Thinking upon his name

Q: What does the Bible say about fearing the Lord?

The Bible describes fearing the Lord as the beginning of wisdom and a necessary attitude for those who wish to follow Him. Fearing the Lord is a key theme throughout Scripture, often described as the beginning of wisdom. In Proverbs, it is stated that 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' (Proverbs 9:10). This fear is not merely a servile fear of punishment but a reverential awe of God's holiness and power. Malachi 3:16 highlights that those who fear the Lord speak often to one another, indicating a community of believers that respects and honors God's majesty and sovereignty. It encourages believers to cultivate a deep respect and carefulness in their relationship with God, recognizing both His judgment and His mercy.

Q: How do we know that thinking upon God's name is important?

Thinking upon God's name is vital because it shapes our understanding of His nature and encourages us to live in alignment with His character. Thinking upon God's name is fundamental to our spiritual lives as it influences how we view Him and relate to Him. The sermon reminds us that thinking upon His name cultivates a consciousness of His attributes and actions in our lives. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals His name 'I Am' to Moses, emphasizing His eternal presence and sovereignty. By meditating on His names, believers acknowledge His power, grace, and the roles He plays in our lives, such as Savior and Redeemer. Furthermore, this remembrance fosters a community among believers, encouraging them to speak of these truths often, thus reinforcing their faith and understanding.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to speak often to one another?

Speaking often to one another is important as it promotes unity, encouragement, and a shared understanding of God’s truth among believers. The act of speaking often to one another among believers creates a vital community dynamic where faith can be strengthened and encouraged. In Malachi 3:16, it is noted that those who feared the Lord spoke frequently to one another. This reflects the importance of fellowship in the Christian life. Regular dialogue about God's truths fosters unity and helps believers sharpen one another, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). The sermon emphasizes that discussing the things of God allows the community to grow in understanding and encourages accountability and support in their spiritual pursuits.

Q: How does God view those who fear Him and think upon His name?

God views those who fear Him and think upon His name as His treasured possession, marked by His remembrance and care. In Malachi 3:17, God declares that those who fear Him will be recognized as His own, illustrating His deep affection and commitment to His people. This notion of being God's possession carries immense theological weight, as it signifies both privilege and responsibility. The text indicates that God keeps a 'book of remembrance' for those individuals, highlighting His perfect memory and care for their worship and reverence. This promise gives believers hope and assurance, as it guarantees that God recognizes and treasures the faithfulness of His people, promising that they will be spared in the day of judgment.

Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayer for attention to the last book in the Old Testament, Malachi, and we'll read for our text from chapter 3 and verse 16. Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. Malachi chapter 3 verse 16 These words coming to the end of the time of the prophets, a time when the Church of God was waiting for the coming of the Lord.

In one way, we may think it a similar time to the time that we are in in New Testament days, like the Thessalonian church, Those that were called, those that became followers of the Lord and of the apostles, were also called to wait for his Son from heaven.

The language of the New Testament, though we know the Lord has not yet come and may not come for some time, yet was expecting eminently. Paul, when he says of the coming of the Lord, He says that he shall come with all his saints and the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the skies. And so he speaks as if he is of those alive. Well this is then for every generation to be looking for the Lord's appearing And the Lord would say, occupy till I come. Be watching, be waiting, be in expectation for the Lord's coming, lest he find us unprepared and unready.

We know the Lord will come, and he'll come as a thief in the night. He'll come like it was with the days of Noah. They still bought, they still sold, they still gave in marriage. until the day that Noah entered into the ark. We are not to expect any great changes in the lead up to the coming of the Lord, but his coming shall be heralded as immediately, but so fast that there won't be time to do much at all. The Lord pictures it not even to return to your house to pick up your goods.

So when we have a verse like this, when we have the Old Testament church acting in a way that the Lord directed them to, we may also emulate them, walk in that same way. May we be amongst those that fear the Lord. May we be amongst those that often speak one to another. May we be of those that thought upon his name.

The very picture here is a people that are full of thinking of the Lord. They're not so full of this world's cares and pleasures and their work and all that they're doing that it is like is said of the wicked, God is not in all their thoughts. Here, God is in their thoughts. And this is the frame, this is how the Lord would have us to be. So on to look this evening with the Lord's help.

Firstly, they that thought upon his name. There are things that are said of them here. And then secondly, the thoughts upon his name. And in this, on to look at some of those names, especially that these Old Testament saints would have known the promised Messiah, the coming one to be, and then, of course, to think of the name so prominent in the New Testament.

His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. We would remember that there are almost 200 names of our Lord throughout the scriptures, so we can only just mention A few of them. His name is scattered right through the Word of God. And then thirdly, what the Lord says concerning them that thought upon His name. We have some beautiful things that are said of them. But firstly, they that thought upon His name. The thing that is mentioned twice in our text is that they feared the Lord. It is said of the wicked that there is no fear of God before their eyes.

We think of Pharaoh when Moses was sent to bring Israel out of Egypt. Pharaoh, he says, who is the Lord that I should fear him? or should obey him. And even after all of the signs and all of the wonders, he still did not seem to have in any way any fear, any regard to the majesty, the power, the ability of the Lord to deal further with him and with his people. But when we have here the fear of the Lord, this is not just a slavish fear. This is not a fear that has terror. There's a childlike, a filial fear that has always attended the church whenever the church is blessed. I know I've mentioned this before here, but it is very important to notice those times, the time with David, when they were bringing up the Ark of the Covenant and bringing up to Jerusalem. And it was a joyous occasion. They were dancing, they were singing, they were praising the Lord.

But they were not bringing up the ark according as God had prescribed it should be, on the shoulders of the Levites. They had imitated the Philistines and put it on a cart. And the oxen shook it, and Uzzah, who was following, put his hand and steadied the ark, and the Lord slew him for that, for his error, it is said. And David then feared the Lord. He said, who can stand before this God? And the ark was turned aside to the house of Abed-Edom. All of their joyous praising, worship, the Lord didn't say, well, That doesn't matter. They've just got this a bit wrong. This is not according to my pattern. I'll just overlook this. I won't spoil their joy and their happiness there. He marked them for him.

But then God blessed the house of Obed-Edom. And when David saw that the house of Obed-Edom was blessed, then he felt he could bring up the ark again. But he says to the Levites, Eucharian, he did it not at the first, therefore a breach was wrought upon us.

And we have there the description of the fear of God. On one hand, the Lord's ability to strike down dead. On the other hand, to show mercy and blessing. The two went together. And so then David was careful how he walked, what he did from that time forth. We think there would have been the same effect in the time that Aaron's two sons offered strange fire and the Lord slew them before the Lord. They were consecrated priests, but because the fire was not off the altar, was not according as the Lord prescribed, the Lord slew them and Aaron held his peace.

And so we think of one of our hymns, My soul stands trembling while she sings the honours of her God. On the one hand, knowing how God can strike one dead, be severe, mark for sin. On the other hand, seeing his mercy, his grace, his forgiveness, his kindness, but realising he is to be obeyed and served in the way he has said are not in how we want to do. With the New Testament, the Lord gave a very similar occurrence.

That was when the disciples, under the blessing of the Lord, were selling their homes, giving to the poor, and all had all things in common. And then we had Ananias and Sapphira who wanted to appear righteous, they wanted to appear like God's people, but they did not want to part with all of their land.

So they sold land and made out to the apostles that they had given all of the money to the Lord. And in fact, they kept that part for themselves. Peter challenged each of them in turn with it, found out that they were both complicit with it, agreed to do it. And he said while the money was theirs, they could do what they liked with it. And they could have just given part to the Lord, to the church, and kept back part as long as they told the church what they were doing. But they had lied to the Holy Ghost. That is what Peter charged them with.

And both of them were struck down dead. We read that great fear fell upon the church. But it didn't mean that all were scattered, all thought, who can stand before this God? We won't worship him. But they had that reverence and that godly fear. And again, that carefulness as to how to walk, how to act, because God would deal in that so sovereign and can be severe way.

The church increased and grew, but it was persecuted. It was persecuted by Saul of Tarsus. And no doubt, many of them thought if Ananias and Sapphira had been struck down dead, what is God going to do to this man that is hailing God's people to prison and to death? Well, God's answer to that was he converted him. He had mercy upon him.

And so again, we see the two sides, judgment and mercy. And the beginning of the church, the building up of the church, have these instances so that we're not careless how we worship. We're not careless what we do. We realize that the Lord is a true, a living God. A God that is able to be most severe, but on the other hand, most loving and kind and gracious. And of course, all of that is through his beloved son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

And when we think of what our Lord suffered, the severity of God upon his son, and then the blessing upon his people, here then is Those that fear the Lord, this is those that are spoken of here, then they that feared the Lord, then that feared the Lord, that thought upon his name. Twice it is highlighted, the fear of the Lord, the scriptures say, are the beginning of wisdom. An over-familiarity, a carelessness, an irreverence, of the Lord and of his name, especially you think how many take the name of the Lord in vain or glibly or lightly. We should never do that. We should always remember who the Lord is and to reverence his great and holy name.

So this is the first mark of them. The other, the next mark is that they speak often one to another. A people that were not isolated, something that we do need to be reminded of today post-COVID, we are blessed and we're very thankful and we provide the means here of sending out the word to those who do not have a faithful church near to them where they can meet together and worship in the Lord's name.

They can have the service, they can listen, to the services you do here. But that is not the same as gathering together, as speaking together. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. There's nothing really that can replace that. We feel very much for those who haven't got it, but it should be the desire of the Lord's people to seek out those And the criteria really is here.

They have something in common. They have the main things in common. They are able to speak one to another on the things of God. The disciples being let go, they went to their own company. What did they speak of? We're not told specifically, but no doubt it is concerning his name, concerning the Lord and the things of God, how often do we take advantage of the opportunity of speaking one to another of the people of God, not just about our jobs, our work, our health, but about the things of God.

Sadly, it may be a thing that is lost amongst us, And how often do we? Sometimes it's a favor when we go to a service and we may have several brethren together and we're able in the car. We've got two hours together and we can have sweet fellowship and speak one to another. But we often lead very busy lives. And it's something we should seek and try to find time that we are able to speak one to another.

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, not just every now and again, but often. When we think of it in the midst of this world, how many they fear not the Lord. We read of this, they only consult to cast him down from his excellency. But in his temple, everyone does speak of his glory. How needful then, that as iron sharpeneth iron, so the countenance of a man his friend, that we are able to commune one with another. We think of the Iberians.

We are told that they were more noble than those of Thessalonica, and that they searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so. Paul was preaching. And no doubt it gave the message that he preached, gave them something to speak about, something to search throughout, not just one day, but through the week. The mark of a clean sheep, a clean beast, is that it chews the cud, goes over what it has eaten.

And it's good to do that, one with another as well, to discuss the Word, speak of the Word, speak often one to another. This is one thing that's said of these in our text. The third thing is that they thought upon his name. How much goes on in our thought life As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Very searching, isn't it? I don't think any of us here would want to have divulged all of our thoughts to everyone else. We'd be utterly, I would be utterly ashamed. How many vain thoughts? The Sama says, I hate vain thoughts. But he was played with them like many others. The vanity in our minds, the imaginations of the heart of man is only evil continually, and that is our thoughts.

And it's a blessed thing when God, by grace, makes a difference. And in the midst of all of those thoughts, the Lord has a place. His name has a place. And we begin to think upon Him. and to think upon his name. It's a beautiful picture of a character here, isn't it? Those that feared the Lord spoke often one to another and thought upon his name. May it be our prayer, Lord, make that me. Because it is by grace. It is the Lord's doing. And we have these characters like this. that we might desire to be like them, follow after them, and be like this when the Lord comes.

He doesn't take us unawares, but we've often thought upon him. On to look then secondly at the thoughts upon his name. We said before how many times his name is set forth in scripture, so I only want to look just at a few. We had our first reading in Exodus. We read of Moses being sent to Egypt, and this was his concern and desire. They shall say, what is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I am that I am. He said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am has sent me unto you.

And we spoke this morning a little on this and also of the Lord affirming that he is that I am in John 10. I am the good shepherd. I am. The God that has been, has always been, will ever be, is the eternal God, a presence that is eternal, the almighty God. And to think upon that name that no one else on earth could ever say in a hundred years' time, none of us will be here alive. We cannot say, I am, that I am. And yet the Lord, it belongs to Jehovah, the self-existent God. That would have been one of the names that they would have thought of.

Then if we went to Isaiah 7. Isaiah 7 and verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Emmanuel, that is God with us. When the temple was dedicated, Solomon, he thought upon this name.

And he says, but will God in very deed dwell upon the earth? The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this building that I have built thee. And dear Job, he says, I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the latter day upon the earth. He knew something of meditating and thinking of his Redeemer and of one that shall be upon this earth.

Great is the mystery of godliness God manifests in the flesh. We had this afternoon, this morning, the Lord saying, if you have seen me, you've seen my father, also I and my father are one. The name Emmanuel is one that we are to think upon. The great mystery, the great wonder, how much is bound up with the fact that the Lord has come. And he never ever will be divested of the body that he has. The same flesh and bones that hung upon the cross are now glorified in heaven. And the Lord shall come again in light manner with power and great glory. But he dwelt here below."

I believe the more and more we can meditate and think upon that great miracle, For sometimes we know these things so well as facts that we skim over them and don't really wonder how it is that a God that is just spirit, that does not have any parts at all, that fills all things and is in every place and everywhere, and yet he could be contracted to a man and to be born and to live and to dwell with flesh, be verily God and verily man. Something really to think upon, to meditate upon.

Then we read in Isaiah 9, where we have, in one verse, five names of the Lord. In verse six, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name, as it were his one name, shall be called, and we have these five names descriptive of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first is wonderful, another way it could be translated is incomprehensible, such a Wonderful name, a joining together of God and man. Wonderful.

The second is counsellor. And we think of Solomon as a king and those that came to him seeking wisdom, seeking counsel. We have with the Lord Jesus Christ. a counsellor. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask God, who giveth to all men liberally, and it shall be given him. But that wisdom, and we think of in the Proverbs that our Lord is spoken of as wisdom personified. Then we have the mighty God, the true God, that our Lord Jesus Christ, and to think upon these names and to view Jesus of Nazareth And to say, here is the mighty God.

This is the name given by the Spirit for Him. And what about the everlasting Father, or the Father of eternity? That He belongs in eternity, as ever dwells. I am my Father of one. If you've seen my Father, you've seen me, you've seen my Father also. And then the Prince of Peace, not peace on earth, on earth peace, yes, but peace between God and man. God and sinners reconciled. That is where our Lord Jesus Christ, his office is, to bring peace for poor sinners, to approach unto God, to know that name. Here are those that feared the Lord, and these are the names that they think of. that are so suited to their case. Creatures of a day, weak and poor, but they have a mighty God. They have an everlasting father. They're part of a living family. They are those that have an elder brother, born for adversity, one made like unto them, but with their sin accepted.

These names are to be thought upon, and no doubt, They did so, they thought upon his name. When Jacob was blessing his sons, in Genesis 49 verse 10, we read concerning Judah, the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come and unto him shall the gathering of the people be Shiloh. What does Shiloh mean?

Peace bringer. They understood it. The Jews understood this was the Messiah. This was he that was to come, that was to bring peace. How much that must have meant when the tidings of the angels was peace. In me you shall have peace, says our Lord. In the world you shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

If we go to the next chapter, where our text is, in Malachi 4 and verse 2, then we have another name, and that is joined as well to those that fear his name. But unto you that fear my name, his Son of Righteousness, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.

Another name of the Lord, the Son of Righteousness. If you were to go to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 23 in verse six, this is the name wherewith he shall be called the Lord, our Righteousness and for sinners. that have no righteousness of their own, they need a covering, they need that to stand before God and to think the Lord has a name, a name that he gives to his church. Later on in Jeremiah 33, this is the name wherewith she, the church, shall be called the Lord, our righteousness.

And so those here described in Malachi would have had Plenty in the Old Testament, but we, when we come to the New Testament, we have the name of the Lord that was hidden from ages, that when the pre-incarnation appearances to Jacob, to Gideon, to others, he would not tell his name. But then we have in Matthew his name, shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Or if we have in Paul's epistle to the Philippians, he has given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. In the New Testament, there's many more names of our Lord, but especially of the name of Jesus.

May we often think upon his name. It's not just saving from our sins to bring us to heaven. For sinners, troubled with your own sins, burdened with it, troubled with it, troubled with sin within and without. Our Lord has been given a name, and it means to save His people from their sins. They're not sinless. They are sinners. They shall be delivered from the power of their sins, the defilement of it, the condemnation due to them, they shall be delivered from the consequences of it. The Lord only is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by him.

As we think upon his name, may we turn into prayers, may we turn into hope and encouragement that all these names are given for the encouragement and strengthening of the people of God They are to give them hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. They set before us what He is for us. They represent things He does. They have a meaning and that's why there's so many of His names set forth in the Scriptures. On to look then lastly at what the Lord says concerning them that thought upon His name. There are two things that we could say this through. The first is there is a book of remembrance that is written before the Lord. Now I believe that this is put for our help.

We know the Lord never forgets. He doesn't forget what his people do. He doesn't forget what graces he has given to his people and the effect of that grace upon them. Barnabas could go to Antioch and see the grace of God and be glad, how much more shall God see the effect of his grace in a sinner and be glad? And when the Lord sees those that fear his name, those that speak often one to another and think upon his name, is he not going to remember that? That is the fruit of his work. Thou only hast wrought all our works in us. Paul says, I am what I am by the grace of God.

But to help us, to help us to understand and realize the Lord does not forget. He puts it in a picture like it was in the book of Esther, where the king needed a book to be reminded that these two who were plotting against his life They'd been found out by Mordecai, and Mordecai had certified the king, or Esther had certified the king in Mordecai's name. That reminded the king what effect that that had, how important that that was. And so the similar language is here.

The Lord doesn't need any such book. It's the same when the Lord sets a bow in the cloud. He does it so we see it when the rain comes. He said, I will look upon it and I will remember my covenant. But the Lord doesn't need something to remind him. But we need something to remind us that he is looking and he is remembering. And so may this evening we remember this of what God has said of those who by his grace are fearing his name, speaking one to another and thinking upon his name. The Lord remembers it, He knows it, He marks it, He meets with them, He knows them.

Then we have, secondly, that they shall be mine. This is in verse 17. And they shall be mine. In one sense, they already are His. But we only know who are the Lord's by the fruits and effects of the Lord's work in us. It is by calling that our election is known. But again, it's the Lord saying, those that show these graces, those that show these marks, they shall be mine.

And then a third we might say, and joined with it, they shall be part of his jewels, part of his crown. They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts. In that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them, As a man spareth his own son, that serveth him. And you see the beginning of chapter four, that day coming that shall burn as an oven, they that would do wickedly shall be a stubble.

You see all of these coming, but then you see the people of God. Those who walked in this way and what the Lord says of them. You know, Jeremiah, he prophesied of the great wrath of God. coming upon Jerusalem, and it came. But he also had lovely words for those that feared the Lord.

And the Lord had lovely words for him, that he should not be destroyed in the overthrow. He was spared. And the Ethiopian who brought Jeremiah up out of the dungeon, the Lord had a word through Jeremiah to him as well, that the Lord would deliver him out of the hand of those that he feared. There is that the Lord does in the day of grace, that when we view the day of death, when we view the day when the Lord comes, the day of judgments, that here is a refuge, a hiding place, the Lord's word for his people. He will spare them, he will watch over them, he will keep them. May this word be encouragement to us, may we be of the characters here and be blessed with those that fear the Lord, speak often one to another, and thought upon his name. May the Lord at his blessing. Amen.

Thinking upon his name

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about fearing the Lord?

How do we know that thinking upon God's name is important?

Why is it important for Christians to speak often to one another?

How does God view those who fear Him and think upon His name?

Sermon Transcript

About Rowland Wheatley

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Thinking upon his name

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about fearing the Lord?

How do we know that thinking upon God's name is important?

Why is it important for Christians to speak often to one another?

How does God view those who fear Him and think upon His name?

Sermon Transcript

About Rowland Wheatley

Comments

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