah that he would go to battle if she would go with him.
4. The Sovereign God and The People of God—Ps 135:6 "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places."
a. Wrong approaches Found among Professing Christians
(1) Philosophy—especially dime store, armchair, "folk" philosophy. You can almost take it for granted that whatever you learned from these sources about the nature of God, the problem of evil, and the real way the universe runs, is all wrong.
(2) Speculation—Just don't do it. If there is no clear scripture on which to plant your feet, don't tread on the ground.
(3) Attempts at full understanding—It is OK to say "I don't know."
(4) Oversimplification: The problems of the world and the questions of unbelievers in need will not be answered by a "Forrest Gump" approach to theology. It is true that "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so," is the bottom line for believers, but more knowledge and maturity is required to defend the faith and evangelize the world.
1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(5) Emotion, i.e., "your heart."--Jer 17:9 says the heart is not to be trusted, and this is a topic on which the heart is most certainly not to be trusted.
b. Right approach—
(1) Study the scriptures, pray for understanding.
(2) Faith, submission, and obedience to what the Word of God says
Friday, May 9, 2008
His Footprints Were Not Seen
The Unseen Footprints of God
Psalm 77:19
Brother Charley Buntin
“… yet your footprints were unseen…”
1. The Psalm
a. A psalm of Asaph, a man of God who had trials in ministry—see Ps 73
b. A psalm of remembrances Asaph is taught and admonished by recalling God’s exploits in the history of Israel.
c. A psalm of deep sorrow, bitterness and near hopelessness—77:4-9
d. A psalm of doctrinal instruction about the attributes of God
e. A psalm of God’s self-revelation
f. A psalm of covenant relationship (Your people…)
g. A psalm of redemption—“…15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph…”
h. But in all of this…“… yet your footprints were unseen.£…”
2. A basic exposition
a. (Psa 77:1-3)
(1) The intensity of the cry—"I cried out to God with my voice; To God with my voice…” The problem this man faces brings forth great cries…this is no ordinary problem, but one which involves deep anguish of soul.
(2) The surety of the response “…And He gave ear to me…”
(3) Seeking God in a day of trouble—“…2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord…”
(4) Prayer into the night—“…My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing..”
(5) A soul that will not accept light comfort—one that means business with the Lord—“…My soul refused to be comforted…”
(6) “…3 I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah" The Meditation on God—not an easy thing, after all, “He is not a tame lion…”
b. The Terrible State of the Psalmist (Psa 77:4-9)
(1) He is sleepless—"You hold my eyelids open…” How often in times of ultimate stress, where life’s decisions hang in the balance, has sleep been denied me, but if given to God, that sleeplessness itself can be turned to great advantage—
(a) Psa 119:148 "My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word."
(b) Psa 63:6-7 "When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. 7 Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice."
(2) He is choked up with emotion—“…I am so troubled that I cannot speak…” I have been there—in such distress that when I opened my mouth to pray, only sobs came out—when I sought to say something, all I could get out was a moan—and this is Asaph, the choir director, a man of God saying this.
(3) He goes back to earlier days in his walk with God, and even further back, to the times of the patriarchs and heroes of the faith. He remembers when he had a song to sing—he searches through his whole experience, diligently looking for relief. “…5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search…”
He ransacked his experience, ,his memory, his intellect, his whole nature, his entire self, either to find comfort or to discover the reason why it was denied him. That man will not die the hand of the enemy who has enough force of soul remaining to struggle in this fashion…Spurgeon, Treasury of David , Vol 2, Page 314
(4) Six Rhetorical Questions—These are like a mirror image to the great positive promises in Romans 8:31-39, and to the great comment in Heb 13:5. The Rhetorical Question is a way of stating with effect that something is NOT true—it is a question intended to either invoke mystery or a required negative answer
(a) Question 1—“…7 Will the Lord cast off forever?...”
(i) The direct Biblical answer is found in (Heb 13:5) "…He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."" In the Greek, the double negative is powerful, but this is the only instance of a triple double negative in the Greek, meaning that there is absolutely, positively no way that a saved person will be lost, or forsaken by God.
(ii) Christ was forsaken by God the Father for us, so that we will know that we will never be forsaken— (Mat 27:46) "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "… "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?""
(Rom 8:31-39)
(Jer 31:37) "Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD."
(Jer 33:20) "Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;"
(Jer 33:25) "Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;"
(b) Question 2— …And will He be favorable no more?...” We often think, after trials, or falls or failings, that God will never again shine his face of favor upon us. We ask this question in earnest—and God is already saying to us—“I will again favor you…”
(c) Question 3 “…8 Has His mercy ceased forever?...” Not only has His mercy NOT ceased forever, IT NEVER CEASED AT ALL FOR EVEN ONE MOMENT—God’s mercy, His Chesed, His “love that will not let me go, is continuous from before time was made—
(i) God’s mercy was exercised before the trial, during the trial, and after the trial. Before the Trial, God’s mercy strengthened us and made us ready for the battle to come, as in Pilgrim’s Progress, God had outfitted Christian for battle before he met Apollyon the Dragon
(ii) God’s mercy was exercised during the Trial, as we were not overwhelmed, though we surely thought we would be.
(iii) God’s Mercy has been exercised since the Trial, to recover us and make us new
(iv) God’s Mercy will be exercised forever, and if you are a child of God, if you know the Lord, you will never be in any measure separated from God’s Mercy and lovingkindness—Rom 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(d) Question 4—“…Has His promise failed forevermore? 9…” NO! Again, not only has His promise not ceased forevermore—it has never ceased at all! Lam 3:22-23 "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Psa 36:5 "Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."
Psa 37:3 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."
Psa 40:10 "I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly."
Psa 71:22 "Also with the lute I will praise you; And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel."
Psa 89:1-2 "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.""
Psa 89:5 "And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints."
Psa 89:8 "O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You."
Psa 89:24 ""But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in My name his horn shall be exalted."
Psa 92:2 "To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,"
Psa 98:3 "He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."
Psa 119:75 "I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me."
Psa 119:90 "Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides."
Psa 143:1 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness."
Isa 11:5 "Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist."
Isa 25:1 "O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."
(e) Question 5—“…Has God forgotten to be gracious?...” Again, NO! Grace is what He is—His unmerited favor to us was and is, His plan (Ephesians 1:1-14) and His work (Eph 2:1-10). Omniscience has forgotten nothing, though He chooses to forget the Sin of those who have come to faith in Him.
(f) Question 6“…Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah" God’s wrath is against the Lost—Rom 1:18, John 3:36, Rev 6:16-17—but it is never against His people, because God’s Propitiation has forever removed the sin of God’s people from sight—Rom 3:24-26, 1 John 2:1-2, 1 John 4:10, 1 Thes 1:10
c. The Psalmist Recovers His Senses—(Psa 77:10-15)
(1) The Psalmist, wrestling in his mind, in the midst of spiritual warfare in his mind, (2 Cor 10:3-6), begins to remember all that God has done—(illustrating why we should often read and meditate on the mighty works of God in past generations, so that we will remember , as Asaph does here—
(a) He appeals to the Right Hand, to God’s Authoritative works—“…Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”£
(2) He remembers, then he meditates—Asaph thinks long on these ancient trophies of God—
(a) the Ox Goad of Shamgar
(b) The Jawbone of a Donkey with which Samson slew a thousand
(c) The shepherd’s staff that ruled Pharaoh
(d) The Harp of David that dismissed evil spirits
(e) The five smooth stones David took from the brook
(f) The Sling with which they were propelled
(g) The iron axehead that swam for Elisha
(h) The Earthen Altar to which God sent fire for Elijah
(i) Aaron’s rod that budded
(j) The abandoned hulk of the Ark, and a thousand more momentoes of God’s work—to THESE things Asaph appeals—
“…11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old, 12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
(3) Asaph also meditates on the Person of God—His glories and His attributes.
(a) God’s Way is Holy— “…13 Your way, O God, is holy…”
(b) Our God has no competition—“…What god is great like our God?”
(c) Our God has revealed Himself to the world by His mighty acts—Ps 19! “…14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples..” Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Nazi Germany, etc.—He has made Himself known to all..
(4) And the purpose of all of this—to Redeem His People—circumcised and uncircumcised as well. “…15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
d. The Psalmist Remembers The Miracle At the Red Sea—77:16-20
(1) The same Voice that stilled the Sea of Galilee overwhelmed the natural elements at the Red Sea—“…16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled..”.
(2) We often, perhaps, do not pause to think of what the Red Sea crossing looked like, sounded like, smelled like, and felt like 17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. 18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
(3) And lest we forget, it was into this opened sea that the people of Israel went. Most of them were not even true believers, as would be evidenced in numerous sequels to this event. It would take over 1,000 years and a Babylonian exile to burn Egypt from Israel’s heart. So, this slave people, this people, following the few faithful (Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, etc.), facing the might of the most powerful army on earth, cut off against the sea, walked into the hand of God.
(4) Note, that God’s way of escape was not “safe,” was not rational, and mighty as it was, His footprints were not seen. “…19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.£
(5) His footprints were unseen, but the effects of His hand were impossible to miss
(a) His footprints were unseen, because He chose to work through the men He had appointed, prepared, called, and empowered. “… 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron….”
(b) His footprints were unseen, but the children of Israel marched through on dry land
(c) His footprints were unseen, but Pharaoh’s army was drowned.
(d) His footprints were unseen, But God’s people sang “The Horse and Rider thrown into the sea…”
(e) His footprints were unseen, but Israel survived and survives today
(f) What about YOUR life? IN every crisis and every trial of a child of God, you will eventually see God’s Hand, and know His touch in your life, but His footprints will be unseen—John 3:8 ""The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.""
Psalm 77:19
Brother Charley Buntin
“… yet your footprints were unseen…”
1. The Psalm
a. A psalm of Asaph, a man of God who had trials in ministry—see Ps 73
b. A psalm of remembrances Asaph is taught and admonished by recalling God’s exploits in the history of Israel.
c. A psalm of deep sorrow, bitterness and near hopelessness—77:4-9
d. A psalm of doctrinal instruction about the attributes of God
e. A psalm of God’s self-revelation
f. A psalm of covenant relationship (Your people…)
g. A psalm of redemption—“…15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph…”
h. But in all of this…“… yet your footprints were unseen.£…”
2. A basic exposition
a. (Psa 77:1-3)
(1) The intensity of the cry—"I cried out to God with my voice; To God with my voice…” The problem this man faces brings forth great cries…this is no ordinary problem, but one which involves deep anguish of soul.
(2) The surety of the response “…And He gave ear to me…”
(3) Seeking God in a day of trouble—“…2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord…”
(4) Prayer into the night—“…My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing..”
(5) A soul that will not accept light comfort—one that means business with the Lord—“…My soul refused to be comforted…”
(6) “…3 I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah" The Meditation on God—not an easy thing, after all, “He is not a tame lion…”
b. The Terrible State of the Psalmist (Psa 77:4-9)
(1) He is sleepless—"You hold my eyelids open…” How often in times of ultimate stress, where life’s decisions hang in the balance, has sleep been denied me, but if given to God, that sleeplessness itself can be turned to great advantage—
(a) Psa 119:148 "My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word."
(b) Psa 63:6-7 "When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. 7 Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice."
(2) He is choked up with emotion—“…I am so troubled that I cannot speak…” I have been there—in such distress that when I opened my mouth to pray, only sobs came out—when I sought to say something, all I could get out was a moan—and this is Asaph, the choir director, a man of God saying this.
(3) He goes back to earlier days in his walk with God, and even further back, to the times of the patriarchs and heroes of the faith. He remembers when he had a song to sing—he searches through his whole experience, diligently looking for relief. “…5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search…”
He ransacked his experience, ,his memory, his intellect, his whole nature, his entire self, either to find comfort or to discover the reason why it was denied him. That man will not die the hand of the enemy who has enough force of soul remaining to struggle in this fashion…Spurgeon, Treasury of David , Vol 2, Page 314
(4) Six Rhetorical Questions—These are like a mirror image to the great positive promises in Romans 8:31-39, and to the great comment in Heb 13:5. The Rhetorical Question is a way of stating with effect that something is NOT true—it is a question intended to either invoke mystery or a required negative answer
(a) Question 1—“…7 Will the Lord cast off forever?...”
(i) The direct Biblical answer is found in (Heb 13:5) "…He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."" In the Greek, the double negative is powerful, but this is the only instance of a triple double negative in the Greek, meaning that there is absolutely, positively no way that a saved person will be lost, or forsaken by God.
(ii) Christ was forsaken by God the Father for us, so that we will know that we will never be forsaken— (Mat 27:46) "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "… "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?""
(Rom 8:31-39)
(Jer 31:37) "Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD."
(Jer 33:20) "Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;"
(Jer 33:25) "Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;"
(b) Question 2— …And will He be favorable no more?...” We often think, after trials, or falls or failings, that God will never again shine his face of favor upon us. We ask this question in earnest—and God is already saying to us—“I will again favor you…”
(c) Question 3 “…8 Has His mercy ceased forever?...” Not only has His mercy NOT ceased forever, IT NEVER CEASED AT ALL FOR EVEN ONE MOMENT—God’s mercy, His Chesed, His “love that will not let me go, is continuous from before time was made—
(i) God’s mercy was exercised before the trial, during the trial, and after the trial. Before the Trial, God’s mercy strengthened us and made us ready for the battle to come, as in Pilgrim’s Progress, God had outfitted Christian for battle before he met Apollyon the Dragon
(ii) God’s mercy was exercised during the Trial, as we were not overwhelmed, though we surely thought we would be.
(iii) God’s Mercy has been exercised since the Trial, to recover us and make us new
(iv) God’s Mercy will be exercised forever, and if you are a child of God, if you know the Lord, you will never be in any measure separated from God’s Mercy and lovingkindness—Rom 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(d) Question 4—“…Has His promise failed forevermore? 9…” NO! Again, not only has His promise not ceased forevermore—it has never ceased at all! Lam 3:22-23 "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Psa 36:5 "Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."
Psa 37:3 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."
Psa 40:10 "I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly."
Psa 71:22 "Also with the lute I will praise you; And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel."
Psa 89:1-2 "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.""
Psa 89:5 "And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints."
Psa 89:8 "O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You."
Psa 89:24 ""But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in My name his horn shall be exalted."
Psa 92:2 "To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,"
Psa 98:3 "He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."
Psa 119:75 "I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me."
Psa 119:90 "Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides."
Psa 143:1 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness."
Isa 11:5 "Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist."
Isa 25:1 "O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."
(e) Question 5—“…Has God forgotten to be gracious?...” Again, NO! Grace is what He is—His unmerited favor to us was and is, His plan (Ephesians 1:1-14) and His work (Eph 2:1-10). Omniscience has forgotten nothing, though He chooses to forget the Sin of those who have come to faith in Him.
(f) Question 6“…Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah" God’s wrath is against the Lost—Rom 1:18, John 3:36, Rev 6:16-17—but it is never against His people, because God’s Propitiation has forever removed the sin of God’s people from sight—Rom 3:24-26, 1 John 2:1-2, 1 John 4:10, 1 Thes 1:10
c. The Psalmist Recovers His Senses—(Psa 77:10-15)
(1) The Psalmist, wrestling in his mind, in the midst of spiritual warfare in his mind, (2 Cor 10:3-6), begins to remember all that God has done—(illustrating why we should often read and meditate on the mighty works of God in past generations, so that we will remember , as Asaph does here—
(a) He appeals to the Right Hand, to God’s Authoritative works—“…Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”£
(2) He remembers, then he meditates—Asaph thinks long on these ancient trophies of God—
(a) the Ox Goad of Shamgar
(b) The Jawbone of a Donkey with which Samson slew a thousand
(c) The shepherd’s staff that ruled Pharaoh
(d) The Harp of David that dismissed evil spirits
(e) The five smooth stones David took from the brook
(f) The Sling with which they were propelled
(g) The iron axehead that swam for Elisha
(h) The Earthen Altar to which God sent fire for Elijah
(i) Aaron’s rod that budded
(j) The abandoned hulk of the Ark, and a thousand more momentoes of God’s work—to THESE things Asaph appeals—
“…11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old, 12 I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
(3) Asaph also meditates on the Person of God—His glories and His attributes.
(a) God’s Way is Holy— “…13 Your way, O God, is holy…”
(b) Our God has no competition—“…What god is great like our God?”
(c) Our God has revealed Himself to the world by His mighty acts—Ps 19! “…14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples..” Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Nazi Germany, etc.—He has made Himself known to all..
(4) And the purpose of all of this—to Redeem His People—circumcised and uncircumcised as well. “…15 You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
d. The Psalmist Remembers The Miracle At the Red Sea—77:16-20
(1) The same Voice that stilled the Sea of Galilee overwhelmed the natural elements at the Red Sea—“…16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled..”.
(2) We often, perhaps, do not pause to think of what the Red Sea crossing looked like, sounded like, smelled like, and felt like 17 The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. 18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
(3) And lest we forget, it was into this opened sea that the people of Israel went. Most of them were not even true believers, as would be evidenced in numerous sequels to this event. It would take over 1,000 years and a Babylonian exile to burn Egypt from Israel’s heart. So, this slave people, this people, following the few faithful (Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, etc.), facing the might of the most powerful army on earth, cut off against the sea, walked into the hand of God.
(4) Note, that God’s way of escape was not “safe,” was not rational, and mighty as it was, His footprints were not seen. “…19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.£
(5) His footprints were unseen, but the effects of His hand were impossible to miss
(a) His footprints were unseen, because He chose to work through the men He had appointed, prepared, called, and empowered. “… 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron….”
(b) His footprints were unseen, but the children of Israel marched through on dry land
(c) His footprints were unseen, but Pharaoh’s army was drowned.
(d) His footprints were unseen, But God’s people sang “The Horse and Rider thrown into the sea…”
(e) His footprints were unseen, but Israel survived and survives today
(f) What about YOUR life? IN every crisis and every trial of a child of God, you will eventually see God’s Hand, and know His touch in your life, but His footprints will be unseen—John 3:8 ""The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.""
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