I want to look this evening at a couple commands found in scripture. I had prepared studying in Psalm 46 and had really planned on bringing a message from that chapter. But I got to verse 10, where we read, be still. Be still. Be still and know that I am God. I'll be exalted among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth. And there's a number of times that command appears in scripture. Something very, very similar to it. Just two simple commands. Two commands that should be easy, you would think would be easy for us to understand. Both of these commands are made up of just single syllable words. Stand still and be still.

Let's look at a few passages this evening together. First, turn with me to Numbers chapter 9. Numbers chapter nine. Numbers nine, verse eight. And Moses said unto them, Stand still. Stand still and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.

Now in the preceding verses, if we were to go back a few verses, we'd see that the Lord had spoken to Moses and given him directions to keep the Passover. And what the Lord told Moses, Moses then went and told the people. He told them, we'll keep the Passover. But there were a group of men that came to Moses and they told him, they said, we've been defiled. We've come into contact with a dead body and now we can't keep the Passover. And that was a very difficult thing for them. And on one hand, they were commanded to keep the Passover, but they would sin. They would sin if they did not come and keep the Passover, but they would sin in coming and keeping the Passover, seeing that they had defiled themselves. We don't know if that was through some type of a, what we would call an accident or maybe necessity. But either way, they were in a, a terrible situation. What do we do here?" And they were asking Moses. They said, Moses, what do we do about this?

Well, we see here Moses' answer. He said, just stand still. Stand still and I'll hear what the Lord will command concerning you. Wouldn't we be wise Wouldn't we be wise to do the same? To maybe hold back on a little bit of our good advice until we've sought the Lord in prayer, to seek His will. Spurgeon wrote this, he said, possibly, he said, we think ourselves so experienced and so well acquainted with the mind of God that we can just answer offhand. Or paradventure, we think that we don't even need to consult the Lord at all, but that our own opinion will be a sufficient guide. You know, I don't doubt for a minute, I'll speak for myself. I know Moses was much wiser than me. And yet he said to these men, Stand still. Let's just pump the brakes here, right? Stand still and we'll hear what Jehovah says commanding you. What are we to do? Seek the Lord, to seek Him.

James 1.5 says this, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Ask, and it shall be given." Let him ask of God. He doesn't say, let's look and see what men have written on this. He doesn't say, let's copy what some other man has experienced. What's he saying? Let him ask of God.

Turn to Matthew 7. Matthew chapter 7. Look at verse 7. And listen, these are the words, these are the words of our Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ himself is speaking these words. And he says, ask. Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth, and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son asked for bread, would you give him a stone? Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a serpent? If you, if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that what? That ask, that ask of Him.

You know, and I don't see any, I don't see any account in Scripture where one who truly sought the Lord was sent away empty. That which is for our good, That which is for His glory is given freely and is given bountifully. Seek Him. Seek Him in the right place. Where's God to be sought? One place, in Christ, in Him. There's no way, there's no way for a sinful man to have any relationship with God apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. He said that. He said, no man cometh to the Father but by me. Again, these are the words of our Lord.

Well, turn with me to another passage of Scripture. Turn back to the Old Testament, to 2 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles Chapter 20. Second Chronicles 20, look at verse 17. Second Chronicles 20, 17. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you. O Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow, go out against them, for the Lord will be with you. Stand still. Just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He said, don't be afraid, don't be dismayed, stand still. And we see why at the end of that sentence there, the end of that verse. He says, the Lord, the Lord himself will be with you.

Paul said this over in Romans 8, he said this, he said, if God before us, Romans 8.31, if God be for us, who? Who could be against us? If God be for us, he's with his people in eternal love. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee." He's with us, He's with His people in eternal grace. The God of all grace who has called you to eternal glory in Christ Jesus. He's with us in divine calling. How's that described in Scripture? He called us with a holy calling. Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. He's with us. He's with us as our substitute. He was made sin for us. who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He's with us in justification. How are we justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus? See that? He's with us. He's with us. God is already He's accepted his people. He's glorified us in Christ. All in Christ. If God be for us, think about those words. If God be for us, who? Who can be against us? Can the law be against us? God's law has been honored. How about justice? Can justice be against us? God's justice has been satisfied. What about Satan? Listen, he's been judged and cast out. Stand still. The Lord will be with you.

Let's turn to another scripture. Turn to Job chapter 37. Job 37. Look at verse 14. Job 37 verse 14. Hearken unto this, O Job. Here he says it again. Stand still. Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. His works are wondrous. Beyond our power, wondrous works beyond our understanding. We can't even begin to enter into them, can we? He is wonderful. His name, that's His name, isn't it? It's wonderful. Consider His wondrous works in creation. You know, there Tuesday we woke up with with snow on the ground. I mean, the way the snow just coats the trees, it's just simply amazing. His works in creation.

Scripture says this, By Him were all things created. In heaven, in earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, all things were created by Him and all things were created for Him.

What about His works in Providence? Behold His wondrous works in Providence. Scripture says this, that all things are of God. That's just a few words. We ought to be able to take comfort in those, shouldn't we? All things, all things are of God. All things in providence.

Listen to this scripture. It says this, in Him we live and we move and we have our being. That's providence. In Him, in Him we live, we move, we do something that's, rarely, rarely we even take a thought of just when we take a breath. That breath is by the will of God. We do that as God enables us. I can't take a breath. I can't take a breath and neither can you without Him.

God is light. In Him we live and move and have our being. By Him, all things, all things are held together. The sun came up this morning according to His will, according to the will of God. It sat this evening according to His will. And everything, everything is on His schedule. according to the will of God.

He that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. He rules the armies of heaven, he rules the inhabitants of the earth, and he giveth it to whomsoever he will. Scripture says the Lord maketh poor. and he maketh rich. The Lord bringeth low and the Lord lifteth up.

Stand still. Stand still and behold his works. His works in creation. His works in providence. And behold his works in salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is not by man's decision. That's foolishness. Salvation is by God's decision. Salvation is not by man's power. Salvation is by Almighty God's power. Salvation is not by man's works. Salvation is by His work. Not by man's will, but by the will of God. Simply said, salvation is of the Lord.

The Spirit, it quickens. It regenerates. It gives life to a dead sinner. The Son, He justifies. He redeems. He pardons His people. all those that God the Father chose, chose as His elect, all those that He purposed to save, all those that He predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. Salvation is of the Lord.

Stand still and see. Just stand still. and see the salvation of the Lord. See the marvelous works that He hath done. Turn to Psalm 46. Just a few pages over. Psalm 46. Psalm 46, look at verse 10. Be still. Be still and know that I am God. He said, I'll be exalted among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth. God is who he says he is. God is God.

Be still and know that I am God. I can remember a few times as a child, and maybe even a little older, arguing with my parents. I can remember a couple times they stopped me and basically told me to be still. We're not to quarrel with God. We're not to murmur against God. We're to be still.

In the book of Job, we read this, behold, he taketh away and who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, what doest thou? What are you doing? Solomon wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, he said, where the word of the king is. Almighty God is king. Where the word of the king is, there's power. And who may say unto him, What doest thou? Remember the words of Nebuchadnezzar. Remember what the Lord taught him. He said, all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him, What doest thou? God doesn't have to give an account of his matters to any. He's God.

In 1 Samuel 3, we won't turn there, but we read that God had revealed to Samuel a prophecy concerning Eli in his house. Eli's sons were wicked. And Eli had done nothing about it. He didn't correct them. He knew of their wickedness and he did nothing. He just stayed silent. And God revealed to Samuel what was going to happen as a result of that. And Eli called Samuel. And he said to him, he said, don't hide this vision from me. Don't hide this revelation. And Samuel told him everything. He didn't hold back. And when Eli heard it, this was his reply. He said, it's the Lord. It's the Lord, let him do. what seemeth right, let him do what seemeth him good. Not what's good for me, not what seems good to me, but what seems good to the Lord. The Lord who knows all things. The Lord who knows what's best for His people. The Lord who can do nothing but that which is good. There's nothing but goodness in Him. Nothing but goodness comes from him. He does good and nothing else, even when he's pleased to afflict his people.

Malachi 3.6, he says, I'm the Lord, I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Be still. Be still and know that I am God.

And then turn with me to one more scripture. Turn back to the book of Exodus. Exodus chapter 14. Exodus 14. Look at verse 13. Again, considering this command, be still or stand still. Exodus 14 verse 13. And Moses said unto the people, fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians who you've seen today, ye shall see them again no more, forever.

Look back, just a few verses, look back at verse 9 of Exodus 14. What's going on here? The Egyptians had pursued after them, they pursued after the children of Israel. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army and overtook them in camping by the sea, by Pahiroth before Belzaphon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. And they were sore afraid. Wouldn't we all be? I mean, can you put yourself in that situation?

And the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they said to Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore have you dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians. It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.

Isn't that us by nature? Sometimes we look at that and think, boy, they are awful. But then we just take a little time to think about that. That's us, isn't it? There they are at the Red Sea, fearful, murmuring, complaining against God and his servant Moses. Why didn't you? They were slaves in Egypt. They said, why didn't you just leave us? Why didn't you just leave us there? Now we're going to die in the wilderness. It'd been better. We'd been better off just to stay in Egypt, serve the Egyptians.

Listen to Moses's reply. What'd he say? Stand still. Just be still. Stand in awe. Stand in reverence and behold your deliverance. Behold your salvation. It's of the Lord. God did it. God delivered them. God saved them in spite of themselves. He brought them out as he promised with a mighty hand. They didn't save themselves, did they? God did it. Salvation. Salvation is of the Lord.

Isn't there something? Isn't there something I need to do? Something I should do? Something I can do? Well, we see in Scripture men who took their place as a sinner. Remember that? Remember that publican? Remember his cry? God, be merciful to me, the sinner. We can renounce hope in anything apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him and Him alone.

Listen to just a few words of a familiar hymn.

Nothing, nothing in my hands I bring simply. to the cross, simply to my savior, I cling.

We can cast ourselves on him for mercy. Isn't that what that leper did? When he worshipped him, when he called him, what did he call him? He said, Lord. And then he said this, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. to just cast all our cares upon Him, for listen, He careth for you. We can confess Him before men. Our Lord said, whosoever confesseth Me before men, Him, will I confess before My Father.

But you know, doing all these things, We've done nothing because salvation, deliverance, it is of the Lord. It's all of Him. I believe Henry wrote this. Let me just read it. The whole of the work whereby a son of Adam, a lost sinner, is delivered from the power of sin and from the kingdom of darkness and from the just of demands of God's holy law, from the condemnation and the curse of a broken law, from the justice of the Lord, from the power of hell itself, the whole work, whereby that sinner is delivered from the clutches and fetters of these demands and translated into the kingdom of life, into the kingdom of God's dear son, delivered into forgiveness. and mercy. It is of God. It is of Him and Him alone. That's the message. Man doesn't do it. God does. God does. It's all of Him. Salvation is of the Lord.

David wrote this in Psalm 62 5. He said, in God is my salvation And my glory, the rock of my strength, and my refuge is God. What's that leave for you and I to do? Just be still. Just be still.

All right. Let's have a closing hymn.