August, 1940
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
398
SEPTEMBER 8, 1940 INVITING OTHERS TO WORSHIP GOD P salms 67, 96, 98
praise of all who hear of His majesty and glory, of His strength and beauty. He who refuses to offer worship to Him merely advertises the blindness and re bellion of fallen human nature. Of all people, we who have partaken' of sav ing grace in Christ should glorify His name. Points and Problems 1. “ Sing unto the Lord a new song” (Psa. 96:1). This “new song” is men tioned also in Psalm 98:1, Isaiah 42:10, and Revelation 5:9; 14:3. In all five of these passages, the context indicates that the singing of the “new song” is connected with the second coming of our Lord to establish His righteous kingdom over all the earth and put down all forms of iniquity. Some of the world’s greatest music has been written to celebrate the first coming of Christ. When He comes down to earth a sec ond time, “all the earth” will join in the new song. 2. “ Show forth his salvation from day to day” (v. 2). This command doubtless means to tell the story of salvation. Compare Psalm 71:15—“My mouth shall show forth . . . thy .salvation all the day.” When the kingdom is established on earth, the Lord Himself will be the great topic of conversation throughout the earth. Men will talk about three things concerning Him: His salvation, His glory and His wonders (vs. 2, 3). “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isa. 2:11). The puny dictators who today strut their little ways around the earth will not even be remembered in that day. 3. “For all the gods of the nations are idols” (v. 5). The word translated “idols” means literally “nothings.” The gods of the pagan nations are nothings. The Apostle Paul teaches the same thing in 1 Corinthians 8:4, "We know that an idol is nothing in the world.” But this does not mean that Paul did not recognize the existence of evil spir its behind the idol, for later in the same epistle he declares that “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacri fice to devils [demons], and not to God” (1 Gor. 10:20). 4. “But the Lord made the heavens” (v. 5), Here we have one of the marks of the true God—His creative power. Satan is a great and powerful spirit, able to perform great wonders. But he cannqt create anything. This is one of the unbridgeable chasms between God and the creature. He is the Creator; they are only created things. 5. “ Give unto the Lord glory and strength” (v. 7). The passage becomes clearer if we change the word “give”
ples of the earth hear the missionary message of restored and converted Is rael, then the Lord’s purpose in their creation will be fulfilled in the song of praise that will rise before Him. Because of the Lord’s power, He is worthy of all praise. It is the Lord God of Israel who made the heavens and all the universe, and the gods whom men ignorantly worship are mere im potent idols. | Because of the Lord’s honor and maj esty, He is to be the supreme object of praise. Among men, honor is a relative matter. What is regarded by one class as being honorable is not similarly viewed by another group. But the maj esty of the Lord wins for Him honor among all classes. Added to His honor and majesty there are strength and beauty also, provocative of praise among all peoples. m. T he A ppeal (7-9) The appeal is for the peoples of earth to recognize and acknowledge the glory of the Lord, Motivated by gratitude, they are to present an offering in "his courts.” They are to proclaim His glory in their worship, and this worship is to be rendered in the beauty of holi ness, or, “in holy array” (v. 9, R.V.). All the earth will be filled with rever ential awe in the presence of the Lord. IV. T he P rophecy (10-13) It will be declared among the na tions that “the Lord reigneth” (v. 10). At that time, justice, equity, and truth will spread over the earth, and even the inanimate creation will contribute to the praise of God. Now, because of sin, nature, as well as man, must bear its burden. But in that anticipated day of deliverance, the groaning of creation will be transformed into a shout of joy and praise to God. When the Lord returns to this earth, He will bring righteousness, truth, and blessing to all the universe. His faith fulness will cause Israel’s sorrows to end, the Gentiles’ troubles to cease, and creation’s groaning to be no more. In the meantime, He is worthy of the BLACKBOARD LESSON 'om-AGOifs* the loro UHT4-» m e . « n o LET US EXALT 44IS OAfTlE TOGETHER* - MN.S41S-
Psalm 06:1 O sins; unto the Lord a new sons: sing; unto the Lord, ail the earth. 2 Sing; unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among; the heathen, his wonders among; all people. 4 For the Lord Is great, and greatly to be praised: he' is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are Idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before him? strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord /glory and strength. 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: feaig before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the heathen^ that the Lord reigneth:, the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and siify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name to gether’* (Psa. 34;3‘ DEVOTIONAL READING: Isa. 2:2-4. Outline and Exposition I. T he C a I x . (1-3) P SALMS 96 to 100 are called mis sionary psalms, because they have to do with Israel—restored and converted—serving under Messiah, when He shall reign. Hence they look forward to the second coming of Christ, at which time these prophetic psalms will be fulfilled. The call is for Israel to sing unto the Lord a new song instead of the dirge which has been hery for long centuries. And in her glad elation, she will call upon “all the earth” (v. 1) to join in this new song. The call includes not only an exhorta tion to sing unto the Lord, but also to show forth His salvation. That salvation is the consummation for which Israel now waits—and well may that nation wait with expectancy, because of the divine promises which hq,ve been given to her. The call also includes the command to declare God’s name among the na tions, and His wonders among all peo ple. His name embraces all that He is, and His wonders stand for all that He does. In that coming day, Israel will be the instructors of the Gentiles, caus ing them alsfo to know God’s wonders and His greatness. H. T he R eason for the C all (4-6). Because of the Lord’s greatness, He is greatly to be praised. When the peo the people with his truth. LESSON TEXT : Psa. 96. GOLDEN TEX': .
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