Worship Service 6/8/24.
Psalm 25 Devotional:

Psalm 25:15-22 [13]:

A Psalm of David.

15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I trust in thee. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Previously we saw from this Psalm the manner in which our feet are often caught in a net, and the only way of deliverance. For we pray in the Lord’s prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” which is summarized in our catechism, which says, “In the sixth petition (which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil), acknowledging, that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God, for divers holy and just ends, may so order things, that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations; that Satan, the world, and the flesh, are ready powerfully to draw us aside, and ensnare us; and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our corruption, weakness, and want of watchfulness, are not only subject to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations, but also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover out of them, and to improve them; and worthy to be left under the power of them: we pray, that God would so overrule the world and all in it, subdue the flesh, and restrain Satan, order all things, bestow and bless all means of grace, and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and all his people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to sin; or, if tempted, that by his Spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation: or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof: that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil, forever.” Wherein we learn that our feet may indeed be caught in the net of sin and adversity diverse ways. Such is why with David our eyes must be “ever toward the Lord”, through heeding His word, and praying according to it. So we have in the final portion of this Psalm. “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.” which echoes what we already read from the Larger catechism, that the believer’s enemies are many, they hate us and labor daily for our destruction, and often times overwhelm and overcome us so that we are caught in the net of sin and temptation. So Paul says, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Showing the nature and duty of the saints to consider and restore their fallen brethren in meekness. Note, he exhorts us to restore those overtaken in a fault. The Christian life is called “a race” and we are called “to run”, and while running we may be slowed, encumbered, or even fall, due to being “overtaken” by the enemy. But even if you fall, so rise in contrition and repentance that you may keep running. As the devil labors to destroy you, so labor to resist and thwart him. Those only who are well studied in the ways of holiness are prepared to resist when He assaults. So the Christian life is likened to a man, who when he is young must needs be taken care of night and day, but when he is grown, he is able to resist with strength. So increase in grace, and cling to the word that ye might grow into an able Christian strengthened by the Spirit to resist sin, and fall not into the devil’s snare.

John Calvin,
By repeating these complaints so frequently, he plainly shows that the calamities with which he was assailed were not some slight and trivial evils. And this ought to be carefully marked by us, so that when trials and afflictions shall have been measured out to us after the same manner, we may be enabled to lift up our souls to God in prayer; for the Holy Spirit has set before our view this representation, that our minds may not fail us under the multitude or weight of afflictions. But in order to obtain an alleviation of these miseries, David again prays that his sins may be pardoned, recalling to his recollection what he had already stated, that he could not expect to enjoy the divine favor, unless he were first reconciled to God by receiving a free pardon. And, indeed, they are very insensible who, contented with deliverance from bodily affliction, do not search out the evils of their own hearts, that is to say, their sins, but as much as in them lies rather desire to have them buried in oblivion. To find a remedy, therefore, to his cares and sorrows, David begins by imploring the remission of his sins, because, so long as God is angry with us, it must necessarily follow, that all our affairs shall come to an unhappy termination; and he has always just ground of displeasure against us so long as our sins continue, that is to say, until he pardons them. And although the Lord has various ends in view in bringing his people under the cross, yet we ought to hold fast the principle, that as often as God afflicts us, we are called to examine our own hearts, and humbly to seek reconciliation with him.

Matthew Henry,
David, encouraged by the promises he had been meditating upon, here renews his addresses to God, and concludes the psalm, as he began, with professions of dependence upon God and desire towards him.

I. He lays open before God the calamitous condition he was in. His feet were in the net, held fast and entangled, so that he could not extricate himself out of his difficulties, Psalms 25:15; Psalms 25:15. He was desolate and afflicted. It is common for those that are afflicted to be desolate; their friends desert them then, and they are themselves disposed to sit alone and keep silence, Lamentations 3:28. David calls himself desolate and solitary because he depended not upon his servants and soldiers, but relied as entirely upon God as if he had no prospect at all of help and succour from any creature. Being in distress, in many distresses, the troubles of his heart were enlarged, he grew more and more melancholy and troubled in mind. Sense of sin afflicted him more than any thing else: this it was that broke and wounded his spirit, and made his outward troubles lie heavily upon him. He was in affliction and pain. His enemies that persecuted him were many and malicious (they hated him), and very barbarous; it was with a cruel hatred that they hated him. Such were Christ’s enemies and the persecutors of his church.

II. He expresses the dependence he had upon God in these distresses: My eyes are ever towards the Lord. Idolaters were for gods that they could see with their bodily eyes, and they had their eyes ever towards their idols, Isaiah 17:7,8. But it is an eye of faith that we must have towards God, who is a Spirit, Zechariah 9:1. Our meditation of him must be sweet, and we must always set him before us: in all our ways we must acknowledge him and do all to his glory. Thus we must live a life of communion with God, not only in ordinances, but in providences, not only in acts of devotion, but in the whole course of our conversation. David had the comfort of this in his affliction; for, because his eyes were ever towards the Lord, he doubted not but he would pluck his feet out of the net, that he would deliver him from the corruptions of his own heart (so some), from the designs of his enemies against him, so others. Those that have their eye ever towards God shall not have their feet long in the net. He repeats his profession of dependence upon God –Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee; and of expectation from him–I wait on thee. It is good thus to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

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Opening Prayer.

Our gracious and glorious Father in heaven,
Our great King and Redeemer,

The builder, sanctifier, and beautifier of the temple—

Thou hast formed us and made us thine. Not as in the first creation, when light broke forth from darkness, but now—by a greater miracle—thou hast called us out of the abyss of sin.
We were filthy, polluted, and defiled—wallowing in our own blood, unable to stir ourselves unto thee. But thou hast lifted us out of our death and misery. Thou hast fashioned us anew and clothed us with clean robes, that we might serve thee in truth and in sanctity. Thou hast raised up a new temple—not made with hands, but built upon the doctrine of thy Son, the chief cornerstone.
Therefore, O Lord, let us not be as that people Israel, who defiled thy tabernacle and claimed innocence by their name. For we are made innocent by grace—not by birth, nor heritage, nor effort.
Create in us a clean heart, O God, and wash us yet again from our former iniquities, for they still cling to us. Build us up in holiness, and make us ready to resist the assaults of the enemy, who ever seeks to invade and defile thy temple.
Defend us, O God, for in thee do we trust. Hear our prayer, for we thy people are called by thy name.

Make us, O Lord, as a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed; that no unclean thing may enter, but that thy name alone be glorified within.
We look not unto idols, but unto the name of the LORD of Hosts. Deliver us from all evil, even as we call upon thee in the name of Jesus Christ thy Son.
Draw us, and we will run after thee. Let the fragrance of thy name be as ointment poured forth.
Thou art our hope, O God. Deliver Israel from all her troubles.

Lesson 35. [1.2.12.] The Contents of Holy Scripture. Pt. 12. The Histories: 1 Kings.

Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2

Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,

All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

Intro.

I. Survey of 1 Kings

i. Overview
The book of 1 Kings continues the narrative of Israel’s monarchy, beginning with the transition from David to Solomon and culminating in the division of the united kingdom into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. It traces the heights of Israel’s prosperity under Solomon’s reign and the subsequent moral and political decline following his death. The book reveals how faithful obedience to God’s covenant brings blessing, while rebellion and idolatry bring judgment. Political as well as personal.

ii. Place in the Canon
1 Kings is the eleventh book of the Old Testament and the third in the series of historical books (following Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1–2 Samuel). It forms the first part of the book of Kings, originally one scroll in the Hebrew canon, which the Septuagint and later traditions divided into two. Together with 2 Kings, it chronicles approximately four centuries of Israel’s history, from the death of David to the Babylonian exile.

iii. Progress of Redemption
The progress of redemption in 1 Kings unfolds amid the rise and fall of kings. The book opens with the establishment of Solomon’s reign, the builder of the temple, foreshadowing the coming of Christ who builds the true temple not made with hands. The glory of the Lord fills the house, yet idolatry soon creeps in, even through Solomon himself, leading to the division of the kingdom. David’s sin – division of his house. Solomon’s sin – division of the kingdom.

The rise of prophets—especially Elijah—heralds a new phase in redemptive history, where God’s word contends directly with the rebellion of kings. The Lord preserves a remnant through the ministry of the prophets even in days of deep apostasy, pointing to the faithfulness of His covenant and the surety of His promises.

iv. Authorship and Historical Setting
The book was compiled by a prophet or chronicler under divine inspiration, drawing from the “Book of the Acts of Solomon” and the annals of Israel and Judah mentioned throughout the narrative. Conservative and Jewish tradition names Jeremiah as a possible compiler, though the exact authorship is not explicitly mentioned.

Historically, 1 Kings covers the years from approximately 971 BC to 853 BC, beginning with the death of David and ending during the reign of Ahaziah of Israel.

II. Contents and Relationship to the Confession.
i. The Building and Dedication of the Temple (1 Kings 5–8) Read 1 Kings 8-9:9

Focus: The reign of Christ, sanctification, worship, and the Sabbath.

WCF Reference: Chapter XXI – Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

Section 1: “The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is good, and doeth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might… But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men…”

Scripture Proofs:
1 Kings 8:27–30 – “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?”
2 Corinthians 6:16 – “Ye are the temple of the living God…”
John 4:23–24 – “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth…”

Lesson:
Solomon’s Temple was not an end, but a shadow (Hebrews 9:24). Christ, the true Solomon, builds the living temple of His people. As Solomon reigned in peace and built a house for God’s Name, so Christ reigns as King in the hearts of His elect and sanctifies them by His Spirit (Ephesians 2:21–22). The glory that filled the temple at its dedication (1 Kings 8:10–11) is now seen in the indwelling presence of God in His people by the Holy Ghost (John 14:17).

Therefore keep from sin and defilement. Repent and seek forgiveness and cleansing.

Section 6, Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and truth; as in private families daily, and in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto.

Scripture Proofs:
A. True Worship Is Spiritual
1 Kings 8:27–30 – “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee…”
Jeremiah 7:4 – “Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these.”
John 4:23–24 – “The hour cometh… when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth…”
Micah 6:6–8 – “Shall I come before him with burnt offerings…? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good… to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”
Isaiah 1:11–16 – “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD… Bring no more vain oblations… wash you, make you clean…”

B. The Judgment of False Worship
Jeremiah 7:12–14 – “But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it… therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name… as I have done to Shiloh.”
Matthew 23:38 – “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”
Revelation 2:5 – “Repent… or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place…”
Romans 11:22 – “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God… if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

Lesson:
The visible Temple, though glorious, was only a figure of better things to come. The worship God requires is not to be performed ritualistically, but humbly reverently, with faith, and obedience. To presume that outward forms can excuse inward rebellion is the way of apostates—those who say “the temple of the Lord” yet reject the Lord.

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him.” – Titus 1:16
“This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” – Mark 7:6

Practical Application:
Worship must be regulated by God’s Word (WCF XXI.1–6) – Neither temple, denomination, nor outward form can preserve a people whose hearts are far from God.
Sanctification and reverence are the fruit of true faith. “Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever.” (Ps. 93:5)
When a church or people depart from God’s truth—He removes the lampstand (Rev. 2:5). We must ever pray: “Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness.” (Ps. 132:9)
The true temple is Christ and His body, the Church, built up in holiness (1 Cor. 3:16–17; Eph. 2:21). But the Church is not preserved by name or lineage, but by faith and obedience.
Read Jeremiah 7

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.
O LORD our God,
The only wise and true God,
The One who answereth by fire and turneth the hearts of the people back again.

As thou didst raise up Elijah in the night of apostasy—so raise up, we pray thee, a remnant faithful to thy covenant. Let our hearts not be divided as that wayward people, nor halt between two opinions, but be wholly thine.

Thou alone art God, and there is none beside thee. The gods of the nations are vanity, their prophets are madmen and those who bow down to them forsake their own mercy—but we trust in the LORD for thy word endureth forever.

Lead us therefore, O Lord, in thy truth and teach us, for thou art the God of our salvation. Cause us to walk in meekness and holiness that we might be guided according to truth and kept from the paths of the wicked.

Turn thee unto us and speak a word of comfort by the stillness of thy voice and be thou gracious and very pitiful, for we are poor and afflicted, and the enemies of our soul do lie in wait. Yet thou, O Lord, dost defend thy beloved, as a wall of fire round about her. Let not thine enemies prevail against us, for they hunt for the precious soul, even as Ahab for the vineyard of Naboth. Deliver us from all evil and keep us from sin, for to displease thee is worse than death.

Let our hearts be as the altar on Carmel—waiting for the fire from heaven. Consume the dross, O God, and let the sacrifice of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight and may we go forth both now and always in the strength of thy Son, Jesus Christ, in the strength of His Spirit, and in the light of thy countenance.

For thine O LORD is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Youtube Audio: https://youtu.be/XVZR7XIlhGQ