Turn with me back to Psalm 46. Psalm 46. Our text and our title will come from verse 10. Psalm 46, verse 10. Be still. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. Just a few points from this passage of scripture this evening, and the first is this. Be still. Be still. John Gill wrote this, he said, be still.

Not that we should be like sticks and stones. Not that we should be unconcerned at the things that take place on this earth. Not that we should be unaffected with the judgments of God. and be wholly silent and inactive, but rather that we should not be fearful, that we should not be fretful, that we should not be impatient, but rather that we would be quiet and easy and resigned to the will of God in all things. Be still. To be still in regard to his providence. Be still and know that I'm God. We're not to quarrel. We're not to murmur against his providence. We should all be fearful. We should all beware. What a dreadful thing to find fault concerning God's dealings with us. Remember the words of Nebuchadnezzar.

He said this, he said, can stay his hand. None can say unto him, what doest thou? You know, when Samuel pronounced judgment on Eli's sons, Eli's reply was this. He said, it's the Lord. It's the Lord. Him do what seemeth good. In Leviticus 10, turn there with me, hold your place in the Psalm, but turn to Leviticus chapter 10. Leviticus 10, look beginning with verse 1.

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord. which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them. And they died before the Lord.

And Moses said unto Aaron, this is that that the Lord spake, saying, I'll be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron, we read, held his peace. This is the account of, listen, Aaron when God destroyed his sons. And we read that Aaron held his peace.

May the Lord enable us, while we bear the yoke, And God's people often do, to sit still and keep silence, to put our mouths in the dust. God gives no account of his matters to anyone. He is God. And there is much, there is so much that we cannot see, we cannot understand. And when those times come, when those times come, look, go back to Psalm 46. May the Lord be pleased to remind us of this.

In Psalm 46.1, the Lord's our refuge, the Lord's our strength. He is a very present help in time of trouble, in all circumstances, even in the most severe trials. The believer, we know this, that God has ordained our afflictions. and that He overrules them, and that God will bring to pass all these things for our good and for His glory. And there's nothing that we should contend for more than the truth that God reigns and rules over All things, all creatures, all actions. He doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand.

None can say unto him, what doest thou? Well, look again at our text. Be still. Be still and know that I am God. Be still, listen, in regard to His providence. Be still in regard to salvation. Salvation. You know, when Moses had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, And he was leading them to the promised land pursued by Pharaoh's mighty host, that great army. They came to the Red Sea and they stopped there. No doubt there were mountains, there were obstacles in every direction. Mountains on both sides, the Red Sea in front of them, Pharaoh's army coming up quickly on them. And with these helpless people under his command, remember what Moses said?

Stand still. We'd want to pick up rocks and sticks and start throwing things, wouldn't we? Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Stand in awe. Stand in reverence. and behold your deliverance." God's going to deliver His people. Salvation is of the Lord. God did it. And we go back and look at that, that's exactly what He did, didn't He? God delivered them. God saved them. And He brought them out with a mighty hand. They didn't save themselves. They didn't deliver themselves. God did it. Turn to Romans chapter nine. Romans chapter nine. Look at verse nine. This is the word of promise.

At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by her father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. And it was said to her, the elders shall serve the younger, as it's written.

Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid, for he saith to Moses, I'll have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I'll have compassion on whom I'll have compassion. So it's not of him that willeth, it's not of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

Be still. Just be still. God is sovereign in salvation. False religion, the religion of this world, would have man to do something, to purchase salvation, to earn salvation, to do something deserving or worthy of salvation. What did we just read there? It's not of him to make a decision, right? It's not of him that willeth. Salvation is not of the will of man, but it's according to the will and purpose of Almighty God.

John 1.11, as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. It's not of Him that will. It's not of Him that runneth. Salvation is not obtained by the efforts, the vain efforts of this flesh.

It's the accomplished work of Almighty God. By His Spirit, by His Word, of His own will, begat He us with the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits. not of him that willeth, not of him that runneth, but of God who showeth mercy." Be still. Just be still. Salvation is of the Lord. He planned it. He purchased it. He performed it. He preserves it. He perfects it. And He alone he alone shall have the praise of it.

Romans 9.20. Nay, O man, but who art thou that replies against God? Be still. Second, be still and know. Know.

That means It means to know, it means to learn to know, to perceive, to know by experience, to confess, to consider. In Philippians 3 verse 10, Paul said this, he said, this is my desire, it's to know Him. To know Him. That's what Paul said, Philippians 3 10, that I may know Him. and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His death, if by any means I might obtain to the resurrection of the dead.

To know Him, listen, to not be concerned about anything else, but simply to know Him. That's what Paul said, I'm determined to know nothing. Nothing among you save this one thing, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. To know the love of Christ which passeth all understanding. To be filled with the fullness of God. Be still and know. Well, here's the third point. Be still and know that I am God.

This world does not know God. They might as well speak like Pharaoh did back there in Exodus. Remember that Moses and Aaron, they went in before Pharaoh and they said, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, let my people go, that we might go and feast in the wilderness. Remember Pharaoh's reply. Who is the Lord? Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?

He said, I don't know him. Neither will I let this people go. If men knew God, they would show some reverence for him. They wouldn't take his name in vain. They wouldn't make jokes. They wouldn't make jokes about God and about his son. They wouldn't blaspheme his name. There's no reverence for God or his son.

Be still and know that I am God. Brother Fortner wrote this. He said, when I assert that God is sovereign, I am simply declaring that God is who he says he is, that God is God, that he is the most high Lord of heaven and earth, that he is overall blessed forever.

He is subject to none. He is not influenced by any. He's absolutely independent. of His creatures and He is sovereign over all. He does as He pleases and only as He pleases. None can thwart Him, none can resist Him, none can change Him, none can stop Him, none can hinder Him. That's the God of the Bible. In Deuteronomy 32, it says, he is the rock. His work is perfect and all his ways are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Isaiah 45, 18, thus saith the Lord that created the heavens. God Himself that formed the earth and made it, He hath established it. He hath created it, not in vain. He hath formed it to be inhabited. He said, I am the Lord and there is none else. As God, He is absolutely and infinitely perfect. He's great. He is above our comprehension. As God, all things are His to do with as He will.

Sovereign over all things. Isaiah 46, 10. Turn there with me, Isaiah 46, 10. declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand. I will do all my pleasure. Well, here's the fourth point in our text. He says, I will be exalted among the heathen.

And we read there a little bit in Romans 9. Turn back there again, Romans 9, verse 16. Romans 9, 16. So then it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up. Why did God raise up a man like Pharaoh?

Psalm 76.10 says this, that surely the wrath, even the wrath of man, He's going to praise God. And the remainder of wrath he restraineth. Pharaoh's birth, Pharaoh's power, Pharaoh's influence, Pharaoh's conduct, all by God's divine appointment. He said, for this same purpose, for this reason, Pharaoh, I raise thee up. Read on in Romans 9, look at verse 17. That I might show my power in thee. And that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore he hath mercy on whom he hath mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Almighty God is gonna be exalted among the heathen.

Back in 1 Kings 18, 36, remember that account of Elijah and those 450 false prophets of Baal? They're at Mount Carmel. Elijah's, nobody would have put money on Elijah, would they? 450 to one. And they called on the name of Bale. They cried out loud. They made a real stir. Nothing happened. And then they began cutting themselves. And the blood come out there and gushed out on them. What was the result of all that? Nothing. Nothing. No voice. None to answer. None that regarded.

And then Elijah repaired that altar. He put the wood in order, and he put the sacrifice in order. And three times, three times, they poured four barrels of water on everything. That's not how you get things to burn, is it? They dumped water on everything, on the bullock, and it filled the trench.

And at the time of the evening sacrifice, he came near and he prayed a short prayer. He said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day. Let it be known this day that thou art God. that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I've done all this at thy word, hear me, hear me, O Lord, that this people might know that thou art the Lord God, and has turned their heart back again. And the fire fell from heaven, and it consumed that burnt sacrifice, it consumed the wood, it consumed the stones, it consumed the dust, and licked up all the water that was in the trench. And when the people saw it, what'd they do? What'd they say? They fell on their faces and they said, the Lord, He is the God. The Lord, He is the God.

He's gonna be He's going to be exalted among the heathen. Well, last we read this, he said, I'm going to be exalted. I'm going to be exalted in the earth. Isaiah 45, 22, God's word declares, I've sworn by myself. My word's going out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return. that unto me every knee is going to bow. Every tongue is going to swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength.

Even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. He's going to be exalted. he's going to be lifted up. The Lord Jesus Christ, he is King of Kings, and he is Lord of Lords. His resurrection declared him to be the Son of God with power. His exaltation declares him to be Lord, who he is. Peter closed a message in Acts 2 with these words. He said, God hath made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Christ.

Now with that in mind, look with me back at the first two words of Psalm 46.10. Psalm 46, 10.

Be still. Just be still. Rest. Be quiet in heart. Be quiet in soul. Be quiet in spirit. Don't be uneasy. Oh, we're quick to be uneasy, aren't we? But just wait on the Lord. to wait on Him. That's not what we do, is that we get upset and we try to take things into our own hands. We always know how to fix something.

Be still. You know, our Lord, He told His disciples when He was going to the cross, look at, turn to John 14, 1, and we'll close. John 14, verse 1. He said the same thing here. Listen to his words. John 14, verse 1. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe God. Believe also in me.

In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I'd have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I'm gonna come again, and I'm gonna receive you unto myself, that where I am, where is it? He's exalted in the heavens, isn't he? That where I am, you may be also.

Be still. Don't let your heart be troubled. Be at rest. Be at peace. Be quiet. Be still in heart and in soul. Be still and know that I'm God. And I'll be exalted. I'll be exalted among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth. I was thinking the words of this hymn. Lifted up, exalted, lifted up was he to die. It is finished was his cry. Now in heaven, exalted high. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, what a Savior. All right, I pray the Lord would use that to comfort our hearts and cause us to look to Him. Rest in.