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The Beginning of Wisdom
Psalms 111
July 4, 2021

Tonight we come to the first in a pair of Psalms.
Psalms 111 and 112 are a match set.

• Psalms 111 focuses on the great works of God.
• Psalms 112 focuses on the man who fears God.
• And they clearly work together.

Tonight’s Psalm shows us why God deserves to be feared,
And next week’s Psalm highlights the man
Who demonstrates his wisdom by fearing God.

It is in Psalms 111 that we are confronted with that oft quoted truth.
(10) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;”

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT
For those who seek to be wise in this world.

Wisdom begins with “fear of the LORD”
“fear of the LORD” is the foundation upon which wisdom rests.

If you gain knowledge but have no “fear of the LORD” then you have no wisdom.
If you gain experience but have no “fear of the LORD” then you have no wisdom.
If you gain old age but have no “fear of the LORD” then you have no wisdom.

You cannot have wisdom without “fear of the LORD”
That is where wisdom begins.

And David is certainly not the only person to understand that.

Job said:
Job 28:28 “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

Solomon said:
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 15:33 “The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”

In addition we learn about the “fear of the LORD”

Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.”

Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”

Proverbs 14:26-27 “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.”

Proverbs 15:16 “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it.”

Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”

Even in the New Testament we read:
Acts 10:34-35 “Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”

BUT YOU GET THE POINT.
If you don’t have “fear of the LORD” you aren’t going to have anything
And as Psalms 111 points out, you certainly won’t have “wisdom”.

And so the point of Psalms 111
Is to teach you the “fear of the LORD”

It is to motivate you to the type of reverential awe that you need.
It is to motivate you to hallow the name of God.

And THE WAY DAVID MOTIVATES YOU to do that
Is by getting you to FOCUS ON THE WORKS of God.

• Stop for a moment and consider what God has done.
• Consider what He is doing.
• Consider what He will do.

And when you take in the magnitude of His omnipotence and faithfulness
It is enough to cause to you fear God.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS UNIQUE
To these next two Psalms is that they are WRITTEN IN AN ACROSTIC.

• They each hold 22 stanzas, each of which begins with the consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

• That means David’s thoughts are NOT here arranged in some sort of outline form, but rather his thoughts are linear.

• In one sense each line stands alone, and yet they all also work together to make 1 overarching point.

• Poems like this were also written in acrostic form to make them easier to memorize.

• It made it an easy truth to teach your children.

And since “fear of the LORD” comes first,
It would have been a great Psalm to start them out on.

David begins the Psalm with the goal for all men.
He is setting the example of his expectation for all of Israel.

(1) “Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, In the company of the upright and the in the assembly.”

• That is the goal.
• The objective is corporate praise.
• The objective is public thanksgiving.

David is seeking to transform the bashful silent servant
Into a zealous voice of praise.

And the only way this happens
Is if there is amazement at the greatness of God.

So David’s plan for leading the silent worshiper into boldness
Is to push him to recognize the greatness of the works of God.

So we begin to work our way through this acrostic Psalm of David.

(2) “Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them.”

What God has done is and should be the chief focus of all creation.
Every intricate detail should captivate our attention.

This begins with studying HIS CREATIVE WORK
• We are captivated by the mysteriousness of the ocean,
• Or breathless by the grandeur of the mountains.
• I love the visit the national parks and glorious places of creation, though sinful men only speak of the mysteries of science of all that man has discovered the real majesty is always in the intricacy of all that God has done.

In this way even atheists and scientists
Have unwittingly devoted themselves to the glory of God.

Though they seek diligently to ascribe glory elsewhere
Their detailed study of the earth and all its workings
Ultimately accomplish nothing but to bring glory to God.

They can deny the Creator but they are captivated by His creation
And thus they cannot help but study all His works.

Do you understand that?
Often times Science and Christianity are portrayed are opposites.

But what else is science but the study of the works of God?
PICK A FIELD:
• Geology
• Astronomy
• Biology

All they can possibly study is that what God has done.

They may seek to deny the God who did all those works,
• But every discovery they make,
• Every detail the find,
• Is actually nothing more than that which makes God even that more impressive.

The call of David here is that we go the necessary next step
AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE.

Are we not amazed at the great details of creation?

Did you know that the reason a rooster cocks his head back when he crows is because doing so covers his ear canals to work like ear plugs which keeps him from growing death due to his own loud crowing?
https://factanimal.com/animal-facts/

Did you know that the human brain has 86 billion nerve cells joined by 100 trillion connections? This is more than the stars in the Milky Way.
https://www.factretriever.com/body-facts

The tongue of a giraffe is 20” long to allow it to grab leaves and they contain melanin which keeps their tongues from getting sunburned.
https://www.liveabout.com/science-facts-you-didnt-know-3023200

Every time you dig into science all you inevitably do is
Give God’s creative power a tremendous pat on the back.

We study God’s great creation and what He has done.

We also study what He is doing or HIS PROVIDENTIAL WORK.

Though creation was finished in 6 days,
Providence has continued since the beginning.
• The sending of rain, the timing of wind,
• The workings of the heat and the cold,
• The frost and the dew.
• God feeding all His creation and sustaining life upon this earth.

He is ever at work doing that which only He can do.

Have you ever heard John Piper talk about the great work of God which is rain?

Job said, “God does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.” He gives rain on the earth.” In Job’s mind, rain really is one of the great, unsearchable wonders that God does. So when I read this a few weeks ago, I resolved not to treat it as meaningless pop musical lyrics. I decided to have a conversation with myself (= meditation).
Is rain a great and unsearchable wonder wrought by God? Picture yourself as a farmer in the Near East, far from any lake or stream. A few wells keep the family and animals supplied with water. But if the crops are to grow and the family is to be fed from month to month, water has to come on the fields from another source. From where?
Well, the sky. The sky? Water will come out of the clear blue sky? Well, not exactly. Water will have to be carried in the sky from the Mediterranean Sea, over several hundred miles and then be poured out from the sky onto the fields. Carried? How much does it weigh? Well, if one inch of rain falls on one square mile of farmland during the night, that would be 27,878,400 cubic feet of water, which is 206,300,160 gallons, which is 1,650,501,280 pounds of water.
That’s heavy. So how does it get up in the sky and stay up there if it’s so heavy? Well, it gets up there by evaporation. Really? That’s a nice word. What’s it mean? It means that the water sort of stops being water for a while so it can go up and not down. I see. Then how does it get down? Well, condensation happens. What’s that? The water starts becoming water again by gathering around little dust particles between .00001 and .0001 centimeters wide. That’s small.
What about the salt? Salt? Yes, the Mediterranean Sea is salt water. That would kill the crops. What about the salt? Well, the salt has to be taken out. Oh. So the sky picks up a billion pounds of water from the sea and takes out the salt and then carries it for three hundred miles and then dumps it on the farm?
Well it doesn’t dump it. If it dumped a billion pounds of water on the farm, the wheat would be crushed. So the sky dribbles the billion pounds water down in little drops. And they have to be big enough to fall for one mile or so without evaporating, and small enough to keep from crushing the wheat stalks.
How do all these microscopic specks of water that weigh a billion pounds get heavy enough to fall (if that’s the way to ask the question)? Well, it’s called coalescence. What’s that? It means the specks of water start bumping into each other and join up and get bigger. And when they are big enough, they fall. Just like that? Well, not exactly, because they would just bounce off each other instead of joining up, if there were no electric field present. What? Never mind. Take my word for it.
I think, instead, I will just take Job’s word for it. I still don’t see why drops ever get to the ground, because if they start falling as soon as they are heavier than air, they would be too small not to evaporate on the way down, but if they wait to come down, what holds them up till they are big enough not to evaporate? Yes, I am sure there is a name for that too. But I am satisfied now that, by any name, this is a great and unsearchable thing that God has done. I think I should be thankful – lots more thankful than I am.
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-great-work-of-god-rain

God’s sustaining work is remarkable.

We study what He has done – Creative Work
We study what He is doing – Providential Work
But we also study HIS SPIRITUAL WORK

Each and every moment He is doing what we studied last week.
• He is bringing Christ’s enemies into subjection under His feet;
• God is saving those whom He has chosen to save.

He is regenerating, convicting, drawing, saving, sanctifying, sealing, and glorifying His elect. It is ongoing every moment.

And this is also studied by all who delight in them.

We marvel at the glories of salvation
And the theology behind His sovereign work.

• We focus on the righteous works of Christ and the righteousness He earned.
• We read testimonies of the vilest sinners in Scripture who were plucked from their sin by the redeeming hand of God
• We share testimony of God’s spiritual work in our own lives.

Indeed we study what God has done and what God is doing.

And though we study it only through prophesy and anticipation
We have a keen eye and desire for God will yet do.

We study HIS PROMISED WORK

It furnishes our hope and provides us with confidence and optimism
That God has promised that all His work will be for our good.
• He has promised us good plans,
• He has promised us a future,
• He has promised us a hope,
• He has promised us a land where righteousness dwells and we study that too.

Like the prophets of old, we make careful inquiries and searches
Through the Scriptures to learn and grasp all that we may know
About what God has prepared for those who love Him.

God’s works are great and they are studied by all who delight in them.

(3) “Splendid and majestic is His work, And His righteousness endures forever.”

“Splendid” translates HODE
And it means “glorious” or an “imposing form or appearance.”

“majestic” translates HAWDAWR
And it speaks of “ornaments” and “beauty and majesty.”

God’s work is
A jaw-dropping demonstration of breathtaking beauty.
It is perfect and flawless, created in righteousness
And it endures forever.

There is an order and a structure and a command of perfection that sits over creation.

Though we see plenty of evidence of the curse,
Sin could not totally obscure the glory and perfection
Of what God has done.

• God ordered the sunrise and sunset and they never fail.
• God ordered the seasons and they never fail.
• God ordered the wind and the rain and it never fails.
• God ordered even the lifespan of man and animals and they never fail.

Even the preacher in Ecclesiastes could clearly see that
There is a definite cycle of life that goes round and round and round.

God has ordained all His works in perfect order
And it endures forever so long as He wishes for it to endure.

(4) “He has made His wonders to be remembered;”

How true this has been.
Throughout the Old Testament the children of Israel
Were commanded to remember God’s great providential works.

“The LORD is gracious and compassionate.” And Israel was to remember.

• Take the Passover yearly and remember how God delivered you from Egypt.

• Live in booths during the feast of booths and remember how God cared for the children of Israel in the wilderness.

• Put a jar of manna and Aaron’s staff that budded and the Ten Commandments in the Ark of the Covenant and have them as a perpetual reminder of God’s deliverance in Egypt.

• Pile up 12 stones from the bottom of the Jordan and leave them here as a reminder that we crossed this river on dry ground.

• Even we take the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s work on our behalf.

God has been gracious and God has been compassionate and even though sinful man rebels against Him His works are never forgotten.

Included here is the Bible
(what other ancient text has such a focus?)

It is preserved for us to remember the accounts of God’s goodness and compassion.
• We read of His mighty creation
• We read of His wrath at the fall
• We read of His sovereign election of Abraham
• We read of His redemption through Moses
• We read of His conquest through Joshua
• We read how He toppled the giant before David
• Or how He closed the lion’s mouths for Daniel
• And we even have preserved for us the story of how God sent His Son into the world, born of a virgin, and the miraculous power He had over creation, sickness, sin, and death.
• We read of His death on a cross and His glorious victory over the grave.

All of this has been preserved for us because
God “has made His wonders to be remembered.”

It was never intended that any of the things He has done be forgotten
And God has preserved them for us.

(5) “He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.”

And David focuses first on the mighty PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
• Even in a desert God sent bread from heaven and water from a rock.

• Jesus promised that God is well-aware of our need of food and care and that He is faithful to provide all that we need.

• We even learn that God’s providence spills over in common grace as He sends rain on the just and the unjust, even offering a taste of His goodness to His enemies.

But ultimately the joy of David is that
God’s providence rests upon those “who fear Him.”

God has made a covenant with them, and “He will remember His covenant forever.”
• God is never one to break a promise.
• God never goes back on His word.
• God never makes a vow to us and then breaks it.

God has promised to care for His own and He never fails to do it.
It is His generous and providential faithfulness on display.

(6) “He has made known to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.”

It is the miracle of the conquest.
God would take a rabble of people who knew nothing but slavery.

No soldiers, no nobles, no might men of war.
Just brick layers

God marched these people around in the desert for 40 years as nomads
And then took this untrained rabble
And led them into a land of giants with fortified walls.

And one by one God would overthrow their enemies before them.

The mismatch should have been obvious.
• Every time Israel went to battle, but worldly standards they were the underdogs.
• Every battle was David vs Goliath.

All Israel ever had on their side was God,
And He was more than enough.

He showed Israel over and over His mighty power.
• First in the 10 plagues over Egypt where He raised up Pharaoh that His power might be displayed
• And then in the parting of the Red Sea where with one mighty blow He annihilated the entire Egyptian army.
• And finally in the conquest when nation after nation fell before Him.

God put His power on display.
“He has made known to His people the power of His works”

He has made it clear to us that He is able to do whatever He wants.
He is able to accomplish whatever He promises.

I love the incident that led to Sarai’s faith in God.
Genesis 18:9-14 “Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

• That’s a good question: “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?”
• She had to answer “no” and indeed God gave life to her dead womb.

We saw it with Jesus.
• The lame walking,
• The lepers cleansed,
• The sea calmed,
• The dead raised,
• And the vilest of sinners turned into saints.

God shows His people His mighty power.
And though the world has made a hobby out of suppressing it in unbelief
WE HAVE SEEN IT.

• We see it in creation as Paul taught us.
• We see it in providence
• We see it in redemption as God has subdued our hearts.

His power is known.

(7) “The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure.”

It is a statement with a consequence.

David says that “All His precepts are sure.”

Which is to remind us that
• Everything God commands is the right command.
• Everything God says is true.
• Everything command God gives is the best way to do it.

We know this because “The works of His hands are truth and justice;”

Which reminds us that
• God knows nothing of deception
• God knows nothing of error
• God knows nothing of corruption

And because God does none of those things,
His commands can always be trusted.

• He will never lead you astray
• He will never command you to do what is wrong
• He never says “oops” I messed up.

He cannot do evil, He cannot fail, He cannot be wrong.
And so we trust all that He says to do.
We trust all His commands.

(8) “They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.”

“They” there speaks still of the WORKS OF GOD.

God’s works are “upheld forever and ever”

• How is it that the oceans never go dry?
• How is it that the rivers continue to flow?
• How is it that the stars continue to shine, or that the sun has yet to burn out?
• How is it that oxygen is still in the air?
• How is it that life continues?

It is because God upholds His works.
He is both Creator and Sustainer of all things.
He upholds all things by the word of His power.

But not only that,
But also because His works “are performed in truth and uprightness.”

HE DID THEM RIGHT.
• There is never a shortcut found in what God has done.
• There is never corruption or rot found that requires it to be redone.
• Never has man had to “rebuild” the earth because God miscalculated on something.

Scientists speak of resources ending by such and such year.
One group even has a doomsday clock
Which is set currently at 100 seconds until midnight.

I actually love some of their explanation:
“What midnight represents is the end of the world. So when the clock ends up losing 100 seconds, metaphorically speaking, the world is moving closer to total annihilation. This is the closest the clock has ever been to midnight.
“It is 100 seconds to midnight. We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds — not hours, or even minutes,” the Bulletin’s President Rachel Bronson said in a statement. “We now face a true emergency — an absolutely unacceptable state of world affairs that has eliminated any margin for error or further delay.”
https://popculture.com/trending/news/doomsday-clock-100-seconds-midnight-what-it-means/

And of course they have absolutely no clue about that.
It’s all metaphorically speaking.

All of God’s works are “upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.”

And if that is true of His physical work
It is certainly true of His spiritual work.
Not only does He save, but He saves forever.

John 10:28 “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Isaiah 43:13 “Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”

Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(9) “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.”

David speaks of the ultimate objective of all of God’s work:
REDEMPTION

As Spurgeon pointed out,
He didn’t just send a Redeemer, He sent redemption.

Christ didn’t come and say, “Well, I tried, but they didn’t want Me.”
He said, “It is finished!”

HE REDEEMED.

We love to talk about what is called the ACTUAL ATONEMENT
Or as some call it “Limited Atonement”

• It is the reminder that what Christ did on the cross was not potential.
• He didn’t just make salvation available for all who were smart enough and
strong enough to activate it.

CHRIST DID IT ALL.
• He actually and totally and perfectly and sufficiently paid for all the sin of all the
elect for all time.

He didn’t just make redemption available for me,
He redeemed me on the cross.

He bought me there.
He paid for me there.
He purchased me from my sin.
He brought redemption.

And the covenant agreement He made with me is for forever.
AND THAT IS A GOOD THING.

I sometimes wonder about those who hold that salvation can be lost.

I want to ask them does salvation ever become secure?
• Is there ever a moment when they can breathe easy and say, “Whew! There
now it’s finally secure.”

I would imagine that most all of them would say that
“When you are in heaven then salvation is finally secure.”
• But the devil was in heaven and he fell from there.
• And so did 1/3 of the angels with him when he left.
• They were in heaven but they weren’t secure.

God’s redemption is forever
Because He has ordained His covenant forever.

He will never stop being faithful to the promises He has made to me.
He will never stop being faithful to His plan of redemption.
What He has done for me is permanent and eternal.

It is no wonder David says, “Holy and awesome is His name.”

How better could you describe it?
God has done amazing things.
• He has great works in creation.
• He has great works of providence.
• He has great works of redemption and grace.

None of them are flawed, none of them are lacking,
None of them are temporary, none of them are corrupt,
None of them are deceptive.

Everything God does He does perfectly.
Everything God does He does permanently.

His works are great and it is only right that His people study them
And remember them worship Him because of it.

And that leads to the final point of the Psalm.

(10) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;”

After you focus on God’s great works.
• His work of creation
• His work of providence
• His work of grace

Then you should certainly come to a place of reverential awe.
You should certainly be amazed at who God is.

Anyone who can see all that God has done and not be amazed
Is described by Paul as a suppressor of truth
And a fool with a depraved mind.

Romans 1:18-23 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”

Considering the works of God should most certainly lead you to “fear”.
• And that is the beginning.
• That is where it starts.

But then David moves from WISDOM OBTAINED to WISDOM APPLIED.
• True wisdom is not just being in awe of God.
• True wisdom is not just knowing facts about God.
• True wisdom is being so in awe of God that you trust Him and do what He
says.

I’ve told you before, but “Wisdom is not what you know,
Rather it is what you do with what you know.”

It is that parable of the two men building houses.
• Jesus said the wise man heard My words AND acted on them;
• Whereas the foolish man heard My words and did not act on them.

So wisdom begins with a fear of the LORD,
But wisdom then must evidence itself through obedience.

David says, “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;”

It is the constant contrast of Scripture.
You have wise men and you have fools.

• Wise men do what God says (even if they don’t understand);
• Fools don’t do what God says, and this is what makes them a fool.

If you want to show yourself a fool
Then just try to live life opposite of the way God says to live it.

“A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;”

And then David closes with:
“His praise endures forever.”

That is to say that this scenario will never change.
You had better get used to fearing God and obeying Him now
Because the roles will never be reversed.

• God will always be God and you will always be part of creation.
• You will always be the worshiper and God will always be the recipient of worship.
• God will always be Lord and you will always be servant.

The wise man grasps that now instead of later.
That is the beginning of wisdom.

SO FEAR GOD

And don’t you love it when you study two different books of the Bible and find out that different authors years apart all said the same thing?

It’s sort of like God wrote this book isn’t it!

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

Same point…

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The Sacrifice of Fools
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
July 4, 2021

Throughout Scripture we are confronted with the reality of
People who bring UNACCEPTABLE SACRIFICES to God.

• At times God would actually command His people to stop bringing the blood of goats and bulls.
• He would tell His people that He had not interest in their songs.
• He would tell them that He would not listen to their prayers.

All of these sacrifices were unacceptable to Him
Because they were not offered with devoted hearts.

They were offered by men who came to God with a wicked heart
And therefore God was not the least bit interested in their sacrifice.

Isaiah 1:13-15 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”

Hosea 6:6 “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Amos 5:21-23 “I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.”

So we learned repeatedly in the Old Testament
TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE APPROACH GOD,

For even our sacrifices are not acceptable to Him
If they are offered with the wrong kind of heart.

Well, the preacher here has something to say about that reality as well.

Here we learn about what he calls “the sacrifice of fools”

Only in his case he ISN’T TALKING ABOUT a goat or a bull or an ephah of grain.
The preacher here is talking about FOOLISH WORDS.

He is warning the young man about his words
When he comes to approach God.

And this is such an important study on so many levels.
The Bible has so much to say about our words.

• We get constant warnings against things like gossip or slander or grumbling.
• Those are sins that routinely bring with them the wrath of God.

We certainly understand the warning of Jesus regarding the sin of the lips:
Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus was very clear that we must be careful what we say
For there is a judgment coming, and all our words will be remembered.

We get warnings from James:
James 3:8 “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.”

There are so many warnings in Scripture regarding the tongue.
Especially when our tongue is used for slander or gossip
Instead of for the glory of God.

And while such studies are plentiful and needed, those are NOT the issues that the preacher has in mind here in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Instead, the preacher is referencing
How we use our tongue when we approach God.

(1) “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.”

Let’s discuss where this fits in the overall theme of the preacher here.

It is easy to discern from reading Ecclesiastes that
One of the preacher’s main concerns is that the young man
Will be enamored by the world and will make it his ambition to obtain it.

• That might be wisdom (philosophy)
• That might be pleasure
• That might be a legacy
• That might just be temporal comfort

And his warning is continually that
Instead of chasing the world, you should seek, trust, fear, and enjoy God.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 “I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.”

Ecclesiastes 3:22 “I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?”

He has repeatedly returned to the point that all the allurements of this world are nothing but vapor, smoke, HEBEL.

AND THAT TRUE SATISFACTION IS FOUND ONLY IN GOD.
That has been the point.

BUT WE KNOW MEN DON’T WE.

Too many people have heard such a message and sought to sort of cheat the system.

So what do they do?
They seek God in hopes that God will give them the world.

CLEVER HUH?
• And God becomes nothing more than a powerful genie in a bottle.
• He becomes the cosmic Sugar Daddy that we run to for temporal satisfaction.
• And at worst He becomes a spiritual butler who is obligated to grant our demands.

We see and we have seen it often.
Modern Christianity has been more than infiltrated with
What is known as the “Word Faith” movement.

• It is a movement that has it’s roots in the metaphysical cults.
• It is theology that comes from New Age philosophy and Christian Science.
• Oprah Winfrey promotes it as “The Secret”
• Joyce Meyer has a book called “Change Your Words, Change Your Life, Understanding the Power of Every Word You Speak”
• She also has a book called “Power Words: What You Say Can Change Your Life”

Charismatic circles have sort of repackaged this New Age thinking
In sort of a Christian wrapper, but it is pagan to the core.

You are likely most familiar with it as “Name it and Claim it”
• In it’s pagan sense, it is the belief that our words have the power to attract things into our lives and even to create scenarios for our lives.
• And when you mix it with Christianity it is the belief that because of our relationship with God our words have the same power as His and He is somehow obligated to honor what we say.

It is actually a form of blasphemy since only God can create with words,
But this is what many actually claim even under the heading of Christianity.

But the belief is that your words have power.
• You speak things into existence.
• Your words even have the power to direct the power of God.

I’ll give you sort of an outrageous example of this.
In 2004 Joel Olsteen was on TBN

• He was discussing how after the angel revealed to Zacharias that his wife
Martha was going to conceive a child (John the Baptist)
• And that God then struck Zacharias with muteness.

Scripture says that God did that because Zacharias asked for a sign out of unbelief
So God granted that he would not be able to speak until the child was born.

But here is Joel Olsteen’s commentary on the story.
“Why did God take away his speech? It’s because God knew that Zachariah’s negative words would cancel out His plan…See, God knows the power of our words. He knows that we prophesy our future. And He knew Zachariah’s own negative words would stop His plan.”
-Joel Olsteen, Discover The Champion In You, TBN, May 3, 2004.
https://youtu.be/kOTrMSOrYew (23:01)

Wow, the entire plan of redemption hung in the balance until God,
In a last ditch effort to save redemption caused Zachariah to go mute.

That is some of the nonsense I’m talking about.
But it’s the belief that our words have such power
That God is somehow obligated to yield to what we say.

• And so we hear people who are sick say things like, “I won’t confess that sickness in my life”
• Or like Gloria Copeland who says she and Kenneth control the weather by rebuking storms, etc.
• Or you hear people say things like, “I declare…” or “I pronounce you…” or “I speak this”
• https://youtu.be/kOTrMSOrYew

There is a belief and even a growing practice
About using our words to bring about from God
The things we desire in life.

But friend there are no new heresies, just repackaged ones.
The folly of such foolishness seen today
Was addressed by the Preacher around 3,000 years ago.

He called it “The Sacrifice of Fools”.

THIS MORNING let’s listen as the preacher gives further instruction to the young man about not offering such a foolish sacrifice.

• We’re going to break the text down into 2 points.
• What we see here are 2 examples;
• 2 types of people who wrongly approach God with their words.

We can learn from both of them.
#1 THE BOASTER
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

So here we see that INITIAL WARNING to the young man.
“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God”

• It is a warning to be careful how you walk.
• It’s not literal in the sense of actually tripping over something.
• It’s an analogy meant to tell you to give special attention to how you act.

And here specifically it has to do with
HOW YOU TALK WHEN YOU APPROACH GOD.

“draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.”

• There is a man referenced here who has entered either the temple or the synagogue in order that he might worship.
• However, the worship he offers to God is actually called “evil” and yet the man doesn’t even know it.

That alone should raise your antenna this morning.

To read here that you can ignorantly bring something to God
That God considers evil.

That should cause each of us to ask:
• What is this foolish sacrifice?
• What is this ignorant and evil offering?

(2) “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God.”

We are talking here about a man who approaches God
In order to give instruction or advice or a “gameplan” to God.

This is very much so that man who brings his demands or declarations to God.

And to the preacher this is the epitome of foolish evil.

(2b) “For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

To bring your demands or declarations to God
As though God is here to take orders from you
Is the most obnoxious case of arrogance that can be imagined.

The Creator does not take orders from the dirt.

Do you remember when Job sort of outgrew his britches?
Job 38:1-2 “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?”

Do you remember when Paul addressed those who question God’s sovereignty?
Romans 9:20 “On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?”

Do you remember when Peter set out to correct the misguided plans of Jesus?
Matthew 16:22-23 “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

What kind of fool would approach God and then do all the talking?

According to the preacher all you do when you give your plans to God like that is PROVE YOURSELF A FOOL.

(3) “For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.”

• This is a proverb of sort.
• It might actually help you understand it better if you read it like this: “As the
dream comes as a result of much effort likewise the voice of a fool
through many words.”

It’s just a simple point.
“the dream comes through much effort”

• He is NOT talking about prophetic dreams here which God did offer at times
in Bible times.
• He’s NOT even talking about your goals or ambitions as if to say your
dreams are accomplished through hard work.

He is just pointing out the simple truth that
Dreams are the result of a mind that has been running full speed ahead.

• When you work hard and occupy your mind and really push yourself the
consequence of that is commonly that you will have a dream about it when
you sleep.
• Much of the time it doesn’t make sense; it may be a fear or a fantasy about the
situation, but a dream is simply the consequence of a busy life.

A busy life has a consequence of foolish dreams.
A busy mouth before God has a consequence
Of proving yourself a foolish person.

THAT’S HIS POINT.
Only a fool would approach God with the objective of doing all the talking.

Remember the evil fool James talked about?
James 4:13-17 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

That was a fool who came and sort of declared to God all his plans.
• He didn’t seek the will of God.
• He didn’t take into account the plan of God.
• He just arrogantly came and told God what he was going to do.

James implied foolishness there and he actually called it evil and sin.

That is anyone who thinks they can approach God and tell God
Or declare to God what He is going to do on their behalf.

BOASTING IS STUPID.

Remember how Abraham went before God when he was asking for the salvation of any righteous who lived in Sodom?

Genesis 18:27 “And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.”

That is understanding how to go before God.

James gave other instruction that should certainly be heeded here.
James 1:19-27 “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

James spoke of a man who “must be quick to hear”
• That is to hear what God has to say.

James spoke of a man who must be “slow to speak”
• That is reluctant to give his opinion to God or even his excuses to God.

James spoke of a man who must be “slow to anger”
• That is hesitant to get angry when God tells him the truth about him or when God’s plans differ from his own.

Instead he is to put aside his wickedness
And “in humility receive the word implanted”

And then he is to be a doer of the word and not just a hearer.

Only a fool goes to worship and then does all the talking.
Only a fool approaches God and gives the orders?
IT IS SO BACKWARD IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTHINKABLE.

“For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

Remember Jesus talking about prayer?
Matthew 6:7-13 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

This is the warning of the preacher.
YOU ARE NOT GOD STOP ACTING LIKE IT WHEN YOU APPROACH GOD.

Don’t go to air your opinions and your advice, you go to hear His.
Open the Bible, listen to God, and don’t argue with Him, just do it.

• He is not your butler…
• He is not your genie…
• He is not your Sugar Daddy…

He is your God and you are His creation.
He is the Potter, you are the clay.

• So “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God”
• Be reverent, remember who He is and who you are.

To go before God as a boaster who is telling Him what He should do
Is to bring “the sacrifice of fools.”

Well that’s one mistake we make with our lips.
There is another.
#2 THE NEGOTIATOR
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

Here we have a guy with a different tactic.
• He’s not quite as bold as the first guy.
• He doesn’t come telling God what to do.

He comes instead to negotiate with God a desired response.

His plan is to make a vow to God
In hopes that God will honor his desire.

But there is an INHERENT DANGER in that.
That can be a very foolish decision as well.

So listen as the preacher instructs the young man further.

“When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!”

There again the fool emerges.
This time it is the fool who makes a promise to God that he doesn’t keep.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you. “However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. “You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.”

And that is precisely what the preacher says here.
(5) “It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and no pay.”

He is addressing the temptation of man to enter negotiations with God.

• I’ve heard people in hospital beds say, “If God heals me I’ve promised I’m coming to church…”

Be careful soliciting God into some sort of agreement like that.
One thing God knows nothing of is going back on His word
And He does not allow man to do it either.

The Old Testament story of Jephthah comes to mind here.
Remember Jephthah wanted victory over the Ammonites.

Judges 11:30-31 “Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Nothing says that such a vow was necessary,
But Jephthah made it anyway.
And God granted the request.

And then we read further:
Judges 11:34-35 “When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.”

Jephthah made a foolish vow,
But he was not foolish enough to go back on what he promised.

THE POINT IS THAT YOU DON’T LIE TO GOD.

Remember this couple?
Acts 5:1-11 “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.”

• If you say something to God you’d better tell the truth.
• If you make a promise to God you’d better honor it.

(6) “Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

He is speaking of a person who makes a promise to God
BUT THEN WANTS TO GET OUT OF IT.

So the person goes to the priest or the prophet
And tries to get released from the vow.

AND THE POINT IS, IT CAN’T HAPPEN.

Look at Samson and the grief he caused himself because he took the vow of a Nazarite and then allowed his hair to be cut.

You don’t make a promise to God and then go back on it.

The preacher actually speaks of God as A SERIOUS CREDITOR.
You, in effect, took out a loan from God.

• You bartered His services with promise of payment.
• If you renege on your promise, don’t expect God to just be ok with it.

In fact the preacher says “Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

He speaks of God as A REPO AGENT.
You made a promise, you didn’t keep it, God will make it even.

Very few people think of God in these terms today.

They think it is nothing to make promises to God that they do not keep,
But the preacher tells the young man that this is very foolish.

It is foolish to approach God and do all the talking.
It is foolish to approach God and make promises you don’t keep.

In both cases you are inviting the displeasure and judgment of God.

• Why would you think it is ok to tell God what He must do for you?
• Why would you think it is ok to make a promise to God that you won’t keep?

That is foolish.
That is the sacrifice of fools.

And the preacher continues.
(7) “For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather fear God.”

• “emptiness” is that same HEBEL that you are so used to.
• Usually rendered “vanity”; it refers to smoke or a mirage.

And here the preacher makes ANOTHER COMPARISON TO A DREAM.

He says dreams are “emptiness”

For the most part you know that’s right.
• Most of the time they are foolish and nonsense.
• They are the product of an overactive imagination.
• You can’t count on them, they aren’t true.

It’s just a figment, it’s a mirage; the preacher says.
Well, so are your “many words” to God.

That is to say “smooth talking won’t get you out of trouble”
You’re not going to talk your way out of it.

• You may make a promise to a loan shark and not be able to pay.
• He may come to collect and through your smooth speech you might negotiate a few more days out of him.

BUT NOT GOD.
He knows the words of man, because He knows the heart.

Listen to God’s assessment of the children of Israel.
Psalms 78:34-37 “When He killed them, then they sought Him, And returned and searched diligently for God; And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. But they deceived Him with their mouth And lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast toward Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.”

In Hosea God promised judgment
• The people said, “Let us return to the LORD”.
• God heard what they said, but listen to His response.

Hosea 6:4-6 “What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Jesus knew it:
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

And again:
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Listen to Jesus address the Pharisees:
Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

Do you get the point?
• Empty words and empty promises mean nothing to God.
• Only a fool would offer them.

But the preacher has a better solution for the young man, and for all of us.
“Rather, fear God.”

Do you want a proper attitude of worship?
Do you want to know how to approach God?

• YOU DON’T come running off at the mouth making all your declarations and demands of what God must do for you,
• AND YOU SURE DON’T come negotiating and making promises you don’t intend to keep.

Both of those men are fools.

Instead, you come before God in “fear”
You come before God with holy reverence.

Remember how Job responded after God addressed his arrogance?
Job 42:1-6 “Then Job answered the LORD and said, “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”

How do you suppose the church responded to God after He struck Ananias and Saphira dead?

THERE IS A LESSON TO BE LEARNED THERE.

When we deal with God, it is not a joke.
• He is certainly gracious and merciful and full of compassion.
• He is certainly a God who saves sinners.
• He has demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die for sinners.

ALL OF THAT IS SERIOUS TO HIM.

When God stretches out His hand to call sinners to salvation,
• Only a fool would return with his own set or conditions and seek to tell God
what else he wants.

When God stretches out His offer of mercy to a vilest offender,
• Only a fool would make an agreement with God that he does not keep.

DO YOU SEE THAT?

God is merciful, but He is still God.
God is gracious, but He is still God.
HE IS STILL GOD AND YOU STILL ARE NOT.

And when we deal with Him it is best that we not forget our place.
• Approach Him in humility,
• Approach Him in sincerity.
• Come before Him with fear and trembling.
• Submit yourself to His will.
• Confess Him as Lord.
• And keep your confession.

He is NOT your personal butler
He is NOT your sugar daddy

He is the God of the universe
And He has graciously offered you salvation.

Take His offer, submit to His will,
Keep your mouth closed and your ears opened,
And when you make a commitment to Him keep it.

• Do not take His name in vain.
• Do not say “Lord, Lord” and then not do what He says.

One final passage to close:
Matthew 21:28-32 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ “And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. “The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.”

See the difference?
• One gave a true sacrifice.
• One gave the sacrifice of fools.

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David’s Hope
Psalms 110
June 27, 2021

If you ASK PEOPLE today what is the most famous Psalm
I think it’s probably a shoe-in that Psalms 23 would win the vote.

For centuries the church has rested in the promises of the Good Shepherd
And His care for His sheep.

If I were to ASK YOU what your favorite Psalm is, the answers might be pretty diverse.
• We love the 22nd and its revelations of the cross.
• We love the 46th and its promise that we will not be moved.
• We love the 73rd with its relevant discussion on wealth.

And the list goes on and on.

But it is apparent to me that if you were to ask the apostles
What their favorite Psalm is then I think I can confidently say
That their answer would have been: Psalms 110.

No Psalm inspired more New Testament writing than Psalms 110.
• Psalms 110 was quoted by Jesus during the last week of His life.
• Psalms 110 was partially preached by Peter at Pentecost.
• Psalms 110 was quoted by Peter in his defense before the Sanhedrin.
• Psalms 110 was the Psalm that inspired the entire book of Hebrews.

IT IS HUGE!

If we were to trace out and discuss in detail
Every time this Psalm is referenced
And fully exposit the texts where it is quoted
I suppose it would take us almost a year to fully deal with them all.

This Psalm has far-reaching application.
And we will certainly at least touch base with those uses
As we study the Psalm tonight.

BUT BEFORE THIS PSALM WAS EVER QUOTED BY JESUS
OR PREACHED BY THE APOSTLES

It was first a song written by David
Which expressed his joy in a coming salvation.

In fact, I have chosen to title this Psalm: “David’s Hope”

That is what it is all about.

In this Psalm David has been granted the privilege of
HEARING AN INNER TRINITARIAN CONVERSATION.

David says right off the bat, “THE LORD SAYS TO MY LORD”

• Certainly that is privileged information that David was given by God.
• In all actuality what David heard would be a POST-ASCENSION conversation between the Father and the Son.

So clearly David was given prophetic preference here
As God chose to reveal to him events that would occur
Following the incarnation, ministry, death and burial of Christ.

Before Christ ever came
• David saw the success of His ministry.
• David heard the promise of His reign.
• David understood His role as a priest.
• David saw His coming in power.

And what David heard here from the LORD
Became the very hope of salvation of David.

But it wasn’t just David’s hope,
• It also became Peter’s hope
• And the writer of Hebrew’s hope
• And it becomes our hope as well.

So tonight we are going to take a look at
Perhaps THE MOST FAR-REACHING PSALM in the entire book.

As I said, we can’t possibly extract every truth it inspired,
But we can certainly celebrate with David
As he examined this promise that gave him such great hope.

We are going to divide this Psalm into 3 points tonight
As each of them outline a specific truth on which David rested his hope.

#1 A PLEASING LORD
Psalms 110:1-3

Let’s just contemplate for a moment what David just heard.

“THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD: “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”

Even without our New Testament enlightenment
This is still a remarkable verse to behold.

David here makes an important announcement.
• David has a “LORD”
• David has one to whom he has submitted his life.
• David has one in whom he is trusting.
• David has picked a Savior.

BUT YOU AND I KNOW THAT
This selection is only good if God accepts Him as well.

I mean, what good does it do
To select a delegate to stand before God on your behalf
If God does not accept that delegate?

You can pick Muhammad or Buddha or Joseph Smith to be your savior if you want,
But it won’t do you any good if God doesn’t accept them.

That is why David is so elated here.
In verse 1 David learned that God has accepted David’s savior.

“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

To sit at God’s right and was a declaration of acceptance.
And so on this day David learned that God has accepted his Lord.

THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

It’s no wonder that the New Testament took this verse and ran with it.

FOR WE UNDERSTAND THAT
If Jesus Christ had not been acceptable to the Father
Then you and I have no Savior.

This was Paul’s main argument in that famous 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians when he argued for the truth of the resurrection.

Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:17-19 “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

• If God didn’t raise Christ then that means that Christ was not acceptable to God.
• And it doesn’t matter how much you liked Christ,
• If God doesn’t accept Him on your behalf then you are sunk.

How wonderful to know then that God has accepted Him.
Matthew 3:16-17 “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

• And of course God would state that again on the day Christ was transfigured.

This is foundational to our faith and salvation
To know that God has accepted Christ on our behalf.

God’s acceptance of Christ is the BEST NEWS any believer can ever hear
FOR IN HIS ACCEPTANCE WE ARE ACCEPTED.

And as we pointed out the apostles took this verse and ran with it.
Let’s take a quick look at their application of this great verse.

First we would point out that Jesus used this verse.
Matthew 22:41-46 “Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’? “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.”

Obviously Jesus used this verse
To point out that He was in fact greater than David.

And this is precisely how Peter would use this verse too.
At Pentecost Peter preached:
Acts 2:34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,”

• David never rose from the dead…
• David never ascended to heaven…
• David was never invited to sit at the right hand of God…

Jesus was greater than David.
The apostles jumped all over that point.

The writer of Hebrews expanded it even further to point out that by reason of this verse Jesus was also greater than the angels.
Hebrews 1:13 “But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”?

So clearly the apostles loved this verse
Because it highlighted the preeminence of Jesus.

Jesus is the greatest and the highest.
He alone was invited to the right hand of God.

BUT EVEN THAT ISN’T THE MAIN POINT.
• The main point that the New Testament liked is that Jesus not only was exalted to the Father but that He sat down.

“Sit at My right hand…”

The writer of Hebrews especially loved this.
• He loved to point out that sitting reveals rest.
• He loved to point out that sitting reveals being finished.
• He loved to point out that no earthly priest ever did this in God’s presence.

But Jesus has so perfectly finished His work that He sat down.

Saying it first in:
Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

And then using Psalms 110 to support his statement later:
Hebrews 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

Jesus perfectly finished His work.
There was nothing left to do.

• God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and because it was “good” or perfect “God rested”.
• Jesus came to earth, fulfilled the righteous requirement of God, and then bore the wrath of God on sin and on the cross He said, “It is finished!”
• And when Jesus ascended He rested; He sat down at the right hand of God.

THE NEW TESTAMENT LOVES THAT TRUTH.

And the apostles also loved the word “until”

Noting that His sitting on heaven’s throne is temporary
UNTIL He comes to sit on earth’s throne.

“Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Currently, as Christ is seated next to the Father,
The Father is actively working to subdue Christ’s enemies.

One by one God is subduing Christ’s enemies.
One by one God is breaking them down.

If you don’t know where God is doing that, then look around this room.

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

WE are those enemies that God has subdued
And brought to the footstool of Christ.

Paul describes what an enemy of Christ looks like:
Philippians 3:18-19 “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”

THAT WAS US.
• We were those who were enemies of Christ, but God subdued us.
• He revealed to us our rebellion.
• He called us to repentance.
• He sent His Spirit to regenerate us.
• He gave us faith.
• He atoned for our sin.
• He brought us to Christ.

Titus 3:3-7 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

This is why it is a foolish statement to say that
You long for Christ to reign if you are not involved in evangelism.

• Evangelism is the very essence of longing for Christ to reign.
• Evangelism is the very involvement of God’s work to bring Christ’s enemies to His footstool.

And so the apostles loved this verse.
They saw so much of the gospel here and the expounded on it greatly.

But even apart from their explanation,
Just FROM DAVID we learn a great deal about our hope.

WE SEE HIS SEAT
“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

• David had hope because his Lord and Savior had been accepted by God.

WE SEE HIS SCEPTOR
(2) “The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

That is again a reference to the kingdom of heaven.
God would be at work to bring the hearts of wicked men into submission to Christ.

I am one of those; you are one of those.
• We are those who have confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord.
• We are those who have bowed the knee to Christ.

David had hope because his Lord had been accepted
And because God had promised that His kingdom would flourish.

WE SEE HIS SERVANTS
(3) “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.”

One commentary pointed out that nearly every translation of the Bible
Translates this passage differently.

• And that has made for varying interpretations of the passage, but we can still make sense of the point.

“Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power;”

Perhaps the more accurate picture is that of “freewill offerings”
• That Christ’s people will present themselves as a freewill offering in the day of His power.

Like Paul said:
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

OR
Philippians 2:17 “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”

David saw Christ’s people willingly pouring out their lives for Him.

He saw them “In holy array”; clothed in the righteousness of Christ,
But also working for the sanctification that He desires.

David saying, “Your youth are to You as the dew.”

Some translated this verse about Christ saying,
“You have the dew of Your youth”.

It’s difficult to know which, but the implication seems to be that
• Christ’s enemies have been made His servants.
• They serve Him now willingly and gladly.
• They wrap themselves in the holiness He desires.
• And they are a special blessing a delight to Him.

David saw all this coming.
• He saw a Savior, who perfectly finished His work and sat down at the right hand of God.
• He saw a God who began to turn sinners into saints and enemies into sons.
• He saw former rebels now serving Christ in holy array.
• He saw Christ delighted in their service.

And David settled his hope there.
He would smile at the future
Because His Savior would be a successful savior.

THAT IS OUR HOPE AS WELL.
That our Savior is a successful savior.

He is accepted by God and He does in fact subdue the hearts of men.
5

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on.

He has sounded fort the trumpet that shall never sound retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat; O be swift, my soul, to answer Him; be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave; He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave; So the world shall be His foot-stool and the soul of wrong His slave. Our God is marching on.”

That was the hope of David as well.
He could look forward with prophetic eyes and sing
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”

We sing that same hope.

A Pleasing Lord
#2 A PERMANENT PRIEST
Psalms 110:4

This verse is widely considered the heart of the Psalm.
Indeed it is the verse that stopped the writer of Hebrews in his tracks.
• He read this verse and he could not go any further.
• He stopped in dedicated meditation.

• What is this oath that is written here?
• Who is this king that is now called priest?
• How is it that He is a priest forever?
• And who is this Melchizedek and how does he relate to Christ?

And by the time he finished seeking out this verse
He had written the entire book of Hebrews.

Some would even say that the book of Hebrews is nothing more than
An exposition of Psalms 110:1 and Psalms 110:4

And we certainly don’t have time to unpack all that the writer of Hebrews said about this verse as his commentary covered multiple chapters.

But we can read a little to bring it to our minds.

Hebrews 7:1-3 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”

You have to go back and read Genesis 14 if you want the whole story,
But the point was simple.

After delivering Abraham from his kidnappers and capturing the spoil Abraham tithed a tenth of the spoil to this priest named Melchizedek.

• He was unique because he was both a priest and a king.
• He was also unique because we don’t have any record of his birth or death.
• In one sense he doesn’t have a beginning or an end.
• And he is unique because he is not a Levite.

And the writer of Hebrews applied all of that to Christ
Saying that Melchizedek was a picture of Christ.

• Christ also was greater than Abraham
• Christ also has no end of days
• Christ also was not a Levite
• Christ also was priest and King.

The writer of Hebrews would also say:
Hebrews 7:11-12 “Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.”

The writer of Hebrews simply pointed out that
If the Levitical priesthood had been perfect and sufficient
Then David would have never written Psalms 110:4.

That is to say there would have never been any talk about a new priest from a new line if those old priests had been good enough.

BUT THEY WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH.
They didn’t make anyone perfect.

So God ordained a new priest,
And then the writer of Hebrews point out that when you get a new priest
You have to get a new covenant too.

(Because the old covenant explicitly stated that all priests had to be Levites)

So clearly in Psalms 110,
God was pointing out that there was coming a day
When we’d get a new priest and a new covenant.

And the writer of Hebrews seized upon that.
Hebrews 7:17-22 “For it is attested of Him, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, ‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER’”); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”

• The writer of Hebrews seized upon Psalms 110:4.
• He saw a new priest coming and this new priest was Jesus.
• And he saw this new priest coming with an oath from God.

IN VERSE 1 WE GOT AN ORACLE OF GOD.
And if there is anything stronger than an oracle of God
It is an oath from God. -Derek Kidner

God promised that someday David would get a new priest.
• Not a priest in weakness that could make nothing perfect.
• Not a temporary priest who would one day leave office or die.
• But David would get a powerful priest and One who would be a priest forever.

And if you want to know why this new priest
And His new covenant are better, just keep reading.

Hebrews 7:23-25 “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

• Christ is a perfect priest
• Christ is a permanent priest
• And so Christ permanently save those who come to Him.

“He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Now that is a “tip of the ice burg” explanation,
But that is still the point that David is so happy about.

• David never had a perfect priest before…
• David never had one who was capable of atoning for his sin and then setting
down because it was finished…
• David never had one who could make him perfect…

But God told him about a priest who one day would make him perfect.
AND THIS WAS DAVID’S HOPE.

AND THIS IS OUR HOPE.
• We are sinful men.
• We have no reason to expect that we could ever please God
• Or even stay pleasing if somehow we were to appease Him.

But here David heard of a Savior who was acceptable to God
And this same One would then perform as an eternal priest
To keep saved all those who come to God through Him.

That is salvation and that is security
And that was David’s hope and it is certainly OUR HOPE AS WELL.

Hebrews 6:16-20 “For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

• Jesus satisfied God.
• Jesus sits at His right hand.
• Jesus intercedes for us.

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.” “When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace; through every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.”

That was David’s hope too.

A Pleasing Lord, A Permanent Priest
#3 A PROMISED REIGN
Psalms 110:5-7

One commentator pointed out that at this point David leaves the book of Hebrews
And approaches the book of Revelation.

For David also had a hope that
One day the heavenly kingdom would become and earthly one.

• David also had a hope that one day it would not just be men who were saved from their sin, but one day all evil would be vanquished.

• David had a hope that one day every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

And that is the day David saw here.
(5-7) “The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.”

• Notice all the “He will” statements.
• It is promised, it is prophesied, Christ will come and will destroy His enemies.

We saw the same promise back in chapter 2
When those foolish kings were conspiring against God’s anointed
To throw His fetters off.

Psalms 2:7-9 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

THERE IS COMING A DAY
When all those who resisted Christ and refused His saving offer
Will have their knees broken and they will bow before Him.

• “He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath”
• “He will judge among the nations,”
• “He will fill them with corpses,”
• “He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.”

And the closing verse of the Psalm pictures
His relentless pursuit of the wicked until He finds none.

David said, (7) “He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.”

The picture is that of a general in pursuit of his enemies.
• He doesn’t just sit in his tent eating fine food,
• The general who wants to catch his foe pursue him, even drinking water from the brook on the way.

It pictures a relentless pursuit of the wicked.
And David says a king who is so passionate in his pursuit
WILL MOST CERTAINLY BE VICTORIOUS.

“He will lift up His head.”

He will pursue the wicked and He will not stop
Until every grape is trampled and every sinner destroyed.

THIS WAS DAVID’S HOPE.
• A Savior who was acceptable to God.
• A Priest who could keep him saved.
• A kingdom where the wicked would be destroyed forever.

Though the writer of Hebrews did not quote from the end of this Psalm, it is clear that he read it.

Hebrews 12:25-29 “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”

IT IS OUR HOPE THAT
There is coming a day when our God
Will shake the heavens and the earth.

He will come and judge the wicked
And set up a kingdom which cannot be shaken
And a land where righteousness dwells.

We hope for the day when the curse is reversed and sin is gone forever.

“Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns; let me their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.”

Now you see why the apostles seized upon Psalms 110.

• David spoke of his hope in a Savior whom God would accept on His behalf and this was Jesus.

• David spoke of a priest who would forever atone for his sin and keep him saved and this was Jesus.

• David spoke of at king who would crush His enemies and set up a holy earthly kingdom, and this was Jesus.

JESUS WAS DAVID’S HOPE IN ALL THINGS.

• Even though David was a king he knew he was not acceptable to God on his own.
• Even though David was a king he was not even allowed to be a priest.
• Even though David was a king he never fully rid the world of his enemies.

David’s hope was in a better king, his Lord,
Who would accomplish all of those things.

That is the same Lord we celebrate.
That is the same Lord we worship.
That is the same in Lord in whom we place our hope.

And tonight, just to remember this great hope
We are going to partake in the Lord’s Supper.

• As we do we see His body in which He earned the righteousness that was
imputed to us.
• A righteous life that was offered to the Father on our behalf.
• And in the juice we see His blood which was shed to pay the penalty for our
sin.

And it all hinges upon the fact that
THIS OFFERING WAS ACCEPTED BY THE FATHER FOR US.

HE IS OUR ONLY HOPE.

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Another Look At The World
Ecclesiastes 4:1-16
June 27, 2021

Often times when we go on mission and spend time in a different culture
We speak of “culture shock”.

• It occurs when we get outside of the comforts of America and see villages of people living in utter poverty.
• We see them sleeping on dirt floors, drinking filthy water, wearing rags for clothes, and facing death due to lack of medical options.
• It can be eye-opening when you see it, especially for the first time.

Sometimes it is easy to sit in an air-conditioned house
Watching an HD television while drinking an ice-cold drink
And eating our third meal of the day
To forget just how much suffering there is in the world.

And yet, if you are willing to open your eyes
The suffering of humanity is everywhere.

If you stop and listen to a person’s story for just a few moments
You find that people everywhere are hurting.

We might even come to the conclusion that LIFE IS HARD,
Or even better yet that this WORLD IS CURSED.

And the simple fact is that you might insulate yourself from it for a while
But sooner or later HARDSHIP and SUFFERING and GRIEF will find you.

NOW THAT IS NOT A PLEASANT THOUGHT.

When a young man or woman graduates from High School
We very rarely send them a card about the cruelty of life.
• We talk to them about their bright future…
• We talk to them about all their opportunities…
• We talk to them about the potential for success…

Perhaps that is why you very rarely see a quote
From the book of Ecclesiastes on a greeting card.

The preacher here is just not “Hallmark” material.
• He does not sugar coat life.
• He does not hand out rose colored glasses.
• He tells the cold hard truth about life,
• And if you fail to listen to him the first time, then he will grab you and tell you again.

And with that we come to chapter 4 of this book.

Twice you see the statement (1, 7) “Then I looked again…”

Here the preacher takes another look at the world.
• It’s his honest critique.
• It’s his honest review.

He is out to tell you the truth, and as we have seen,
HE TELLS YOU THE TRUTH FOR A REASON.

• He has been saying repeatedly that the only true source of satisfaction is
found in the God who created you.
• He has repeatedly said that enjoyment comes only from Him and in Him.
• But if you look at this world apart from Him, you find a cold mean place to dwell.

What we are going to do this morning
Is actually cover this entire chapter in 1 sermon.

Indeed, I’m not sure our psyche could handle
Focusing on what he has to say much longer that that.

Here in the chapter we find 4 evils or vanities
That the preacher sees in life here on earth
And he wants to make sure that the young man is well aware of them.

Well let’s examine these evils or vanities that the preacher wants us to see.
#1 ABOUNDING EVIL
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

That’s a pretty difficult passage to read.
It is dark and depressing to say the least.

The preacher quit turning a blind eye.
Instead of turning away from the gutter, he purposely examined it.

He saw “all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun.”
• He simply forced himself to look at what goes on in the world.
• He made himself watch life.
• And he looked “oppression”

And his conclusion was a difficult one to swallow.
“And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressor was power, but they had no one to comfort them.”

What he saw is a definite injustice of this world.
• Sometimes those in power are evil.
• Sometimes those in power oppress the weak.

And I know that in Hallmark movies or in Hollywood blockbusters
In the end everything is supposed to be made right.

The preacher told the young man to turn off the Hallmark channel.
This life doesn’t wrap up happy endings in a nice and neat little bow.

• He saw the oppressed crying
• He saw them continually oppressed
• And he saw that no one cared to comfort them

HE SAW DEJECTED PEOPLE.

AND THE SIGHT WAS SO DISCOURAGING
THAT IT LED HIM TO MAKE A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT.

(2-3) “So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.”

Wow!
• “I congratulated the dead”
• “better off…is the one who never existed”

Those are certainly harsh statements.

But look at the oppression of this world
And see if you can’t come to the same conclusion.

Look at starving children in third world countries.
• See if you do not pity what they are born in to and have to survive.
• See if your heart is not granted relief when they die and escape the horror they were forced to live in.

It’s not a pleasant thought,
But we know there is truth here from the preacher.

There is evil and oppression in this world
And it is here to such an extent
That death can be seen as a welcomed relief.

How many times have we said around the grave of a loved one,
“At least they aren’t suffering anymore”?

You understand then the observation of the preacher.
• This life brings with it abounding evil.
• This life presents oppression and tears and a lack of comfort to so many.
• For so many it is a terribly hard life.

And the preacher is simply forcing us to look at it for a moment.

Abounding Evil
#2 EXHAUSTING LABOR
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

Now he looks at the working man.
He moves from skid row to main street.

And here he sees humanity breaking their back in rigorous labor.

And he makes some startling observations about that too.

(4) “I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

He noticed men working hard
And he noticed that the reason for their hard work
Is because they were in a heated competition with their neighbor.

The word “rivalry” there can actually be translated “jealousy” or “envy”

In short, he saw the “cut throat” nature of business.

He saw men locked in a brutal competition.
• And he saw them in a race with one another.
• That in order for this man’s business to grow stronger, that man’s business has
to grow weaker.
• It was a harsh battle for victory.

He sees men working themselves to death,
Not to simply earn a living, but to beat a competitor.

BUT HERE IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN SADDER.

(6) “One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.”

• It would certainly be nice if those competitors could just sit back and rest and stop the battle for supremacy.

But there is a problem with that.
It is the problem the preacher mentioned in verse 5.

(5) “The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.”

• If you “fold your hands”
• That is to say if you slack off or you take a break,
• You will ruin yourself.

Man is out there killing himself in competition to grow his business
And it would be nice to just stop, be content, and say he has enough,
But if he does that it will ruin his business.

IF HE TAKES A BREAK, HIS COMPETITOR WILL SWOOP IN
AND STEAL HIS CUSTOMERS AND CRUSH HIS BUSINESS.

So the man can’t stop.
• He has to work and work and work and work.
• He has to drive his employees hard.
• He has to push through.

There is no rest, there is only labor.

LOOK AT OUR WORLD.
There used to be blue laws where at least businesses closed on Sunday,
• But you can’t now because your locked in a competition with that other business that decided to work on Sunday.

• Businesses now open on Thanksgiving and some even Christmas because they have to get ahead of the competition.

We could probably ask, “What do you have planned this afternoon?”
• We live in a day now were the majority of people squeeze in Sunday morning worship, but no sooner is it over than do they have work to do.
• It is no longer a day of rest and the culture has made you feel guilty if you take it.
• It certainly is no longer “The Lord’s Day”

Do you see how the world has stolen rest, even from the people of God?

Look at coaches and athletes.
• Summer breaks hardly exist any more.
• From the second kids get out of school it’s right back to workouts and summer leagues.
• Sure, you could take a break, but that school down the road is doing it and since they won’t take a break, neither can you.

DO YOU SEE THAT IN LIFE?
Men push each other to work longer and harder
And it robs the whole world of rest.

Now men can’t quit because their opponent will overtake them if they do.
This world is filled with exhausting labor.

Abounding Evil, Exhausting Labor
#3 REGRETTABLE SOLITUDE
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

Here we see a man who is so consumed with his work and his profit
THAT HE HAS LITERALLY FOUND HIMSELF ALONE.

(7-8) “Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.”

The preacher says this man has no “dependent”.
The word there is literally “second”.

It may be that more than an heir the preacher is talking about
It could be a business partner or even an employee.

He works and he works alone.
• There is no one to share his life with.
• There is no one to share his profit with.
• There is no one to share victory or defeat with.

His job has literally taken him away from every human relationship.

Ever see people like that?
• They were “married” to their job…
• They sacrifice family and friends because there is always work to do…

This guy works and works and works
Even at the expense of all earthly relationships
And never even stops to ask himself why.

At the end of the day he no longer has family or friends,
All he has is the job
And he doesn’t even have anyone to leave all his earnings to.

HOW SAD.

And in this case the preacher just can’t help it.
He takes a moment to explain the importance of relationships in this life.

(9) “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.”

• That is to say you get a BETTER PROFIT if you work with someone instead of
working alone.
• You can get more done and often work harder with someone with you.

(10) “For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.”

• Which speaks of BETTER HELP.
• Jobs are just easier when there is someone to work with.

(11) “Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?”

• A companion produces BETTER COMFORT than if you are alone.

(12) “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

• A companion is BETTER PROTECTION.

In short the preacher is just lamenting that guy
Who worked so hard all of his life and ended up alone
AND LOOK AT WHAT IT COST HIM.

Life would have been so much better
If he had had someone to share life with, instead all he had was the job.

It’s the old “Cats in the Cradle” Song
• About the man who was so busy working he never had time for his family
• And then in the end when the job is over his family has no time for him.

IT’S INCREDIBLY SAD. And yet we see it all our world.
We see those who because they were so busy working
They found themselves alone and missed out on the blessing of companionship.

Abounding Evil, Exhausting Labor, Regrettable Solitude
#4 FORGOTTEN ACCOMPLISHMENT
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

THAT STORY CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING.
• In fact even translators will admit having a difficult time knowing exactly who all of the pronouns are talking about.

But I think the flow of the book helps us greatly understand his point.

Here we have 2 men.
• One is “a poor yet wise lad” who we also find out was “in prison”
• The other is “an old and foolish king”

Incidentally he is called “foolish”
Because he “no longer knows how to receive instruction.”

SO THE IMPLICATION IS THAT
We have a nation that is languishing under a stubborn king.

And because this king has made mistakes due to his pride
• The nation is ready for change
• And they turn to this “poor yet wise lad” who (14) “has come out of prison to become king”
• So the nation turns to this former poor prisoner because they have had it with the stubborn king.

And the preacher says, (15) “I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.”

I saw this young man get massive support from the nation
And everyone loved him and supported him
And wanted him to be the king.

However, his fame was short-lived.
(16) “There is no end to all the people, to al who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.”

And the simple point is that
• Even though you may rise from poverty to greatness,
• And even though men may love you today,
• Your fame can be very short lived.

Ever watch pro athletes?
It’s actually a sad story.

• Fans can fall in love with an athlete; a quarterback.
• They’ll buy his jersey and chant his name.
• But it won’t be many years until the organization will draft a new young rookie
full of potential and before you know it those same fans will “boo” when the old quarterback takes the field and they’ll chant for his replacement.

AND SUCH IS LIFE.
• Accomplishment is often forgotten.
• Glory fades.
• It just doesn’t last.
• And after the world uses you, it will quickly discard you.

NOW THOSE ARE THE 4 OBSERATIONS ABOUT LIFE
THAT THE PREACHER MAKES.

Abounding Evil – this life produces no comfort for the oppressed.
Exhausting Labor – this life produces no rest for the weary.
Regrettable Solitude – this world will leave you empty and alone.
Forgotten Accomplishment – your glory will quickly be forgotten and discarded.

• Our world oppresses people
• Our world jealously attacks people
• Our world sucks people in and then isolates them and leaves them alone
• Our world uses people and then discards them

That is our world and you can see those things happening everywhere.

HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT STING?

We call it THE CURSE
Genesis 3:14-15 “The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

• The curse brought enmity.
• The curse brought rivalry.
• The curse brought envy and jealousy and cruelty and oppression.

Genesis 3:16 “To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

• The curse brought pain and hardship and suffering.

Genesis 3:17-18 “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;”

• The curse brought labor and robbed man of rest.

Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

• The curse brought death and the sting of being forgotten.

THIS WORLD IS CURSED.
And now, if you open your eyes you see things like:

ACTS OF OPPRESSION – Have you read about Cain killing Abel or Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery?

EXHAUSTING LABOR – Do you see man toiling to scratch out food from cursed ground and men crying out for rest?

REGRETTABLE SOLITUDE – Look at how this life leaves people alone. Look at how people are taught to work and make money and climb the ladder but sacrifice the people in their life to do it.

FORGOTTEN ACCOMPLISHMENT – Look at how this world uses people and then tosses them aside. This is what Israel did to Jesus even.

This world is cursed.
This world should never be the objective of your life.
GAINING THIS WORLD SHOULD NEVER BE THE GOAL.

Certainly that is a message to the young man.
If your ambition is to obtain this world you are in a sad state of affairs.

Open your eyes, this world is evil and exhausting and cruel and empty.

Just look at the WORDS THAT FLOOD chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes.
“oppression” – “tears” – “no one to comfort” – “evil activity” – “rivalry” – “vanity” – “striving after wind” – “not satisfied” – “laboring” – “depriving” – “grievous task” – “replaces” – “not be happy”

Do you see this world?
• It is broken and harsh and cruel.
• It leaves men oppressed without comfort
• It leaves men tired without relief
• It leaves men alone in solitude
• It leaves men forgotten and discarded

THAT IS THIS WORLD
And the preacher has sort of rubbed it in our face this morning.

BUT WHAT ARE WE TO LEARN FROM SUCH A REALITY?
• Are we just supposed to walk away depressed and defeated that we are consigned to live in such a cruel world?

No, we are supposed to see the cruelty of this sin cursed world
And be drawn to Christ.

This world will OPPRESS you, but Christ comforts the oppressed.
Luke 4:18-19 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

This world will EXHAUST you, but Christ offers rest to the weary.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This world will LEAVE YOU alone, but Christ will come to you in your solitude.
John 5:4-5“for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.”

This world will USE you and DISCARD you, but Christ sees you.
Matthew 9:36 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”

Christ came into this sin-cursed world and offered salvation.
He came to offer light in the midst of darkness.

John 1:4 “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

• This world was never supposed to satisfy you.
• This world is cursed.
• Only Jesus offers satisfaction and life.

TURN TO: MATTHEW 11:28

We just read this passage a moment ago,
But I want us to go a bit further in Matthew’s gospel.

There are many stories we could examine this morning in order to make the point of how Jesus treats the oppressed.

• The hemorrhaging woman who had been suffering for 12 years.
• How He healed the leper who approached and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” And Jesus said, “I am willing.”
• How He forgave and healed the paralytic who was lowered through the roof.
• How He visited the city of Nain and saw a widow in a funeral possession burying her only son and how Jesus raised the boy from the dead and gave him back to her.
• How He saw 10 leprous men and healed them all.
• How He restored sight to Bartimaeus outside of Jericho
• Or all the other compassionate things Jesus did which are not written.

There are any number of stories that perhaps we could turn to,
But this morning we’re looking at Matthew 11 and 12.

We see again that famous passage where Jesus offered rest to the weary.
And then we come to chapter 12 and we read “At that time…”

IT STARTS WITH a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees because Jesus’ disciples were picking heads of grain on the Sabbath.
• Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and says:
• (7) “But if you had known what this means, “I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
• Jesus was pointing out the major problem, not only of the world, but even of the Jewish religion. There was no compassion.

BUT KEEP FOLLOWING THE STORY.
(9) “Departing from there, He went into their synagogue…”

Jesus isn’t finished.
• And here we get the story about the man with the withered hand and yet another rebuke of the religious elite.
• Jesus is full of compassion for the hurting isn’t He?

And it’s still not over, Matthew is making a point.
(READ 15-21)

There Matthew makes THE POINT he wants you to see about Jesus.
He quotes from Isaiah 42 and says it is all about Jesus.

“HE WILL NOT QUARREL”
• The word for quarrel there is ERIZO and it means “wrangling or harassing or even brawling”
• Jesus is no bully, He is filled with compassion not meanness.

“NOR CRY OUT”
• “CRY OUT” is an onomatopoetic word KRAUGAZO which means “to squawk like a bird or to scream and yell repeatedly”
• That’s not Jesus.
• He didn’t attack people, He didn’t bully people, He didn’t use or intimidate people. He had compassion on people.

“A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF”
• That is a broken person barely hanging on, but Jesus doesn’t discard them.

“A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OFF”
• A person whose light is just about to go out, but Jesus doesn’t push them aside.

“AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”
• He gives hope to the helpless
• He gives life to the dying
• He is moved with compassion.

And Matthew loved that about Jesus.
It was Matthew who first pointed out back in chapter 4

Matthew 4:12-16 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES— “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

Do you see this Jesus?
• The world is harsh and cruel.
• The world will work you to death with no relief
• The world will isolate you and take everything from you
• The world will then use you up and throw you aside

BUT NOT JESUS.
• He offers life to those who live in this world.
• He gives comfort to the oppressed
• He provides rest to those who labor
• He comes to those who are alone
• He sees those who are discarded

And it is important that you see Jesus
Because without Jesus all you get from this world
Is oppression and labor and loneliness and rejection.

SO YOUNG MAN, WHY WOULD YOU GO OUT AND SEEK THIS WORLD?

Seek, trust, fear, and enjoy the God who created you
For there is no satisfaction without Him.

Are you oppressed?
• Has this world beaten you down?
• Then run to Jesus He came “to set free those who are oppressed”

Are you tired?
• Have you gotten sucked into the rat race of this world, or even worse the rat race of religion where you are working like crazy to earn God’s approval?
• Then run to Jesus He came “to give you rest”

Are you lonely?
• Perhaps your loneliness is because you pursued the world at the expense of your family or perhaps your loneliness is from another source. But whatever the reason and regardless of who is to blame this world has seen fit to leave you alone.
• Then run to Jesus He said, “surely I will be with you always.”

Have you been discarded?
• Has the world used you up and spit you out. Did you give your life to a career or job only to find out how easily replaceable you were?
• HAPPENS TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Then run to Jesus He shepherds lost and discarded sheep.

His invitation was given to people just like you.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”