Beginning in verse 5, when the
waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made
me afraid, the sorrows of hell compassed me about. The snares
of death prevented me. In my distress, I called upon
the Lord and cried to my God And he did hear my voice out
of his temple. And my cry did enter into his
ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven moved
and shook because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of
his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were
kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also and
came down. And darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub and did fly, and he was seen upon
the wings of the wind. And he made darkness, pavilions
round about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Through the brightness before him were the coals of fire kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven,
and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows
and scattered them, lightning and disconfitted them. and the
channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world
were discovered at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of
the breath of His nostrils. He sent from above. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated
me, for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in
the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought
me forth also into a large place. He delivered me because he delighted
in me. Let's pray. Lord, we come into your presence
in Christ's blessed name. Lord, how thankful we are for
thy son. and for his salvation. We ask that he might be glorified
in this hour. And that you would give us the
grace to worship him. Lord, we confess our sins and
pray for forgiveness and cleansing. And Lord, we pray for those of
our number who are sick. We pray for your healing hand
upon them according to your will. Be with all your people wherever
they meet together. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. If God has saved me, he has made
himself known to me so that I actually know him. Now what an awesome thought to
actually know the living God. The Lord said in John chapter
17 verse 3, this is eternal life that they might know thee. the only true God and Jesus Christ
whom thou hast sent. Now, if you know me, you can
pretty much understand me and make comparisons. Todd's like
this person or Todd's like that person. But if you know God,
you can't do that, can you? He said there's none like me. You know the reason idolatry
is so evil is when you make a comparison of God with some created object,
all you do is degrade him. That's why all idolatry is so
evil. It's the degrading of God. He said, there is none like me. So when we're trying to describe
God from the scriptures. When God describes himself, he
always speaks by way of metaphor. Now, what do I mean by that? A metaphor is a figure of speech
in which a word or phrase is applied to the object or action
that is not literally applicable. Now, here's what that means.
Christ said, I am the door. He's not a literal door, but
he is the way of entrance to the Father. He is the way of
entrance into the presence of God. Christ said, I am the bread
of life. He's not real bread, you know
that. He's not literal bread. But oh, he is the bread of life. He is the only food that can
sustain our soul. He said, I am the lily of the
valley, the bright and morning star. Now, he's not literally
a lily, neither is he a star. This is given to show us that
he is altogether lovely. And the scripture quite often
speaks by way of metaphor. And in this passage of scripture
we just read, the weather is used. The weather. Now, what is more
uncontrollable than the weather? You can't manipulate the weather.
You can't control the weather. All the weather does is fill
us with awe in its power. I think it's interesting when
some kind of natural disaster happens, the insurance companies
call it an act of God. And that's what it is. It's an
act of God. The weather is something we can't
control. It's something we can't manipulate.
It's something that we stand helpless before and powerless
before because of its awesome, mighty power. Now that's how
the Lord describes Himself by way of metaphor in this passage
of Scripture. And what this is, verses 8 through
20, is an answer to verse 7, in my distress, I called upon
the Lord. and cried to my God, and he did
hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his
ears. Then the earth shook." And he
talks about these almighty, amazing things that take place as God's
response to his cry. Now, in Verses 5 and 6, I have
no doubt that these are the words of the Lord from the cross. Now
this is primarily God's response to Christ, but it's also His
response to us when we cry to Him. But look at these words. When the waves of death compassed
me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid, the sorrows of
hell compassed me about. and the snares of death prevented
me." Now, this is the words of our Lord from the cross. Hell
and death surrounded him at this time. And so he says in verse
7, in my distress, and what a distress
he was in. being made sin, bearing the sins
of his people. What a distress he was in, but
isn't it a blessing that in my distress, I can call on the Lord? And he hears me. He hears my voice. But he said,
In my distress, I called upon the Lord and cried to my God,
and He did hear my voice out of His temple, and my cry did
enter into His ears." Now, this is primarily talking about the
cry of the Son to the Father, but it's also a reference to
my cry to my Heavenly Father. Now, look how the Lord answered.
Verse 8, "'Then the earth shook and trembled, and the foundations
of heaven moved and shook, because He was wrath." Now this happened
literally when the Lord was hanging on the cross, didn't it? You
remember how the earth quaked? The sun refused to shine when
our Lord was hanging on the cross. I mean, all this physical, miraculous
stuff took place in God's response to what was going on at that
time. The earth quaked, the rocks ran,
his wrath came against his son, his wrath came against the enemies
of his son, his wrath came against my enemies, my sins. Now this
cry to God by Christ is also my cry. He was crying for me.
And God's wrath came down. He was wroth. Verse 9. Then went
up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. Now,
the metaphor here is that nothing can stand before him. Nothing
can stand before him. Nothing can prevent him from
doing whatever it is he's pleased to do. Fire comes out of his
mouth, smoke out of his nostrils. You see, if God be for you, who
can be against you? And if God's against you, who
can be for you? Both of those things are true,
but the picture here is that nothing can impede Him. Nothing can stop His will from
being done because of His mighty power. Look in verse 10. He bowed
the heavens also, and came down And darkness was under his feet. Now this speaks of his condescension
and his incarnation. He bowed to heaven and came down,
didn't he? He came down. And I love the way this description
is, darkness was under his feet. And you know what that means?
That means me and you really don't much understand what's
going on at this time. Darkness. I love the way when
the Lord was on the cross, the earth was covered with darkness.
And that's to let us know. And I'm so fine with this. This doesn't bother you. We ought
to be able to understand everything. No, I just believe. I just believe. But oh, the darkness that we
just don't much understand what was going on. We don't understand
anything about the sinfulness of sin. We don't much understand
about the need of Christ to atone for sin. I mean, we have some
glimpse of it, but there's so much darkness in there. I can't
see. I like what David said, such
knowledge is too wonderful for me, it's high, I can't attain
to it. Darkness, men so little understand. Listen to this scripture. Habakkuk
3, 4, his brightness was as the light and horns coming out of
his hands, which speaks of the power of his hands. And there
was the hiding of his power. The hiding of his power. His
brightness was as light and all that was was the hiding of his
power. I love that scripture that says he covers himself with
light as with a garment. Now, what a, What a statement. He covers himself. When he covers
himself, it's with light as with a garment. And when he came down,
it was darkness to us. We did not see what he was doing
in his incarnation, but his father did. I love it when the Lord
says to people listening to him, I came down from heaven. For
I came down from heaven. Not to do my own will, but the
will of Him that sent me. Just thinking of those words,
I came down from heaven. Look at verse 11. And he rode
upon a cherub, and did fly, and he was seen upon the wings of
the wind. Now the thought here is swiftness.
Swiftness. There's nothing that can impede
him in doing what he wants to do. Right like that. He's riding
on the wings of the wind. Whatever his will is, it's done,
and it's done immediately according to his time. Swiftness. I love to think of the swiftness.
When he wills something, how long does it take to take place?
It's already taken place. That's his swiftness in coming
to our aid. None can stay his hand or say
unto him, what doest thou? Verse 12, here we have darkness
again and he made darkness, pavilions round about him, dark waters
and thick clouds of the sky. Now this is a way of, this is
just another way of saying we can't see without revelation.
We can't see. I mean, look up, darkness. darkness. The only way I can see Him is
if He's pleased to make Himself known to me. If He discloses
Himself to me, because I can't see. This is way beyond me. He makes darkness His pavilions. Verses 13 and 14, through the
brightness before Him were coals of fire kindled. The Lord thundered
from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice. You know what
that's talking about? It's talking about the preaching of the gospel. Now, when the gospel is preached,
there's a feeble voice like mine heard. I've got a feeble voice. I'm more aware of that than I
ever have been. I've got a feeble voice. But what happens in the
preaching of the gospel? Turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter
2. Verse 13, for this cause also
thank we God without ceasing, because when you receive the
word of God which you heard of us, you received it, not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. You see, it's God's
voice that's thundering. Now, it might be through my feeble
voice. And I'm aware that my voice is feeble, but so what? So what? I reckon Balaam's ass'
voice was kind of feeble too, but God still spoke through him.
And that's what happens in the preaching of the gospel. His
voice, the Lord thundered from heaven and the Most High uttered
His voice. This is my beloved Son in whom
I'm well pleased. All salvation is in Him. Verse
15, and he sent out arrows, and scattered them lightning, and
discomfited them. You know, his arrows always hit
their target. He never misses. He is hitting the target every
time he speaks. Somebody says, I didn't hear.
Well, you weren't his target then. Somebody says, I hear.
You're his target. He never misses. We don't know
what's going on. I mean, I'm preaching the gospel,
but the Lord uses his word to hit his target according to his
will. Verse 16, And the channels of
the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered
at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of
his nostrils. Now this is talking about the parting of the Red
Sea. You know, when they were walking through the Red Sea with
the water on either side, you know something they were dead
sure of? Salvation is of the Lord. They saw that so clearly,
there wasn't any doubt about that. The foundations of the
world were discovered. I mean, the breath of His nostrils
parting the Red Sea. And you know, I was thinking
about this this morning while I was looking over these verses
of Scripture. We know about stuff that took
place before the foundation of the world. The foundation of
the world has been discovered to us. You know, the great majority
of this population of this planet have no idea about anything that
happened in eternity, nor do they care, nor do they even think
about it. And God has made known to me to every believer what
happened before the foundation of the world. Isn't that amazing
that He's made Himself known to you like that? You know of
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. You know according
as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.
You know what the song of eternity is going to be already. It's
gonna be no surprise to you. Worthy is the lamb that was slain. You think of what the Lord has
made known to you. Why you? Why me? I still can't get over that. Why would he make himself known
to me like that? Verse 17, he sent from above. He took me. You know that's the same word
that's translated fetched with regard to Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth is in the land of
Lodabar. He's lame on his feet. David
doesn't say go offer him a place at my table. He doesn't say invite him. He
says go fetch him. Fetching grace. Did the Lord
fetch you? You couldn't get there. He fetched
him. Look what it says next. He sent
from above. He fetched me. He drew me. I love that scripture. No man can come unto me except
the Father which has sent me draw him. Drawn with irresistible
grace to where you find Jesus Christ the Lord and his salvation
irresistible. He drew me, and I followed on. And He drew me out of many waters,
something that I couldn't deliver myself from. Verse 18. And these are the words of the
Lord and these are the words of all of his people. He delivered
me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me for they were
too strong for me. Now, I love to think of how he
delivered me. He lifted me from that deep miry
clay from my strong enemy that was too strong for me. Now, what was too strong for Christ?
Nothing, but he was crucified in weakness, wasn't he? He was
crucified in weakness when he was made sin for his people. And that sin had to be paid for.
But not only was Christ delivered by his father, he proved that
when he raised him from the dead, but I was delivered from my enemies. My sins, which are too strong
for me, I can't do anything about them. He's going to have to do
something. If I'm going to be delivered
from my enemies, he's going to have to deliver me. And I know
that. And so I pray, Lord, deliver
me. Deliver me. He delivered me from my strong
enemy and from them that hated me, for they were too strong
for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity, but the
Lord was my stay. Now, what was the day of his
calamity? The cross. Talking about calamity, the cross. And in the day of my calamity, the
cross, he was my stay. He was all I could lean on. Now verse 20. He brought me forth also into
a large place. Now, this is talking about the
resurrection of Christ. He was in a very narrow tomb
and he came out to complete liberty and freedom, having vanquished
death, having vanquished sin. And his dominion is over all
this large place. But this is talking about me
and you too. A large place. Stand fast in the liberty, the
freedom wherewith Christ hath made us free. Now I want you
to think about the liberty you have. You have God for you. Everything
belongs to you. This is your father's world.
What's the law have to say to you? Not guilty. What freedom
there is there? What debts do you owe? You don't
owe anything. You're perfectly accepted in
Christ. What a large place. What a place to praise God for.
You've been brought into a large place, a place of liberty, a
place of freedom. Rejoice in that. I love that
scripture. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed
to sin. How can I do that? because I
am in fact dead indeed unto sin. Sin has nothing to say to me. Now that's the liberty we have
in Christ Jesus. We reckon ourselves to be dead
into sin for one reason. We are dead indeed to sin. Well,
I don't feel dead. Well, so what? Do you believe
it? Do you believe that what Christ
did is enough to make you dead indeed to sin? It has nothing
to say to you. Now, he brought me forth also
into a large place. He delivered me because he delighted
in me. Now, of course, these are the
words of the father or the son regarding the father. He delivered
me because he delighted in me. And I think of, I love to think
of the absolute delight between the father and the son. But you
know what? Talking about me and you, too. If you're someone who looks to
Christ, do you know God the Father delights in you? He has joy in you. He rejoices over you with singing,
the scripture says. He delights in you. Now, because
He delights in Christ, and He does, doesn't He? You don't have
any problem understanding how He delights in Christ, do you?
That's easy to see. But because he delights in Christ,
he delights in you. And he was pleased. You know
that word, pleased, where it says it pleased the Lord to bruise
him? That's the same word translated to delight here. God loves Christ. God loves all of those in Christ
as He loves His Son. and so determined was he for
their salvation that it pleased him to bruise the Lord that they
might be saved. He delivered me because he delighted
in me." That's a glorious thing to think about. Now as you get
an opportunity, read verses 21 through 25 for our next time
when we're going to learn something about righteousness.