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“Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth”
(Treating The Bible With Honesty and Respect As God’s Revealed Word)
INTRODUCTION:
For our Bible study today, we come across a very well-known and emphasized text of Scripture. In this text, the Apostle Paul is instructing a young Pastor Timothy on the need to “rightly divide the Word of Truth”, as he ministers to the Ephesian the church and the citizens of Ephesus.
What did Paul mean when he gave these instructions to Timothy?
Was he telling Timothy of the need to divide the Word between true teachings and errors that the Bible contains? There are many that wrongfully believe this is so.
Or perhaps, Paul was telling Timothy of the need to divide the Scriptures into several different time periods characterized by different methods of Godly interaction with men? Our dispensational brothers would tell us this is the case.
In our study this morning we will be looking at the Scriptural meaning of the phrase “rightly dividing the Word of Truth” and its application for all who seek to serve the Lord and share His Word with others.
TODAY’S TEXT:
2Ti 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
TODAY’S LESSON:
Obviously, this study will center on the meaning of the phrase “rightly dividing”. The only possible way to come to a proper understanding of this phrase is to come to an understanding of the MEANING of these words and their USAGE in the context of our passage…
The meaning of the words “rightly dividing”.
This two word phrase is translated from one word in the Greek. This word is “orthotomeo”. The meaning of orthotomeo is very interesting indeed. This word comes from a fusion of two Greek words… “orthos” and “tomoteros”.
“orthos” carries with the ideas of straight, upright, level, honest, not twisted, not distorted.
“tomoteros” carries with it the idea of cutting, sharpness, dissection.
From this vocabulary we can see the basic idea Paul was getting across to Timothy was the need to “cut into” God’s Word, closely examine it, and then share his findings with others. It would be much like a biologist that is using a very sharp knife to carefully dissect an animal to come to a better factual understanding of its internal organs and contents.
Also, Timothy was never to approach God’s Word with a bias or a predisposition about its contents. He was to simply accept the teachings of the Word, accept them as truth, and then fairly reflect his discoveries to his listeners without twisting his findings in any way. Timothy’s teachings were to simply reveal the contents of the Word, not twist the Word to align it with his personal desires and beliefs.
In summary this terminology teaches us that Timothy was to take great care in coming to an understanding of the Scriptures and in revealing its contents in an unbiased, truthful fashion.
The usage of the phrase “rightly dividing” in the context of our passage.
Please keep in mind, the thought found in this passage actually begins in verse 14 and carries through to verse 19. In this passage we see two basic themes being covered over and over again…
#1. The need to teach the truth and ONLY the truth.
This subject is found in verses 15 & 19:
15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
In this verse, we see the need to study diligently, come to an understanding of the truth and teach the truth we have learned, so as not to stand ashamed before Christ.
(19) Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Here, we see that one of the outstanding characteristics of God’s people is the need to depart from iniquity in our personal life. This includes departing from false teaching that only harms men.
#2. The harm that is done through the false teachings of men.
This theme is found in the following verses:
(14) Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
False teaching is of no profit to the minister or those who sit under his ministry. On the contrary, false teaching only disrupts and sabotages those who are striving to come to an understanding God’s Word in truth.
(16) But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
(17) And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
(18) Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Here, Timothy is told to brush off wicked and fruitless discussions that only lead to an increase in opposition to God.
False teaching devours the listener like gangrene, resulting in uselessness and a poisoning of the hearer. Teaching error propagates untrue beliefs and can even overwhelm the set of Godly truths that were previously learned. In other words, error not only deceives those who have learned no truth, but also can confuse those who have assented to the truth.
These were all destructive results of teaching error which emphasized to Timothy the need to come to a proper understand of the truths of God’s Word and then, faithfully, reveal them to his hearers.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, all of us have some type of ministry that God has given to us. In every case, our ministry should involve revealing God’s Word to others through our lives, whether by our words or our actions or a combination of both.
For us to faithfully proclaim the Word of God, we should concentrate on these instructions given by the Apostle Paul to Timothy…. carefully study the Word and then, with equal care, share what we have learned with others.
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Serving Christ For His Glory… What Does “His Glory” Mean?
INTRODUCTION:
From the pulpit, from the classroom, and from the mouths of most Christians, we hear the instruction to “serve the Lord for His glory”… unfortunately, this phrase can be very confusing for each one of us due to the variety of teachings about the Lord’s glory found in the Bible.
Many times, when the Bible describes God’s glory (as in Exo 24:17), it is speaking of a bright manifestation of the very presence of God. This meaning of the phrase reveals to us that God’s glory “appears” (Exo 16:10), “can be seen” (Num 14:22) and is “revealed” (Isa 40:5) to us. When we tell others to “serve the Lord for His glory” are we telling them to serve our Lord in the hopes of seeing His presence revealed as a bright, overwhelming light? I think we all understand this is not the case.
In at least three different occasions (Job 40:10, Psa 93:1 and 104:1-2), God’s symbolic clothing is described as his glory. If we use this Biblical definition then we are to serve Him to receive a vision of the symbolic clothing that He is said to wear. Of course this is not the meaning of “for His glory” that is to motivate us to service for Christ.
The Bible also describes His glory as being revealed in a thunderstorm (Psa 29:3). Does this mean we serve Him so that we will see lightning and hear thunder roll? We can all agree, this is not the case.
The list goes on and on. When God’s glory is described it can be revealed to man in many, many different ways.
So what is “God’s glory” and how is it shown to mankind when we serve Him and bear his fruits in our life? In other words, what is the Scriptural motivation for our service to Christ? These questions are what we will be seeking to answer in this Bible study.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Matt 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
1Co 10:31 – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
TODAY’S LESSON:
To come to an understanding of our motive for service (as we serve Christ “for His glory”, we need to understand the definition of the term “glory”. The word glory is translated from several different words in the Bible. In the Old Testament, it is translated from these Hebrew words and their forms:
- kabowd – weight, splendor, honor
- paar – to gleam or boast
- hadar – ornament, splendor
- halal – to shine, flash forth, boast
- shabach – laud, praise, command
- tipharah – beauty, boasting
- howd – splendor, majesty, vigor
- addereth – mantle, garment, robe
- tohar – brightness
- yeqar – wealth
In the New Testament, it is translated from these Greek words and their forms:
- doxa – dignity, honor, praise, worship
- kauchema – to cause to boast
- kleos – praise, respect
As we can see, in both the Old and New Testaments, the most basic, shared meaning behind all the words translated “glory” involves a revelation of the Lord’s excellence. Whether it be speaking of the bright light like fire that appeared over Mt Sinai, the Lord’s clothing being symbolized as a bright light or His voice thunders and “is full of glory”, we can see that the Lord’s greatness is being described.
Excellence, or the Supremacy over all others, is the central theme we can see in all the above words translated “glory” in the Word of God. To put it very simply, the phrase “the glory of the Lord” is describing a revelation of the Lord’s greatness.
When we are told to “serve the Lord for his glory” we are being told to serve the Lord motivated by the desire to reveal His Greatness to others. This should be the motive and goal in all of our ministries and in everything we do…
1Co 10:31 – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
We should never seek to exalt ourselves or others around us, our one purpose of ministry is to allow the greatness of Christ to be displayed in us. This is symbolically like Christ’s glorious light that shines forth from us revealing our Savior to the world around us….
Matt 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
As you can see from the above passage the way that Christ’s light shines forth from us is through the fruits of the Spirit which we possess within us. When we bear these fruits the end results are good works which exalt Christ.
This is the true meaning behind the phrase “we are to serve the Lord for His glory”.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Let’s close our study this morning by asking a few very simple questions….
Why do we serve the Lord and live our daily lives for Him?
Is the end result of our ministry His glory, our glory, or a combination of both?
May we all seek to have Jesus glorified in everything we do!
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“Sins Of The Eyes And Heart”
THE INTRODUCTION:
There is a clear relationship between what we see with our eyes, what we sinfully desire in our hearts, and the fallen outward actions that we commit. Our Lord, Himself, addressed this relationship in Matthew 5:27-28 when He said…
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
This is a very important issue that we need to understand clearly. In this study we will seek to come to an understanding of the Lord’s teachings (and other related verses) on the relationship of our eyes, heart (desires) and the acts of sin we commit.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Job 31:1-8
(1) I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
(2) For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
(3) Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
(4) Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
(5) If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
(6) Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
(7) If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
(8) Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Pro 23:7
(7) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Mat 5:27-28
(27) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
(28) But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Jas 1:13-16
(13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
(14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
(15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(16) Do not err, my beloved brethren.
THE STUDY:
Mat 5:27-28 – Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
In our Lord’s teachings found in Matt 5:27-28, we are taught that sin can occur within the heart (desires) of a man. Please notice that “lusting after her” is counted as committing the sin of adultery “in his heart”. In other words, possessing sinful lusts is one type of sin that can be committed by man.
This also helps us to understand that there are two different ways that any sin can be committed:
- First of all, sin can be committed in the heart when we hold burning desires to perform an act of sin. In the case of Jesus’ teaching, the desire to commit the act of adultery, is, in and of itself, counted as a sin.
- Secondly, sin can involve the outward act of the sin. In Christ’s teaching this would be the physical act of adultery being committed with the woman after whom the inward lust is being committed.
Please note that both the sin of the heart and the actual commission of that sin are recognized as two separate sins. To lust in the heart is sinful, to go farther and actually commit the physical sin of adultery is recognized as a second commission of sin. We should never think that if we commit sin in our hearts we had “might as well do the act”. This is a lie that comes from Satan himself, being told to us in an effort to increase our guilt and the sin that abides in our lives.
Jas 1:13-16 – Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.
In the above verse, James explains to us the steps that produce acts of sin in our lives. James teachings helps us to better understand the relationship between our eyes, heart and the outward performance of sin.
Every commission of sin begins as a temptation. These temptations are wholly based upon the desires that we hold within us. Notice what James says… “Every man is tempted when he is drawn away OF HIS OWN LUST and enticed.” Folks, anytime an opportunity to sin arises, but we have no desire to commit that sin, it is not a temptation to us.
A very simple example is a person who is on a diet and HATES vanilla ice cream. I can offer that person vanilla ice cream over and over again and they will never be “tempted” to eat it and break their diet. Why? Because they have no desire to eat the vanilla ice cream. However, if the same person LOVES chocolate ice cream, the moment I offer it to them, the offer becomes a “temptation” to them to break their diet. Because they desire it, the opportunity to partake of it becomes a temptation to them.
James then goes further and explains that when the person recognizes the opportunity to sin is open to them (they are enticed by it), the sinful lust in their heart then gives birth to the outward act of sin which leads to their death.
WOW! What a horrible chain of events that leads to all men’s downfall, reminds us of a fish that is caught by a fisherman…
- The bait is seen by the fish (using its eyes)
- The bait attracts the fish because it is hungry (its desires)
- The bait is taken by the fish (the outward act of taking that which is sinfully desired)
- The fish is killed by the fisherman (death occurs as the direct result of sin)
The commission of sin takes place in the same way…
- We see an opportunity to sin (we place our eyes on it)
- We then take advantage of that opportunity (because we desire to commit that sin)
- The natural result of the commission of that sin is physical and spiritual death.
Job 31:1-8 – I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Job understood the two types of sin when he said… “If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes”.
- Job described the outward acts of sin as “If my step turned out of the way”
- Job described the role of inward sinful desires as “mine heart walked after mine eyes”.
Job also understood how sin develops in our lives:
- He was describing his sinful desires being fulfilled following the seeing an opportunity to sin… “mine heart walked after mine eyes”:
- This results in the outward commission of that sin “If my step hath turned out of the way”.
Because of Job’s knowledge of these truths, he was able to successfully avoid sin in his life. This is why he was able to boldly ask the Lord to look at his life and see that his life was dedicated to pleasing Him. So what is the secret to Job’s success?…
“I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”
He saw the need to control what his eyes looked upon to avoid these times of temptation that so easily come upon all mankind. he understood that, due to our fallen, sinful natures we all possess sinful desires. The one of the most effective ways to avoid cultivating and fulfilling those desires was by controlling his eyes…
“I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”
In other words, if Job avoided the opportunity to sin, he would not be feeding his sinful desires nor would he be bringing them to fruition. What a very important lesson for us all. By controlling what our eyes look upon we can keep our sinful desires at bay and not “live them out” in our actions!
Job said that the result of this covenant he made with his eyes, he was able to sincerely invite the Lord to examine his life without guilt or hesitation… “Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity”
CONCLUSION:
Do we attempt to control our eyes and avoid temptations whenever we possibly can? The answer to this question speaks volumes about our character, the person we are within.
King Solomon understood this principle when he wrote in Proverbs 23:7 … “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he;”
In response to Solomon’s writing, lets close by asking ourselves this simple question … “Who are we?” The answer can be found in our attempts to rule over our eyes and the desires that dwell in our hearts.
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“Temptation Or Testing?”
THE INTRODUCTION:
Many times the Hebrew and Greek words translated “temptation” are also translated “test” or “trial”.
In the KJV the two Hebrew words which are most often translated temptation or test are ‘bahan’ and ‘nasa’. The two Greek words translated similarly are the words ‘dokimazo’ and ‘peirazo’. The folllowing table better explains the relationship of these words to one another…
| Hebrew | Greek | Hebrew and Greek Translation in KJV: |
| bahan | dokimazo | examine, prove, assay, try, allow, discern, like |
| nasa | peirazo | tempt, try, prove, examine, assay, adventure, go about |
As you can see from the above table, all 4 words carry with them the ideas of attempting (Deut 4:34, Acts 9:26), testing (Job 23:10, 1 John 4:1), discerning (Gen 38:25, Luke 12:56), and/or tempting (Isa 7:12, Matt 4:1).
In all of the above usages the principle of “testing or attempting something resulting in a conclusion being drawn” is present. So why would this term be used to describe a temptation taking place? In this study we will being seeing that the temptations we face are all trials that reveal truths about us.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Jas 1:12 – Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Rev 3:10 – Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
THE STUDY:
Just as King Nebuchadnezzar came to understand, we all understand that the Lord is truly in control of every event that takes place in our lives…
Dan 4:34-36 – “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.”
This principle not only applies to the blessed times of our lives, but even the more difficult, trying times are under God’s control and allowed into our lives for a purpose. Remember, the Lord never brings temptation upon us ….
Jas 1:13 – “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”
But He allows the powers of darkness, the fallen world, and our flesh to tempt us. The story of Job clearly presents this truth to us…
Job 1:6-12 – “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.”
Also as Christians, we are also familiar with God’s promise that He never allows anything in our lives that does not eventually work for our good and His glory…
Rom 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
When we put all of these Biblical principles together, we can see that the Lord controls our temptations and allows temptations to come upon us for our good and His glory. But how does this all work? How does the Lord allow temptations to enter our life and how do we benefit from them?
This is where our word study comes into play. Our word study gives us one of the great reasons why God allows temptations to come upon us… Every temptation is used by the Lord as a time of testing that teaches us something about ourselves.
This principle is repeatedly brought out in Scripture. Two such texts are:
Jas 1:12 – Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Rev 3:10 – Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
(Please note in both James 1:12 and Revelation 3:10, temptations are described as trials (testings) that are faced by man.)
That is why the words translated “tempt” or “temptation” carry with them the idea of “testing or attempting something resulting in a conclusion being drawn”. In other words when we are tempted, we are being tested. This test, and how we respond to it, can teach us much about our Lord, Satan and, especially, ourselves.
When we are tempted, we can learn about the Lord’s enabling grace, His patience and His forgiveness; we can learn about Satan’s methodology, his strength and his limitations as he attempts to bring the Christian to failure; and we can learn about ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses, and our need of Christ enabling for our day to day walk.
CONCLUSION:
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, gives us one practical application for our lesson this morning.
2Co 12:7-10 – “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
In this text, Paul lists many testings he faced in life (his “thorn in the flesh”, other “infirmities”, “reproaches”, “necessities”, “persecutions”, “distresses”)… Please note all these testings were actually temptations that sought to hinder Paul and his ministry for Christ.
Paul came to recognize that even these testings (or temptations) were something that brought him pleasure because they taught him about Christ’s enabling grace and his great need of Christ on a daily basis which kept him close to Christ.
Folks, we should never underestimate the importance of using times of temptation for our benefit and the Lord’s glory…
May we learn of Christ’s great enabling grace that allows us to remain faithful to Him even during the heaviest times of temptation in our lives.
Through this may we also learn of our daily need of Christ’s grace in our lives.
And finally, when we fail him during times of temptation, may we immediately seek His forgiveness, allow this to reveal our weak areas, our need to avoid these areas of temptation whenever possible, and finally, may we work to strengthen ourselves in these areas through Bible study, prayer and seeking a close walk with Christ.
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“For It Is Impossible”
“For It Is Impossible”
THE SCRIPTURES:
Heb 6:1-9
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
THE STUDY:
Heb 6:1-9…
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Here the writer of Hebrews reminds us of the need to continue to grow in knowledge of the teachings of Christ. We are to not continue to dwell on the foundation teachings we have learned, but we are to add to them and build upon them. As we grow in knowledge and application of the teachings of Christ, we become “perfect” (mature, strong Christians) who are equipped for service to Christ.
Some of the teachings that are considered foundational include:
- the need for “repentance from dead works” and “faith toward God” for salvation
- the importance of entrance into church membership (through “baptism” in water), the Holy Spirit’s initial empowerment of local churches (“baptism” in the Spirit) and the coming reformation of the world (“baptism” with fire)
- the ordination of God’s men into the ministry (“laying on of hands”), the “laying on of the hands” by the apostles which propagated the accrediting gifts of the Spirit.
- the coming “resurrection from the dead” which teaches us about the existence of life after death and entrance into either the presence of God or “eternal judgement” in the Lake of Fire.
And this will we do, if God permit.
Here, we can see that growing in the knowledge of Christ’s teachings is not simply a matter of human will but is wholly dependent upon God’s gracious intervention in our lives…
1Co 2:9-2:16
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
This is why we are told that God must allow “permit” us to come to a greater understanding of His truths for us to achieve the goal we have had set before us.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Please note this verse now begins a discourse on the permanent nature of our salvation.
The writer will now explain to us that we cannot be shifting back and forth from being saved, lost, and then saved again. Christ’s payment on the cross included all of the believer’s sins past, present and future. It was an all sufficient payment that will never fall short of the complete, eternal redemption of His people…
Rom 8:29-31…
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Folks, once saved we are PERMANENTLY saved. In other words, the receipt of our new nature (and becoming a new creature in Christ) is our new, enduring state of existence. We have been made the servants of Christ, never to return to the servanthood of Satan, our sin nature, and this fallen world. This is our new identity and we will continue on as servants of Christ for the rest of our lives.
This principle of our enduring change (resulting in us being placed permanently into the Kingdom of Christ) is a tremendous motivating force for us to grow in the knowledge and application of the Word of God. Due to this never ending change in servanthood, we should devote our lives to coming to a greater understanding and application of the truths of our Lord for our lives. Being permanently made His servants, should we not come to a greater understanding of His teachings and desires for our lives? This can only be done through a continuing learning and application of His Word to our lives.
The writer of Hebrews clearly tells us that “it is impossible”. In other words what follows CANNOT happen. NOT EVER can a person who is saved, fall away and then be saved once again. Why? For him to be resaved would mean that Christ would have to die again.
To lose a person’s salvation would clearly demonstrate that the death of Christ was insufficient to cover ALL of his sins (past present and future. Therefore if a Christian could lose their salvation Christ would have to die a second time on the cross to pay the price for the sins that caused the Christian to initially lose his salvation.
Please note in this passage, a truly saved person is described as:
- “enlightened” – had their spiritual eyes enlightened to see the truths of His Word and come to a knowledge of Christ as the light of this world.
- “tasted of the heavenly gift” – partook of God’s gift of salvation
- “made partakers of the Holy Ghost” – indwelt by the Holy Spirit
- “tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come” have experienced the Word of God in their lives and the precious hope of a coming eternity with Christ.
Speaking of these genuine Christians, the writer of Hebrews says that “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
Remember the context of this statement is that “It is impossible”. In other words “it is impossible for a saved person to depart from their saved condition, no longer be a new creature and lose his membership in God’s kingdom and then regain all these blessings a second time.” Why? Because in doing so they would…
“crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”
If he did lose his salvation, it would be proof Christ had failed in His work, thus putting Him to a public shame and causing Him to die on the cross again (to pay for the sins that caused the initial loss of salvation).
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
The writer then uses a picture from nature to illustrate the complete, and permanent, blessing of salvation which is given to any who come to Christ in repentance and belief. The eternal nature of the blessing of salvation is much like the blessing of rain that falls upon the earth causing it to bear herbs.
The rain causes the earth to bear the herbs and bring them to maturity which end up being a blessing to others. Just like a Christian whose initial salvation experience and continuing growth is brought about through the continuing application of Christ’s work on the cross in the life of the believer. These blessings of salvation and spiritual growth result in the believer being a blessing to those around him.
The one who never tastes of God’s grace of salvation is like the ground that only brings forth thorns or briar plants. This ground does not bring forth spiritual fruit, nor can its plant life be used to be of benefit to others around him. This ground is the perfect picture of the person who is not saved, who never has received the work of Christ, which is eternally rejected by God and condemned to eternal judgment.
Please note the writer’s point. The earth (picturing Christians) that bears herbs does so due to the gracious work of Christ on the cross that is applies to his account. The ground that bears thorns and thistles (lost men) has never tasted of Christ’s gracious work on the cross. They cannot go back and forth from thistle bearing to fruit bearing and then back again.
Why is this? God’s gracious application of his work on the cross is like continuing rains that keep the saint secure and produce spiritual fruit in the believer’s life. That is what makes the difference. God’s continuing gracious intervention (pictured by the rain) is what enables and then sustains the earth to bear the herbs and be of great value to others. Just like God’s work on the cross, and His intervention in the life of the saved (through the Holy Spirit) is what saves them AND keeps them secure in fruit bearing.
To lose our salvation is to say God has failed in His initial work on the cross… to regain salvation (following losing it) is to say that He must have died again and paid for the sins that originally caused the initial loss of salvation.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
The writer of Hebrews, sums up this portion of his teaching with encouraging words. He is convinced that the Lord has “better things” (more truths from God’s Word) awaiting them to be learned and applied. The ability to understand and apply the truths of God’s Word is a direct blessing that accompanies the salvation experience.
This is why he has gone to great lengths to encourage the Hebrews to continuing to grow in the Word of God.
This is why he explained in great lengths one of the great motivating forces to continue in God’s Word… we are graciously, eternally, changed and secure in Christ, He now is our permanent King, should we not seek His teachings and desire for our lives found in His Word? Do we not appreciate Him for His complete work on our behalf, making us secure? If so, it is a certainty that we should be spending time in His Word seeking His will for our lives as His eternal servants.
May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.
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Jeremiah 1:3-10 – Jeremiah’s Calling
(The Need For Christ In Our Evangelization)
INTRODUCTION:
In this account of the calling of Jeremiah to the ministry, we find principles about the Lord’s present day ministerial call to pastors, missionaries and teachers of His Word. However, we also can also find principles that apply to all of us who strive to be lights in the midst of a sin darkened world.
For our lesson today, we will be looking at those principles that help all of us to shine forth the light of the wondrous gospel message to the lost world around us.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Jer 1:3-10 –
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
TODAY’S LESSON:
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Based on verse 2 (“To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.”), Jeremiah’s call was issued in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign.
What is being spoken of in verse 3 is the length of Jeremiah’s ministry that began after his calling…
Jeremiah’s ministry began in Josiah’s 13 year, which was about 627 BC; it continued during Jehoiakim’s reign; and ended in the 11 year of Zedekiah’s reign, when Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians in 586 BC. So in other words, Jeremiah ministered faithfully to the Lord for approx. 40 years.
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
This verse helps us to understand that Jeremiah’s calling was not a “spur of the moment” act by the Lord, nor was it a result in a change of God’s plan for Jeremiah’s life, not at all.
Before Jeremiah was conceived, God’s sovereign, unchanging, eternal plan included Jeremiah being brought into this world and being given a prophetic ministry that he would fulfill for the next 40 years.
We all need to stop and take a moment to understand what this verse is teaching us. Not only was Jeremiah’s ministry a part of God’s eternal plans but also, in this verse, the Lord is confirming the life and personhood of the unborn child.
Please note that God describes Jeremiah in this verse as a person prior to his birth. We can see this from the titles that God gives to the unborn Jeremiah. He uses the titles “thee” and “thou”!…
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee”
Clearly the Lord did not look at Jeremiah as a piece of tissue or simply a group of cell that were growing in synch with one another. No, the Lord was looking at Jeremiah as a fully human being who possessed personhood and identity.
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
In this verse, we begin to see some very important principles that we can apply to our lives as lights in this world. When Jeremiah was called to the ministry, he immediately thought of his inability to fulfill the ministry to which he was called, and rightfully so.
Just as Moses (Exo 4:10-13) and Isaiah (Isa 6:5), Jeremiah understood his inability to effectively proclaim the Word to the lost nation around him.
Folks, we all are in the same boat. We all are called to take the gospel to the world, but left to ourselves we are totally unable to perform the task we have been given. Paul understood this very truth when he wrote 1 Cor 2:3-5…
“And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Paul understood as he took the gospel to the lost that his preaching had to be illuminated and empowered by the Lord or else it would hold no lasting results for the recipient.
This is a great principle that many times we forget… we go out witnessing without the Lord’s intervention, only to find that it was a wasted effort that bears on lasting results. Every time we witness, we need to go out humbly and prayerfully, recognizing our great need of Christ every step of the way.
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
The Lord gently, lovingly, speaks to Jeremiah and reassures him that He will empower those who minister for Him. Although fallen, sinful mankind is unable to persuade anyone to come to Christ apart from the Lord’s personal intervention in the life of the minister and those being ministered to…
Eph 6:18-20 – “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Joh 6:44 – “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
The Lord’s encouragement to Jeremiah did not stop with His words of encouragement and promises to help. He then acts on His promises and intervenes in Jeremiah’s life granting him the words that he needed to speak.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
When we go to take the gospel to the lost, we are to go humbly looking to the Lord to lead and supply our every need, and most importantly, we are to take the gospel to the lost with a desire to glorify and honor Christ alone. This will ensure the Lord will be with us and enable us as we take His gospel to the lost.
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“The Events That Accompanied Christ’s Death ”
THE INTRODUCTION:
In this small text from the book of Matthew, we find three very interesting happenings occurred at the same instant that our Lord died on the cross…
“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom”
- “and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
- “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
Do we appreciate the importance and miraculous nature of these occurrences? What can we learn about Christ and His work from them?
In this lesson we will be attempting to come to a partial understanding of these things realizing that we, as sinful mankind, can never come to a complete understanding of them this side of heaven.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Mat 27:50-54 –
(50) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
(51) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
(52) And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
(53) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
(54) Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
THE STUDY:
In Matthew chapter 27, we find three very interesting happenings occurred at the same instant that our Lord died on the cross…
- “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom”
- “and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
- “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
To understand some of the lessons we can learn from these three great occurrences, it is important we include verse 54 in our study of verses 50-53…
“Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
From this verse, we can see that these events brought glory and honor to Jesus to the eyes and mind of the Roman military leader (centurion). After seeing these things, he said “Truly this was the Son of God”, referring to Christ’s claims about His relationship with His heavenly Father.
By using this title, the Centurion was recognizing that these three events had accredited Christ’s claims of origin and divinity ….
Christ found His origin in heaven…
Joh 6:38 – “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
Christ was God Himself…
Joh 10:30-31 – “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.”
The centurion had come to understand that this Jesus “Truly was the Son of God”, just as Christ had claimed…
Mat 16:15-17 – “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
But, for the Christian, the lessons that can be learned from these three events go much farther. In these miracles, we can see the purpose and results of Christ’s death on the cross.
The first of these miracles was the veil of the temple being torn in two from top to bottom, for the first time ever, giving Jews unfettered access to the very presence of God (signified by the mercy seat in the holy of holies in the temple building).
- “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” – This speaks of Christ’s death giving sinful mankind access to God. The lost mankind, due to their sin, alienates them from a holy God. The shed blood of Christ on the cross, when a lost man comes to faith in Christ, covers their sin and gives eternal access to God. This is symbolically proclaimed when the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom
- “and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” – An earthquake accompanies the Lord at many of His appearances to man on earth (Exo 19:18, Nahum 1:5, Isa 29:6). Why is this? Because when the great Lord visits sinful creation all the earth trembles at His presence (Psa 97:4). These principles help us to understand the truth behind the earthquake that took place at Christ’s death. It was at that point in time that God’s presence is clearly seen. As Christ completed His work on the cross, we saw both the wrath of God and the love of God being clearly brought into view. His wrath, as it took the life of Christ and His love, as Christ died for us.
- “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” – This speaks of the new life that Christ’s death has graciously supplied to sinful mankind. When the lost person comes to a saving faith in Christ, they begin to live a new earthly life in Christ and inherit eternal spiritual life to be enjoyed in this world and the one to come.
CONCLUSION:
The tearing of the veil, the earthquake and the resurrection of the dead, glorify and honor Jesus, showing us that He is the true Son of God. But we also have two of the great blessings of Christ’s work given to us… access to God and the new life we enjoy now and in eternity.
May we all bring honor to Christ, knowing that He was God Himself, who came from heaven to earth to on our behalf. May we understand that, as He hung on the cross, He was giving His life for us, and He was graciously bearing God’s wrath against our sins. In doing so, He was giving us permanent access to God and a new life to enjoy on earth and throughout eternity.
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Psalm 8:1-9 – “Christ In Psalm 8:” (Christ As Sovereign Lord)
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. In this Psalm, David not only uses nature to glorify the Lord, but he also uses a series of prophecies of past events and the future event of Christ’s first coming as a tool to bring honor and glory to the Lord also.
In our previous devotions we have looked at the references to nature that David uses to bring honor to the Christ. Now, for the next three devotional lessons, we will be using David’s first coming prophecies and their fulfillment to bring added glory to Christ. The three prophesies we will be looking at is found in:
- vs. 3 – Christ as Creator
- vs. 4-5 – Christ as Man
- vs. 6-8 – Christ as Sovereign Lord
(Please note in our previous verse by verse study we’ve looked at the prophecy of Christ found in vs 2. Because of this, we are not looking at this prophecy in this study.)
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Not only was man, prior to the fall, given rulership over the creation of God to use it, care for it and control it. But in a very special way, our Lord Jesus holds the position as Lord over all. This truth about Christ is brought out in many New Testament scriptures including…
Mat 28:18
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
1Co 15:23-27
“But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet…. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.”
Rev 5:11-13
“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”
And many others.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, Jesus is not only Lord over the creation of God as a whole, but He is also Lord over each one of us as individuals. As our Lord, we all must stand before Him and give an account for what we have done in our lives…
Rom 14:9-12
“For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
When we stand before the Lord, will we be able to stand innocently with the blood of Christ covering our sins? Or, will we stand with the guilt of our sins yet on our accounts? This is the great question we all must answer. The only remedy for our sins is the shed blood of Jesus Christ which covers our sins which is received through faith in Him.
If we are unsaved may we come to Christ by faith, trusting in Him as our Savior. If we are saved, may we share the good news of the gospel with the lost around us, trusting in the Lord to use our message to bring others to Him.
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Psalm 8:1-9 – “Christ In Psalm 8:” (Christ As Man)
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. In this Psalm, David not only uses nature to glorify the Lord, but he also uses a series of prophecies of past events and the future event of Christ’s first coming as a tool to bring honor and glory to the Lord also.
In our previous devotions we have looked at the references to nature that David uses to bring honor to the Christ. Now, for the next three devotional lessons, we will be using David’s first coming prophecies and their fulfillment to bring added glory to Christ. The three prophesies we will be looking at is found in:
- vs. 3 – Christ as Creator
- vs. 4-5 – Christ as Man
- vs. 6-8 – Christ as Sovereign Lord
(Please note in our previous verse by verse study we’ve looked at the prophecy of Christ found in vs 2. Because of this, we are not looking at this prophecy in this study.)
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
In our previous study, King David reminded us of God’s great grace in thinking about and intervening in the life of fallen, sinful, rebellious mankind.
However, when we look at the New Testament scriptures, we can see that God “visited” man in the person of Jesus Christ, as found in this description of God’s sending Christ to save sinful mankind…
Luk 1:68-69
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for HE HATH VISITED and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;…”
This thought continues in the next verse….
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
When we compare these verses to Hebrews 2:7-9, we can see that, once again, they clearly speak of Jesus at His first coming to the earth…
“Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. BUT WE SEE JESUS, WHO WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH, CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOUR; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Once again, we can see not only is David speaking of mankind being given a place of high honor above God’s creation, but also, it is prophetically speaking of Jesus Christ at His first coming to the earth to redeem sinners.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Christ’s humanity is described in great detail in Philippians 2:7-11…
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Christ was made “in the likeness” of man so that He might be able to suffer and die on the cross for the sins of His people. This speaks to us of the great love and grace of both the Father and the Son. God the Father willingly gave His Son to be a sacrifice for us; while the Son willingly humbled Himself and gave His life for us.
This emphasizes the truth of God’s great loving grace which was shown to fallen, sinful mankind!
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Psalm 8:1-9 – “Christ In Psalm 8:” (Christ As Creator)
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. In this Psalm, David not only uses nature to glorify the Lord, but he also presents to us a series of three truths about Christ that bring honor and glory to the Lord also.
In our previous devotions we have looked at the references to nature that David uses to bring honor to the Christ. Now, for the next three devotional lessons, we will be using David’s first coming prophecies and their fulfillment to bring added glory to Christ. The three truths we will be looking at is found in:
- vs. 3 – Christ as Creator
- vs. 4-5 – Christ as Man
- vs. 6-8 – Christ as Sovereign Lord
(Please note in our previous verse by verse study we’ve looked at the prophecy of Christ found in vs 2. Because of this, we are not looking at this prophecy in this study.)
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Normally, when we think of the Creator of this world and all that is in it, we think of God the Father. However, the Bible makes it plain that all three persons of the Godhead played an active role in this world’s creation:
- God The Father – Isa 64:8, Ephesians 3:9
- God The Son – John 1:1-3, John 1:10, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:15-17, Hebrews 1:2
- God The Holy Spirit – Job 33:4, Genesis 1:2
In a very general way, it can be said that God the Father planned the universe, Christ’s work brought it into existence, and the Holy Spirit gave creation the life that is within it.
Based upon this, when David talks about the world being “the work of thy fingers”, he seems to be speaking of Jesus work of actually bringing the world into existence. If we look at some of the verses that describes the work of Christ in creation we will see that The Father used Christ to bring about His plans of creation…
1Co 8:6 – “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND WE BY HIM.”
Eph 3:9 – “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, WHO CREATED ALL THINGS BY Jesus Christ:”
Heb 1:2 – “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS;”
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, in Psalm 8:3, we have seen Christ exalted as Creator of all things. The very same Lord that chose to come into this sinful world and redeem His people from their sins, is the very same Lord that we serve, and the very same Lord that will come again someday.
This is the very same Lord that created us and sustained us every day. May we all praise and honor the Lord for all He has done for us and may we continue to trust Him daily as we seek to lives our lives for Him.
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Psalm 8:9: The Excellency Of The Lord: “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
O LORD our Lord,
In this Psalm, David reminds us of some very important truths:
- “who hast set thy glory above the heavens” – His glory is displayed in the daytime and nighttime skies.
- “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” – He uses the small and seemingly insignificant to bring honor to Himself and defeat His most powerful enemies.
- “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;” – The skies reveal His glory and His sovereignty as His plans from eternity past are brought to partial completion with the creation of the heavens.
- “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” – Based upon the Lord’s greatness, we must ask ourselves why He thinks about and makes the effort to intervene in our lives.
- “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.” – Above thinking about man and intervening in his life, the Lord also created man in an exalted position of authority over, and respect from, God’s creation.
- “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:” – God gave mankind the great threefold responsibility over nature: to rule over, to use, and to care for nature
- “All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;” – Man’s authority over nature includes all earthly animal life.
- “The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” – Man’s authority also extended to all air and water life.
As we think on these things they establish the truth that the our God is Lord over all. He possesses Kingly rule; He is merciful and gracious; He is All powerful and wise; and finally, His glory can be seen in every areas of nature, which is His creation.
Based upon all of these truths, we can come to the certain conclusion that ….
how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
The Lord’s name (a reflection of His person and works) is “glorious”, “beautiful” and “worthy”. What David as just told us about the Lord proves it.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
When we started this study our desire was to recognize and meditate upon the greatness of our wonderful Lord, and then give Him praise for His greatness in our thoughts, words, and actions.
King David has certainly given us all the information we need to praise and honor our Lord throughout our lifetime! May we all praise Him throughout the rest of our lives!
This brings an end to our verse-by verse study of Psalm 8… but wait… there’s more. Not only does this Psalm bring us face to face with many of the wonderful glories of our Lord, but it also gives us three basic truths about Christ presented to us in this Psalm.
In the next three parts of our study, we will be looking at these truths about Christ as they were written by King David!
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Psalm 8:8: The Excellency Of The Lord: “Fowl…Fish… Whatsoever Passeth Through Channel Of Sea””
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Not only does man’s rule over the animal kingdom involve land dwelling animals but also the animals that dwell in the air and the seas. King David breaks these groups of animals down using the general terms:
- “the fowl of the air” including all the birds of the skies
- “The fish of the sea” – including all the many types of fish (both fresh and slat water)
- “Whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas” – This would include any water life that is not classified as fish. Shrimp, crab, oyster, etc etc.
Once again we can see how all of God’s creatures, whether land, air or sea dwelling were given unto man to meet the needs of man, while caring and not abusing them.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
May we all thank the Lord for giving mankind the wonderful gift of nature and the rulership over it to supply all of mankind’s needs!
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Psalm 8:7: The Excellency Of The Lord: “All”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
As King David describes the creation over which mankind was given rulership. In this verse, and the following, he makes it plain that ALL of the animal kingdom was originally subordinate to mankind…
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Please note, in the case of the sheep and oxen, David is describing animals that are used by man for:
- sheep -necessities for living (food, clothing etc)
- oxen – manual labor (plowing, bearing burdens etc.)
But David goes further. He then lists “beasts of the field” as also being placed under man’s control. This phrase speaks of “a mute, or dumb beast) in other words, those which are more strong willed, less likely to understand the commands of man, and therefore more difficult to control. This speaks of beasts such as (lions, bears etc) which are much more difficult to be tamed and used by man.
Based upon his list, King David names both domesticated animals and wild animals as being placed under man’s rulership.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Let’s take time to stop and consider the great blessing that the Lord has bestowed upon mankind… He created the animals found in nature for the express purpose of meeting the needs of mankind.
Throughout the centuries what would mankind have done without the use of animals to supply their food, clothing, mode of transportation and as the source of much power to labor in the fields and areas of industry?
Many, many of mankind’s absolute life necessities have been supplied by the animal kingdom throughout the years.
Then, stop and think about those animals which are very difficult to tame. Prior to the fall of man, they were completely under the control of mankind. What a sight it must have been to see the lions and bears obeying every command of Adam and Eve!
But also consider that even after the fall, the Lord has graciously reserved many species of animals to remain easily controlled and used by mankind. Following man’s rebellion against Him, He could have allowed all the animals to be wild and very difficult to control. How difficult would it be for man to attempt to use wool from sheep that are as dangerous as lions, or get milk from cows who are as uncontrollable as crocodiles!
However, He graciously reserved some of the animal kingdom to reamin soft-hearted and easily domesticated so that man’s need would continue to be supplied even after the fall.
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Psalm 8:6: The Excellency Of The Lord: “Thou Hast Put All Things Under His Feet”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
King David continues to describe mankind’s position that they held prior to the fall…
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands;
The Lord gave to man authority to control and to rule over the Lord’s creation. This includes both ruling over, caring for, and using the Lord’s creation for mankind’s benefit. This is clearly brought out in Genesis 1:26-28…
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Please note the three-fold responsibility (and opportunity) that man was given over nature:
- He was to rule over (control) nature… “let them have dominion over” (vs 26); “and have dominion” (vs 28). In other words, bring it under man’s control.
- He was to use nature for his benefit… “and subdue it” (vs 28) in other words, to control for man’s use and profit.
- He was to care for it and not abuse it… “replenish the earth” (vs 28) in other words, cause nature to flourish, cause it to propagate.
thou hast put all things under his feet:
At creation, mankind was given a perfect type of ruler ship over God’s creation. Nature was his to use, not to abuse; nature was his to sustain him, not deplete him; nature was his to benefit him, not harm him; nature was his to aid him, not hinder him. This was mankind’s intended relationship to nature.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
This is the type of rulership over nature for which mankind was originally created. Sadly, this perfect type of rule was lost in the fall of mankind…
Man no longer possess a perfect type of dominion over nature. Now, many times, nature depletes man; it harms him, and hinders him… all of this is taking place while mankind is abusing nature and wastefully depleting it to satisfy his own selfish lusts. These are all results of mankind’s choice to rebel against the Lord in the Garden of Eden.
After the Lord gave to mankind the blessing of exaltation over His creation, mankind responded by choosing to rebel against Him. In spite of mankind’s rebellion against Him, the Lord still has chosen to look down to mankind, showing them mercy and personally intervening in their lives. In doing so, He gives to them the understanding of their need to repent and grants them faith in Him.
What a wonderful Lord we serve!
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Psalm 8:5: The Excellency Of The Lord: “For Thou Hast Made Him… And Crowned Him”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
Mankind was originally created with a fleshly, human nature that places them lower than the angels who only possess a spiritual nature. This is the same fleshly, human nature that was given to Christ at His incarnation (Heb 2:9).
Both man and Christ (due to their human nature) entered the world CAPABLE of sin. However, mankind willingly committed sin (1 Tim 2:13-14), while Christ successfully opposed sin in His life remaining sinless (Hebs 4:15).
and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
God not only made man with a human nature, but he also made man with “glory” (authority and influence) over the rest of His creation, and “honor” (beauty and respect) from His creation. God made man with a perfect rule over His creation, with creation perfectly obeying man.
Originally, in the Garden of Eden, the creation was in perfect harmony with mankind. Adam and Eve were not faced with animal attacks or animal disobedience to man’s commands, etc. Mankind held authority over God’s creation and creation respected their authority with perfect submission to their commands.
After God had made mankind in an exalted, honored position, but due to mankind’s choice, all of this changed at the fall. No longer did mankind perfectly rule, but now his rule was corrupted and only partially obeyed by creation. All of this lies at the doorstep of mankind. Mankind is fully responsible for this great change…
Ecc 7:29 – Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Psa 14:1-3 – To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
In this verse David has reviewed the origin of mankind, their human nature, and their exalted position over creation.
He was created perfectly, yet capable of sin due to his human nature. Although placed in an exalted position over nature, he chose to rebel against God which resulted in his fall.
By understanding this, we can see the Lord’s grace in saving mankind emphasized once again. God made man perfect, man chose to disobey God, and yet God saw fit to intervene and save those who had chosen to rebel against Him!
He has graciously intervened in our lives, saved us and watches over us… even though we chose to disobey Him and mock the very blessings and exalted position we received at creation.
What a wonderful Lord that we serve!
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Psalm 8:4: The Excellency Of The Lord: “What is Man?”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
King David, when he thinks about the greatness of His Lord, is reminded of man’s inability, sinfulness, and irrelevance.
This leads him to ask His God, “Why do you remember man and give place in your thoughts to him? Man is sinful, disobedient, impotent, and of no spiritual value apart from you.” In this question David is emphasizing the THOUGHTS of the Lord.
But King David does not stop there, he then asks the Lord another question to emphasize his point…
and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
“Lord, why do you go to, and care for those who are born of human, fallen, sinful parents?”
Here, David is not speaking of the Lord’s thoughts but of His ACTIONS towards sinful man. The Lord not only places His thoughts upon man, but He also actively goes to man and lovingly intervenes in his life.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, these are two very important questions that we all need to be considering. Why does the Lord think about us, seek us, and then graciously intervene in our lives? After considering the Lord’s greatness, David came to understand the Lord does these things not based upon anything in us.
We do not deserve His gracious intervention nor can we merit it through any good works we might do. He intervenes in our lives only because He mercifully chooses to do so. May we all praise and honor the Lord this day for His wondrous thoughts and actions that He has shown towards us!
Rom 3:23-28 –
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.’
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Psalm 8:2: The Excellency Of The Lord: “hast thou ordained strength”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies,”
Here, we find a prophecy given by King David that was fulfilled in the time of Christ’s first coming…
Matt 21:14-17 – “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say?
And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.”
In this Matthew passage, we see Jesus working great healing miracles in the Jewish temple. These miracles were being done to confirm that Jesus was the promised Messiah to all who witnessed them.
Among those present during these miracles were unbelieving chief priests and scribes who were displeased at the accrediting miracles that were being performed by Christ. Keep in mind, these Jewish leaders were unbelievers who were denying the deity of Christ, His divine sonship, His identity as the Messiah, the promised King of Israel.
Also among the people present were the unbiased children who were watching the wondrous miracles Jesus performed. Upon seeing these miracles they proclaimed “Hosanna to the Son of David”, in the midst of the enemies of Christ.
This is the event of which King David spoke. In this event, we see the Lord using the young, innocent children to mightily praise Him. While the “wise” spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel totally misunderstood the identity and personhood of Christ, these young children saw Jesus for whom He was, the true Messiah, the Son of God, the descendent of David who was destined to rule over His people for an eternity.
“that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”
Christ used these innocent, unbiased children to proclaim truths about Him that would put to rest all the arguments and words of jealousy and hatred spoken by these spiritual leaders.
Christ describes these spiritual leaders as:
- enemies – those who oppose, those who hate
- avengers – those who hold grudges, those who seek to avenge
Both of these titles are great names for the unbelieving Jewish leaders of Christ’s day. Who both opposed His ministry, hated Him and His teachings, held grudges and jealousies against Him, and sought to take their vengeance out upon Him.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks let us all praise and honor our Lord for His use of the weak and insignificant to strongly defeat those who oppose Him.
Keep in mind, the Lord does not only use the literal children to bring honor and praise to Him but also all of us who are weak and humble among us. He does this to be a constant reminder that it is Christ working in us to bring about all spiritual victories, these victories are not gained through anything found in us…
1Co 1:26-29
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
It is this principle that allows us to be used of the Lord for His glory and honor. After all, are we not all weak and impotent in our acts of service to Him? In that sense, are we not all “babes” in His service and our understanding of Him?
Mat 11:25
“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
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Psalm 8:3: The Excellency Of The Lord: “when I consider Thy heavens”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,
King David’s mind turns to the vast glories of the heavens. As he views and reflects upon the heavens, he remembers that they were all created by his God. As David thought on these things, he was reminded of the Lord’s glory, power, and His deity.
Psa 19:1
“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Rom 1:20
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;”
King David draws our attention to the lights found in the night sky… the moon and the stars. David emphasizes that the Lord is the One that “ordained” (established, founded, arranged) them. This helps us to see that, not only did the Lord create them, but He did so based upon His plans and counsels from eternity past.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, in this verse, David reminds us of the great glory of our Lord as it is revealed to us in the skies. Simply by looking at the skies we can see the Jesus’s glory, power, deity, wisdom and lordship over all.
As we progress through our day, may we all remember the wondrous glory of the Lord and understand the preeminent place of the Lord in our lives and the world as a whole. May we dedicate our lives to Him and live for Him from this point forward, knowing that the heavens reveal His great glory and honor to all those that gaze upon them.
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Psalm 8:1: The Excellency Of The Lord: “how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
“O LORD our Lord,
In the opening phrase of this Psalm, King David uses two different Hebrew titles to address the Most High God… “LORD” and “Lord”:
- The title “LORD” is translated from the Hebrew word for Jehovah, the personal name for our God. It speaks of God as the self-existent One, pointing to His strength, eternal existence, and self-sufficiency. In other words, the Lord’s existence is not reliant upon anyone or anything. Because He is all-powerful He is self-existent, He can exist in and of Himself alone, His eternal existence proves this.
- The title “Lord” is translated from the Hebrew word for master, controller, or owner. It describes our God as the Ruler of our lives and the Controller of all the events that take place in this world.
how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
The Lord’s “name” is mentioned by King David. Please keep in mind our name is a title that describes us. “Father”, “Mother”, “Son”, “Daughter”, “Accountant”, “Pastor”, “Rich”, “Poor” are all titles that teach others much about us. These are our names.
The meaning of “excellent” can be best described by the words “glorious”, “beautiful” and “worthy”. When we stop and think about the titles of our God, “Lord”, “Creator”, “Sovereign”, “Alpha and Omega” etc etc. we see they teach us much about the wondrous nature and workings of our Lord. This is why all the titles of God are “excellent”.
However, in the context, King David is describing the title of “LORD” as the excellent title held by the Lord. When we read that The Lord is the self-existent One, it heaps glory upon Him, it makes Him look beautiful, and it proclaims to all of us His great worth.
Truly how excellent is the name of the LORD in all the earth! No other one can rightfully hold this title or be described as “self-existing One”.
who hast set thy glory above the heavens.”
King David now gives us and illustration of the greatness of the LORD…
Simply look up at the skies and see all the glories it contains. In the daytime, notice the wonderfully bright sun that enlightens the world. Look at the miracles of the birds who can soar and fly for seemingly hours on end. See the puffy white clouds that paint our sky with relaxing beauty.
And then at night, look at the details of the stars and planets that are hung there. Be amazed by the displays of the Northern lights, a meteor shower, or the full moon that dimly enlightens the earth.
And, finally, realize that His glory far exceeds all the glories of this atmosphere and the outer space above it. This is how glorious and wondrous our Lord is, when we see Him as His names reveal Him to us.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, today, let us all stop and think about the many names of our wonderful LORD, dwell on His greatness and then praise Him for it…
Psa 148:11-14 –
“Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.”
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Psalm 8:1-9: The Excellency Of The Lord: Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERIES:
Psalm 8 is a wonderful Psalm that was written by King David with the central purpose of praising the Lord for his greatness as revealed to us in nature. By God’s grace alone, with hearts filled with reverence and awe, we will be seeing our Lord in all His glory as we look at nature around us.
As a result of seeing God’s greatness, we will also be reminded of man’s insignificance, and God’s great grace which grants to this insignificant man great honor and glory. May we all come to a greater understanding of His greatness, our insufficiency, and His great grace as we enter into this devotional series.
Lord willing, this devotional series (including this introduction) will be 10 lessons in length and will be looking at one verse per devotion.
TODAY’S TEXT:
Psa 8:1-9
(1) To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
“To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.”
Although this opening introductory sentence is not a part of the inspired Scriptures, we can learn a bit about Psalm 8…
First of all, we see that David wrote this Psalm to be sung during times of worship. This is why he gave it to “the chief Musician”.
Secondly, we can also learn that this Psalm was meant to be used “upon Gittith”. A first glance, this may seem to be describing some Jewish feast or celebration upon which this Psalm was meant to be sung. However, according to most scholars, “Gittith” does not speak of a celebration at all, but instead it speaks of the type of musical instrument, or tune that was to be used in the singing of this Psalm.
Please notice that the root word of “Gittith” literally means “a Gittite” or “an inhabitant of Gath”. Gath was a city located in Philistia, the land of the Philistines. Keep in mind, David spent time living with the Philistines and could easily be acquainted with the musical instruments and tunes that they played. This instrument, or tune, is probably to what the term “Gittith” refers.
Finally, the author of this Psalm is identified as King David. Although most scholars have no idea when this Psalm was written, its contents seems to be based upon David’s remembrances of his days as a shepherd boy, living among nature, viewing the wonders of the night sky as he laid down to sleep and viewing the greatness of this earth and its inhabitants during the daylight hours as he watched his father’s sheep.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Folks, how often do we take the time to stop and simply worship and praise at the Lord “in the beauty of His holiness” (1 Chr 16:29, 2 Chr 20:21)? Now is our “big chance” to do just that!
By God’s grace let us all take a moment before we begin each devotional lesson to rid our mind of the temporal, earthly concerns that we face, and prepare to see the Lord in all His glory.
I am seeking His enabling grace to present a very dim view of His greatness to all of us in this short series from Psalm 8. Truly without Him I can do nothing, but through Him I can do all things.
May He bless all of us as we seek to come before Him, and bow down, and kneel before our Lord our Maker…
Psa 95:6-9 – “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.“
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