Our Great High Priest! (New Song, part 9)
“Our Great High Priest”
Though not specifically mentioned here in this particular hymn, where there is a nation of priests, there also must be a high priest. And, of course, that high priest is Jesus. He is the one who makes constant intercession for us before the father, and it is he who provided the sacrifice that brought us into fellowship with God the Father. Jesus is the only head of the church.
With this in mind, there can be ecclesial hierarchy within the church, though we see hierarchies within many denominations. Many call themselves Bishops or Arch-Bishops or Cardinals, etc… These have no place in Christ’s church. While it is true that the term e∆pi√skopoß (episkopos), from which we get the term “bishop” is a biblical term, it is a term that is used interchangeably with presbuvteroß (presbuteros). Both of these terms refer to one who is an elder in the church. In a sense, then, it is perfectly acceptable for any local pastor to call himself a Bishop, yet, given the way the term has been mis-appropriated by certain denominations, it would be the heights of pride for him to refer to himself in this way. Even the Apostle Peter refers to himself as a “fellow elder” in the church (1 Peter 5:1).
Elect from every nation,
yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
-Samuel Stone
A Kingdom of Priests! (New Song, part 8)
“ Kingdom of Priests”
Just as the Levites (the Old Testament priesthood) were not given an allotment of land when the Israelites entered into Canaan, but rather lived amongst the rest of the tribes of the nation, we as Christians are a priesthood without a land here on this earth. We are called, just as the Levites were, to live as strangers and aliens in this land, for our land is a land that is not of this world, but has been reserved for us in heaven.
With this in mind, there are two things that we must always keep before us. First is that we are not to allow ourselves too high a degree of comfort in this world. This world is passing away and it has not been given to us; our world is imperishable. When the Christian becomes too comfortable with the things of this world, he begins to compromise his faith. Just as the Levitical priesthood allowed the idolatry of the land to corrupt their pure faith, so too, when we become comfortable in the land, we invariably compromise the truth of our faith, and we sink into idolatry.
Secondly, the reason that the priesthood was spread about the promised land was so that they would be a blessing to the rest of the Israelites. Yes, the Levites served an important function within the temple, but when they were not physically serving in the temple, the Levites were to teach the scriptures to God’s people and to be an advocate for the widows and orphans, or those otherwise excluded from the society. Just as the nation of Israel was blessed to be a blessing to the world around them, the Levites were blessed to be a blessing to Israel.
And friends, this also remains as our task. Not only must we seek to keep our faith pure and focused on Christ (as opposed to the things of this world), but we are also to be a blessing to the world around us. We need to care for the widows and the orphans, and by extension, all those who have been discarded by society. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people and teach them about our God. And, as we are priests to God, we have an important role in worship itself, for the writer of Hebrews tells us that our sacrifice (as opposed to the Old Testament temple sacrifices) is a sacrifice of praise to our God (Hebrews 13:15).
Take my will, and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love, My Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.
-Francis Havergal
The Scope of the Atonement! (New Song, part 7)
“The Limited Scope of the Atonement”
At the same time that Jesus’ ransom was for people from every tribe and nation, do note that it is not performed for all people or tribes without exception; rather, it is for all people and tribes without distinction. Christ’s atoning work was fully effective for the people he came to save, often referred to as the elect. The names written on the Lamb’s Book of Life were written before the foundation of the earth, nothing could ever erase them, and Jesus died to atone for the sins of those whose names are written within.
This does not mean that others, who will eventually and eternally reject the work of Christ, do not benefit from the blood that was shed by Jesus. Yet, the benefit they enjoy is secondary and it is not salvific. The world benefits from the good work of those who are saved. Hospitals, schools, relief agencies, and homeless shelters almost always have their roots in the work of Christian believers. Missionaries have been willing to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the earth, where others would never dream of going, in the hopes of taking the gospel to some. Missionaries have often had to create a written language based on the spoken language that a culture used so that they can translate the Bible for them, this allows the tribes to communicate and learn, preserving their thoughts in written form for future generations.
God also gives some general blessings to all people. He gives rain to the crops without distinction; he gives air that is breathable, and new life in the womb. It is through Jesus that God the Father created and it is through Jesus that all things are held together, thus, without Jesus, the fabric of the universe would have torn itself asunder.
Were the scope of Jesus’ work to have been universal, there would be no people in Hell. Yet, Jesus talks more about the reality of Hell and those who will be sent there than any other New Testament writer or person. He ought to know, I think. Thus, if Jesus’ work is effective and unable to be frustrated, and if there is a Hell and it is populated, then by definition, Jesus’ atoning work was only for those he came to save.
Can you have any assurance that you are elect? Sure. If you have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ, if your life was drastically changed by him, if you are holding to him, clinging to him as your Lord and Savior, if you have served him by serving others, if you hunger and thirst for the things of God, and especially if you have remained faithful even through many difficult valleys, then you are one of the elect. These things mentioned above are works done within you by the Holy Spirit; they were not things you did on your own strength. And if Christ has begun a good work in you, he will bring that work to completion (Philippians 1:6).
Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
-Robert Robinson
A Mission to the World! (New Song, part 6)
“A Mission to the World”
The Jews assumed that the Messiah, when he would come, would be a political ruler who would restore the Jewish nation state to independence, as in the time of David. Yet, this is neither how the Old Testament prophets anticipated the Messiah to be, nor was it how Jesus was. He came as the suffering servant of Isaiah’s prophesies (Isaiah 49:6) who would be a light to the nations, drawing people from every corner of the earth to himself.
Yet, how would this ministry be ultimately fulfilled? Jesus would tell his disciples to “go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:16-20). And that job has been passed down to us. Believe it or not, even after all of these years, there are still parts of this world that have never been confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are still un-reached tribes in un-reached regions; there is still much work to do.
We must also remember the commission is to go and make disciples. That means that we need not only go to convert the people in these nations and regions, but we need to plant churches, build schools, and establish seminaries to teach and train these people up in the truth of the gospel. This is an ongoing work.
And this work is work that we all can participate in. If we are unable to go ourselves, we can send. We can raise up our children to see missions as a normal and regular part of Christian service. We can help fund missionaries who are working in the field so that they can concentrate on the work that they have been sent to do. And we can pray for the missionaries that are at work and pray that God will raise up more missionaries, even from our midst, to go into the field. This is what God has commissioned us to do, that people from every tribe and tongue and nation would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
We’ve a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigneth above,
Hath sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright,
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come to earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
-Colin Sterne
The Ransom Paid! (New Song, part 5)
“The Ransom Paid”
We must be careful when we talk about the ransom to be paid, or the debit owed, because we must be absolutely clear as to whom that ransom was paid to. Through the history of the church, some have argued that Jesus’ death was a ransom paid to the Devil for sin, to redeem his people from the clutches of the enemy. Loved ones, this theology is wrong, for God owes no one, especially not the devil, anything at all. Scripture tells us that God chose the elect even before he began creating, which means that he chose the elect before there was sin in the world and before there was any need for a ransom.
Yet, there is a debit that is owed, and that is a debit that we owe to God. In ancient days, when countries were at war with each other, if one country was loosing badly and wanted to bring an end to the warfare, they would sue for peace. They would pay a large sum of money to the other nation, and the war would be considered over.
In a way, that is the same with us. We, in our sin, have been rebels against God for hundreds of generations. Our sin is an affront to a Holy and Righteous God, and there is a just penalty—a price—that is owed to God as a result. The promise is that no matter what we do, and no matter how good we are, we can never hope to repay that debit. Not even someone like Mother Theresa or William Carey could do it. Yet, Jesus chose to do it on behalf of those who put their faith in him as Lord and Savior—the elect. And, oh how grateful we should be!
John tells us that Jesus is the propitiation for our sin (1 John 2:2). Propitiation is different from atonement. Atonement is the making of peace between two parties. Propitiation is the act that brings atonement. We stand convicted and guilty of sin. Jesus acknowledges that and he acknowledges the price we owe as a result. And Jesus paid the price, beloved; he paid it all.
For nothing good have I
whereby your grace to claim—
I’ll wash my garments white
in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe;
sin had left a crimson stain,
he washed me white as snow.
-Elvina Hall
Jesus Was Slain! (New Song, part 4)
“Jesus Was Slain”
To those who would deny the crucifixion, this song affirms even this gruesome detail of Jesus’ ministry. Without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22); each year, the priest, on the day of atonement, would slay a lamb for the forgiveness of the people’s sins (Exodus 30:10), and Jesus has become that lamb for all of the elect (Matthew 26:28), and as Jesus’ sacrifice is perfect and effective, it is a sacrifice that never needs repeating (Hebrews 9:25-26).
In addition, it is a reminder to the historicity of the crucifixion. So many liberals would simply say that there was no real Jesus of history, and if there really was, he wasn’t anything like the Jesus we find in the Bible. Friends, ignore their lies. This song, as does all of scripture, affirms the historical sacrifice of Jesus.
Friends, Jesus was willing to pay a gruesome price for the redemption of believers. If you are a believer, born again by the Spirit in Jesus Christ, then he paid a terrible price for your eternal redemption. Yet, This is something that Jesus gladly did. Don’t take it for granted. It is too easy to relegate the words of scripture to a list of abstract concepts. There was nothing abstract about Jesus. He lived and he died, living in this world as you and I. He was slain for the sins of you and me. Yet, he arose, and therein lies our hope, for he has promised that if we put our faith in him as our Lord and Savior, then he will raise us as well on the last day.
Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Savior,
he tore the bars away—
Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose,
with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
-Robert Lowry
The Scroll! (New Song, part 3)
“The Scroll”
Though there is some debate as to just what the scroll that is depicted here in Revelation represents, in context, it seems that the scroll represents God’s redemptive plan for history, namely as is unfolded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. For that book to be opened, God’s righteous judgments against mankind need to be brought about (the opening of the seals). And Jesus is the only one who is worthy to unfold the plan of God in history.
Paul speaks of God having chosen his elect since before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:4). That means that before God even began the work of creation, God wrote this scroll. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, he wrote your name on this scroll before the ages began. And he sealed the scroll up with the judgments that would come as a result of the fall. Yet, these judgments are only opened up through the mitigation of Christ—Christ who God promised to Adam and Eve at the fall (Genesis 3:15). Were it not for Christ, we would have perished long ago. Judgment and redemption are intimately interwoven with the person of Christ. What a gracious God we have. What a wonderful savior we have been given!
A wonderful savior is Jesus my Lord,
a wonderful savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock.
where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry, thirsty land;
he hideth my life in the depths of his love,
and covers me there with his hand,
and covers me there with his hand.
–Fanny Crosby
Jesus is Worthy! (New Song, part 2)
“Jesus is Worthy”
Jesus is worthy of our praise and no one else is. Mohammed was not worthy, Buddha was not worthy, Krishna was not worthy, our governments are not worthy, humanistic teachers are not worthy—no one but Jesus is worthy of our praise and adoration.
Jesus is worthy first because of his perfect character. From the beginning of time, Jesus is and was infinitely perfect in all of his ways. He is God. And for that simple fact, he deserves our worship. Friends, not only is the unbelief of the non-Christian a sin, but the refusal to worship both of the non-believer and of the casual churchgoer is also a sin. Had Jesus never done any work of redemption, he still would have been infinitely worthy of our praise and honor.
Yet, in his work of redemption, how much more worthy is he! He condescended to take on flesh and walk with us. He came to us while we were still rebels against God, wallowing in our sin—and he called us to himself. He did the work of redemption that bridged the infinite gap between a Holy God and a sinful man. He did that for me. And if you are a born-again believer, he did that for you as well. Because he did for me what I could have never done for myself, how much more is he worthy of my praise!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, his wonderful love proclaim!
Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to his holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children,
in his arms he carries them all day long;
Praise him! praise him! tell of his excellent greatness;
praise him! praise him! ever in joyful song!
–Fanny Crosby
A New Song!: Introduction
Introduction:
While we often think of the book of Revelation in terms of God’s judgment being brought upon his enemies, one of the major themes of Revelation is that of worship. In fact, nearly half (24 of 60 uses) of the New Testament uses of the verb proskunew (proskuneo), which means “to worship,” are found in the book of Revelation. It is a book that depicts both proper worship in heaven in the here and now and proper worship in heaven when all of the elect are finally gathered around the throne of Christ.
With that in mind, Revelation is also a book that contains quite a few songs to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (and especially to the Son for his redeeming work). It is as if the Apostle John can’t help but break out in joyful song as he relates his theophany to us.
In the church today, there are (and I expect will always be) debates surrounding the use of new hymns being used in the church. Some churches even go as far as to exclusively sing the psalms, as God’s inspired songbook. I think that singing the psalms is great! I also think that singing the New Testament songs is a great thing to do (though in the New Testament we are largely only given fragments of the song itself)! And, I think that the inclusion of songs in the New Testament sets a precedent that each generation should always be contributing to the body of hymnody. Yes, that means that some hymns will pass into obscurity as new ones are added, but the best ones will not. I can’t imagine a day when a company will print a hymnal without standards like “Amazing Grace”, “O For a Thousand Tongues,” and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
The key that we have to keep before us is to be careful that the new songs teach good theology. So much of the theology that we learn is from the hymns. Hymns often touch us deeply and stick with us, thus helping to shape the way we think about God and the Bible. One of the great things about the “tried and true” hymns of the faith is that they have been tried and tested by generations as to what they teach. As a generation that is adding new songs to the hymnody of the church, it is our responsibility to weed through the good and bad hymns on the basis of what they teach about our Lord.
Jesus is worth a hundred thousand generations of hymns and more! His glory is beyond the capacity of our language to convey! And once this world passes away, we will have an eternity to try and properly praise his worth. I look forward to that day. But for now, even in our limited capacity, we should be giving our all to the joyful task of that praise.
These two verses contain a fragment of a hymn that John witnessed the angels singing in heaven. As I mentioned above, there is a lot of theology that is contained within our hymnody. I thought it would be useful to look briefly at some of the theology that is taught within this wonderful hymn fragment.
Birth Announcements
I. The Birth of John the Baptist Announced
A. John’s Parents
1. Zechariah the priest (name means “Yahweh has remembered”)
2. Elizabeth of the house of Aaron (name means “My God is an Oath”)
3. Both parents from a priestly line—not a common thing to happen
B. Herod
1. John’s righteous parents set in history against the background of a
tyrannical ruler
2. Herod the Great had been given an army by Rome to conquer as much
as he chose to rule
C. Zechariah in the Temple
1. Lighting the incense
a. The altar of incense was one of the pieces of furniture in the
Holy Place of the temple
b. The Incense was lit 2x per day so that it would perpetually burn
as a sign of the prayers of God’s people perpetually before him
2. The prayers of the priests were ones connected with the coming
Messiah (angel pronounces his prayers answered in Luke 1:13)
3. This privilege was drawn by lot and was a once in a lifetime privilege,
and many never got to do it—note God’s hand at work in the timing
D. Zechariah’s response
1. Zechariah responds in doubt, his tongue mis-speaks and thus, his
tongue is silenced
2. In contrast, Mary will pose a question, but it is a question asked in
faith, thus, she is not rebuked
E. Restrictions on John
1. John will be forbidden to drink wine or strong drink from birth
2. This is likely a Nazarite vow that is given to him (note Samuel’s
Dedication in 1 Samuel 1:11)
a. under such a vow they could not
i. drink wine and alcohol (could not even eat grapes)
ii. cut their hair
iii. be near a dead body
b. see Numbers 6:1-10
F. Both John and Jesus given names
1. John means “Yahweh has been gracious”
2. Jesus means “Salvation” or “he will save his people from their sins”
-Jesus comes from the name Joshua
II. Birth of Jesus announced
A. Note that Zechariah and Elizabeth are both in the line of Aaron and Joseph
and Mary are in the line of Judah
B. The Greeting to Mary
1. “Greetings O Favored One”
2. Note this is an emphasis on her being favored because of what God is
doing in her, not because of who she is.
3. She responds in shock at such a greeting given her lowly status
4. Though is befuddled, she responds in faith (see 1:45)
C. Title given to Jesus is “Son of the Most High”
1. This is the Greek word u¢yistoß (hupsistos), which when used
substantivally (as a noun) always refers to God himself
2. This Greek word is used to translate the Hebrew word !Ayl.[, (elyon)
which also is used in the Old Testament to refer to God
-Elyon means “God most High”
3. This is the name of God attributed to Jesus’ sonship—a clear statement
that Jesus is the Son of the covenant God of Israel (Amy Grant song,
“El Shaddai”—which means “God Almighty”)
D. Mary’s Song
1. Called the “Magnificat” meaning “the praises” from Latin
2. See 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and compare Mary’s Song with Hannah’s prayer
E. Note the 2 names given to Jesus in Matthew’s account
1. Jesus-“for he will save his people from their sins”
2. Immanuel-“God with us”
Genealogies
I. The Purpose of a genealogy
A. they establish Jesus’ credentials
B. Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience takes his genealogy back to Abraham
1. Matthew picks up where the genealogies in Genesis 5 and 11 leave off
2. Matthew’s emphasis is on the fulfillment of Jesus’ Sonship in terms of
the Abrahamic promise
3. Note prominence of David and Abraham in Matthew’s genealogy
C. Luke, writing to a Gentile audience, takes his genealogy back to Adam
1. Luke wants to show that the whole world has a connection to Jesus
2. Luke emphasizes Sonship in terms of Jesus’ divine Sonship
3. Luke also emphasizes Jesus as the “second Adam”, which is why the
genealogy is found just before the temptation account—showing that
Jesus succeeded where Adam failed (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 and
Romans 5:12-14)
D. The point is that Jesus has the proper credentials to be the agent of salvation
not only of the Jews but of the whole world!
II. Differences between Matthew and Luke’s genealogies
A. Matthew traces from David to Solomon, Luke from David to Nathan
B. Luke has significantly more people in his genealogy
C. Matthew leaves out 4 kings in his line
1. Joash, Amaziah, Ahaziah, and Jehoiakim
2. These 4 kings were connected to curses in Hebrew tradition
D. Matthew’s three groups of 14 aren’t really fourteen (to make it work there is
duplication in the third but not the second)
III. Solutions
A. Luther proposed that Luke’s genealogy was traced through Mary and
Matthew’s through Joseph
B. Also has been proposed that Luke’s genealogy is a biological genealogy of
Jesus and Matthew’s is a theological or “kingly” geneaology
C. The point is that Jewish genealogies were not done to see all of the biological
connections, but their purpose was to show a theological connection to the
covenant body—Matthew’s certainly does this
IV. The Women—Matthew’s genealogy contains 5 women—very unusual
A. Tamar (Genesis 38:27-30)—seduced her father in law by masquerading as a
prostitute
B. Rahab (Joshua 2)—a prostitute
C. Ruth (Ruth)—a Moabitess, the Moabites descended from the incestuous
relationship of Lot and his daughter
D. The Wife of Uriah (Bathsheba—2 Samuel 11&12, also Psalm 51)—an
adultress
E. The point? Jesus’ messiahship is not just for those who are “in authority” but
is for all kinds of people
God is Glorified
“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
(Matthew 6:13b, KJV)
As we mentioned before, this is not the only prayer that a believer can pray, nor is it the only prayer that Scripture offers to us, but it is the model upon which all our prayers ought to be based. And all of our prayers ought to have this as their goal—that God be glorified forever. That God be glorified in our world. That God be glorified in our families and in our own lives. That God be glorified in all we think, all we do, and in all we say. That God be glorified in every aspect of our living and that through whatever we do in life, that we convey to the unbelieving world that Jesus Christ is Lord and King over all creation.
This, dear friends, is our purpose in life and there is no other, that we glorify God with an aim to enjoying him forever. Oh, that all the nations would come to hear and understand this one thing! Oh, that missionaries would reach every corner of this planet to proclaim God’s glorious gospel! Oh, to see that time when all of God’s elect will gather before the throne of the risen Christ—people from every tongue and tribe and land—singing praise to the King in one accord! Oh, what a time that will be! Believer, I look to join you at that time, but what about those we care about who have not joined us in faith? Will you bid them to join us at the throne of Christ? Will you share the gospel with them one more time and then another time again as the Lord allows?
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
“May you not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
(Matthew 6:13)
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, Amen.”
(Matthew 6:13, KJV)
In this last verse of the prayer, we have the final two petitions—“lead us not” and “deliver us.” The first of these addresses our mental needs and the second deals once again with our spiritual needs. You will also notice, as you look at the two translations back to back, that the King James Version contains a benediction at the end of the prayer. This benediction is not included as part of the oldest Biblical manuscripts that we have access to, which is why most English Bible translations do not include it. It is likely that the last line was added somewhere in seventh or eighth century; never-the-less, it is a wonderful benediction and is a staple part of most of our prayers.
We must always remember that the act of being tempted is not sin. Christ, our Lord, was tempted and tested in every way, yet was free from sin. It is where temptation leads when we give in to it—that, as James tells us, is sin, and sin leads to death (James 1:14-15). Thus, the language of this prayer is not one which pleads with God to prevent testing or tempting, but to be kept from being led into temptation—to be preserved from succumbing to the testing and to be preserved from its end—namely death. This ties quite closely with the language of the fourth petition—to be kept from evil or from “the evil one.” Though we may walk through dark roads, we are asking God’s provision and protection that we don’t find ourselves in the mouth of the roaring lion.
The word ponhro/ß (ponaros), which refers to evil, wickedness, or being degenerate, is an adjective that occurs in this verse with a definite article. In other words, the literal translation of this clause is: “deliver us from the evil.” Usually, in Greek, when an adjective is used in such a way, it is used to refer to someone or something that embodies what that adjective describes, hence the translation, “deliver us from the evil one.” It is a recognition that as believers we are in a battle with the evil one of this world—Satan himself—and that it is only by the strength of God’s hand that we can be delivered from such a foe. Just as it took God’s hand to deliver his people from the ruler of Egypt, so too, it requires God’s hand to redeem us from ruler of this world, Satan.
Friends, these two petitions are prayers for provision in the battle. Provision that our minds be kept sharp and straight and keep us from entertaining the lusts of our heart, and provision from falling prey to the dragon who only wishes to destroy the people of God (Revelation 12:17). That provision we need every day and every moment of our lives.
Forgive Us Our Debts
“And forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors.”
(Matthew 6:12)
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
(Matthew 6:12, KJV)
Though the language of this petition is financial language, in the context, Jesus is using this language to reflect that which we owe to others as a result of sin (which is why some people say “transgressions” here—though I have yet to find a translation of the Bible that reads “transgressions” and not debits). This is the only petition of the prayer that our Lord actually goes back to and explains (see Matthew 6:14-15) and when he explains the petition, he does so in terms of our sins.
This, indeed, is our great spiritual need—to be forgiven. Christ begins the list of petitions for our needs by addressing our physical needs and now he moves to the spiritual—the mental will come next. But also note, that while this is our great need, this is also the only petition of this prayer that is qualified by something that we must do—that is to forgive.
This is heavy stuff. What we are praying to God is that he should forgive us in the same way we forgive others. If we withhold forgiveness, we are telling him that he should withhold it from us as well. This is a terribly high standard to have before us if we are entirely honest. Certainly, there are some people who it is relatively easy to forgive, but then again, there are others who have hurt us so badly and so deeply that forgiveness seems impossible—yet loved ones, with God, all things, all things are possible.
You who have been forgiven so much in the eyes of God, how can you fail to forgive others? We owe a debit to God for our sin that we could never even begin to repay, yet Christ chose to pay it on our behalf—and pay it he did, in his own blood. No wickedness that another man can do to you, no matter how hurtful and severe, can come close to the wickedness of your sin in the eyes of a Holy God. Even the angels shield their eyes in God’s presence. Yet for you, believer, God has not withheld his forgiveness—how is it that you can withhold forgiveness from others?
Jesus never ceases to stretch us as we grow in faith, and to take seriously the words of this prayer, we are forced to grow beyond ourselves. The reality is that it is impossible for us to forgive some people on our own strength—the hurt is just too deep and it is not in our heart to do so. That is why we ask God to change our hearts and conform them to his will—that we may forgive even where it seems impossible to do so. Beloved, will you pray that God will enable you to forgive others as he has forgiven you?
Daily Bread
“Give us today our bread, which we need to survive.”
(Matthew 6:11)
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
(Matthew 6:11, KJV)
There is some debate over whether Jesus is speaking of our physical needs or our spiritual needs—the bread that sustains physical life or the bread of life—God’s Word. I would suggest that Jesus is talking about the food we need to sustain us during the day. Note that this is the first request of the seven that deals with our needs for the day, and two of the following requests will deal with our spiritual needs and the other deals with our mental needs. Thus, it is sensible to see this as a petition for our physical needs during the day.
As you study the gospels, you will not be able to help but notice the concern that Jesus has with all areas of our need—spiritual, mental, and physical. It makes sense that the prayer that he would teach us would reflect all these things. Jesus regularly speaks of God’s physical provision for his people as well. Thus, we begin the four petitions that are directed toward our own lives with a petition that God supply our physical needs.
Note a few things, though. First, just like the Israelites who were in the desert, being fed with manna only were given a day’s provision at a time, so too, when we ask, we ask for God’s provision on a daily basis. We who walk in the church-age are much like the Israelites in the wilderness. We are pilgrims in a land not our own, we are heading toward a promised land (this time one that has been kept free from corruption by Christ), and we still need God’s daily provision, lest we die. Admittedly, there are times when God allows us to save up, but do not take those times for granted for savings can disappear overnight. God won’t.
Secondly, note that this is not a prayer for our “daily steak dinner with a lobster tail on the side.” This is a prayer for our daily bread. We are to ask God to provide that which we need. How there is a difference between those things which we need and those things which we want. The difficulty lies in understanding that difference. There are a lot of things that I think I need that I don’t really need. God sometimes blesses us with the wants, but it is the needs that he promises to his people.
And, thirdly, this is a prayer that recognizes that we are desperately in need of God to provide our daily needs. It is a prayer that reminds us that without God, we cannot even provide the essentials of life (bread and water) for ourselves. It recognizes our dependence upon God.
Friends, we are poor and weak creatures, desperate and bankrupt if left to our own. But in the Lord’s hands, we will be provided for every day.
Thy Kingdom Come
“May your kingdom come; may your will come to pass, as in heaven, so too on earth.”
(Matthew 6:10)
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:10, KJV)
Beloved, in heaven, the angels wait, ready and prepared—anxious to serve God’s every command. Their actions define absolute obedience, and while they wait for God’s next task, they stay busy worshiping before the throne. So, tell me, does that describe your life? Is perfect obedience to God’s will what you are striving toward? If you are praying this prayer, then that is what you are asking God to make your life look like. In heaven there is no hemming and hawing about doing what God commands, it is simply done. To pray that his will would be done on earth is to pray that your life and every life around you will be conformed to that same image.
Now, there will come a time, when God remakes the earth, free from the effects of the fall, that His will will be done as eagerly on earth as it is done in heaven. But right now, I don’t think that most of us fall comfortably into that category. I know that I wrestled with my own calling to the ministry for 5 years before God finally said, “enough.”
When you pray this prayer, you are asking God to conform you to obedience. You are asking him to conform your every desire to his will. Sadly, as I reflect on my own life and my own struggles to grow in obedience, I am not entirely sure whether I am ready for God’s will to be done in my life as it is done in heaven. Are you ready? Were God to call you to sell everything you own and leave for the mission field, would you be willing and ready to do it or would you hem and haw and find excuses not to? Abram was 75 years old when God called him into service.
As you reflect on this portion of the prayer, reflect on your motives for doing things in life. Is Jesus the reason you do what you do? Is he the reason you get up in the morning? Is the reason you draw breath to do God’s will? Do you live or do to the glory of God? This is what you are praying for when you pray this prayer.
Thy Kingdom Come
“May your kingdom come; may your will come to pass, as in heaven, so too on earth.”
(Matthew 6:10)
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:10, KJV)
We now move to the second and third of the three petitions that we pray with an aim toward God’s glory. Both of these petitions begin with an imperative (may it come and may it be done). In Greek, when imperatives are used in this way, they place stress upon the request that is being made, but do so in a polite way (i.e. it is not a command). In other words, the force of this request is found in the heartfelt desire that God fulfill these requests.
The first of these requests is that God’s kingdom come. We must understand what we are praying for here. God’s kingdom was inaugurated in the earthly ministry of Christ (Mark 1:15), yet, the fullness of God’s kingdom will not come until the full number of elect from every tribe and nation are gathered into the kingdom and Christ comes again. Right now, we are somewhere in the middle, in the tension between what has already happened and what is yet to come (theologians cleverly call this “the already and the not-yet” J).
Thus, when we pray for God’s kingdom to come, we are not praying for what has already happened, but we are praying for what has yet to come—namely the second coming of Christ. Friends, for some of us, this is a dangerous prayer, for while I am ready to see my Lord and Savior return, there are many, many people I care about that are definitely not ready for such a thing to happen. For me, Christ’s return means redemption from this fallen state into a glorified body that will know no sin and spend eternity in the presence with Christ himself. For those who are not ready, Christ’s return means judgment and eternal condemnation.
Friends, make sure that when you are praying this prayer, you understand fully for what you are praying. At the same time, as Jesus has not yet returned, make good use of the opportunities you have to share the gospel with those you are in contact with. Find others who do not know the Lord in a personal and saving way and share the gospel with them as well. Ultimately it is the Holy Spirit that brings someone to faith or not, but if you don’t take the gospel to them, they will not hear the words of life.
Reverencing God’s Name
“Thus you shall pray in this way: Our Father, who is in the heavens, let your name be reverenced.” (Matthew 6:9)
“After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9, KJV)
I wonder whether we spend enough time in our own lives reflecting on the nature an attributes of our God. God is to be reverenced; his name is hallowed; God is the very definition of holiness and righteousness and purity and power. God is glorious above all things that we think of as glorious. And he is wonderful and just. He is light and truth. He is the beginning of all things and the end of all things. He is God and God alone.
We should adore God for who he is. All too often, when we speak of why we worship, we only speak of worship in relationship to what God has done for us. Indeed, we should be eternally grateful for what he has done for us and worship him as a result. But don’t let yourself fall into the trap of worshiping him wholly based on what he has done, because that will lead you to a self-centered relationship with him. When things are good you will worship with gusto. When things are bad, you will be lead to question. Worship God first for who he is and then for what he has done.
Think about things in this manner. When you go to a fine restaurant and dine on a fine meal, you naturally praise the chef. You don’t praise him because he has done you any special favors. You paid a fair price for the meal and it can be assumed that the chef prepares equally fine dishes for each and every patron of the establishment. You praise the chef for two reasons. First, because the chef has demonstrated his skills by creating a meal that was remarkable in every way. It would be rude not to compliment him on his skills in the kitchen. And secondly, you praise the chef because it brings a sense of satisfaction to you and it is pleasing to do so. Given that we are assuming that none of us are world-renown food critics, writing for a prestigious culinary magazine and given that the chef has already secured for himself a good job at a respected restaurant, it would seem that the chef neither needs your compliments nor would be heartbroken without them, never-the-less, they are pleasing to him as well.
Now, let us turn our eyes toward God’s work. Certainly, God is infinitely more remarkable than a fine chef. He demonstrates his glory in his works of creation. And just as God is infinitely more praiseworthy than a fine chef, it is infinitely more appropriate that he be praised. He neither needs our praise nor is his existence based upon it—he is God—yet he gracefully accepts our praises and is pleased by them. Just as it would have been rude to deny the chef praise for his fine meal, it is infinitely more rude—in fact, downright damnable—to deny God praise for his being who he is and for his revelation of his glory in the universe. And, just as it is satisfying and pleasurable to praise the chef for his fine creation—it is infinitely more satisfying and pleasurable to praise God for his being. In fact, since God is the most infinitely fine and good thing that we might praise, I would suggest that the praising of God brings the highest and most infinite pleasure and satisfaction.
Friends, it is a joyous thing to worship the great King of the Universe not just for what he has done, but simply for who he is, and that is why unbelievers who refuse to praise God stand guilty—because their offence, is infinitely condemnable. We don’t often think in these terms, but we must. One of the things that the Baptist preacher, John Piper regularly points out is that God desires us to worship him not because he is needy, but because we are needy and God understands that the worship of him is the highest pleasure that we can experience and he wants us to experience that pleasure.
Hallowed be Thy Name
“Thus you shall pray in this way: Our Father, who is in the heavens, let your name be reverenced.” (Matthew 6:9)
“After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9, KJV)
In the opening statement of this prayer, we also make a statement that calls for God’s name to be hallowed or reverenced. The term that is used here is the Greek word a�gia¿zw (hagiazo), which is a verb that means “to make sanctified, consecrated, or reverenced. It is related to the noun a‚gioß (hagios), which refers to something that has been dedicated toward holy use, and is the word we translate as “saint” when it comes to dealing with believers in Jesus Christ. When we call someone a saint, we are not commending their Godliness as the Catholic church would suggest, but we are recognizing that God has set them apart for service—something that God does with every believer. Thus, when we speak of God’s name in such terms, we are not speaking of making God’s name holy—for holy it is without our help—but we speak of recognizing the holiness of God’s name. In fact, this verb is an imperative, which emphasizes all the more the urgency of recognizing the holiness of God and reflecting that in our lives.
Believers live with a sense of dichotomy. On one hand, we say “Our Father…” yet on the other hand, we are to express the deepest reverence when we come into his presence. Though you should adore the intimacy which God extends to us, when you come to him, it ought to make you tremble as well. As one of my professors often says, we should come into God’s presence with goose-bumps. It is he who spun the stars into space, who ordered the cosmos and everything in it, and who has written the history book of all creation who you are coming to and calling, “Daddy.” Treasure that privilege; it came at a terrible price.
Thus You Shall Pray
“Thus you shall pray in this way: Our Father, who is in the heavens, let your name be reverenced.” (Matthew 6:9)
“After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9, KJV)
This prayer begins with a wonderful statement of both faith and assurance. This is not a “dear God, whoever you are and wherever you are…” statement, but this prayer begins with a confident statement of exactly who God is, where he stands, and where you stand in relationship to him. The believer can refer to God as “Father” because of the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the old covenant that Adam failed to fulfill and he died a sacrificial death to pay the debit of sin that his people owe to God. He substituted himself in our place, taking the wrath of his father that we deserve, so that we might stand in his place and be adopted into his father’s household. Thus, in the confidence of our faith in Jesus Christ, we can boldly proclaim, “Our Father.”
But not only is this a statement of confidence in your relationship with the heavenly Father, but this is a statement where you affirm from the depths of your heart that you know and understand where God is. God is in heaven; he reigns over the earth, yet is not bound by the things of the earth; and God has the authority to do what he chooses for he is above all things. We as sinners are infinitely separated from God on high, yet he has chosen to make a way to bring us to himself. That in itself is an amazing statement! God does not need us, nor does he derive any part of himself from our existence or relationship with him, but it is his good pleasure to bring us to himself that we might enjoy him. That God would condescend to a relationship with a wretch like me is beyond my ability to comprehend—but I gratefully receive such grace and immerse myself in its awesome truth.
One of the things we often struggle with is saying “who art in heaven” when times are bad. When times are good, we revel in God’s sovereignty, but usually, when our lives fall apart, we cry out, wondering where God has gone to. We like to think of God as sovereign over good, but when it comes to God’s sovereignty over evil we balk. Yet, God is in control over all things. Though God is not the author of evil, he is sovereign over it. Evil does not frustrate his plans, but God uses the evil of this world to bring his plans to fruition. The question is, can you stand on God’s sovereignty in the midst of personal loss? Can you stand on God’s sovereignty when a loved one dies or a child dies suddenly? Can you stand on God’s sovereignty when people rape or molest or torture? These are not easy questions to answer, but if we are going to answer them Biblically, we must stand on the sovereignty of God, trusting that God has worked all things for the good of those who love him—even those things that are horrid in our eyes.
The Lord’s Prayer: Introduction
Introduction:
How many times have we prayed the Lord’s Prayer? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? I remember my parents teaching me this prayer as part of my bedtime prayers as a child, and as my son grows (and any other children the Lord may choose to give us), my intention is to teach this prayer to him as well. Memorization is a good thing, but sometimes, when we become terribly familiar with a song or a prayer, we fall into the trap of simply repeating words rather than dwelling on what those words are saying.
Thus, I would suggest that it is a good idea to every once in a while take the time to reflect on what those words mean and what they imply. And, in the case of the Lord’s Prayer, be sure that you know what it is that you are praying for. Thus, I thought it good for us to do just that. My prayer is that, over the next few days as we work through this prayer, you will gain a deeper appreciation for just what it is that Jesus has taught us to pray.
Yet, before we jump into the prayer itself, there are a few things by way of introduction that need to be laid out before us. First, this is given to us as a model prayer. This is not the only prayer we can pray, but it is set before us as a guide. There are many other prayers in the Bible that are commended to God’s people to pray. Jesus taught and prayed other prayers, though this is the one he most formally taught. I would encourage you to not only pray this prayer, but look to the Psalms and begin praying through some of them. Look to the prayers in Revelation or Paul’s epistles or in the book of Genesis. We can go on and on. The Bible is filled with prayers to support us in our spiritual growth—through both the good and the bad times.
Second, This prayer assumes that it is being prayed by a believer. It begins with, “Our Father…” Friends, if you are not a born again believer in Jesus Christ, you have no right to call God “Father.” It is presumptuous and arrogant. One of the problems with our culture is that people think that we are all God’s children. The Apostle John makes it abundantly clear in first epistle that there are two families: one of God and one of Satan (1 John 3:4-10). Everyone has a spiritual father to which they belong—believers are given the privilege to call God their father because of the work of Jesus Christ, unbelievers may only call Satan their father.
Third, this prayer is a corporate prayer—it begins with “Our…” While you may pray this for yourself, this prayer forces you to recognize that you cannot be inwardly focused as a Christian. We are part of a body and we should pray in a way that reflects our unity. When we pray, we pray for and on behalf of those we love, those in our Churches, and those in the Christian church worldwide.
Fourth, this prayer begins with petitions for the glory of God. It is a God-focused prayer, not a man focused prayer. Nearly half of this prayer (3 of 7 petitions) is focused on God’s glory. I wonder if our prayers reflect this. All too often, when we pray, we pray as if God is just a celestial gumball machine—we put a quarter-prayer in and expect a sweet treat out. God is not Santa Claus. Yes, he gives good gifts, but our prayers should not be, “gimmie, gimmie, gimmie…”
Lastly, when Jesus teaches this prayer, he teaches it on the assumption that prayer is a part of a believer’s life. He does not say, “if you pray, pray like this…” No, Jesus says, “When you pray…” A healthy prayer life is something that many believers struggle with. And one of the reasons that we struggle with it is because Satan loves to run interference, bringing us to frustration or distraction. Prayer is one of the most amazing privileges that a believer has and it should be cherished and looked forward to. It is something that should be so natural to us that it becomes a part of who we are—because it is a part of who we are.
One last note: when most of us learned the Lord’s prayer, we learned it with the language of the old King James Version. Though I usually do my own translation work, this passage just does not sound the same outside of the King James English, thus, I have included it as well. I pray that both translations of this wonderful prayer will speak to your heart.
Jesus created Time: Hebrews 1:1-4 (part 7)
“through whom he also created the ages.”
When we think of Christ being the means, or the Word, of creation, typically, we think in terms of material “stuff” that is all around us. We think of rocks and trees, of birds and clouds, of stars and of everything else in this wonderful creation from the greatest heavenly body to the smallest microbe, quark, and string. But, oftentimes, we do not think of time in the context of God’s creation, yet, indeed, it was. Prior to the God’s creative act, time simply did not exist. God dwelt in perfect satisfaction in eternity prior, with no beginning, end, or middle. For most of us, that begins to make our heads hurt just a bit. Yet, time is a description of a progression of events with a definite beginning and a possible end. Eternity has no such progression, for to suggest eternity is bound by time, and hence God as well, is to suggest that God has a beginning, and such is not the case. In the beginning (of time) God was—he simply was, no temporal markers defined his existence, he simply existed (Genesis 1:1). And as God is the beginning, the great Alpha and Omega, all things, including time, flowed forth from his creative process—indeed flowed forth through the Son of God—the Word.
It is interesting, when we think of time, to see the difference between the way we usually behave toward time and to the way in which the Bible speaks of time. In scripture, there is a sense of time’s fleetingness. We are told over and over that time is short, that the return of our Lord is near, that the life of man is but a vapor and passing quickly, etc… Yet, despite all of these warnings and testimonies in God’s word, we usually go about our daily activities as if time were in abundance. We put off much that we ought to do today until tomorrow and then into the following weeks if it is not pressing. We usually do not conduct our affairs as if time is running out. Thomas Manton, the Puritan divine, once reflected that if a town were on fire and the fire was spreading, people would not go about their daily affairs at the usual pace. Instead, they would spring to action, alerting all of the imminent danger and would find a renewed vigor as they sought to do their duty in saving the town.
Beloved, we have been lulled into a slumber while the enemy is burning down our nation and indeed even the church. What is it that we are doing to alert our neighbors and fellow villagers? Are we doing our duty and joining the bucket brigade to extinguish this fire? Are we running through the village, joining the town crier, proclaiming, “Danger is Near! Danger is Near!” To change the analogy to one from our own national history, will you be like Samuel Prescott, and join Paul Revere and William Dawes on their ride to warn the valiant defenders of our land that the enemy is coming? Do you recall, that it is only Samuel Prescott who completed his ride to Concord? Dear friends, will you remain in your slumber, or will you shout loudly and proclaim that danger is upon us! Loved ones, we do not know how the War for Independence might have proceeded had Prescott not rallied himself from his slumber and joined the ride. Loved ones, the scripture cries to us that time is short and that even though many may mock you and proclaim that nothing has changed since their father’s day and nothing is bound to change, these are lies worked by enemies of God who are destined for judgment (2 Peter 3:1-7). No, loved ones, in this battle we need not fear the approach of the redcoats, but instead the fire of God’s impending judgment. You who are born again in Jesus Christ are ready, but what of those around you? Are they ready as well? And you who have been born again, are you prepared to present yourself as a faithful servant before our God, having studied to show yourself approved (note the importance of studying God’s word to our lived out sanctification!)? If not, count this as your clarion call as well. Awake beloved, our Lord has created time and has set its boundaries, and whether our Lord returns before the end of the day or whether he tarries another thousand years (or more), we have been given a job to do—to go into all the world and to make disciples of all men—a task that begins at home and extends to every corner of the earth; it is a task we will not succeed in if we slumber through the days that God has granted to us.
Heir of all things: Hebrews 1:1-4 (part 6)
“Whom he established as heir of all things…”
Loved ones, not only is Christ the means by which God has spoken, but the writer of Hebrews further asserts that Christ is the heir, the beneficiary, of all things. Everything that is, that was, and ever will be is made and given to Christ—Creation is bowed before him and is laid at his feet for His glory and honor! Not only is all of scripture designed to point to Christ, but all of the created order is also designed to point directly to our risen Lord! What a wonderful statement of truth!
Yet, this raises an important point that must be addressed. If we take this statement seriously, and we ought, then not only must our theology and reading of the Bible be Christological, but , so too must our reading of all life! In other words, our science, must be Christological; our history must be Christological; our sociology must be Christological; our philosophy, our psychology, our mathematics, our literature, our grammar, our engineering, our biology—all these disciplines are given to Christ for his glory and honor, thus all these disciplines, to be rightly pursued, must be pursued in such a way as that they give Christ glory and honor! Oh, what a wonderful testimony and reminder that Christ is the center and focal point of all things in creation, yet oh, how far short we often fall from this great and lofty end! Beloved, shall we aim for the glory of Christ? Shall we aim to see Christ honored in every academic subject and in every endeavor known to man? Indeed, if we believe this passage to be true, we must, for all things have been handed over to Christ as the great heir, and to fail to do so, is to fail to honor him as the ruler and heir that he is. Ask yourselves, dear friends, what it is that you are doing to deliberately point every area of your life to the glory of Christ.
Let Me Hear Jubilation and Joy: Psalm 51 (part 9)
“Let me hear jubilation and joy,
Let the bones that you have crushed rejoice!”
(Psalm 51:10 {Psalm 51:8 in English Bibles})
Just as forgiveness can only come from the Lord, so too does restoration. True joy cannot be had apart from God, because true joy is something that can only be experienced in relationship with God. We may chase after many things that bring us pleasure, but it is only God who can bring us lasting joy, and oh, how our sin deprives us of such joy. Sin is that which drives a wedge in the relationship we have with God, yet oh, how glorious our God is, in restoring that joy as he forgives our sins.
Also, beloved, do not miss what David is showing us in this verse—it is the bones that “you (speaking of God) have crushed.” So often when we think of the horrid things that happen to us, we immediately blame the devil and his mischief, and there is no question that the devil is at work in this world. Yet, never forget that our God is sovereign even over the devil and his actions and our God often uses the machinations of the devil to bring about his good pleasure. It is God who brings about all things, both great and small, good and ill (Isaiah 45:7) either though his direct action or through his permissive will, and it is God who breaks us when we persist in sin, to bring us back to himself. Yet, even the bones that have been broken and crushed may be restored to rejoicing in repentance.
Beloved, sometimes we get so lost in the rule and instruction of scripture that sometimes we can miss the incredible joy that can be found in Jesus Christ. Yet, note that joy in Christ can only be had if it is done in submission to Jesus’ lordship. Loved ones, seek to repent for the sins of your life, but in that repentance, pray that God would restore to you the joy that comes from a close relationship with him. The closer you walk to your beloved, the easier it is to stroll hand in hand.
Delight in Sacrifices of Righteousness: Psalm 51 (part 20)
“Then you will delight in sacrifices of righteousness—
a burnt offering, even a whole one;
then bulls will go up upon your altar.”
(Psalm 51:21 {Psalm 51:19 in English Bibles})
“Then,” David begins, pointing back to the verse that stands just before it—then, in light of the goodness of God as it is expressed to Israel, then, David suggests, the people will respond in righteousness—not only with proper sacrifices on the altar, but in faithful living. As David stated above—apart from faith and righteousness and a heart that is broken and supple in God’s hand, sacrifices are of no value to the individual. And note how I translated the first clause of this verse. Most of our major translations translate it as “right sacrifices” (ESV, NRSV), or “righteous sacrifices” (NASB, NIV), which implies nothing more than a proper sacrifice of animals on God’s altar. Yet, the Hebrew literally reads, “sacrifices of rightousness”—righteousness being a noun and not an adjective—and should be translated as such (KJV). David is not reflecting on the proper sacrifice of animals on the altar—that would contradict what he wrote in verses 15-17 (in the English numbering), David is using parallelism to connect the personal righteousness and holiness of God’s people to burnt sacrifices that are raised to heaven. In other words, righteousness itself was the sacrifice before God.
There is also a note that must be said about the sacrifice of bulls. In the ancient tabernacle and temple worship, many different animals were brought as sacrifice, and the kind of sacrifice that was to be given determined the animals that were to be brought. One important aspect of the sacrifice of bulls is that they were used as part of the peace offering (Numbers 7:88; 15:8). Thus, in the context of this psalm, a psalm of repentance where David is seeking to be restored to peace with God, a more appropriate allusion could not have been made. At the same time, there is a stern warning set before us in that peace with God requires more than just the slaughter of bulls, but it demands righteousness on the part of the believer.
Oh, how we tend to neglect this important teaching as we seek God’s forgiveness for our sins. How often do we simply apologize to God and then go right back to the sin that has been a part of our lives? How often do we take for granted the promise of forgiveness that God gives us in His word? How often do we live carelessly, neglecting the terrible price that Christ paid on our behalf as a result of sin? How often do we go through the motions without backing up our prayers with righteous living? How often do we seek God’s help in seeking righteousness? We could go on, yet, beloved, remember these words of David and be reminded that without righteousness in living, sacrifices will avail you nothing.
Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from thee,
Let thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation’s joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.
-from the Psalter of 1912
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