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Psalm 19

BYT-16

God’s Word: the divine Witness

Do you know what Abraham Lincoln had in his pockets the night of his assassination at the Ford Theater? The actor John Wilkes Booth, shot and mortally wounded the 16th president of the US,  on April 14th, 1865, just 5 days after the South surrendered and the Civil War ended. But what did a man we now admire so greatly value enough to take with him? Most people in America have carried the picture of the man we are considering this morning. His face has shown up 285 billion times on the penny. Add another 1.4 billion five dollar bills always in circulation and you have one of the most well known faces in history! The label[1] on the box read: CONTENTS OF THE PRESIDENT’S POCKETS ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 14, 1865.

 

Since that was the fateful night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, every viewer’s attention was seized.

Boorstin then proceeded to remove the items in the small container and display them on camera.  There were five things in the box:

GIFTS OF LOVE: A handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln”

REMINDERS OF LIFE’S BREVITY: A country boy’s pen knife

REMINDERS OF OUR FRAILTY: A spectacles case repaired with string

PAINFUL MEMORIES: A purse containing a $5 bill-Confederate money(!)

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT: Some old and worn newspaper clippings

 

“The clippings,” said Boorstin, “were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln.  And one of them actually reports a speech by John Bright which says that Abraham Lincoln is “one of the greatest men of all times.”

Today, that’s common knowledge.  The world now knows that British statesman John Bright was right in his assessment of Lincoln, but in 1865 millions shared quite a contrary opinion.  The President’s critics were fierce and many.  His was a lonely agony that reflected the suffering and turmoil of his country ripped to shreds by hatred and a cruel, costly war.

 

Many of the Mysteries of the world were witnessed well enough to explain them. The source that gives ultimate light is the sublimely described Scriptures. Psalm 19:7-9 has six synonyms for God’s Word and twelve qualities ascribed to it. Each of these 18 descriptions of the Word of God is an inspired photo of the Divine power of God’s Word. It is sufficient. It can absolutely meet its purpose! That was until just recently. Up to modern times the Scripture have comforted, encouraged and kept God’s people going.

 

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 ‘Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 ‘When thro’ fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

4 ‘The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, tho’ all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!’

 

In Psalm 19:7-8 we find Six masterpieces of word painting. Each with a three part description. How does the Power of the Scriptures change me? In one place in the Bible the Powerful Scriptures are most clearly displayed.  In six masterful strokes the eternal author etches his character and sufficiency toward us. We are introduced in this passage to the first of six synonyms for the Word of God.  In fact there are three sets of truths:

  1. There are Six TITLES given for the WORD: law, testimonies, statutes, commandments, fear, judgments.
  2. There are Six ATTRIBUTES given for the WORD: perfect law, sure testimonies, right statutes, pure commandments, clean fear, true judgments.
  3. There are Six EFFECTS given for the WORD: perfect law restores, sure testimonies makes wise, right statutes rejoices, pure commandments enlightens, clean fear endures, true judgments vindicates.
  1. All of these reveal the Word in a whole new, powerful and refreshing way. They give us God’s purpose and plan for His Word. They are His review on this new product He has manufactured. They give us the operator’s manual for this new high powered instrument.
  • The CHARACTER of the Word of God
    1. HIS PERFECT LAW RESTORES (v. 7a) = The Word of God is the Divine Teacher. THE DIVINE TEACHER: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:  God’s truth that totally transforms
    2. HIS SURE TESTIMONY MAKES WISE (v. 7b) = The Word of God is the Divine Witness. THE DIVINE WITNESS: 9 the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. God’s testimony absolutely trustworthy
    3. HIS RIGHT STATUTES REJOICES (v. 8a) = The Word of God is the Divine Directions  (perfect joy) THE DIVINE DIRECTIONS: The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. God’s statutes giving directions to only secure  place in the universe
    4. HIS PURE COMMANDMENTS ENLIGHTENS (v. 8b) = The Word of God is the Divine Decrees (seeing God) THE DIVINE DECREES: : the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  God’s commands giving a clear portrait of  God’s non-optional absolutes
    5. HIS CLEAN FEAR ENDURES (v. 9a) = The Word of God is the Divine Conditions (eternal life) THE DIVINE CONDITION: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever. This is fearing God, lovingly acknowledging by my actions God sees me
    6. HIS TRUE JUDGMENTS VINDICATES (v. 9b) = The Word of God is the Divine Decisions (REV.19).   THE DIVINE DECISIONS: : the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether . God’s judgments, His final word on everything! Non-negotiable living

 

 

Now, the second claim to Divine sufficiency? Psalm 19:7b     The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (KJV)

So in Psalm 19:7     The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (KJV)

What is God’s Word  saying? It is worthy of being absolutely followed! Something happens when a person at last finds a firm object to hold onto. How? by bowing before the Author, the Divine Teacher, and yielding to His Testimonies as the Divine Witness!  Here we meet the Divine Witness. This witness is giving a testimony in court (that is the sense of this Hebrew word). This word “testimony” is always and only used of the Lord. It speaks to the reality of the Almighty God being the best witness of any event. What are some events that He has witnessed about?

  1. THE BEGINNING (Genesis 1-2) No theory, no mystery, God was the Divine Witness of what happened at Creation. Listen to he Divine Witness as He speaks as an eye witness you can absolutely trust.
    1. FROM THE DAWN OF THE UNIVERSE (Before time began, before matter existed, before the forces that bind our cosmos together were instituted by the Creator  – HE SPEAKS)   Genesis 1:1-4 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (KJV)
    2. FROM THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH (Job 38)
    3. FROM THE THRONE OF THE ALMIGHTY Isaiah 40:12-31 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
  2. THE ENDING (Revelation 22).. God wrote about each step as He draws back the Universe from its fallenness. He chronicles the cosmic earthquake and the pitiful death of the earth in the Tribulation. What does the Rapture allow us to escape? The Tribulation to come.  Walk with me through the pages of Revelation chapters six, eight, nine, and sixteen, and let me briefly describe the living hell you will escape by being part of the Rapture. These are but a few of the things that will happen during the Tribulation:
    1. One-fourth of mankind will die (see Rev. 6:8), some because of war, some because of famine, and still others by the wild beasts of the earth. Whether by death that is swift and instant or death that is lingering and excruciating-25 percent of all people will die.  Now the world’s population in 1995 is 5,733,687,096, so a quarter of this is 1,433,421,774 or almost five and a half times the current population of the United States – can you imagine that? And remember that the population of the world is doubling every 39.5 years. So every day the number of people who will die becomes larger and larger.’
    2. One third of all vegetation will be burned up. All grass, every tree, everything green will be destroyed (see Rev. 8:7).
    3. The sun and the moon will be darkened as nature goes into revolt (see Rev. 8:12).
    4. The gates of hell will open and hordes of locusts, the size of horses, will come upon the earth. Those locusts will be allowed to sting men like scorpions and the pain will last for five months. The Bible says men will beg God to let them die but they will not die (see Rev. 9:3-6).
    5. There will be worldwide famine unlike anything the world has ever seen (see Rev. 18:8).
    6. There will be a world war so bloody that the blood of those killed in battle will flow for two hundred miles up to the bridle of a horse in the valley of Jezreel. This will be the Battle of Armageddon.  During the Great Tribulation, one third of all the people on the earth will be killed (see Rev. 14:20).
  • LIFE (and its purpose) John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV). Life apart from God is restlessness. Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. (KJV)
    1. LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION Ps. 139:13-15
    2. GOD PROGRAMS THE LENGTH OF EACH LIFE Psalm 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV);  9:26-27
    3. HE SETS OUR UNCHANGEABLE FEATURES Exodus 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (KJV)
  • What else?
    • DEATH (and how to prepare) Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (KJV)
      • How do we escape death? Only one person ever met and defeated the ruler of death, the devil. And that was Jesus! Hebrews 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — (NIV) How did He do it? It started in His life. He overcame Satan in the wilderness with prayer, the Word and obedience! Poland has been over run for 1,000 years because it has no barriers to the east and west. If you don’t build up walls of resistance you get over run!
      • There should be no uncertainty about the afterlife. There should be no fear of the unknown. Death is only a doorway from time to eternity. Jesus said you can know Heaven’s Doorkeeper. In John 10 Jesus said, “I am the Door!” Hell Lk 16 list In Luke 16 Jesus gives us A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE DOOR OF DEATH, a view into the grave. His points were:
        • PERMANENCE v.22 Only the body dies.
        • CONSCIOUSNESS v. 23 In the grave we are conscious, we can see and remember or recognize people even ones we never met.
        • PAINFULNESS 24 In the grave there is the experience of pain
        • MEMORY v. 25 In the grave events from Earthly life may be recalled.
        • HOPELESSNESS v. 26 In the grave there is no escape.
        • HORROR v. 27 In the grave the occupants of the torment want no one else to come it is so bad.
        • INTUITION v. 29 Abraham seems to know the events after his life 2166 BC, including Moses 1446 BC and the prophets.
    • MARRIAGE all of the secrets from the Author Himself. Gen 2:18-24 Proverbs 5:19b Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. (KJV)
    • CHILDREN and how to raise them, with inside secrets from your Heavenly Father!
    • MONEY its purpose and usage . . . Matthew 19:29-30 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (KJV)
    • PLEASURE and how to keep in happiness . . . John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (KJV)
    • REAL POWER and confidence. How to get and keep it! Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (KJV

 

And on we could go. All these from the Divine Witness. The truth on all things necessary is in His Scriptures. Psalm 119 illustrates God’s Testimony.

  • TRUE WEALTH Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. (KJV)
  • TRUE GUIDANCE Psalm 119:24     Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. (KJV)
  • TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS Psalm 119:111     Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. (KJV)
  • TRUE SECURITY Psalm 119:152     Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. (KJV)
  • TRUE PARTNERSHIP 2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; (KJV)  Paul never said he was prisoner of Rome or of Nero. He was a lifetime prisoner of Christ.
  • TRUE INTRODUCTION Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (KJV)

 

  • HIS PERFECT LAW RESTORES (v. 7a) = The Word of God is the Divine Teacher. THE DIVINE TEACHER: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:  God’s truth that totally transforms
  • HIS SURE TESTIMONY MAKES WISE (v. 7b) = The Word of God is the Divine Witness. THE DIVINE WITNESS: 9 the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. God’s testimony absolutely trustworthy
  • HIS RIGHT STATUTES REJOICES (v. 8a) = The Word of God is the Divine Directions  (perfect joy) THE DIVINE DIRECTIONS: The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. God’s statutes giving directions to only secure  place in the universe
  • HIS PURE COMMANDMENTS ENLIGHTENS (v. 8b) = The Word of God is the Divine Decrees (seeing God) THE DIVINE DECREES: : the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  God’s commands giving a clear portrait of  God’s non-optional absolutes
  1. HIS CLEAN FEAR ENDURES (v. 9a) = The Word of God is the Divine Conditions (eternal life) THE DIVINE CONDITION: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever. This is fearing God, lovingly acknowledging by my actions God sees me
    1. 2kings 6 words heard in bedroom
    2. noah in tent
    3. Joseph in house
    4. David on balcony list of steps
  2. HIS TRUE JUDGMENTS VINDICATES (v. 9b) = The Word of God is the Divine Decisions (REV.19).   THE DIVINE DECISIONS: : the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether . God’s judgments, His final word on everything! Non-negotiable living
    1. MARRIAGE all of the secrets from the Author Himself. Gen 2:18-24 Proverbs 5:19b Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. (KJV)
    2. CHILDREN and how to raise them, with inside secrets from your Heavenly Father!
    3. MONEY its purpose and usage . . . Matthew 19:29-30 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (KJV)
    4. PLEASURE and how to keep in happiness . . . John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (KJV)
    5. REAL POWER and confidence. How to get and keep it! Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (KJV)
    6. And on we could go. All these from the Divine Witness. The truth on all things necessary is in His Scriptures. Psalm 119 illustrates God’s Testimony.
    7. TRUE WEALTH Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. (KJV)
    8. TRUE GUIDANCE Psalm 119:24     Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. (KJV)
    9. TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS Psalm 119:111     Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. (KJV)
    10. TRUE SECURITY Psalm 119:152     Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. (KJV)
    11. TRUE PARTNERSHIP 2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; (KJV)  Paul never said he was prisoner of Rome or of Nero. He was a lifetime prisoner of Christ.
    12. TRUE INTRODUCTION Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (KJV)

[1] Swindoll, p. 61.

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