I always like to tell this about
my uncle. He didn't believe in Christmas and
didn't believe in celebrating Christmas, but he would take
gifts. Okay, that's ingenious. Psalm 114. When Israel went out of Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of a strange language, Judah
was his sanctuary and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it
and fled. Jordan was driven back. The mountains
skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs. What ail thee,
O thou sea, that thou fleddest, thou Jordan, that thou wast driven
back? Ye mountains that ye skipped
like rams, and ye little hills like lambs, tremble thou earth
at the presence of the Lord. at the presence of the God of
Jacob, which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint
into a fountain of waters. Let's pray. Lord, how thankful we are for
this privilege of meeting together and opening your word. Lord,
it's all vain unless you're pleased to bless it. Bless me in speaking. Bless the hearers in hearing. Lord, we thank you for the birth
of thy dear son. We thank you for his surety ship.
We thank you for his life. We thank you for his death. We
thank you for his resurrection and what he accomplished. We
thank you for his present intercession, and Lord, how we anxiously await
his return. We thank you for him, and we
ask that we might be enabled to meet together in his name,
that we might have his presence. Lord, we confess our sins, we
pray for forgiveness and cleansing. How thankful we are for his precious
blood that makes us sinless before you. Be with all your people
wherever they meet together. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Let me remind you that quite
often, as a matter of fact, always in the Psalms we have poetry. And this is a poem inspired by
the Holy Spirit, but it is a poem nonetheless. And poetry uses
images to evoke meanings in addition to what
is said. Now, let me repeat that. Poetry uses images to evoke meanings
in addition to what is said. Now, what does that mean? Well,
look at verse four of this song, the mountains. Now think of a
mountain range. Think of the Rocky Mountains.
Think of the Himalayans. I mean, it's the biggest thing
on the planet that we see, a mountain range. The mountains skipped
like rams. They started just hopping along. And the hills like little lambs.
Now, did this literally happen? Well, if the Lord caused it to
do it, it did. Yes, but that's really not the
point. What this is teaching us is that he has no obstacles. A mountain range cannot stop
his will being done. He says mountains run, the mountains
run. Little hills skip like lambs, the little hills skip like lambs.
He has no obstacles. They flee, the mountains flee
at his command. And that is the picture we're
given throughout this beautiful psalm. Verse one, when Israel,
went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of a strange
language. Now, this is talking about the
Exodus when Israel left Egypt, that people of a strange language. Now, when I hear the language of salvation
by works, it's a strange language. It doesn't speak to me. It's
contrary to my experience. I don't like it. As a matter
of fact, it's offensive. It's offensive to God. It does
not glorify God. It does not exalt the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's offensive to me. A strange,
a foreign language. You know, we understand the language
of grace. It resonates to our hearts. We
rejoice in the message of salvation completely in Christ. That everything
God requires of us, he looks to his son for. We enter in to
that. It resonates with us. It's not
a strange language. It's the only thing we understand.
When we hear salvation by works, it's a strange language. It doesn't
fit up with our experience. When Israel went out of Egypt,
the house of Jacob, from a people of a strange language, Judah
was his sanctuary and Israel his dominion. I think it's glorious
how Judah, where'd Christ come from? Judah. Judah was his sanctuary. Jesus Christ is the sanctuary
of God. He's the dwelling, but he is
God. Judah was his sanctuary and Israel
his dominion. Israel is God's people. Israel
is the church. And this is where his saving
purposes and saving grace and saving operations take place
in the church. That's the place of his domain.
That's the place of his dominion. That's the special place of his
salvation. Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Israel, the church. I love that scripture in Ephesians
chapter five, verse 25. Husbands, love your wives as
Christ loved. Who? The church. and gave himself
for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing
of the water by the word, that he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing."
That describes every believer. The church is the sphere of his
saving power. Look at verse three. The sea saw and fled. Jordan was driven back. Now this is a reference to, this
is a reference to the Red Sea parting. And this is a reference
to the Jordan parting. The beginning of their journey,
their salvation, the Red Sea parted and they marched through.
Can you imagine seeing that? And at the end of their journey,
the 40 years in the wilderness when it was over, the parting
of the Jordan really representing death. Our life in this world
starts with the Red Sea being parted, God saving us and us
marching through the Red Sea by faith. We go through the wilderness
journey at the end, Jordan parts and we'll enter into the promised
land in perfect likeness to Christ. That's the history of every believer.
the parting of the Red Sea, and the parting of the Jordan River. The Red Sea, salvation from bondage,
Jordan, enter into the promised land, perfect likeness to Christ. Verse four. The mountains skipped like rams,
and the little hills like lambs. Most of what I read said that
this is a reference to Mount Sinai, quaking and smoking. And it may be, but remember once
again, this is poetic language. It's given to signify something
to us. And this reminds us that a mountain
range, that's the biggest thing we see on this planet. Somebody
says, well, what about the sea? I guess maybe I can see that,
but as far as something that goes up a mountain range, something
that represents an obstacle we can't get past. It's no problem
with the Lord. He is absolutely sovereign and
he has no obstacles because he has omnipotence behind his sovereignty. Whatever he wills. He has the
power to bring to pass. And he always brings to pass,
without exception, whatever he wills. Now, when we're talking
about God's sovereignty, we're not talking about his right to
be sovereign, although he does have the right to be sovereign.
He said, can I not do what I will with my own? But he's always
sovereign. Everything that happens, he's
in absolute, complete control of, and he has no obstacles.
You know, me and you, we can will all kinds of things. Will they come to pass? Well,
if he wills them, but not just because we will, we will all
kinds of things, but we don't have the power to make sure our
will comes to pass, but whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he
in earth and sea, in all deep places, that's everywhere. The
Lord's will is always done. I think of Sarah. laughing when she heard that
she was going to have a son and the Lord replied to her, is anything
too hard for the Lord? Don't you love that? Is anything
too hard for the Lord? While we're there in Psalm 114,
just turn a few pages over to Psalm 135. I quoted this. Verse 5, For I know that the Lord is great,
that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he. in heaven and in earth, in the
seas and in all deep places. Mountains are no obstacle to
him. Now look in verse five of our
text, he asks four questions that he knows the answer to.
Once again, remember this is poetry and it's given to evoke
a certain image in our mind. He says, what Elvio thou see
that thou flattest? Thou Jordan that thou was driven
back. Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams and ye little hills
like lambs. Now what I thought of when he's
asking the question, what's wrong Red Sea that you just part? And
Jordan, you mountains that you skipped, what else do? What I
thought of was when they came to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ. And he said, Whom seek ye? Now,
why does the Lord include this detail? Whom seek ye? Jesus of Nazareth, I am. And they were driven back at
his presence, just like the sea was driven back and the Jordan
was driven back. They were driven back at his
presence. Why did the Lord bring that detail
with regard to his arrest and death and the cross? He's letting
us know that he is in complete sovereign control of every event
of that and everything else. You see, the Lord's not a victim.
He's in absolute control of everything that takes place. What L-B-O-C
that you parted, you Jordan River that you parted, they marched
through, ye mountains that you skipped like rams and little
lambs, the sea flees, mountains skip at his will. And he says
in verse seven, tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord. And that's literally the face
of the Lord. Tremble. This is speaking of the fear
of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. Now, listen to this
statement. You only fear an absolute sovereign God. You only worship an absolute
sovereign God. You only trust an absolute sovereign
God. Tremble thou earth at the presence
of the Lord. And look at this verse seven,
tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence
of the God of Jacob. Do you know that God calls himself
by this name more than any other title? The God of Jacob. Now, who's Jacob? Well, if you
know anything about Jacob, you know that he was like me and
you. That's the best way I could describe
it. He's like me and you. His name means a supplanter. He was a deceptive man, he was
a sinful man. And God identifies himself as
the God of Jacob. Remember that passage of scripture,
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. It was said
unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it's written.
Jacob, have I loved? Dwell on that. Jacob, have I
loved? And he said, Esau, have I hated? Somebody says, well, that means
he loved Esau less. Can God love less? Of course
not. He's God. Malachi 3, 6, I am the Lord,
I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. God is the God of Jacob. Now here's where I want us to
spend the rest of our time. Which turned the rock into a
standing water, the flint into a fountain, of waters. Now, here we have the gospel. This is how we worship this holy,
infinite, transcendent, glorious God. He turned the rock into
a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters. Turn with
me to Exodus chapter 17. Exodus chapter 17. Verse one. And all the congregation of the
children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin after
their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord.
And pitched in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people
to drink. Now this is shortly after the
parting of the Red Sea. Wherefore, the people did chide
with Moses. They were upset. They were angry. They were resentful. They confront
Moses. They're unhappy with the way
things are going. And they confront Moses and said,
give us water that we may drink. Notice the attitude. It's an
attitude of entitlement, not a humble attitude, not a believing
attitude. The way the Lord has already
delivered us, he'll continue to deliver us. They have a prideful,
arrogant attitude. Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why
chide ye with me? Wherefore do you tempt the Lord? That's what's going on. Moses
said, I'm not the issue, the Lord is. Why do you tempt the
Lord? Put him to the test. And the
people, verse three, thirsted there for water. And the people
murmured against Moses. and said, wherefore is this that
thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children
and our cattle with thirst? After all they'd seen, yet this
response. And Moses cried unto the Lord
saying, what shall I do with this people? They'd be almost
ready to stone me. And the Lord said unto Moses,
go on before the people and take with thee of the elders of Israel,
and thy rod wherewith thou smotest the river, take it in thy hand,"
that's the rod he smote the Red Sea with and it parted, and go,
behold, I will stand before thee upon the rock in Oreb, and thou
shalt smite the rock." Who was standing on the rock? The Lord
says I'll be standing on that rock. Smite the rock and there shall
come water out of it that the people may drink. And Moses did
so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Now you'll remember
Paul tells us that rock was Christ. Every blessing that you and I
have has this as its source, the smitten rock. I think the images are so powerful. The Lord says, I must stand on
that rock. How do you reckon Moses felt when he smoked that
rock, knowing the Lord was standing there, but he was doing them
because the Lord told him to do it. This is to typify the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation, the water that
comes from that rock. Now, He mentions it twice in
our text. Turn with me now to Numbers chapter
20. Numbers chapter 20. When he smote
the rock and then the flinty rock is mentioned twice. Numbers
chapter 20, beginning in verse one. Then came the children of
Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zion in the
first month. And the people of Bodom, Kadesh,
and Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no
water for the congregation. And they gathered themselves
together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with
Moses saying, would the God we had died when our brethren died
before the Lord. Why have you brought up the congregation
of the Lord into this wilderness that we and our cattle should
die there? And wherefore have you made us to come up out of
Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It's no place of seed
or of figs or of vines or of pomegranates, neither is there
any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from
the presence of the assembly into the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces. and the
glory of the Lord appeared unto them. And the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying, Take thy rod, and gather thou the assembly
together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and what? Speak. He doesn't say smite. He says speak. Do you know because
of the rock that's already been smitten, Every believer has full
privilege of coming into God's presence and speaking to the
rock and him hearing. The Lord hears you. He that spared
not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not also with him freely give us All things the rock has been
smitten. Speak. What does Moses do? Now, you will remember that because
of the way Moses conducts himself and the scripture says he spake
unadvisedly with his lips because of this, he's not allowed because
of this event, he's not allowed to go into the province land. You see, the law is not going
to bring us into the promised land. Only Joshua, the Savior,
does. But look how Moses responds.
And Moses had a temper. You cannot read the story of
Moses without finding out this man had a temper. That was his
weakness. And here we see how he responds
to these people. Verse 8. Take the rod, and gather
thou the assembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak
ye unto the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth
his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the
rock. So shalt thou give the congregation their beast to drink.
Speak to the rock. And Moses took the rock from
before the Lord as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered
the congregation together before the rock. And he said to them,
here now, you rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Now notice how fleshly he's speaking. Must we fetch you water out of
this rock? Moses, you don't have anything
to do with water coming out of that rock. This is the Lord's work. It's not your work. But here
he's so angry and he speaks unadvisedly with his lips. And Moses lifted
up his hand, verse 11, and with his rod, he smote the rock twice. The Lord is still merciful. The
water still comes out, even through this act of disobedience on Moses'
part, the water still flows from the rock. And the congregation
drank, and their beasts also. And the Lord spake unto Moses
and Aaron, Because ye believe me not, to sanctify me in the
eyes of the children of Israel." Now this is how serious what
Moses did was. This is a great type of the gospel. Christ is smitten once, never
to be smitten again. He accomplished what he purposed. Now Moses presumes, because he's
angry, he smites the rock twice. He fails to sanctify God, because
if you think the rock can be smitten twice, you are totally
denying the meaning of the cross. And that's what Moses hears at
this time. The Lord's speaking to Moses
and Aaron, because you believe me not, to sanctify me in the
eyes of the children of Israel. May that be our only desire,
what we say about him. What do we say about him? And
he said, you failed to sanctify me. That's the issue. You failed
to sanctify me. In the eyes of the children of
Israel, therefore you shall not bring the congregation into the
land which I have given them. You're not going in because of
this. And he didn't. You remember when the Lord took
him and buried him? He let him see the land, but
he wouldn't let him take a step in. Now turn back to our text
in Psalm 114. Verse seven, tremble thou earth
at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of
Jacob, which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint
into a fountain of waters. Now, why is this mentioned twice? Number one. At all times. Christ crucified
is everything in our salvation. Amen. At all times. Number two, the only thing that
softens our heart is the cross. Nautzana, the cross of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Were the whole realm of nature
mine, that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing. Remember
the first line, when I survey the wondrous cross? Love so amazing,
so divine, demands my soul, my life. mile.