David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 5)
“Thus, I will bless you with my life;
in your name I will lift my hands.”
(Psalm 63:5 {Psalm 63:4 in English Bibles})
Not only will David lift his voice in praise, but he will lift his hands as well—fully praising his God and redeemer. What a simple, but wonderful thought to keep before us! Not only should our lips be lifted up in praise to our God, but so too should all of our body—everything that we do in life should be done for the praise and honor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, indeed, this is exactly what David is getting at when he says that he will bless God with his life. Life is about worship and nothing less. Life is not about accomplishing goals, learning facts, making money, or building families—it is about worship and everything else that we do (accomplishing goals, learning facts, making money, and building families included) is to be done to that end.
Loved ones, set this before you as you go through your day. Is what you are doing—whatever it may be—done in a way that is worshipful toward God? Do you do what you do out of a heart that is motivated by personal desires, or a desire to worship? Beloved, there is nothing more satisfying than the worship of God. A tool is most useful when it is used for the task for which it was created. When used for other things, its usefulness is reduced and it will likely become damaged and less effective a the task for which it was created. Beloved, you were created to worship God; you will never find satisfaction in anything else and in seeking those other things, you will likely damage yourself. Yet worship is a perfect and right fit and when you do all that you do (work, recreation, chores, etc…) out of a heart of worship toward God, you will find these things to be satisfying as well.
And let us not stop there, for it is not just the believer that has an obligation to worship, but all people—again, that is what we were created to do. And our being created in that way implies an obligation on us to do that which we were created to do. Not only must we be worshiping God for all that he has done—especially in our redemption—but we must worship God for who he is, and even those who have not experienced redemption owe this to God. God is infinitely wise, wonderful, beautiful, glorious, lovely, and powerful, and to neglect to praise one who is so much greater than you or I in every way is downright rude and arrogant—downright sinful.
Oh, loved ones, how easy it is to become burdened and distracted by all of the cares of the world and all of our daily and weekly obligations. Yet, beloved, how this causes us to lose focus of what we are to be about in this world. We are to worship and we are to be about worship in all that we do. If we lose sight of this, we will not only be less effective at all we do, but we will find that we are wounding and damaging ourselves, just as a flathead screwdriver is damaged when one takes to use it as a chisel. Commit yourself to worship, friends, and all the other things will fall into their proper places.
O bless the Lord, my soul;
Let all within me join,
And aid my tongue to bless his name,
Whose favors are divine.
-Isaac Watts
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 4)
“For your covenant faithfulness is better than life;
my lips will sing praises to you.”
(Psalm 63:4 {Psalm 63:3 in English Bibles})
Those of you who know me well know that I sound a bit like a broken record when I get to verses like this, but I would hold that these things are essential for the Christian to understand. The Hebrew word that is found in the first part of this verse is the word ds,x, (chesed). This word is translated in a number of ways in our English Bibles, sometimes we see it as “mercy” or “loving-kindness” and sometimes we see it as “grace” or “faithfulness.” It is a word that carries with it many ideas, but essentially reflects God’s covenant faithfulness in the midst of his people’s covenant unfaithfulness. And, oh, through history, how God demonstrates his ds,x, (chesed) to his people.
And indeed, David speaks some very important words here—he says that the ds,x, (chesed) of God is better than life. Were it not for God’s covenant faithfulness, life would not be worth living, David communicates. Were it not for the covenant faithfulness of God this world would have been swept away in his wrath over sin. Were it not for the covenant faithfulness of God, you and I would be condemned to the darkness of eternal judgment. Were it not for God’s covenant faithfulness, he would have never sent his Son to redeem a people for himself—to redeem you and me. Friends, do you see just how important this word is to us—this characteristic of God? Do you see how we could not live without it? Oh, how often we take God’s covenant faithfulness for granted; let us be reminded by these words of David that it is better than life itself—it is what makes life worth living!
And as a result of God’s covenant faithfulness in your life and in the lives of believers everywhere, it ought to cause your voice to sing praises to God! The verb that David uses in the second clause is the word xb;v’ (shavach), which means to sing loud praises—to laud another. Beloved, when you look back at your own life and you see the hand of God at work, does it not make you want to sing! When you look back through history and you see God’s hand at work in the lives of his people, does it not make you want to praise! Oh, how often we take the work of God for granted in our lives—oh how often we take the covenant faithfulness of God for granted—as if it were something that was our due pay for services rendered! Beloved, our infinite praise is God’s due pay for his covenant faithfulness! So, let us get to work—it is a precious labor to praise our God. No, we will never repay what we owe, but though we cannot repay, shall we not try? Shall we not praise him for who he is and for what he has done? It is a pleasant duty and a delightful task that has been set before us, indeed.
All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring!
Thou art the King of Israel, thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s name comest, the King and blessed One!
-Theodulph of Orleans
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 3)
“Thus, in the Holy Place, I have seen you;
seeing your might and your glory.”
(Psalm 63:3 {Psalm 63:2 in English Bibles})
Now, a question of translation arises in the first clause. This verse begins with the words vd<QoB; !Ke (ken baqodesh), which mean “thus, in the Holy Place.” The interpretive question that must be asked is whether or not David is referring generally to the sanctuary of God, as many translate it, which would likely speak of the Tabernacle and the grounds around it, or whether he is literally referring to the “The Holy Place” within the Tabernacle.
The parallelism that we find in the second verse does not help us too much in answering that question given that it really highlights the second part of the first clause. David says that he has seen God in the first part of the verse, then clarifies the statement at the end of the verse with the language of having seen God’s might and glory. Indeed, this is something that David had witnessed early on in his life, but far more so by the later days (again, suggesting the probability of a later date).
So, how ought we to understand this first clause? We can certainly take this as a general reference to the Tabernacle as a whole, but my suggestion is that this is a very specific reference to the Holy Place within the Tabernacle. The structure of the tabernacle was that there were outer courts where the people could pray and worship, but when you entered the Tabernacle proper, there were two separate rooms, the Holy Place, where only priests were permitted to go and then the “Holy of Holies,” where the high priest alone was allowed to go once a year to take the blood of the sacrifice on the day of Atonement.
If only the priests were allowed to enter the Holy Place, how is it that David might have seen it? There were three pieces of furniture within the Holy Place. The first was the altar of incense, where incense was burned perpetually before the Lord to represent the perpetual prayers of the saints. The second piece of furniture was the menorah, the seven-branched lampstand. This was kept lit through the night, not only providing light within the Holy Place, but also as a symbol of the light of truth to the world. Lastly, there was the Table of Shewbread (also called the bread of the presence). There were 12 loaves of bread that were put on the table on the first day of the week and left there until the Sabbath, when the priests would eat them and new loaves would be brought. The twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel and the loaves together in the Holy Place represented the people of God in the perpetual presence of their God.
In 1 Samuel 21:1-9, we learn that at one point in David’s life, when he was fleeing from Saul, he and his men came to Nob (where the tabernacle was at the time) and asked for food. The only food that was available was the shewbread—something that was only allowed for the priests to eat. Yet, these loaves were given to David and his men. Now, we are not told that David himself went into the Holy Place to retrieve these loaves, but this is not totally un-probable.
Regardless on where you may fall in this discussion, the point is the same: in the midst of David’s darkest hour, in the middle of spiritual dryness, his strength comes from his reliance on the Lord. Oh, how often we falter, dear friends, because we seek to rely on our own strength rather than on the strength of God. How often we allow the world to overrun or at least intrude into our spiritual lives. How easily distracted our prayer time can be. Beloved, what David is reminding us of is just how we rely upon God for our strength and apart from God, we will wither away—much like the plants of the land do when they are without water. It is in God and in his glory that we must rest—it is in Christ and only in Christ that we can find health and joy. Oh, beloved, seek his face, pursue the Lord and rest in him—no matter what the state of the world around you.
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 2)
“O God, you are my God; again and again I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you;
My flesh yearns for you—
In a land that is dry and exhausted without water.”
(Psalm 63:2 {Psalm 63:1 in English Bibles})
The wilderness around David is a visible metaphor for the spiritual state of the land of Israel at this point in history. He looks around him as he flees into the wilderness and recognizes that the dryness of the land around him is much like the dryness of the hearts of those who seek his death—who seek to rule the kingdom of Israel not for the glory of God, but for their own gain and prosperity.
How quickly we forget, as we go through life, that riches are not found in the things of this world, but they are found in the things of God and in his righteousness. Jesus says one of the marks of a true Christian, though, is that they hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). And as I have said many times before—hungering and thirsting is not a casual wondering what you will have from the buffet line tonight, but it is a deep hungering that recognizes that if the need is not met, you will die.
The illustration that we are given here is of being in a dry and barren land—the wilderness of Judea—in a time of drought. We must remember that one of the most common judgments against God’s people when they entered into idolatry was just that—drought. Yet, in the midst of judgment and fleeing for his life, David seeks to find his strength in prayer. And David’s model that is one of constant prayer—seeking God’s face over and over again. The verb for “to seek,” which is the verb rx;v’ (shachar), is found in the Piel stem, which simply means that it reflects continued, repeated action. Thus, again and again, David is presenting himself before the Lord, seeking his face in prayer.
Oh, how we need to keep this principle before us as we go through our daily lives. No, we may never be forced to flee into the wilderness because someone is seeking our life. Yet, there are trials and struggles enough in this life that should force us to our knees. And, beloved, it is on our knees that the man or woman of God finds their strength. Friends, do not take this privilege for granted, but instead dedicate your life to continually seeking God’s face in prayer, and even in the midst of a dry and dusty land, God will provide you with an ever-flowing stream of soul-quenching water through his Holy Spirit.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.
-Joseph Scriven
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 1)
“A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah”
(Psalm 63:1 {superscript in English Bibles})
It is always helpful when psalms contain superscripts, which can introduce for us the context and the historical setting of the psalm (remembering that in the Hebrew Bible, the superscripts are part of the inspired text). Even so, many of the superscripts still leave us with the responsibility of doing some footwork in the historical books if we want to narrow down the context more exactly. And, in this case, we really have two possibilities that could provide the context for this psalm.
The earlier of the two possibilities would be found in 1 Samuel 23, when David was fleeing for his life from Saul. He spent much time in the Judean wilderness (for example, see 1 Samuel 23:15). The difficulty that some have with this earlier dating is that David refers to himself as “king” in this psalm (verse 11 in English Bibles) and technically, Saul was still the king of Israel. At the same time, David had already been anointed by Samuel to be King of Israel by this point (1 Samuel 16), and though he had not yet assumed the role of King, the office was rightfully his.
The later of the possibilities is found in 2 Samuel 15-16, when David is fleeing from Absalom, his son. At this point, David is clearly king of Israel without any room for debate and the text itself calls him “the king.” David is found to spend time in the wilderness of Benjamin (which is often seen as part of the Judean wilderness) and Judah as he flees for his life again. In turn, this second, later, choice may be a better option to fit the context of the psalm, though both are possibilities.
Whichever option you choose, what is perhaps more important is that the early church saw this psalm as a hymn that was reflective of their condition. The church is a church in the wilderness heading for an eternal promised land that Christ has prepared and preserved for us, but for now, we are tested and tried here in this sinful world. The early church especially also clearly understood what it meant to have people seek to destroy them as persecution abounded during those days (and still does today in other parts of the world). Thus, tradition tells us, that men and women in the Early church often sang this particular psalm daily as a reminder of where they were and of God’s hand of provision in their lives.
Beloved, as you reflect on the words of this psalm, remember the context from which it comes—it is one of trust in God even in the midst of having to flee for your life. Oh, how we can learn from those ancient saints who clung to this psalm for encouragement in the midst of their great trials. Oh, how we would grow if we saw trials for what they are—not things to be feared, but opportunities for God to demonstrate his provision to us. Loved ones, do not seek the easy life that finds its comfort in worldly things; seek the life that rests in God’s hand for all needs even in the midst of great tribulations.
The Reflection of God’s Image: Hebrews 1:1-4 (part 9)
and the exact image of his essence…
The early church fathers faced a lot of challenges as they sought to defend believers from heretical teachings and to define the boundaries of what may be described as “orthodox” Christian theology. Probably the two most important areas in which they were required to work was in the area of defining the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of the dual nature of Christ. Both of these doctrines are clearly affirmed in scripture as a whole, but neither doctrine has a nice neat prooftext that one can go to for the purpose of articulating said view. As a result, there were many who put forward views of both of these doctrines that were either heretical in themselves or would lead another to heresy. Hence, the church fathers needed to find a way to Biblically and clearly articulate what scripture presents as true, but in a precise way that did not leave room for error. All four of the early church creeds, called the “Ecumenical Creeds” (The Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Chalcedonian Christological Statement, and the Athenasian Creed) come out of this struggle within the early church.
With that in mind, this verse is one of the important passages that were used by the Fathers in defining the dual nature of Christ—in what we technically refer to as “Hypostatic Union.” The word Hypostatic comes from the Greek word uJpo/stasiß (hupostasis), which refers to the basic structure or most essential nature of something. In terms of Christ, we recognize that he had two distinct and unconfused natures—one human and one divine. He had within his human nature everything that makes one human, for he is in essence human. In addition, though, Jesus had within his divine nature everything that made him God, for he is in essence divine. These parts are not confused in any way within Christ; Jesus is not some sort of Greek demi-god or amalgamation of God and man, but his being is marked by a perfect union of a fully divine nature with a fully human nature.
One may wonder why this degree of precision is so important for us as Christians. To begin with, were Jesus not fully human, he could not be described as having suffered in this life and died on the cross as a bloody sacrifice. Also, were he not fully human, he could not have fulfilled the failed role of Adam as covenant mediator for his people and could not have been tempted and tried in every way as we are (Hebrews 4:15). Were Jesus not fully human in every way, he could not have redeemed every aspect of fallen humanity. In addition, were Jesus not to have died, he could not have been resurrected and thus, we would have no hope of a bodily resurrection ourselves. At the same time, were Jesus not fully God, he could not have done for us what he did. He would not have been sinless, and thus could not have entered guiltless before God to mediate a new covenant. Nor could Jesus have made atonement for sins, for a guilt sacrifice had to found as faultless and without blemish before God. Were Christ not fully God he could not be said to be pre-existent as scripture presents and thus could not have entered into a covenant to save the elect from before the foundations of the earth (see Ephesians 1).
Now that we have the technical language before us, sensing the theological importance of making sure that we articulate correctly the nature of our Lord, I think that it is important for us to stop here for a minute and dwell on just what this means. Here is one who is, to use creedal language, “very God of very God.” This is the second member of the divine Trinity, the Son of the Father, the Living God. Everything that makes God, well, God, belongs to God the Son as well as to God the Father (and Spirit for that matter). Jesus is the very word which God used to bring existence into being—to form everything from nothing and to bring about life. Here is the Son of God, worthy of all praise and glory and honor by the very principle of who he is. And it is this one—one whose very presence and name defines the very meaning of glory itself—one who is exalted on high—who chose to veil that glory in flesh and descend to earth not simply for the purpose of communicating with us, but to suffer and die in our place. Loved ones, that is incomprehensible. That the King of Glory would become flesh cannot be simply rationalized and put to the side. It is an overwhelming reality that we must deal with, and when we understand this reality, there are only two possible responses for us to take: falling on our faces awestruck in humble worship or fleeing in sin and shame. One cannot remain ambivalent when it comes to this mighty act of our Lord—one must respond, but which response will it be? Knowing what you know, will you commit yourself to a life of praise of our God? Will you adore him with your words as well as with your actions? Will you adore him even in crowds where it might be unpopular to do so? Will you lead your family in adoring him, and will you seek to live your life as a living sacrifice, seeking to be blameless so as to honor him, for He is holy and he calls us to be holy as well. Will you be deliberate in the way that you order your days, your accounts, your plans, and your careers, so as to honor Him with them? Will you cherish his word as the very word of life? Or, will you go on living for yourself in guilty fear, bound in sin and hatred, and continue to rebel against the one who gave more than you can comprehend to offer life to those who come to him in faith? Beloved, there are two responses to this truth about Christ, and only two responses; which will you choose? And, dear ones, knowing this, what must change in your day to day life so that your life reflects this choice?
The Decrees of God
The Divine Decrees of God[1]
In general, we can begin by defining what we mean by a “decree” of God. A decree reflects the definite plan of God; Wollebius[2] defined a decree as: “an internal act of the divine will, by which he determines from eternity, freely, and with absolute certainty, those matters which shall happen in time.”[3] Thus, when we are speaking of the “Decrees of God,” the definition is focused on three basic aspects:
- The Decrees were made in eternity, prior to God’s creative act. This is not a portrayal of God that pictures him working along through history, hoping that he can bring his desires into reality, but a God who is in sovereign control over history.[4]
- These Decrees were made in perfect consistency with God’s immutable will.[5] All these decrees flow out of his perfections and are good and right and designed for the bringing about of God’s purposes.
- These Decrees were made without outside influence[6] (as in eternity prior, there was nothing outside of our Godhead) and without any internal deficiency or need.
With this definition in mind, there are seven attributes or character traits that can be said to belong to these decrees: they are founded on divine wisdom; they are eternal; they are efficacious; they are unchangeable; they are unconditional; they are all-comprehensive; and they are permissive with respect to sin.
- They are founded on Divine Wisdom. God neither pronounces his decrees randomly nor in a way that is arbitrary or fickle, but his sovereign decrees are pronounced in, by, and through his divine wisdom. This gives his decrees purpose and meaning and gives us every reason to trust in said decrees. They are his “good pleasure” to design, are grounded in God’s ever-wise foreknowledge[7], and they come to pass as a result of God’s ever-wise foreordaining.[8]
- They are eternal. The Decrees of God are formed from before the beginning of time and will relate to all things that will come to pass, beginning with God’s first spoken word of creation and continuing forever without end.[9]
- They are efficacious. What God decrees comes to pass. While man may plan, contrive, and anticipate all sorts of endeavors, he cannot so much as make one hair white or black[10], nor add an hour to his life.[11] Yet, God can do all things that he sets before himself to do; the God of the Bible is not a God who sits in submission to the works of men nor is he a God whose plans are able to be undone by the aspirations of man.[12]
- They are unchangeable. God is not a God who is fickle as men are fickle, nor is he a God of chaos. If God’s will is perfect, then, by definition, there is no room to improve on that perfection, and hence the concept of change in the decrees of God is nonsensical.[13]
- They are unconditional. God does not act in response to outside input; God’s actions and decrees are not caused by anything apart from his perfect will. Neither do God’s decrees rely on fallen man so that they may come to pass; they come to pass because God so decrees.[14]
- They are all–comprehensive. Some have made the suggestion that God’s decrees are only concerned with salvation and do not apply to anything else. Yet God has ordered all things according to the counsel of his will[15] and has set all things into being[16], from the greatest of things to the smallest. He numbers our hairs[17], feeds the birds of the air[18], and he has set the moon and stars into their respective orbits.[19] Even what we view as evil in this world is brought to pass through the will and decrees of God.[20] Note that this does not mean that God is the author of evil, yet he uses the evil that comes through sin and rebellion to accomplish his good and perfect will. There is nothing that we experience in this world that does not fall under the oversight of God’s decrees.[21]
- With reference to sin, they are permissive. God is not the author of sin[22], yet God yet permits sin to come about through secondary causes, using it to complete God’s good and perfect plan.[23]
Objections to the Doctrine of God’s Decrees:
There are several concerns that rise when we use the language of God’s decrees that ought to be addressed. The first is one which we have already dealt with in that the language of decrees can seem to imply that God is the author of sin. In discussing this, we must add to what has already been discussed the concept that sin is an attribute of the fall much in the same way that wisdom is an attribute of God. Wisdom is not so much a created thing as it is a reflection of God’s perfect being and actions. In the same way, sin is not so much a created thing, but it is a reflection of our fallen state and actions. We miss the mark, when it comes to God’s righteousness, and hence we sin. Even so, this doctrine does contain the idea that God willingly chose to permit the fall to take place and could have ordained otherwise. Yet, as Augustine suggested, there is a blessedness in the fall, for without the fall of man, we would not know the full extent of Jesus’ sacrificial love for us as his people.
The second concern that has been raised with the Doctrine of God’s Decrees is that such a doctrine robs man of his moral freedom and will, thus removing from him the liability for his sin, making the idea of salvation meaningless. This debate is at the core of the Calvinist-Wesleyan/Arminian[24] debate. It is not our purpose here to delve into this debate beyond the following principle: the scriptures present the God of the Bible as being sovereign over all things and the scriptures present man as being responsible and culpable for his sin. Any theology that does not affirm both of these principles is out of accord with orthodox Christianity and both the Calvinist and the Wesleyan seek to present a theology that affirms both of these principles. With this in mind, whether Wesleyan or Calvinistic, one is right to speak of the decrees of a sovereign God.
The third concern flows out of the previous question and leads us to the discussion of election and predestination. It is felt that in affirming a doctrine of God’s decrees (assuming that God has decreed who will come to him in faith) one robs man of the motivation for evangelism and of the responsibility to seek him in a stance of worship. Yet, this objection misunderstands the position of the Calvinist.[25] Scripture clearly affirms that man is used as a tool by God[26] to bring about his ends and that our primary task as the church is to go out and make disciples of all nations[27] through the process of preaching and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.[28] Thus, regardless of your position on decrees and on predestination, the making of disciples through evangelism and teaching is the work we have been commissioned to do.[29]
[1] While we normally refer to “Decrees” of God in the plural, it should be noted that this is not meant to suggest the disunity of God’s decretive work. All of the decrees of God flow from his perfections in such unity that one could realistically speak of them as if they were a single, multi-faceted
[2] Johannes Wollebius (1586-1629) was a Dutch theologian and professor of Old Testament at the University of Basel.
[3] Compendium of Christian Theology (need more accurate citation)
[4] Acts 2:23; Job 11:7-9; 21:22; 1 Corinthians 8:6.
[5] Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; Proverbs 16:4; Job 40:2.
[6] Romans 11:34-35; Isaiah 40:12-14; Job 34:13-15.
[7] There is an important distinction that must be made between foreknowledge and foreordination. Foreknowledge, drawn from the Greek term proginw/skw (proginosko), literally means, “to know beforehand.” Yet, we must understand that this knowledge is not simply a result of God gazing ahead in time and seeing what will come to pass. Knowing, in its Biblical usage, refers to a relational knowledge. Thus, foreknowledge not only reflects God’s perfect knowledge of all time from eternity prior, but it also reflects God’s setting his affections upon that which he foreknows or those which he foreknew. In contrast, foreordination is represented by several Greek words: pro/qesiß (prothesis), which means “to will beforehand” (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; 3:11); and proori/zw (proorizo), which means “to decide beforehand” or “to predetermine” (Acts 4:28; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 2:7).
[8] Acts 15:18; Psalm 84:8-11; Ephesians 1:9-11.
[9] Ephesians 1:4; Isaiah 48:13; Matthew 25:34; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 17:8.
[10] Matthew 5:36.
[11] Matthew 6:27.
[12] Psalm 33:10; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Acts 2:21.
[13] Ephesians 1:11; James 1:17; Job 23:13-14; Psalm 33:11; Luke 22:22.
[14] Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:2.
[15] Ephesians 1:11.
[16] Job 38.
[17] Matthew 10:30.
[18] Matthew 6:26.
[19] Psalm 8:3.
[20] Isaiah 45:5-7.
[21] Deuteronomy 18:22; Isaiah 42:9; Ezekiel 24:14.
[22] James 1:13; Job 34:10—note, the concept of God sinning is self-contradictory and nonsensical. Sin, by definition, refers to missing the mark—not living up to the righteous standard of God. Thus for God not to be able to live up to the standard that is set by his own essential character is a contradiction of the very term and makes no sense.
[23] Genesis 50:20.
[24] It should be noted that while many Calvinists confuse Wesleyanism with Arminianism, assuming their views to be synonymous, there is a distinction between the two. Wesley adapted the positions of the Remonstrance particularly in the area of the extent of the fall. The Arminians held that the fall did not affect the human will, thus allowing man freedom of choosing God rightly on one’s own. Wesley properly understood that the fall affected the will as well as the mind and flesh, yet argued that the work of the Cross made it possible for man to choose God when presented with the Gospel (falls under Wesley’s category of “Prevenient Grace”).
[25] It should be noted that one ought not confuse the position of the Calvinist with the heretical position of hyper-calvinism, which does, in fact, hold that believers have no obligation to evangelize because of God’s predestining work.
[26] Zechariah 9:13; Romans 9:19-24.
[27] Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8.
[28] Luke 24:47; Romans 10:14-17.
[29] Sometimes it is easier to talk about these decrees in the negative: God is not the author of sin; God does not repress the will of created beings; God does not eliminate secondary causes; God does not relinquish his divine sovereignty.
A Proverb in Song: part 15
“Man is in his splendor, yet he does not understand;
he has become the same as beasts which are silenced.”
(Psalm 49:21 {Psalm 49:20 in English Bibles})
The psalmist brings this parable in song to a close with these words. Man in all his splendor—his creations, his art, his architecture, his music, his culture, etc…–will pass into dust—will be silenced by the grave. There is no amount of accolades that will ever begin to impress God, nor any praise of men that will mitigate the pains of hell—apart from a relationship with Christ, all is forever lost. To the believer, this is a truth that we know all too well. To the unbeliever, this is a riddle. They cannot understand why God would not simply welcome all kind and good people into his eternal abode, and that is because they do not understand sin and the enmity that sin creates in the heart of man toward a righteous and holy God. They do not understand that they cannot impress God by their actions, for their actions are corrupt and tainted by sin. They do not understand that apart from the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, they are decayed and wretched corpses, hideous in the sight of God. They do not understand the price paid by Christ to redeem a people to himself and that the only way to the Father is through the Son. Oh, to them this is a mystery. How they need to hear parables like this. Why, beloved, do we stand assured even in the face of adversity? Because we know to whom we belong, and eternity has a place in it for us that has been reserved since before time began. A mystery to the unbeliever, perhaps, but to those of us who have been saved—it is the power of God that has given us life!
Like the beasts of the field, in death, the mouths of the pompous will be silenced. As dirt is piled over their corpse, their souls will be bragging no more, for they will then understand the awful truth which they chose to ignore in this life—Christ is King and judge and as such will crush his enemies and cast them into eternal torment as the just and righteous punishment for their sin. What a contrast there is indeed! Eternal glory or eternal agony—there is no middle ground. Yet, how often do we listen to those who speak to their own doom in terms of God, yet fail to take a stand for the truth? Beloved, take the advice of this psalmist and share the mystery of salvation with them. If they reject it, neither of you are any worse off—you have not lost your salvation and they remain on the pathway to damnation. But if they hear and listen, then you have gained a brother and sister—sit back and watch what God will do in their lives as he breathes new life into them. What a blessed work we have been given to do—how sad it is that we are seldom zealous to do it.
Beloved, never lose sight of your purpose in life—to glorify God with the aim of enjoying him forever. The question that I ask you is whether you are enjoying him now? If God is worth enjoying for eternity, he is worth enjoying now in this life, yet how often do our lifestyles communicate to those around us that we are truly enjoying God. Many in the world look upon us and see us as gloomy, depressed people, burdened by laws and obligations. They do not understand that the reason we grieve sin is because it separates us from that which we love the most. They do not understand that the law is a blessing to us that teaches how we may enjoy our God better. All they see are long faces and people who often live a life that is inconsistent with what we profess. They do not see our joy that finds its source in God. Beloved, I ask you again, if your aim is to enjoy God forever, how does your life communicate to others that you are enjoying him now? Does your life convey to a watching world that Jesus is sweeter and more precious to you than all of the riches of this world, or does your lifestyle suggest to the world that religion is a burden to be avoided?
I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of him all the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.
Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Redeemed through his infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.
-Fanny Crosby
A Proverb in a Song, part 14
“For his soul will bless his life,
and he will praise you when you are good to yourself;
he will enter into the generation of his fathers,
he will not see light eternally.”
(Psalm 49:19-20 {Psalm 49:18-19 in English Bibles})
Darkness. Darkness was over the face of the deep before God revealed his Shekinah Glory over creation. After the fall of man, darkness was in the world until God revealed his Shekinah Glory in his Son. Indeed, God has shown light in various places and at various times, revealing himself in his Word to us through the prophets who wrote the Old Testament, but the fullness of his revelation had to wait until the coming of his Son—the fullness of God revealed in flesh. Apart from God and apart from his presence there is no light in the world—there can be. And those who reject God in this life—those who seek after idols of their own making and never submit to God’s Son as their Lord and Savior—are destined for a place of darkness and gloom (Jude 13) where the fire is never quenched, the worm does not die (Mark 9:48), and the torture does not end (Matthew 19:34-35). It is a place filled with the sounds of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28). Oh, beloved, eternal damnation awaits those who flee from God.
Yet, while the sounds of weeping and gnashing of teeth form the song of Hell, the sound of tens of thousands of angels and all creation form the background to the song of praise that will fill eternal glory. Oh , what a contrast there is. We may not receive the accolades that the pagans receive in this life, but how wonderful is the promise that we have been given for eternity. And, oh, beloved, how much longer eternity is than even hundreds of years on this earth. What a wonderful thing we have been promised and that we have to look forward to!
But how is it that we know whether that person walking down the street is really an person destined for damnation or just a life in whom God has yet to work? And how is it that you can tell whether it is you that God intends to use to witness to this person? That is—until you share the gospel with them—until you try and tell them of all the wonders of God—until you, like this psalmist, share the truth with all who would hear? Oh, dear friends, so often we assume that God will work through someone else. The question that you should be asking God every day is, “why not me, Lord, why not work through me?”
A willing spirit, a thankful heart,
Dear Lord, to me will you impart,
That the truth of Jesus I may share,
To those who walk this world without a care.
A Proverb in a Song: part 13
“Do not fear that a man should gain riches,
for the glory of his house becomes great,
because he will not take any of it on his death,
his glory will not go down after him.”
(Psalm 49:17-18 {Psalm 16-17 in English Bibles})
You may feel that, after the psalmist has reached the climax of his message, he is going back over the same ground again, perhaps for emphasis. But do not miss the implications of this statement. Essentially, the psalmist is looking around at the world and recognizing a fact that believers have noticed for years and years—how is it that the wicked are so often the ones who get wealthy and famous in this world? With that in mind, he is saying, fear not—for no matter how much wealth they may accumulate and no matter how much fame and glory they may achieve, it is all for naught. It will die with them. No matter how you translate “Sheol” in the previous passage, the results are the same once you arrive here—at the grave or in eternal torment, your glory will do you no good—your reputation will not follow you beyond this world.
Yet, do not think that the psalmist is only thinking in negative terms, because he communicates a profound truth if you read between the lines. The faithful do not concern themselves with earthly glory, but, rather, their glory is God himself! Thus, not only will God preserve his own through the grave, bringing them into eternal paradise and not judgment, but the glory of the faithful will remain with them—what is more, it will increase! For in death, we are brought into the presence of God himself, no longer separated by sin from being able to recognize the glory of our God and King! What a wonderful promise, what a wonderful gift!
The problem is that for many believers, their glory is not found in God alone, but they have become tempted by the culture we live in to seek after the perishable things of this world. Oh, how often our eyes become turned away from the source of all true riches. We become burdened by bills to pay, desires to have this or that, and wishes to give our families all the things that our neighbors are giving to their families. We say, wouldn’t life be so much better if we had this or that… Yet, one thing leads to the next and we end up on a pathway that leads to seeking after the things of this world with our energies, rather than devoting ourselves to seeking after God and His glory.
Loved ones, do not fall into that trap. The things of this world are perishable and will pass away. They will slip from your hands just as easily as water through your fingers. And in death, you will take none of it with you. Yet, beloved, here is the hope that we may glory in—seek after God and his glory and not only will it enrich and bless your life in immeasurable ways here on earth, but you will take it with you—and not only that, if your glory is God in this world, dear friends, how much more will you enjoy that glory in the next!!! Oh, loved ones, what a wonder of God’s grace! Beloved, find your joy and your treasure and your glory in God and it will never perish and those things will follow you from this life into the next.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free;
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of thy love;
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To thy glorious rest above.
-Samuel Trevor Francis
A Proverb in a Song: part 12
“Like sheep, they are directed toward Sheol,
death shall shepherd them,
and the upright one shall tread upon them through the morning.
Their rock images shall be destroyed in Sheol from His lofty abode.
Nevertheless, God will redeem my life from the hand of Sheol,
For He will take me—Selah!”
(Psalm 49:15-16 {Psalm 14-15 in English Bibles})
Here we have reached the climax of the psalm. Though the wicked will be led to the grave and their idols will be destroyed, God will redeem His people—preserving them through the grave. Beloved, if anyone ever tells you that the Old Testament is devoid of the Gospel, do point them to passages like this, for oh, these remind us of the richness of the promise that the Old Testament saints understood. They may not have known the name or the timing of the one who would come as the Messiah, but they trusted and believed in his coming, and through faith in the promise they found life.
Bet let us not miss the deep truths contained within these verses. First of all, notice the language of those who are entrenched in sin—these are led or directed toward Sheol. The language of the verse is clear, the end to which their pathway leads is no accident—it is to the grave and into judgment. Indeed, the psalmist says, death will be their shepherd. Death is the first and primary result of sin—not just physical death but spiritual death as well. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they did not die physically that day, but lived many years after that. Yet, they immediately died in a spiritual sense—they were immediately cut off with their relationship with God, the source of their life in the first place (was it not God who breathed life into them?). Thus, without a relationship with a new shepherd, all men and women are bound to the old shepherd, death and are being led like sheep to Sheol.
So what is this Sheol place? There have been many suggestions, but the most common two are either that Sheol is simply the grave or that Sheol is some sort of underworld place akin to Hades or Hell—the Greek translation of the Old Testament often renders this Hebrew word as either “inferno” or “Hades.” The one thing that everyone agrees on is that this is the place to which the dead go. In most cases, I think that we must allow context to provide us with the most natural reading of the text. In most cases, I am more inclined to simply translate this as “the grave,” understanding that it is to the grave that our bodies go even though our spirits either enter into torment or into Christ’s presence immediately upon death. I translate it this way also remembering that the great promise that we have is not simply that our spirits will go into Christ’s presence, but that our bodies will be raised as well (not left to the grave to eternally rot), but will be bodily resurrected at the second coming of Christ.
Yet, in the context of this psalm, it does not seem unrealistic to translate “Sheol” as “Hades” or “Hell.” The psalmist is speaking of eternal judgment as a result of sin and he is speaking how God will raise him up and not abandon him to such judgment. That seems to imply that he is employing this idea of Sheol to convey a deeper, spiritual truth—one dealing with eternal torment, not just the corruption of decomposing in the grave.
So what does it mean when the psalmist says the upright shall tread upon them in the morning? There are two ways to explain this. The first is in terms of a literal treading on the dirt that covers the grave. This does not much help to explain the language of doing so in the morning, apart from the morning being a fresh part of the day, often associated with life. The better option is to recognize this as a reminder that in the final judgment, Jesus has promised to share some of his authority in terms of destroying his enemies with believers. In Psalm 2:9 we are given the picture of Jesus being given the rod by which he will break the nations; in Revelation 2:26-27 that same imagery is applied toward believers who have overcome the things of the earth in faith. The principle is simple, what God gives the Son, the son gives to his bride. And, in part, we have already engaged in doing just that through the proclamation of the gospel, but that which is in part now, will be brought to fullness at the time of the second coming.
And finally, not only will the sinners enter Sheol in judgment, but the idols that they worship (their rock images) will be destroyed in Sheol as well. There are two levels by which this clause can be understood. The first would be the simplest reading of the text to reflect the idea that while God is eternal, the creations of man will pass away over time. These images that they worship are nothing more than the works of their hands—they are not immortal gods that they bow to but rock images—and will perish over time. On a secondary level, there are times when false religions seem to act with some degree of power, and when we see such, we should always remember that these religions find their power in demonic sources. Yet, even the demons will face God’s eternal wrath and are reserved for the torments of Hell right along with those who worship them. Beloved, the lake of fire will be filled with all of God’s enemies—human and otherwise.
With all of this before us—the great pronouncement of condemnation upon all those who do not serve God in faith—the psalmist lets out a cry of confident joy. He is saying, though you who serve false gods will be destroyed with those gods, I will be redeemed and preserved by my God, who lives forever. The grave will not keep me—Hell has no claim on me—I belong to the King of Kings and he will not let me perish with his enemies! And all we can say to that is Amen and Amen—and once again, I say, Amen!
Beloved, live, act, and sing with confidence, because you have been redeemed! You and I will spend an eternity with our God and King while those who worship false idols or demons will spend an eternity with their gods in torment—what is there not to rejoice over. At the same time, with such a message of good news, why do we not do like this psalmist and boldly proclaim it to all that we meet! Oh, what words of wisdom are brought to us in this parable in song.
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through his infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.
Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through his infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.
-Fanny Crosby
A Proverb in Song: part 11
“This is the pathway of the fool toward them,
and after them, they take pleasure with their mouths—Selah!”
(Psalm 49:14 {Psalm 49:13})
This verse ties in very closely with the verses that precede it. The psalmist is speaking of those who brag in their own works and abilities and how the path of those who do so leads swiftly toward the grave. There is no eternal hope for those who rely in themselves. With this in mind, the psalmist arrives at this verse and declares that such a road is the pathway that fools travel. Indeed, to trust in that which is soon headed for destruction when you seek eternity is nothing short of a fool’s errand. Yet, the psalmist makes another profound observation. Even as those who brag on themselves are headed for the grave, there are others who take pleasure in cheering them along. How it is that those headed for destruction cheer one another along—those heading for the fires of Hell do so with grand celebration in this world.
Oh, beloved, how vain and arrogant the world is! How they refuse to submit to the truth of God’s word even in the face of immanent death! And how often they encourage others in their sins. How the old proverb is true that misery loves company. Sinners do not wish to go to destruction alone, thus they wish to take others with them. How many have fallen for the lie of the promise of fleeting pleasure and have neglected everlasting joy that can only be found in Christ. What a task we have before us, to proclaim as does this psalmist, the truth of God’s word to a dying world.
One final note on the word, “Selah.” We really have no idea what the word means, though it is likely a musical term of some sort or another. Some have suggested that it is used much like we would say, “Amen” at the end of a hymn. Whatever the word means, it does seem to break up psalms at points or to at least cause us a reason for pause. In the context of this psalm, it gives a chance for this last statement to sink in to our hearts. And remembering that this psalm is addressed to the world, it is meant to cause the unbeliever to stop and then be ready to pay close attention to what is to come next—and indeed, the following two verses contain the great contrast between the believer and the unbeliever, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. For now, let us pray for those which we care about whose path is marked by the fool and whose lips praise the fool in his folly. Let us pray for them and be a witness to them of the truth of the salvation that is in Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone.
A Proverb in a Song: part 10
“Mankind in splendor will not last a night,
he is like the beasts, which are destroyed.”
(Psalm 49:13 {Psalm 49:12 in English Bibles})
Oh, what an important Biblical theme that we have stumbled across in this verse! The things of this earth are passing away (1 John 2:17); the works of men are like grass and flowers of the field, quickly burned up in the summer sun (James 1:11), and indeed, even the most glorious things that men have placed their names will fall to the dust (1 Peter 1:24). How true are the words of Isaiah that Peter is drawing from:
The grass withers and the flower falls,
But the word of God will stand up forever.
(Isaiah 40:8)
How quick we are to place our hopes in the things of this world. How swiftly we are awed by the feats of man’s glory. People build skyscrapers to demonstrate their engineering prowess, but what is a skyscraper compared to the great mountains of the earth. People build complex computer chips to manage large amounts of information, but what are even the greatest computer chips in comparison to the human brain? People build complex factories to manufacture items, but even the most complex factory is simple in comparison to a living cell? Man designs submarines to explore the depths of the ocean, but what of those creatures that live in those depths in the first place? The most magnificent creation that we can conjure is nothing in comparison to the creation of God. He has made things such—in their complexity, majesty, and organization—that we could never dream of creating an equal. And…let us never forget…God created ex-nihilo. We are dependant on what God has already made to make whatever it is that we wish to make. Oh, the arrogance of men who point to their own constructions and gloat.
Beloved, the psalmist is making this point very clear—if what we do is not done for the glory of God, it has no lasting value. We all end up in the grave and our creations—though they may live generations beyond us—will pass away as well. Though the ancient Mayan pyramids may still stand, no one knows the names of their architects. Your immortality can only be granted by God; it will never come as a result of the works of your hand. How vain it is to seek our glory elsewhere.
A Proverb in a Song: part 9
“Their graves are their everlasting homes—
tabernacles from generation to generation;
they proclaim loudly by their own name over the land.”
(Psalm 49:12 {Psalm 49:11 in English})
Not only will all face death—both the wise and the foolish, great and small, but apart from God, there is none who can escape the grave. No matter who you are or what you have done, the grave awaits all as a final home. There are none—save Jesus—who have entered the grave and risen from it, thus where else but Jesus can one find hope? You would not trust your car to a mechanic who had never lifted the hood; you would not trust yourself to a heart surgeon who had never performed a successful operation; why would you trust your eternal soul to one who never left the grave? Jesus left the grave and promised his followers that he would bring us through the grave as well—that sounds like a pretty safe bet, but oh, how many would deny Him and seek their own pathway only to their own destruction.
There is some discussion as to the meaning of the final clause in this verse. It is a Hebrew idiom that is often translated as speaking of how people name lands after themselves in their vanity, yet still find themselves buried in those same lands. Regardless of how you understand the idiom, there certainly is an ironic link here between these lands and the graves wherein the people will make their final homes. Yet, I think that there may be something more going on with this verse. The language of proclaiming (or speaking boldly) in one’s own name is also used of the activity of God (Exodus 34:5-7). In this passage, God is essentially invoking his own name to give force to what it is that he is going to say next—specifically in context, it is a statement about his sovereignty. God does not proclaim by his name very often, but when he does, we should take notice, because it is adding force to what he is about to say next. It is as if God is couching the force of the next statement in the very nature of his being. If we take this, then and apply it back to our verse, we may also interpret this, then, as the unbeliever essentially seeking to make a bad imitation of God. They seek to pronounce their authority by their own name upon the land, yet the land will still consume them in the end.
How easy it is to become arrogant and to begin to think of ourselves in terms of our own authority, power and might. But, beloved, how short-lived our influence is. In the scope of eternity, only one person has made a difference, and that person is Jesus Christ. How silly and foolish it is for us to seek to pronounce things by our own names when we cannot order the events of today, let alone, tomorrow. How foolish and arrogant we become before the eyes of God when we trust in our own might and not in the might of Him who formed us and who called us from before the creation of the world.
A Proverb in a Song: part 8
“For he sees that the wise will die together with the stupid and foolish ones;
and they will leave behind their strength to others.”
(Psalm 49:11 {Psalm 49:10})
The psalmist continues to build his case—not only can a man not redeem himself or another man in terms of eternal matters before God, but he cannot even build his own legacy up in this life in such a way that he will live on forever. The wise and the foolish will both die and be put into the ground. The professor with the PhD and the homeless man with a third grade education will find equality in the grave. The Nobel Prize recipient and the “snake-oil” salesman will both be laid to rest in the dirt. Oh, how the grave is the great equalizer in the eyes of the world! Not only that—but your power, your wealth, your might, your empire, etc… will be left to others to abuse, misuse, and squander as they see fit. What a depressing cycle it is for those who do not have a relationship with Christ Jesus!
How often we become obsessed with what kind of legacy we will leave behind when we move from this world into the next. How will we be remembered? What will our great grandchildren say of us? What will future generations say of our contributions to the generation in which we lived? But beloved, these are the concerns of the world—they should not bear heavily upon your soul. Why is this? First, we are held firmly in the hand of a sovereign and wonderful God who will bring about his plans in this world without compromise and without question. Secondly, life is not about me or about my plans or about my accomplishments; it is about Christ. Thus, all the next generation needs to remember about you is whether or not you were faithful in pointing them in the direction of the one who really matters—pointing faithfully to Christ. Loved ones—right there is the answer to all of our questions about tomorrow and finding satisfaction in the work of today. Did you point faithfully to Christ? Did you live a life that clearly communicated the truth of Christ’s preeminence? Were others drawn to Christ because of your faithful witness? Beloved, if the answer to these questions is, “yes,” then your life was a resounding success—little else matters.
All to Jesus, I surrender,
All to Him I freely give,
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
-Judson Van deVenter
A Proverb in a Song: part 7
“A brother can surely not redeem a man;
he cannot give to God his ransom.
For precious is the redemption of their life
And he will fail forever.
That he should live again forever,
That he should not see the grave.”
(Psalm 49:8-10 {Psalm 49:7-9 in English Bibles})
The first great truth of this proverb is set before us in these three verses. And in doing so, he again addresses the question of why the believer does not fear his oppressors. And the truth is this—it is impossible for a man to redeem himself or to redeem another from their sins. Sin earns for us a debit against God that we cannot pay for ourselves, and as sinners, we cannot pay for anyone else. Oh, what a sorry state we are in as we live and breathe in this world. We are born sinners and condemned to die. No matter how hard we work or labor, there is nothing we can do within our own strength to better that lot for ourselves or even on behalf of another.
The great theologian of the medieval church, Anselm, put forward this same dilemma; reminding us that it is we as mankind who need a savior, yet it is only God (who needs no saving) that can save us. He who needs saving must be saved by him who needs no saving himself. Christ owed nothing to God as he had no sin debit—we owed everything and then some. It is only through the saving work of Christ that we can know redemption—it is only because Christ paid the debit we owed—that I personally owed!—that you or I can have the hope and promise of eternal life.
And this was a truth that was understood long before the coming of Jesus. The sons of Korah are clearly saying just that—man cannot redeem his brother any more than he can redeem himself—the debit owed as a result of sin is just too high. Powerful words from ones who knew what it meant to have God give them a second chance, as God did not destroy the sons of Korah in Korah’s rebellion.
Beloved, do not despair the grave, for the one who has offered you redemption has already been there and has risen! There is nothing to fear because our big brother has gone there first. Yet, loved ones, never miss the importance of this great truth, because it is a truth that the world largely does not and cannot understand. It is impossible for you or I to earn our own deliverance—no matter how many good and noble things we might do. At the same time, there is hope from despair in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Cling to him and always point the way to him before a watching world that does not comprehend this truth.
A Proverb in a Song: part 6
“Why should I fear the day of evil?
Iniquity is the very footprint of those who surround me—
Those who trust upon their own strength,
And boast of abundant riches!”
(Psalm 49:6-7 {Psalm 49:5-6 in English Bibles})
And now the Psalmist sets the question before us. How is it that those who believe in God can walk without fear in the presence of Great evil? How is it that when they are surrounded by men of iniquity, they can stand confident in their God? Thus, with this in mind, the rest of the psalm is aimed at reasoning through this question and setting the answer before an unbelieving world.
What I find particularly interesting is the interplay between these two verses. Verse 6 (Hebrew) begins with the question of fearing in the day of evil and ends with a definition of what the day of evil happens to be, namely the time when his foes surround him—implying the idea of their seeking to crush him. Literally, the psalmist writes that Iniquity is the “heel” of those who surround him—it is what defines them firstly, but also, it implies malicious intent—particularly in the context of the verb bb;s’ (savav), which means, “to surround.”
As the psalmist moves to verse 7 (Hebrew), he provides a definition of those whose footprint is iniquity—of those whose very life is defined by sin. And the psalmist lists two attributes: they rely on their own strength and they praise (or boast in) wealth. Sadly, that sounds like much of our American culture today? In America, we idealize the “self-made-man” and the man who can “stand alone” against the world. Oh, how this mindset is so alien to the Biblical mindset! How we are not a people who stand alone against the world, but who stand united not only with other believers in the body of Christ but also with Christ himself as our King and Lord. We are not self-made men and women, but are God-made, and, oh, how I thank God that this is the case!
Beloved, if you are swayed by the world to adopt their views of what makes a man great and strong, you will be led into pride and iniquity. In addition, if you are relying on your own strength, from where do you find comfort and peace when you are surrounded and overwhelmed by the enemy. If your strength is in your riches or in your strength, you will be defeated and sink in to fear—and oh, how far that is from where the heart of the believer is to be—how far indeed. Believer, cling to Christ and find your hope and strength in him and in him alone and call others to do the same.
A Proverb in a Song: part 5
“I will stretch out my ear to a proverb,
I will open a riddle with a lyre.”
(Psalm 49:5 {Psalm 49:4 in English Bibles})
And what will be the riddle that this proverb is to solve? The question is posed in the very next verses, and asks the question that many of us have asked at some point or another—a question that the watching world asks of us as well. How is it, it may be said, that believers can face such persecution and oppression from outside, yet still maintain their hope. Though we know that the answer is and can only be God, oh, how this is a great riddle to the unbeliever.
So beloved, hear the psalmist’s song of freedom, lifted up to the tune of the lyre. Hear him sing of God’s glory and deliverance not only from oppressors, but from the oppression of the grave itself! And be encouraged, for it is this God who has made such a promise to all who love him and come to him through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. It is us, beloved, it is us, who will one day sing with this psalmist of the finished plans of God, looking back from beyond the grave, over all that God has done for his people—for you and for me—and praising him for his remarkable faithfulness in times of trouble and great joy. Oh, our God is great and wonderful, faithful beyond the ages—what a privilege and what a joy it is, to sing his endless praises!
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
-Julia Johnston
A Proverb in a Song: part 4
“My mouth shall speak wisdoms;
the meditation of my heart is understanding.”
(Psalm 49:4 {Psalm 49:3 in English Bibles})
And now that the psalmist has called peoples from across the planet to heed the words of his lips, he addresses them specifically. He is saying, listen here, you people of the earth and I will provide true wisdom for your ears! In addition, the psalmist clarifies the importance of what he is going to say by pointing out that the meditation of his heart—that which he is about to speak—will give them understanding. Oh, beloved, how deep a truth this is for us—wisdom and understanding come from no other place but from God and is conveyed to us through his Word. How often do we seek to forge our own understandings? How often do we reject the plain teachings of scripture because we cannot comprehend what is being revealed? How often do we submit the scriptures to our own understanding rather than submitting our understanding to the scriptures?
Now, you will note something unusual about the translation that I have rendered with respect to the word “wisdom.” In English and in Hebrew, the word wisdom is normally used as a collective noun, simply meaning that whether you speak one piece of wisdom or twenty, it is still referred to as “wisdom” and not “wisdoms.” Yet, in this verse, the psalmist has pluralized this word. What is significant about this is that the plural form of wisdom only occurs in four places in the Hebrew Bible—once here, and three times in the book of Proverbs (1:20, 9:1, 24:7). This provides a connection to what it is that the psalmist is going to communicate in the following verse—the wisdom that he is about to espouse is a proverb to be heard by all the nations of the earth.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Hebrew word for meditation, tWgh’ (haguth), is derived from the Hebrew verb, hg”h’ (hagah), which means, “to growl.” The imagery is reflective of the way that traditional Hebrew students of God’s word would mutter softly as they were immersed in their study of the scriptures. This intense concentration, accompanied by the quiet muttering as they studied, was reminiscent of an animal quietly growling as they were focused steadfastly on their prey. This being said, it is worth posing the question, in our busy and hectic world, do we ever make the time to study God’s word so intently that we do not permit distractions to encroach on that time? Sadly, I think that answer for most of us is no.
Beloved, hear the words of wisdom that will come from the depth of this psalmist’s soul. They will bring understanding to our hearts. But do not only hear his words, hear what he communicates to us by his life. He is a man who has spent time growling over scripture—so deeply focused on the study of God’s word that outside distractions are cast aside totally. And as a result of this devotion to God’s word, wisdom pours from his lips. Friends, if you want wisdom, James reminds us that we are to pray for it and that God will give it in abundance (James 1:5-8)—and this comes through trial (James 1:2-4). Yet, if you want to nurture and mature wisdom, you must immerse yourself in the undistracted study of God’s word. That means we must be deliberate about making such time—indeed, that is a challenge in our modern, fast-paced culture, but oh, how wonderful the benefits of such time are!
A Proverb in a Song: part 3
“As well as the sons of Adam—even the sons of man—
together, both the rich and the needy.”
(Psalm 49:3 {Psalm 49:2 in English Bibles})
If you have been reading along with this psalm in your favorite Bible translation, you will quickly notice that there is some disparity between the language above and how most translators translate the first portion of this verse. Most will translate this as “both low and high” or something very similar to that. Essentially, what they are doing is taking the language of the “sons of Adam” and “the sons of man” and treating them idiomatically to reflect the idea of highborn and lowborn people of various estates, which would also make the first half of the verse parallel to the second.
Yet, I am not convinced that this is what the psalmist is seeking to do. As we talked in the previous verse, this psalm is not written to Israelites alone, but it is directed to all people of all nations. With that in mind, it seems to me that the psalmist is using language that is as broad as possible to refer to people from every tribe and nation. The psalmist uses the very specific language of the Sons of Adam, which of course is all of mankind, and then he uses generic language that again refers to all people. The idea here being that all people without exclusion are called to listen to the words of wisdom he is about to write—given as emphasis of what he proclaims in the previous verse.
Yes, beloved, as we said earlier, the Gospel is for all people of all time. There is no one—man, woman, or child—that the words of scripture do not apply to. The question is, if we understand this and agree with this, why do we not share the truth of God’s word with more people in our lives? Why do we back down at the first sign of challenge and fail to stand for what we know to be the truth? Oh, beloved, let us sound the alarms and preach from the rooftops—let us proclaim to the sons of Adam—indeed to all the children of the earth—that Jesus Christ is Lord and that salvation is found in his name and in his name alone!
A Proverb in a Song: part 2
“Hear this, all ye peoples!
Listen carefully, all who dwell in the world!”
(Psalm 49:2 {Psalm 49:1 in English Bibles})
Notice to whom this psalm is written. All too often we only think of the scriptures in terms of being written for God’s people, yet, this psalm is addressing all people of world! Oh, what an important reminder this is that the oracles of God are to be shared with all of creation—young and old, rich and poor, far and near. The gospel is for every culture and race and the truth of God is suitable for all.
How often we adopt the attitude, when dialoguing with non-believers, do we back down from holding to this great truth. We adopt the attitude of our culture which says, “Let me believe what I want to believe and I will let you believe what you want to believe…” It makes people uncomfortable when you hold fast to the position that the truth of scripture is the only truth and all other things that masquerade as truth have their origins in the pits of Hell. It does not sound very “tolerant” to say that, does it? Yet, is light tolerant of the darkness? Indeed, not! Light casts darkness away!
We live in a world where people have preferred darkness to light (John 3:19), for in the darkness, the sins of men remain hidden. Light exposes sin for what it is and light hurts the eyes when it is seen for the first time, yet, beloved, light is where we belong, for God is light. And as we are in the light, we then must, by necessity, reflect the light of His glory into the world and the world will largely reject us—not for who we are, but for whose light we shine. Beloved, do not be shy about shining your light amongst men and women, the truth of scripture is for all mankind—without qualification or exception. Truth is truth, regardless of the circumstances. So shout to the world, with this psalmist, that they would hear the truth of God’s wonderful revelation!
I will tell the wondrous story,
How my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy,
He the ransom freely gave.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer!
With His blood he purchased me;
On the cross he sealed my pardon,
Paid the debit and made me free.
-Philip Bliss
A Proverb in a Song: part 1
“To the Director: From the Sons of Korah, a Psalm”
(Psalm 49:1 {Superscript in English Bibles})
While David is most well known for his psalm writing, the sons of Korah provide another block of psalms, 11 in all, that were used for worship with God’s people. Korah was the Great-grandson of Levi, from whom the Priests would be drawn. More importantly, Korah was the son of Izhar, who was the brother of Amram. And while Amram is not an overly familiar name to us, his two sons are quite familiar: Aaron and Moses.
Yet, the story of Korah is not one of the happiest in scripture. Numbers 16 records how Korah rose up in rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, seeking more prominence in the leadership of Israel. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram allowed their pride to consume them and they rejected the authority that God had placed over them. In punishment, God opened up the earth to swallow up these men, their immediate families, and those who directly followed them—in all, 250 people died that day. What is worse, on the next day, the grumbling of the people against Moses increased and God sent a plague (a gruesome disease afflicted by God), which destroyed 14,700 more people who were rising up against Moses. In the New Testament, Jude will cite the rebellion of Korah as a sign of God’s faithfulness to bring judgment upon false teachers and those “for whom the dark gloom of eternity has been kept.” Hard words of Korah, indeed.
Yet, the sons of Korah were not destroyed in their father’s rebellion (Numbers 26:11)! By God’s abundant grace, he spared them that they might learn from their father’s error and know the glory of God. In turn, the Sons of Korah, would eventually be assigned by David and Samuel as those who would guard the entrance to the Tabernacle (1 Chronicles 9:19). In addition, it would be given to the Sons of Korah to make the flat cakes of bread used for meal offerings (1 Chronicles 9:31). What is more, eleven psalms would be written by these Sons of Korah for use in the worship of God’s people.
How often we expect the sons of the father to bear guilt with him, and that is the natural way in which nature works. God has established a standard by which this happens in the natural order of things (Exodus 34:7). At the same time, this psalm is a psalm about redemption and being kept from being swallowed by Sheol (something that these sons knew all about as Korah had been swallowed up by the earth himself). It is a reminder to us that while sin has a natural tendency to wear down and destroy, God redeems. Oh, what a wonderful God we have that would take the sons of a man who wreaked such havoc within the people of Israel and use them for his praise throughout the generations! Oh, if he is willing to work like this in the lives of the Sons of Korah, what he may even be willing to do with a wretch like me!
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see!
-John Newton
The Light of Creation: Hebrews 1:1-4 (part 8)
Who being the radiance of the glory…
Many people ask the question of those of us who hold strongly to the Biblical account of creation (God creating in a literal period of six 24-hour days, then resting on the seventh, literal, 24-hour day), “If the sun and stars were not created until day 4, how was there light on the earlier days?” While there are many pseudo-scientific answers that have been presented to address this question, we need not go beyond the scriptural texts, for in this passage, God gives us the answer. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God. He is the effulgent splendor of God’s glory—of his greatness—of his “weightiness! What a wonderful thought, God’s glory cannot be contained or cloaked in darkness, but it must be seen, and who is the one who reflects that glory down upon the newly created earth? Jesus the Christ! And he continues to shine God’s glory down upon us for all time. Thus, when God the Father pronounced, “Let there be light!”, it was God the Son who revealed and reflected that light down upon a watching world. In addition, we are told that in the new creation that there will be no sun and no darkness, but the glory of God will be with our light we will exist to praise him and to glory in him.
Yet, the first line of this verse should not simply be seen in terms of creation, but in terms of all redemptive history! The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), believers are redeemed to the glory of God (Philippians 2:11), and Christ is the means by which God pours out and demonstrates that glory to his created order. Beloved, that ought to cause your heart to skip! The reason that we know of the sun is because it radiates its light and heat to us. The reason that we know that a flame is hot is because of the heat that radiates out from the flame. Beloved, the reason that we know of the glory of God is because God chose to radiate that glory to us in Christ. What a wonderful hope and promise, what a wonderful privilege given to him, and ought we not honor him appropriately? Ought we not pour out our praise for God the Son, not only for what he has done for us as believers, but for who he is. As Paul writes, there will come a time that even those who are eternally perishing will give Christ his due (Philippians 2:11), ought we not begin now? Loved ones, think through your days, your weeks, and your years; what does your private worship look like? Do we genuinely praise Christ in all we do and give him thanks for all we have been given? Do we praise him for who he is? Do we exalt him before a watching world with our words and with our lives? If not, what is holding us back? Jesus Christ is the very radiance—the effulgent splendor—of the glory of God; honor him as such.
The Contagiousness of Worship! (New Song, part 11)
“The Contagiousness of Worship”
Worship, when it is filled with the Holy Spirit, is contagious. I expect that this is part of the reason that the scriptures emphasize that believers are to live within a covenant community. Not only can we support one another, but in our joined worship, we enable each other and lift each other up. I don’t expect that this principle could be displayed any more graphically than it is displayed here at the end of Revelation, chapter 5. As soon as the twelve elders finish their song (which we have been looking at), they are joined by the four living creatures, the four cherubim, that are around the throne. Then they are joined by “myriads of myriads” of angels.
If you are interested in mathematics, a myriad is 10,000. Thus, a myriad of myriads, would be 10,000 times 10,000, or 100,000,000. And John describes “myriads of myriads,” both being plural. Thus, if we take this number literally, there are hundreds of millions of angels around the throne singing praise (this would require a choir loft that was 10 miles long and 10 miles deep!). Regardless of whether you take this number literally or figuratively as an uncountable number, it is one heck of a large chorus!
I had the blessing a number of years ago to participate in a evening worship service at a youth retreat where there were an estimated 90,000 youth and adults—all lifting their praises to heaven. It was a beautiful thing to behold. In Exodus 15, we are told that when the Israelites had crossed over the Red Sea safely, they sang praise to God—the men being led by Moses and the women by Miriam. We can safely assume that there were at least a million people present at this event. The sound of their voices must have shook the earth! Now multiply that and imagine for a moment hundreds of millions of angelic voices lifted up in perfect harmony to our Lord and God! What an amazing thing that must have been for John to witness!
And if that wasn’t enough, all of creation lifted its voice to join the heavenly song! True worship is contagious, oh believer, what joy you have to look forward to! This chapter closes appropriately, indeed. Once this amazing chorus finishes it’s last verse, the four cherubim around the throne, say, “Amen!” And the elders fall on their faces and worship. Loved ones, this is what God has planned for you. Don’t be too busy worrying about the individual blessings that are promised in scripture—in comparison to this—they are nickels and dimes.
O For a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise ye dumb,
your loosen’d tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come;
and leap, ye lame, for joy.
-Charles Wesley
Reigning with Christ! (New Song, part 10)
“We will reign with Christ”
One of the major themes of Revelation is that the prize to those who overcome is not only eternal life with Christ, but a co-reign with Christ as well (see Revelation 2:26-27, 3:21). As the Messiah is given authority over the nations (see Psalm 2:8), here we see Jesus, who is the Messiah, sharing that authority with believers.
We are not given all of the details as to exactly how this will look, though some have built entire theologies around their speculations as to what this is about. While we don’t know all of the specifics, one thing that we can say is that any authority that we might be given will be given through Christ himself. The new heavens and earth, will be a world restored to the perfection of Eden, and we, in our glorified bodies, will fill it. Just as Adam and Eve were given governorship of the world as stewards of God, so too, we will be Christ’s stewards over the world. If we add much more we enter into the realm of speculation.
What amazing gifts and blessings Jesus promises to his own! Not only does he bless us and provide for us while we are here on earth, but he has prepared a land for us and has promised to shower us with blessings upon joining him in paradise. Simply being in the presence of God is infinitely more than enough, but Jesus goes beyond our capacity to imagine and has prepared a city in which we may live blessedly with him forever! And yet, at times, we begrudge him the praise he is due…
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
-Isaac Watts
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