God is the Judge: By Him Actions Are Weighed

Well, let us turn to the first book of Samuel, where we've just read the opening chapter and I'll continue to read now in the opening verses of chapter 2. I want to read the first 11 verses here in the second chapter of 1 Samuel. And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord. Mine horn is exalted in the Lord's, my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord, for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly, let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

The bows of the mighty men are broken, And they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread. And they that were hungry ceased, so that the baron hath borne seven. And she that hath many children is wax feeble.

The Lord killeth and maketh alive. He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich. He bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces, as of heaven shall he thunder upon them.

The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of his anointed. and Akhena went to Rama to his house, and the child, that is Samuel, did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest." Well, this of course is the account of Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving. after what we read in the previous chapter of her great exercise and her prayers unto the Lord God of Israel. And as we come together for a while this evening for prayer, I want just previous to prayer to direct you to these words and in particular to what we have here in verse 3. Talk no more so exceeding proudly, let not arrogance come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by Him actions are weighed and most particularly those final words concerning the Lord God by Him actions are weighed by Him actions are weighed looking then at this portion of scripture for a while tonight and of course the The thanksgiving is that, that is the result, the consequence, as I said, of what we're told in the previous chapter concerning this woman Hannah, that the Lord had heard her prayer and had granted this gift of the child. The prayer, in a sense, was a very private prayer. She was praying with herself, as we read. And Eli, the priest, completely misjudged the woman. Her voice was not heard, we're told. Therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken. And he rebukes her.

He rebukes her quite severely. but she answers him very boldly, no my lord I'm a woman of a sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

This is real prayer the pouring out of the soul before the Lord God and as I said a prayer was a private prayer and yet This song that we have in the second chapter is very public. We have the record of the way in which she returned thanks unto the Lord for what he had granted to her. and of course it's not only her prayer but how she has rendered that child that the Lord had given to her she'd rendered him back to the Lord. Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord and he worship the Lord there.

Thus we read then of the circumstances concerning this remarkable portion that I've just read in these opening verses of the second chapter. As I say, to consider really that final clause in verse 3, concerning the Lord God of Israel, by Him actions are weighed. God is the judge and he is the judge of the one who is over all his creation God judges the deeds of all people and that's acknowledged in the course of her thanksgiving there in the 10th verse she declares the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth he judges the ends of the earth the way of man is clean in his own eyes, says the wise man in Proverbs, but the Lord weigheth the spirits." And we have the record, don't we, in Daniel concerning what the Lord declares to that proud man Baljazzar. Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. How solemn it is, it is the Lord God who judges all the thoughts and all the actions of men, and it was God surely who was judging the mockings of Peninnah, as we read there back in the opening chapter.

Her adversary, we're told at verse 6, provoked her sore for to make a fret, because the Lord had shut up her And yet here, how she can address Peninnah, as it were, in verse 3, "...talk no more so exceeding proudly. Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge. By Him actions are wise." And how we do well to remember that this is the God that we have to do with.

He judges the actions of all people. and he marks all things and we're told, aren't we, whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap but it's not only that God is the judge of the deeds of all peoples but God's own actions God's own doings are all very carefully white and doesn't the end of this third verse refer to that precious truth by him actions await. He is that God who is too wise to be mistaken, that God who is too good to be unkind, that lovely statement in Isaiah 27 and verse 8, he stayeth his rough wind in the day of his east wind. what comfort there is there, every action you see, even the winds and the circuits of the wind as we read in the opening chapter of Ecclesiastes, are all governed by the Lord but in the day of his east winds, he stayeth his rough wind says Isaiah and so we are to recognize that all God's doings and all God's ways are weighted In the day of prosperity, says the preacher in Ecclesiastes, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider, have not God set one against another, that a man should find nothing after him. Or with to weigh all his dealings, and to recognize that his ways are equal.

And now we find the prophet Ezekiel rebuking the children of Israel in his day because they were accusing God of not being equal in his ways. And there in Ezekiel 18 and verse 25 we find these words, Ye say the way of the Lord is not equal. Here now, O house of Israel, is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal?

Oh, we so easily, so readily misjudge God, because we view Him from our standpoint, instead of seeking to view all things from His. And our God is in the heavens, says the psalmist, and He hath done whatsoever He pleased. And we have the testimony of Abraham, who is the father of all the faithful. declaring, Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? We're not to sit in judgment upon the Lord then, but to desire that spirit of submission, recognizing that all his ways are weighted and wise. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace, behind a frowning providence he hides a smiling face."

We're familiar with the language there of the poet William Cooper. Well, as we come to consider in particular the content of this third verse, I want to deal with three matters tonight. First of all, with regards to God's dealings, to see how God deals in particulars. He deals in the minutest of those things that may, to us, seem maybe unimportant.

But all things are under his sovereign hand. And the Lord Jesus Christ himself is the one who teaches us his truth in the course of his preaching in the Gospel, the language that we have there in the 10th of Mark. and at verse 29 and the following verses, Verily I say unto you, says the Lord Jesus, there is no man, sorry it's Matthew I should be in, not Mark, Matthew chapter 10 and there at verse 29 and the following verses, The Lord Jesus speaking utters these words, Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. and it's interesting because the commentators point out that what we read there in verse 29 of the sparrow falling to the ground isn't a reference so much to the death of the sparrow but rather to the life of the sparrow every time that little bird falls to the ground comes to the ground to find some food the Lord is in it every little action of the birds, and if that is so with those creatures, how much more is it with God's dealings with those who are made in his image and after his likeness. God deals with us in particulars, and we see it here in his dealings with Hannah, and she acknowledges it in the language of her thanksgiving. She speaks in verse four of the bows of the mighty men being broken and are they that stumbled are girded with strength the Lord is a God of knowledge by him actions are weighed the bows of the mighty men are broken and they that stumbled are girded with strength the language of course is poetic language But this figure surely bears some relationship to what God had done in granting this child to Hannah. We think of the language of the psalmist in that Song of Degrees, Psalm 127, where, remember, we read of the bows and arrows and the quitter, the language that we have that The close of that 127th Psalm, verse 3, Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward, as arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. And so it was to be for this woman, Hannah. Although she had been barren, when her opponent, Peninor, was fruitful, yet the Lord takes account of these things, and hears her cry, and answers her prayer, and grants her the thing that she requires of Him. The Lord remembered her. The Lord remembers her in her prayer. there in verse 19 of chapter 1 when they return and come again to their houses Rama we are told our Canaan knew Hannah his wife and the Lord the Lord remembered her and so she was fruitful God was pleased to grant her that child that she requested of him and it's remarkable that we have these incidents recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures concerning these women who were barren it would seem and yet the Lord hears prayers and answers prayers in remarkable ways of course it was so with Sarah as we are told there in Hebrews 11 and through faith also Sarah herself received strength to concede when she was past age and she bears Abraham a son and then it so isn't it with regards to Rebecca and the birth of Isaac it so with regards to Rachel and the birth of Esau and Jacob and so it is here with regards to Hannah and of course these things are all anticipating that greatest of all miracles that a virgin should conceive and bring forth a son.

And in many ways I believe that what we have in Luke 1 at verse 46, those following verses, what we call the Magnificat, the Virgin Mary's great song of thanksgiving to God, is it not the New Testament equivalent to what we find here in the song of Hannah?

All the Lord deals, deals with His people with regards to particulars, those things that they come and ask Him. And how the Lord is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all we could ever ask or think. And so what do we read here in the fifth verse? The barren hath borne seven. and she that hath many children is waxed feeble the barren hath born seven as I said it's poetry really and isn't seven a poetic a symbolic number in scripture doesn't it have that idea of perfection how the Lord answers the prayer of his people really to perfection she bore other children besides Samuel But here it is indicating not so much that she is literally the mother of seven children, but it's that perfection of the answer that the Lord is always giving to the prayers of His people. God deals with His people in particular. Those things that we come to Him with that trouble us, concern us. We are to lay all these matters before Him and to pray over these things.

But we see also here in the second place how He is a God who is Almighty, and how powerful are His ways and His dealings. He's the sovereign creator of all things, and she recognizes that in the language that we find at the end of verse 8. She looks to that God who is the creator and sustainer of all things. The pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He has set the world upon them, she says.

Oh, this is the God who is in the heavens, who does whatever He pleases. All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing. and He doeth according to His will amongst the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth, none can stay His hand, none can say to Him, what doest thou? And so, when we come before such a God as this, who is sovereign and absolute in His sovereignty, can we not less rest assured that all things, all things will work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called, according to his purpose. We have those words, don't we, in Romans 8?

Whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. The God who begins a good work will complete that work till the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All matters then are under His sovereign hands. He is that One who is all-powerful. And so she acknowledges this. Look at the language that we have in verses 6 and 7. The Lord killeth and maketh alive. He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich. He bringeth low and lifteth up. Isn't that true with regards to our mortal life, our physical life here upon the face of the earth? Life and death are at the command of the Lord God.

To everything there is a season, says the preacher in Ecclesiastes, a time to every purpose under heaven, a time to be born, a time to die. As I mentioned in press, some of us earlier today were at a funeral. Thou solemn it is, it reminds us that there will be a day, as there was a day of our birth, except the Lord come before we come to the end of our days, there will for each of us be that day, the time to die as well as the time to be born. We sing those lovely words sometimes of John Ryland Junior, plagues and deaths around me fly, till he bids I cannot die, not a single shaft can hit till the God of love sees fit."

In His sovereignty then, in His dealings, we can look to Him with regards to temporal things. But of course these words in verses 6 and 7 also remind us of God's sovereignty in spiritual things. And in the works of grace, the Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

And we observe here, in these verses, it is the covenant name. It's Jehovah. It's Lord, isn't it, in bold capitals. Oh, it's that name that we associate with the God of the covenant. And how He speaks The language again that we find in the books of Moses, there in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 39.

See now that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me. I kill and make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Or when the Lord takes us in hand. And when the Lord begins to teach us and to show us something of ourselves, when He's dealing with us in the way of grace, Job says, He maketh sore and bindeth up. He woundeth and His hands make whole. He brings us to that place of conviction. He brings us to that place where we're at the end of ourselves.

We're made to see that salvation is truly of the Lord in every sense. that he who accomplished salvation is the God who must apply that salvation and we have to come to that that we can do nothing for ourselves we have to be poor dependents upon his grace so we have these words there at the end of verse 3 the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed all his dealings with us all his ways weighed in the balances, and he is the one who knoweth the end from the beginning. So, he doesn't just deal in the minute aspects of our lives, in the particular things that concern us and maybe trouble us, but he is that God who is able to deal in his great power and majesty. But also, and finally tonight, before we do turn to him in prayer, do we not see here how he is pleased to deal with those who are the poor in spirit?

Verse 8, he raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the donkey, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. Oh, it is the poor who have the gospel preached unto them. And that's what the Lord says to those disciples of John when they come to the Lord and it's John who wants to be reassured that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, and he speaks of all the mighty works. But then this, the poor have the gospel preached unto them. I came not to call the righteous his Christ, but sinners, unto repentance. These are the blessed ones. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.

All are sinners. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But there is a precious truth, isn't there, in those words that we often sing, those lovely words of Joseph Hart, hymn 89, though all are sinners in God's sight. There are but few so in their own. So such as these our Lord was sent. They are only sinners who repent. For when we feel what sin is, then we have to repent of it, the horror of it. And by the grace of God, we're brought to recognize that.

The Lord deals with His people, the poor of the earth. The words of James 2, 5, How can my beloved brethren have not God chosen the poor of this world? rich in faith, heirs to the kingdom that he has prepared for them that love him." And you know, there is gospel, of course, in this portion of Scripture, this thanksgiving of Hannah, as in every part of Scripture. We see it at the end of the 10th verse.

As she comes to the close of her prayer, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of heaven, shall he thunder upon them. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Who is this king? And who is this the anointed one? Is he not really a reference, of course, ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ? It's a thanksgiving for Samuel, that miracle child that was given to Hannah, who would become a judge and a prophet in Israel. And of course it was Samuel who was to be the man who would anoint David to be king. But here there's a reference to a greater than King David, to David's greatest son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, he is that one who is spoken of at the end of the prayer. he shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."

The Lord Jesus Christ. And surely it's in the Lord Jesus Christ that we see this truth really about actions being weighed. The words that I said I wanted to center your attention on for a while. The Lord is a God of knowledge. and by him actions are way. Think of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and in particular think of the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mercy and truth met together says this psalmist. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

In Christ we see all the remarkable attributes of God harmonizing so wonderfully all that God is He's a holy and a just and a righteous God who can by no means clear the guilty. God cannot look upon sin. But what do we see in the Lord Jesus Christ? We see these attributes harmonizing with the attributes of His mercy and His grace. this God who is a God of tender compassions and yet in Christ we see him as a just God and a Saviour. He's a just God and he's the justifier of him that believe us in Jesus. As for God, says the psalmist, his way is perfect and we see it in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a revelation we have when we think of of the Lord Jesus Christ in his person and in his work, that great work of redemption and salvation that he has accomplished and he has revealed to us.

All that God is and all the harmony of those attributes that are in the Lord our God, the Holy One of Israel. and yet the God of all comforts. And so again, as we close, these words at the end of this third verse. The Lord, and again it's the covenant name, is it not? The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. May the Lord be pleased to bless His truth to us.

Now before we turn to prayer we're going to sing us second praise. The hymn is 419. the tune Williams 436 just are thy ways and true thy word great rock of my secure abode who is a God beside the Lord or where's a refuge like our God 419 tune 436 Just are thy ways, and true thy word, great rock of my secure abode. Who is a god beside the Lord, or with a refuge like a god?

God is the Judge: By Him Actions Are Weighed

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God is the Judge: By Him Actions Are Weighed

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