Word of Salvation – Vol. 25 No. 12 – December 1978

 

An Invitation With Three Promises

New Year’s Sermon by Rev. J. F. H. Vanderbom, B.D. on Psalm 25:12, 13

Scripture reading: Psalm 25

Psalter Hymnal: 301; 140; 156; 160:3; 45

 

Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The opening of a new year is the time to look at the future. With all the happy smiles and good wishes of the day, nobody can conceal the burning question in every heart: what will the future be like?

The future poses such intriguing questions. A whole new science, futurology, deals with its interesting possibilities, also concerning the Christian Church.

Not long ago, Reader’s Digest had a special article on what Australia will be like in 25 years’ time. It predicted that within 25 years, children will be born on the moon.

This is not only fantasy. In many respects it is quite possible to make predictions. Planning committees in our big cities are working hard to calculate the amount of traffic, and what housing there will be. We plan for future education. We only need to remember all the changes we have seen coming over the past 25 years to realise that we are moving on with greater speed all the time. And as people of the present generation we are planners and makers of tomorrow.

However, there is one aspect in which our calculations may fail. Readers’ Digest closes with a very honest and down-to-earth remark. It says: the question, what will happen tomorrow, is too important to be left simply to the scientists. It closes with an unknown factor. It is this: “the Wilsons’ wondrous tomorrow is very much in the hands of the Wilsons themselves!”

This makes you wonder, and pray! Lord, what are we going to make of tomorrow? This question concerns us in particular when we look at our children. Their future is so very much in our hands; let us say, in our praying hands. Our prayer and desire for ourselves and our children is that we and they may have life. But then, we pray for a quality of life that is more than plenty of food or material riches. In Psalm 25 we hear David presenting us with an INVITATION and THREE PROMISES:

The Invitation: – Who is the man that fears the Lord?

And Three Promises: –

1. Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose;

2. He himself shall abide in prosperity;

3. And his children shall possess the land.

1. David had the experience of life. So David understood that the main question is not how to get rich quick!! Or ‘how to remain an optimist’, or ‘how to have self-confidence’! No, the most important question in life is altogether different: Who is the man that fears the Lord?

But what does this mean: ‘to fear the Lord!’?

We must feel terribly sorry that even the newest translations have not been able to find a better equivalent for the original Hebrew: “Who is the man that fears the Lord?” The expression is so colourful, and yet so open to misunderstanding.

We must understand at least one thing. The fear of the Lord has nothing to do with terror or anxiety. In the Bible, the man who fears the Lord is not the one who is dead-scared. It is exactly the opposite!

He is the man who knows the Lord, looks up to Him and loves Him, because, in the covenant, he may live with Him. The fear of the Lord is the saving knowledge of the Lord PLUS deepest respect! This is the point we should never lose sight of. Precisely because he knows the Lord so very well, he will never lose sight of that one great fact that his Lord is LORD: “who shall not fear His majesty?” His Lord is so great and His glory so overwhelming. And us…? Oh, what are we in the sight and in the presence of the everlasting God!?

The fear of the Lord is the loving respect of the child who has a constant awareness of His presence. He knows that HE is always there. He has the one desire, to please Him. And: “my eyes are constantly upon the Lord”, says verse 15.

Now David says: Who is the man that fears the Lord? The Lord will instruct him, the Lord Himself will be the Teacher who shows him the way of life! Here we have the First Promise. Isn’t this exactly what we need today? Instruction, guidance…?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. And you know that wisdom is more, much more, than knowledge. The fear of the Lord makes us fit for life, fit to behave well and even to bring our children up at the close of the 20th century.

David meant this very practically. The question of the fear of the Lord is still a practical question today. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose…!”

When you ask: what is wrong with so many people today; why is there misery in the lives of thousands of people, even of young people who have already lost their ideals for life, and so many who cannot cope with the demands of life, then the answer is very simple: nobody has ever taught them the way of life!

It makes us sad to see how many are disillusioned, dissatisfied. And they will never learn. Or, what did they ever expect from life? They may travel all over the world, seeking, crying for a satisfaction which the world is not able to give, as it can only be found in God through Jesus Christ! He gives answers! In the covenant of grace, in the fear of the Lord, there is wisdom AND satisfaction.

Again, the fear of the Lord is a very practical thing. The main question is not: are you a very religious person? Or, can you tell of spiritual experiences? The fear of the Lord is that humble attitude of love and respect, because you and I (Oh wonder of all wonders!) may live as children in His very presence!

“Blessed is the man whom Thou hast chosen,
     and bringest nigh to Thee,
That in Thy courts, in Thee reposing,
    his dwelling place may be!”

The greatest gift in life is fellowship with God! And we bringing our children up for such a fellowship!

And aware as we are of our many shortcomings, we pray, and plead on the Lord’s own invitation: “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose.”

So often I am erring in the way. I am such a wanderer. But then, His eye is upon His people, and He lets His way become my way.

“Direct my footsteps in Thy Word;
 from sin’s dominion save my soul;
 from man’s oppression set me free,
 that I may yield to Thy control!”

For this is eternal life, that they should know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou has sent!

Yes, this is LIFE indeed.

2. The fear of the Lord has promises.

In the first place it promises wisdom, instruction.

But there is also the promise of prosperity. “He himself shall abide in prosperity, and his children shall possess the land.”

Now, here you may speak of contradictions in the Bible, if you like! You wonder, do God’s children have prosperity? Does David know what he is talking about? Hasn’t the same David told us that “many are the afflictions” of God’s children? Yes, David knew the reality. The Bible never denies what Jesus Himself told His disciples: “in the world you shall have tribulation”!

Yet the same Word of God testifies also, in many of the Proverbs, and also in Psalm 37 and other places, that the Lord has many blessings in store for His people: “I have been young, and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his posterity (children) begging bread.”

But then we must not forget that this is a confession, the conclusion of a believer! And you must be a believer and look with the eyes of faith to see this and know this, that real joy and true prosperity are never found in the houses of wicked people!

Most likely, it will take us time before we see this. And our children need some time before they understand too. Just read Psalm 73! Asaph had to learn a lot!

And although we cannot solve all our problems, one thing is very sure – that times of trouble and adversity in the lives of God’s children often become seasons of greatest blessing and prosperity!

To prosper is not identical with a smooth and easy life. It means that our life may bear fruit and become meaningful! This will only happen when we live our human life in the healing atmosphere of the Fear of the Lord! There is Prosperity!

Now it is nice to say this on a Sunday in a sermon from the pulpit. But we may well assure you that this is hard rock reality, and a wonderful part of Christian experience.

This is also what we desire and pray for our children: that the fear of the Lord may so control their lives that their hearts may be tuned in with the Lord and His will for them!

The Lord has promised prosperity to His people! Again, this is not a matter of sentiment or emotion. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him will He instruct and he shall abide in prosperity.” Paul, the apostle, suffered a thorn in the flesh. Yet we knew that God’s grace was all-sufficient for him! Stephen’s face was shining as an angel’s face, even on the day when he was stoned to death. David sang his greatest psalms when he was persecuted.

Perhaps we could say it like this: those lives that bear fruit and leave an example could be called successful. Here is the secret of happiness.

Now we must think of this: who lived the most successful life on earth? It was the Lord Jesus Christ! But wasn’t He ridiculed?

Many shook their heads. The wise men of the day called Him impossible, unbelievable…! “He descended into hell.” And yet, hasn’t He prospered? Or hasn’t. He destroyed the power of death, and brought life and immortality to light? All power and prosperity are His!

As Christian parents and teachers we have only the one task, to lead our children (God’s children!) in the Way, and to tell them of Jesus Who is the true Vine, the root and secret of happiness. And we, the branches, must be pruned and cut in order to bear more fruit!

So let us pray: Lord Jesus, be gracious to us and our children, that on earth people may know Thy way, and all the nations Thy salvation!

3. Finally, the Fear of the Lord has the promise, not for this life only, but also for the life to come! “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose; he will remain prosperous; and his descendants will continue to possess the land.”

In other words, the Fear of the Lord is never a ‘dead end’. The man who fears the Lord is one who has the promise of God, and the future with Him. People, parents, in whom the Fear of the Lord is found, leave something behind even when they die. “Their posterity will dwell in the land.” This is a great consolation.

On the threshold of a new year, all people feel concerned about the future. What is going to happen this year? We have heard: “the Wilsons’ wondrous tomorrow is very much in the hands of the Wilsons themselves”; that means, in our praying hands. As Christian parents we feel the tremendous burden of our responsibilities. Is it not true that we stand at the ‘gate, the spring of the lives of our children, and that we are given the first years of their lives to mould them?

Sure, we have our tremendous responsibilities. But then we must also realise how tremendously rich we are. This morning we listened to God’s own invitation. David has left us a psalm, a song. The Church has always been the place of highest joy.

I am afraid that today there is too little joy in the Church. There is too little joy because we fall short in the Fear of the Lord! You know, the Fear of the Lord makes our eyes constantly look at Him!

Far too often we look at the circumstances. Or at other people.

Our Psalm sings of the Lord, of His invitation and His promises. And with His invitation, and His own promises in our heart we pray for ourselves and our children. So we speak to our children, and so we sing with them!

A sun and shield forever,
Is God, the Lord Most High;
o those who walk uprightly,
No good will he deny.
His saints, His grace receiving,
Shall soon His glory see;
O Lord of hosts, most blessed, Are they
that trust in Thee!

AMEN.