The exactness of God. Prepared and presented by Abraham Sackey 27 September 2009

Transcription

1 The exactness of God Prepared and presented by Abraham Sackey 27 September 2009

2 Scripture text, introduction and approach

3 Sermon Text ~ 1 2 Samuel 5: Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand." 3

4 Sermon Text ~ 1 (continued) 2 Samuel 5: So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away. 22 Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, "You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 4

5 Sermon Text ~ 1 (continued) 2 Samuel 5: "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." 25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer. 5

6 Why this sermon? The very prescriptive nature of God s instructions to David with respect to defeating the Philistines in their second attack on Israel raised the following questions : 1. Why was the instruction for the first battle not so prescriptive? 2. Are there any instances where God has been so prescriptive in what should be done? 3. Is God always so exact or precise with the answers He gives when we inquire of Him? 6

7 Approach We will consider accounts in Holy scripture where God has been very exact with instructions These may relate to how to win a battle, how to serve God or how to carry out a task We will look at the following: 1. Consequences of non-compliance with detail 2. Whether grace or law has affected the exactness of God 3. Whether our lack of spectacular victories might be down to our lack of attention to details 4. Draw any possible lessons for our lives 7

8 Meaning of exactness of God I use the term the exactness of God with the following in mind: 1. Does God mean precisely what He says? 2. Does God leave room for latitude? 3. Are there consequences for not obeying God? The above questions presuppose that God still speaks It also presupposes that we are capable of hearing if and when God speaks If God speaks, how does He speak? Through the written word? Through revelation dreams, prophecies etc Are the scriptures still applicable in their entirety? 8

9 The exactness of God in the Old Testament

10 Instructions for the tabernacle ~1 Exodus 25:40 40 "And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain. Exodus 26:30 30 "And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain. Numbers 8:4 4 Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. 10

11 Instructions for the tabernacle ~2 Acts 7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Hebrews 8:5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." 11

12 The disobedient prophet 1 Kings 13: Then the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward." 8 But the man of God said to the king, "If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you; nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. 9 "For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came. " 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel 12

13 The disobedient king 1 Samuel 15:1-3 1 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. " 13

14 The disobedience of Moses Numbers 20: Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 8 "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." 9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" 14

15 The disobedience of Moses Numbers 20: Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. 12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." 13 This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the LORD, and He was hallowed among them. 15

16 God s exactness challenged Genesis 3:1-5 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. " 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 16

17 The exactness of God in the New Testament

18 Is God still exact? The examples we have considered are all in the Old Testament However, please note that the scriptures will not be complete without the Old Testament. The Old Testament is part of what is referred to as all scripture 2 Timothy 3:16 Does God still speak in precise terms to modern man? In other words is God still interested in the affairs of the contemporary Christian? Or else has God changed in His dealings with man? 18

19 The word of God is precise In Jeremiah 23:29 the word of God is described as a fire and as a hammer. This, I believe is to do with it s effect or power. But the exactness, the precision of God can be found in the intricate detail to which His word works Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This is more powerful than any laser beam known to man 19

20 Exactness at the Lord s table ~ 1 1 Corinthians 12: Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. This is a call to all those who would attend the Lord s table to exercise self examination and discernment. 20

21 Exactness at the Lord s table ~ 2 There are grave consequences if one fails to adhere to the detailed requirement. These are the consequences: eats and drinks judgment to himself many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 21

22 What we believe and teach 1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. This is clear warning for us to be careful what we believe and what we teach as there are grave consequences in not doing so. Read the letters to the seven Churches in the book of Revelations and you will be left in no doubt as to the need for to correct doctrine. The doctrines of Balaam and that of the Nicolaitans and the teachings and seductions of Jezebel. These are to be avoided. 22

23 Application, challenge and conclusion

24 How are you fighting the Lords battle? 2 Samuel 5:17-25 "And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." 25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer. Follow the battle plan of the master because the battle belongs to Him. Avoid the error of Samson who went out to shake as at other times and found out to his great cost that the Lord had left him. 24

25 There were specific instructions for the crossing of the Red Sea There were specific instructions for the taking of Jericho There were specific instructions for the healing of Naaman To the ten lepers it was "Go, show yourselves to the priests." To Moses it was said "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. To Ezekiel it was prophecy to the winds What is the Lord saying to you as a person? What is He saying to us as a Church family? 25

26 A challenge for you The victories and triumphs of your family, Church and yourself may very much depend on your obedience to the exactness of God Someone's deliverance, healing or life may depend on your attention to the details of God s word. King David was not about to gamble the safety of Israel by his lack of attention to detail We should not gamble away what has been given nto our charge 26

27 Our God is very exact Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. If He calls the stars by name, do you not think that He knows you by name? If He knows you by name will He not be exact in what He says to you? Listen to this and rejoice Matthew 10:30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 27

28 Conclusion: So what is the big deal? ~ 1 Speaking to the rock instead of striking it? Well, you failed to glorify me and it will cost. You will not see the promised land What is the big deal in returning the same way I came? So I ate and drank This act of disobedience cost the prophet his life So I did not utterly destroy the Amelekites? Saul had pushed too far. This cost him his kingdom, God would no longer speak to him and he perished in battle together with his son Jonathan The big deal is this: It is all about the creator and not His creation. That is the big deal! 28

29 Conclusion: So what is the big deal? ~ 2 March round the walls of Jericho as prescribed and the walls will come tumbling down. That is the big deal! You will get healed as you go and show yourself to the priest Fill the water pots with water and you will have good wine. That is the big deal! To obey is better than to sacrifice. That is the big deal! 29