1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,240 The beginning night by talking about a a New York Times article 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:08,400 and the journalist was out Alex Stone, and he tells a story 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,760 about how the executives at the Houston airport were faced with 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,960 lots and lots of complaints about long waits at the baggage 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:19,000 claim. Have you ever been there? 6 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,440 Calcutta, India. You'd wait two hours, but 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,320 apparently 8 minutes at Houston's. 8 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,760 A long time, but they they had so many complaints about the 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,200 wait time at baggage claim at Houston airport that they hired 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,520 consultants. And so the first thing they did 11 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,280 was they hired a bunch more baggage handlers and that 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,320 reduced the wait time to an industry beating average of 8 13 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,000 minutes to wait for your luggage. 14 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:49,000 But the complaints continued. So it made no sense. 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,800 So until the executive discovered that on the average 16 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,600 passengers took only one minute when they got off their plane to 17 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,920 walk the baggage claim and there they would sit and wait for 18 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,519 678910 minutes. And that was the reason for the 19 00:01:05,519 --> 00:01:08,400 complaints. The walk time was not the 20 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:14,400 problem, it was the remaining 7 empty minutes of staring at that 21 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,400 baggage carousel waiting for your bags that was driving 22 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,200 people crazy and causing them to complain. 23 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:26,240 So, in a burst of innovation, the executives move the arrival 24 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,120 gates farther away from the baggage claim. 25 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:36,280 Passengers now had to walk much farther to get their bags, but 26 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,920 often when they arrived, the bags were waiting for them. 27 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,800 Problem solved. The complaints went down South. 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:48,480 In the same article, Stone interviewed and Massachusetts 29 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,680 Institute of Technology somebody named Richard Larson, who is 30 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,680 apparently the world's leading expert on waiting in lines. 31 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,400 I didn't know there was such a person to discover. 32 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,080 The psychology behind the waiting and what happened at the 33 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,240 Houston airport makes a perfect illustration, said Richard 34 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,919 Larson. The length of our weight is not 35 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,760 as important as what we're doing while we wait. 36 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,080 Often the psychology of queuing is more important than the 37 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:22,360 statistics of waiting itself. Essentially, we tolerate 38 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,560 occupied time. For example, walking to the 39 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:30,720 baggage claim is OK, but unoccupied time? 40 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,800 Sitting at the baggage claim, waiting. 41 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:34,720 That's where we have the problem. 42 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,680 Give us something to do while we wait, and the wait becomes 43 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,000 endurable. That is why so often waiting on 44 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,520 God feels like unoccupied time. We wait, but what's really 45 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,440 happening up there in heaven? What's going on? 46 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,960 Is God actually doing anything? Waiting on God implies that we 47 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,400 need to develop a new perspective of what God is doing 48 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,680 and what we can do while we wait on Him. 49 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,600 Tonight's Psalm gives us a new perspective of what to do while 50 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,840 we wait. You know, when we pray, of 51 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:17,400 course, God can answer three ways, yes, no, and wait. 52 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,360 And it's usually the third category of waiting that can be 53 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:25,440 very, very hard for us. Our psalmist tonight, he may 54 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,360 have had to wait 70 years. He probably was dead before the 55 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,560 prayers were actually answered in many cases. 56 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,720 So let's read Psalm 79 if you haven't turned there. 57 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:41,080 Psalm 79 follows Psalm 78, which is the second longest Psalm in 58 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:45,200 the Psalter with 72 verses. But tonight our Psalm only has 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,720 13 verses. Psalm 79 says a Psalm of ASAP. 60 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,400 Oh God, the nations have come into your inheritance. 61 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,760 They have defiled your holy temple. 62 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,000 They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 63 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,320 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of 64 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,680 the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts 65 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,200 of the earth. They have poured out their blood 66 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:11,000 like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury 67 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,440 them. We have become a taunt to our 68 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,760 neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. 69 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,720 How long, O Lord, will you be angry forever Will your jealousy 70 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,720 burn like fire? Pour out your anger on the 71 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,760 nations that do not know you and on the kingdoms that do not call 72 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,960 upon your name, for they have devoured Jacob and laid waste 73 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,400 his inhabitation. Do not remember against us our 74 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,360 former iniquities. Let your compassions come 75 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,360 speedily to us, for we are brought very low. 76 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,880 Help us so, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your 77 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:52,240 name deliver us and atone for our sins for Your name's sake. 78 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,720 Why should the nation say, where is their God? 79 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,080 Let the avenging and the outpouring blood of Your 80 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,760 servants be known among the nations before our eyes. 81 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,400 Let the groans of the prisoners come before You, according to 82 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,840 your great power. Preserve those doomed to die. 83 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,720 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors, the taunts with 84 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,280 which they have taunted you, O Lord. 85 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,720 But we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give 86 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,480 thanks to you forever. From generation to generation 87 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,920 will recount your praise. Father in heaven, thank you for 88 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,760 this Psalm tonight. May we leave here tonight 89 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,880 knowing more of You, understanding that sometimes you 90 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,560 make us wait and that we can never completely understand what 91 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,480 you're doing up there in heaven in Jesus name, Amen. 92 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:48,080 The title of our Psalm is how long, O Lord. 93 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,040 It's actually a very common theme in the Psalms. 94 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:56,160 Psalm 6 verse 3 says, and my soul is greatly dismayed, but 95 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,920 you, O Yahweh, how long? And then of course, you've got 96 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:03,400 the the other Psalm that's called the how long Psalm, Psalm 97 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,960 13. Tom Mason preached a message on 98 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,640 this in 2000 and four times in the first verses it says, How 99 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,360 long will Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? 100 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,520 How long will you hide your face from me? 101 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,400 How long shall I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my 102 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,360 heart all day? How long will the enemy exalt 103 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,440 over me? Psalm 3517 says Lord, how long 104 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:33,680 will you look on? And then Psalm 74, Ken says, how 105 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:36,160 long, O God, will the adversary reproach? 106 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,360 Will the enemy spurn your name forever? 107 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,040 Psalm. And of course Psalm 79 five, 108 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,440 which we just read. Psalm 80 verse 4 says, O Yahweh 109 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,440 of hosts, how long? Psalm 82 two, how long will you 110 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:53,080 judge the unrighteous? Psalm 8946 how long O Yahweh 111 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:58,080 will you hide yourself forever? Psalm 90 verse 13 says return O 112 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:03,080 Yahweh, how long will it be? And lastly Psalm 94 verse 3 says 113 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:06,680 how long shall the wicked, O Yahweh, how long shall the 114 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,640 wicked exalt? So there are lots of Psalms that 115 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,160 deal with waiting on the Lord. We have a superscription above 116 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,120 your Psalm 79 which just says a Psalm of ASAP. 117 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,400 We know that ASAP wrote 12 Psalms. 118 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:25,040 Psalm 50 and then Psalm 73 through 83, we know he's the 119 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,920 worship leader in the Temple. He may not be one person, He 120 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,080 might be a series of Aesop's who passed down the worship leader 121 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,520 in the temple, but it's very interesting that he wrote 12 122 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:41,360 Psalms and three of them Psalm 74, the Psalm. 123 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,320 Tonight we're going to look at Psalm 79 and Psalm 80 are all 124 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:48,200 about the destruction of the temple. 125 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:53,240 It obviously left a very painful mark on ASAP when he saw the 126 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:55,720 temple destroyed to write 3 psalms about it. 127 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,320 So the type of Psalm that we're looking at tonight, it's a 128 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,120 lament Psalm, but it's not an individual lament. 129 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,840 It's a community Lamb. The whole community, the whole 130 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,280 nation of Israel is lamenting what ASAP is saying here. 131 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,960 You have an outline, I hope. And there are five types of 132 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,760 prayers there. A prayer of lamentation, verses 133 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,080 one to four prayer restoration, verses 5 to 8, a prayer for 134 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:23,760 glorification, verse 9, pray for vengeance, verses 11:50, and a 135 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,280 prayer of adoration. Lastly, verse 13, let's look at 136 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,640 point #1A prayer of lamentation. And I've got 3 sub points there. 137 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,320 The situation is desolate. We'll look at that number sub 138 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,240 point number one in verse one. It just says, oh God, the 139 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,120 nations have come into your sanctuary. 140 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,240 They have defiled Your holy temple. 141 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:42,840 They have laid Jerusalem in rooms. 142 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,800 So from the opening verse of Psalm 79, it appears that the 143 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,800 historical context for this Psalm is the time of the 144 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:56,960 Babylonian invasion and the destruction of the temple in 587 145 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,400 BC. You know, as the Kingdom of 146 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,200 Judah declined, their kings and their leaders became less and 147 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,160 less devoted to the Lord. There, you know, there were a 148 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,240 few godly kings like ASA, Josiah, Joash, Hezekiah. 149 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:16,960 But foreign alliances, idolatry, unbelief combined to weaken the 150 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,440 Kingdom and ripen it for judgment. 151 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,960 The sins of the fathers accumulated until God could hold 152 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:27,800 back his wrath no longer. So God sent Nebuchadnezzar and 153 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,200 the Babylonian army to destroy Jerusalem. 154 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:34,720 What's great about Psalm 79 is we have an historical account 155 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,360 with his Psalms. You know, David, there are 14 156 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,200 Psalms about David's fleeing Saul and David's trials. 157 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,360 So it's always great when you can read the Psalm and then go 158 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,400 to 1st and Second Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings and read about it. 159 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,960 But it's what really interesting that the Holy Spirit records the 160 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,880 destruction of Jerusalem not once, not twice, not three 161 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:01,960 times, but four times in Scripture, in Second Kings 25, 162 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:09,120 in Second Chronicles 36, and in Jeremiah twice, Jeremiah 39, one 163 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,600 to 10, and then the whole chapter of Jeremiah 52. 164 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:17,120 So God is what when He says something four times, it's 165 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:18,480 really important that we look at it. 166 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,480 But I want to read tonight not from those four accounts. 167 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,360 I want to read to you Lamentations chapter 1, verses 1 168 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,320 to 11. You know, if there was a book of 169 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,480 the Bible that would that you can make a horror movie about, 170 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,760 it would be Lamentations. Have you read Lamentations? 171 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,560 You got to have APG rating or an MA rating with that. 172 00:10:38,560 --> 00:10:40,840 It's brutal, it's dark, it's dreary. 173 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,400 So let's look at Lamentations chapter one, OK. 174 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,400 In the Septuagint, the New Testament Greek version written 175 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,880 maybe 200 years before Christ, it says that they're they have a 176 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:54,760 they have a written before the lamentation. 177 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,840 It says, and it came to pass after Israel had been carried 178 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,880 away captive and Jerusalem had become desolate, that Jeremiah 179 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:06,520 sat weeping and lamentated with this lamentation over Jerusalem 180 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,360 and said, OK, our Bible doesn't say that, but the Septuagint 181 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,680 does. But Lamentations chapter one, 182 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,960 verse 1 to 11 will read. It says how lonely sits the city 183 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:22,000 that was full of people. How like a widow has she become. 184 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:26,120 She who was great among the nations, she was a Princess 185 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,880 among the provinces, has become a slave. 186 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,800 She weeps bitterly in the night with tears on her cheeks. 187 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,440 Among all her lovers she has known to comfort her. 188 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,400 All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. 189 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,440 They have become her enemies. Judah has gone into exile 190 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,200 because of affliction and hard servitude. 191 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,360 She dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting 192 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,800 place. Her pursuers have all overtaken 193 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,560 her in the midst of her distress. the Rose to Zion 194 00:11:57,560 --> 00:11:59,800 mourn, for none come to the festival. 195 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,080 All her gates are desolate. Her priest groan. 196 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,840 Her virgins have been afflicted, and she herself suffers 197 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,440 bitterly. Her foes have become the head. 198 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,360 Her enemies prosper because the Lord has afflicted her for the 199 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,920 multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone away 200 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,800 captive before the foe. From the daughter of Zion all 201 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,440 Her Majesty has departed. Her Princess have become like 202 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,200 deer that find no pastor. They fled without strength 203 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,280 before the pursuer. Jerusalem remembers the days of 204 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,920 her affliction and wanderings, all the precious things that 205 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,440 were hers. From days of old, when her 206 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,440 people fell into the hand of the foe and there was none to help 207 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,840 her. Her foes gloated over her. 208 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,640 They mocked at her downfall. Jerusalem sinned grievously. 209 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:53,080 Therefore she became filthy. All who honored her despise her, 210 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,080 for they have seen her nakedness. 211 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,080 She herself groans and turns her face away. 212 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:00,800 Her uncleanliness was in her skirts. 213 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:02,920 She took no thought of the future. 214 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,640 Therefore her fall is terrible. She has no comforter. 215 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,200 Oh, Lord, behold my affliction for the enemy as triumph. 216 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:14,000 The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious 217 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,080 things, for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary. 218 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:22,240 Those whom you forbade to enter your congregation, all our 219 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,480 people grown as they search for bread, they trade their 220 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,920 treasures for food to revive their strength. 221 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,160 Look, O Lord, and see, for I am despised. 222 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,800 And we could go on and read chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4 223 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,360 and chapter 5. And it just gets worse and 224 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:42,480 worse. But the, the, the, the situation 225 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,720 is absolutely desolate there. The extent of the, the 226 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,520 destruction was devastating. Remember, this was the third 227 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,200 time that Nebuchadnezzar had come and waged war against 228 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,680 Jerusalem, and this time it took him over 2 1/2 years to conquer 229 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,120 Jerusalem. So when they did break the walls 230 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,920 down, they burned every building, they burned the 231 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,640 temple, they destroyed everything, and they slaughtered 232 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,480 most of the people. The people that were were 233 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,040 slaughtered. The temple was defiled and 234 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,040 burned to the ground, and the holy city of Jerusalem was 235 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,720 destroyed and left in rooms. Some point B, verses 2 and 236 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,920 three, the Saints are dead. It says in verse two to three 237 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,200 they give in your bodies to the servants, to the birds of the 238 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,480 heaven for food, the flesh of your faithful, to the beasts of 239 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,560 the earth. Blood was poured out like water. 240 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,440 So even in death there was no closure for the shame and 241 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,440 destruction. The dead bodies were for the 242 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,160 food for birds. The flesh, the beasts of the 243 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,160 earth would eat it. It says blood was poured out 244 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,600 like water, but what a statement that is. 245 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,760 And there was no burial. We mentioned in the last few 246 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,040 Psalms that in if you did not bury the body, that was 247 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,040 considered a very, very desecrating thing when bodies 248 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,280 weren't buried. There just wasn't anybody to 249 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,480 bury the bodies. You know, when we look at the 250 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:11,240 last in Jeremiah 52 verses 28 to 31, it tells us that only 745 251 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,640 people went in exile. And then if you take the X, the 252 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:20,440 597 BC, it said 832 people were taken including Ezekiel. 253 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:25,560 And then if you look at six O 5 BC, over 3000 people were taken 254 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,040 including Daniel. So if you add up those 3 255 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,360 numbers, it comes to about 4600 people that were taken captive. 256 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:38,440 But Second Kings chapter 24 says 10,000 people were taken 257 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,080 captive. So trying to reconcile how many 258 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,520 people were actually taken a lie back to Babylon his heart. 259 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:49,200 It could be Judah was 4600 and all Israel was 10,000. 260 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,440 Don't know. But the point I want to make is 261 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,960 very few people were taken captive. 262 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,040 Most people were killed or they died of starvation before 263 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,920 Nebuchadnezzar even broke through the walls. 264 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,600 Estimates of Jerusalem's population or anywhere from 265 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:10,240 75,000 people to 345,000 people. So not a lot of people were 266 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,880 taken captive. Most people were killed. 267 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:17,320 The righteous with the unrighteous at some Point C The 268 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,160 survivors are despised. So just a few people that lived 269 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,320 were taken captive, probably mostly young like Daniel and 270 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,120 Ezekiel, young men, young girls to be slaves. 271 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,040 Only the poorest of the land were left. 272 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,600 The captives that were left were object of reproach and scorn. 273 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,440 And we recently we looked at another Psalm. 274 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:44,800 We read that Psalm 137, that really dark Psalm that says when 275 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,680 the captives were by the waters of Babylon, there we sat down 276 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,800 and wept, when we remembered Zion on the willows there we 277 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,160 hung our liars. For there are captors required 278 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:00,920 us songs, and our tormentors mercing sing us the songs of 279 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,680 Zion. So even if you lived, you're 280 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,319 probably were a slave and you were tormented, you were 281 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:10,960 tortured, you were taken back to Babylon. 282 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,440 So what do we learn from this first 4 verses? 283 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,200 Why was this wrath poured out? Why don't we go back to the 284 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,240 beginning and think about it for a minute? 285 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,560 You know, if you had time tonight, which we don't, to read 286 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:25,960 Deuteronomy 28. Have you read Deuteronomy 28? 287 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:28,400 It's quite an interesting chapter. 288 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,720 The 1st 14 verses are all about blessings for obedience. 289 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,960 If you will obey, God will bless you, your crops, your family, 290 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:45,120 your cows, everything. 14 verses on blessings, but then the next 291 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:50,800 54 verses are about curses for disobedience. 292 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:52,360 That's why I can't read it tonight. 293 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:57,560 It's a long, long chapter, but those 54 verses for disobedience 294 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:03,960 list the horrors that we read in Lamentations that if you disobey 295 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,720 me and follow idolatry and all those sins, I'm going to do 296 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,440 these things to you. So Israel was warned in 297 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,720 Deuteronomy 28 even before they entered the promised land. 298 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:18,280 And then you go to, by the way, it says in verse 45 of 299 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:22,560 Deuteronomy 28 because you did not obey the voice of the Lord 300 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,480 your God. So they were warned by Moses in 301 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,160 Deuteronomy. Then you go to Joshua and that 302 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:31,000 last chapter and you all know that wonderful verse. 303 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,080 Joshua 2415 says Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in 304 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,040 sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods of your 305 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,560 father's serve beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the 306 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,200 Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes 307 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:50,080 to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether 308 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,360 the gods of your father's served in the region beyond the river, 309 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,800 or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. 310 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,720 But As for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. 311 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:06,000 And then the people respond, in Joshua 24, verse 18, we also 312 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,560 will serve the Lord, and then verse 21, but we will serve the 313 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,640 Lord. And in verse 24, the Lord our 314 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,720 God, we will serve and obey his voice. 315 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:21,240 And Israel did obey. They obeyed all the days of 316 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,360 Joshua and the elders that outlive Joshua. 317 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,480 But then you know what's the next book after Joshua judges. 318 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,760 And in judges they would begin to obey. 319 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,720 Then they would serve the idols of the Four Nations. 320 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:39,800 God would let nations conquer them and put them in slavery. 321 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,680 Then they would repent. God would raise up a judge who 322 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,280 would deliver them. And you had cycle after cycle, 323 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:49,160 judge after judge. And then Israel had Saul as 324 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,440 king. He was not a good king, but he 325 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,840 was followed by two pretty good kings, David and Solomon, 326 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,880 although Solomon did not finish well. 327 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,040 And then we had the split Kingdom. 328 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,400 Judah had 20 kings, 8 of them were good. 329 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,560 So that leaves 12 that were bad. Israel had 20 kings, the 330 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,880 southern king, the northern Kingdom and all of them were 331 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,480 bad. The consequences for Israel's 332 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:18,880 sin was Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple was burned to the 333 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:23,160 ground, people were either taken captive or slaughtered and 334 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,600 reminds me of what Nahum said in Nahum chapter one verse 3. 335 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:34,560 The Lord is slow to anger and in great power, and the Lord will 336 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:39,760 by no means clear the guilty. He was a patient, kind, 337 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,280 compassionate God who brought in the promised land, but they 338 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,560 rejected him and God judged Israel. 339 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,440 Let's look at subpoint to a prayer for restoration and we've 340 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,800 got 3 sub points there. And #1 God restain your anger 341 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,200 toward us. And there I want to he says, how 342 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,320 long will you be angry? The first part of verse 5, And 343 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,120 how long will you be jealous? How long will you be angry and 344 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:08,240 how long will you be jealous? In verse 5, verse one began 345 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:12,320 began with the lament crying, how God, Oh God, I'm sorry, Oh 346 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,360 God. Now in verse 5, ASAP says as he 347 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:19,840 prays, Oh Lord, O Elohim, the first searching question or the 348 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,360 first question we have in the Psalm is how long, O Lord, will 349 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:26,200 you be angry forever? It's a cry from a wounded 350 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,720 person. Can't imagine the horrors that 351 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,680 ASAP has seen. Would assume that ASAP was 352 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,080 captive. ASAP probably was taken to 353 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,680 Babylonian, but he saw the slaughter. 354 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,200 He saw the temple desecrated. He saw Jerusalem burned. 355 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:45,600 And what he doesn't know is that the sentence is going to be 70 356 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,360 years. But he knows God is angry and he 357 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:52,640 knows God must punish sins. But the people here are 358 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:58,160 suffering greatly, and he describes God's anger here as a 359 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,720 consuming fire when he says the next point. 360 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,360 How long will you be jealous? How will your jealous? 361 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,320 Will your jealousy burn like fire? 362 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:10,560 Imagine when he wrote this that Jerusalem is just on fire 363 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,040 because they burned every building to the ground. 364 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:19,040 Now can God really be jealous? This doesn't refer to jealousy 365 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,040 like you and me. A boy is jealous when his girl 366 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:23,840 leaves him or takes another boyfriend. 367 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,360 But this is a fervent zeal of God. 368 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:31,160 It's it's jealousy exclusive to God that we don't have. 369 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,640 God's jealousy is often linked to his desire for exclusive 370 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,640 worship and his rejection of idolatry. 371 00:22:39,360 --> 00:22:45,000 Exodus 25 says you shall not bow down to them or serve them, for 372 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,560 I the Lord your God am a jealous God. 373 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:52,480 Isaiah 42 says 42. Verse 8 says I am the Lord. 374 00:22:52,760 --> 00:23:00,240 That is my name, my glory I give to no other nor my praise to 375 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:05,480 carved idols and Deuteronomy 424 says for the Lord your God is a 376 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:10,200 consuming fire, a jealous God. God was jealous for his people. 377 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,200 He made a covenant with them, but they'll disobey them. 378 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:18,120 So ASAP is asking how long Father, how long and in some 379 00:23:18,120 --> 00:23:20,960 point be God release your wrath toward them. 380 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,960 ASAP turns from looking at the people of Israel toward his 381 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:27,480 enemies and he he says there in verses 6 and seven. 382 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:35,520 And by the way, Jeremiah quotes Psalm 79 verses 6 and seven in 383 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:41,600 Jeremiah 10 verse 25 S Jeremiah had a copy of this Psalm. 384 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,240 So he says, pour out your anger on the nations that don't know 385 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,760 you and the kingdoms that do not call upon your name, for they 386 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,440 have devoured Jacob and laid waste to his have a nation. 387 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:55,880 So what ace up saying here is they've defiled you God, and 388 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,720 he's saying shouldn't your wrath fall on the nations that don't 389 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,400 know you? They've devoured us, they've 390 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:04,240 devoured your people, they slaughtered the righteous with 391 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,120 the unrighteous, and they've destroyed us. 392 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:12,080 Let me just read 3 verses from the account of the destruction 393 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,400 of Jerusalem in Second Kings chapter 25, which is one of the 394 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,120 four accounts of the destruction of Jerusalem. 395 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:23,920 And it says in the 5th month, on the 7th day of the month, that 396 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,960 was the 19th year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. 397 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:32,800 Nebuchadnezzarion, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of 398 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,200 the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and he burned the 399 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:41,640 House of the Lord and the King's house and all the houses of 400 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,440 Jerusalem. Every great house he burned 401 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,080 down, and all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the 402 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,840 captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 403 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:58,280 You know, it's interesting that here in verses 6 and seven, He 404 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:02,360 asked God to pour out his anger and God would, but it would be 405 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:08,760 many, many years later. It would be in 539 BC, October 406 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:10,600 12th. And you know the story from 407 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:16,400 Daniel chapter 5, right? In one night, Cyrus the Persian 408 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,720 conquered Babylon in one night. So God did judge Babylon, but it 409 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:25,120 would be many, many, many years later down the road. 410 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,400 Let's look at some point. See God renew your mercy toward 411 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,320 us. Verse 8, two things here. 412 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:35,360 He asked God to pardon them and he asked God to pity them. 413 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,360 He asked God to pardon him. My Bible says do not remember 414 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:41,640 against us our former iniquities. 415 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,600 Your NSAB translation says do not remember the iniquities of 416 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:50,080 our against our forefathers. The NIV says do not hold against 417 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,680 us the sins of the past generation and the LSV says do 418 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,720 not remember our former iniquities. 419 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,320 ASAP would write 12 Psalms as I mentioned, and I'm pretty sure 420 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,680 he was a godly man to write those 12 psalms. 421 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,000 After all, he led the worship of the temple. 422 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,400 He knew proper worship. He knew right worship and wrong 423 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,440 worship. And yet here he prays for some 424 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:17,320 confession of sin that God would not remember their sins. 425 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,960 God is holy and He knows that we are not. 426 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:28,160 ASAP asked how long, O Lord? He didn't ask why has all this 427 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,120 happened, he asked how long. O Lord, he knows why it has 428 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:35,600 happened because he knows the sins of his father's, his 429 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,280 grandfather's. So I just assumed that ASAP 430 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:42,040 being the worship leader was a very righteous man. 431 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:43,760 So he doesn't hesitate to say us. 432 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,320 He knows that he is a sinful nation. 433 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,800 And when I thought of that, it reminded me of a message I 434 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,840 preached many years ago on Daniel Chapter 9. 435 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,240 I'd love to study the prayer, the great prayers of the Bible. 436 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,480 You know, if you ever Nehemiah chapter 1 and Daniel 9, there's 437 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:06,720 just David, Saul, there's just but Daniel 9 verse 4 to 14. 438 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,640 Now you think of Daniel, remember Daniel chapter 6. 439 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:13,960 They could find no fault in Daniel, remember? 440 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,480 So they had to do what? They had to pass a law to get 441 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,880 Daniel to disobey the law, not to pray. 442 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,920 And he prayed. So Daniel was a very, very 443 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,440 righteous man. But in Daniel Chapter 9, you can 444 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,480 turn there. I can read it for you, Daniel 9 445 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,040 verse 4. Listen to Daniel's prayer and it 446 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:36,200 says, I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, 447 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:40,640 Oh Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and 448 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,360 steadfast love with those who love Him and keep his 449 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:46,880 commandments. We have sinned and done wrong 450 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,480 and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from Your 451 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,760 commandments and rules. We have not listened to your 452 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:57,640 servants, the prophets who spoke in your name to our kings, our 453 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,160 princesses, our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 454 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:06,360 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us belongs 455 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:11,080 open shame, as at this day to the men of Judah, to the 456 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:15,200 inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near 457 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,360 and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have 458 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:21,240 driven them because of the treachery they have committed 459 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,960 against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open 460 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,520 shame to our kings and to our princesses and to our fathers, 461 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,480 because we have sinned against you. 462 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:36,600 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have 463 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,440 rebelled against you and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord 464 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:45,440 our God by walking in His laws which He set before us by His 465 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,200 servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your 466 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:53,520 law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice and the curse 467 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,600 and oath that are written in the law of Moses. 468 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:00,000 The servant of God have been poured out on us because we have 469 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,240 sinned against Him. He has confirmed His words which 470 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:08,320 He spoke against us and against our rulers who have ruled us, by 471 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,560 bringing upon us a great calamity. 472 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:16,960 For under the whole heaven has not been done anything like 473 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,080 which has been done against Jerusalem, as it is written in 474 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,160 the law of Moses. All this calamity has come upon 475 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:28,120 us, yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord God, 476 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:33,240 turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 477 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,560 Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has 478 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:39,080 brought it upon us. For the Lord our God is 479 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,200 righteous, and all the works that he has done, and we have 480 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,920 not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord God, who brought 481 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,320 your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and a 482 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,560 made a name for yourself, as it is this day. 483 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,760 We have sinned, we have done wickedly. 484 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,320 Now, if you're to count all the we's, I think there's nine of 485 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,200 them, all the US's, that's seven of them. 486 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:07,160 So do we, do you pray like that? Do we pray like that? 487 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,760 Do you ask God to forgive the sins of the United States of 488 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,120 America? I think most of us just pray for 489 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,520 our sins, right? Father, forgive me for what I 490 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,280 did today. But when you think of it, is 491 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,080 there a more wicked nation on the country, on the in the 492 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:26,040 earth, in the United States of America, we literally export 493 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:27,720 wickedness. Now, I know the Trump 494 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,120 administration has cut back, but when I was in Myanmar, I would 495 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,280 drive by the US embassy and the US consulate there and they 496 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,960 would have the pride flag up. Not only that it wouldn't be up 497 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:38,400 for a month, it'd be up for half a year. 498 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,960 But they would also host seminars for LBGQ. 499 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,680 So your tax dollars were going to Myanmar to promote a 500 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:50,480 homosexual, lesbian lifestyle and transgender and all that 501 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,800 when this is a very devout Buddhist country. 502 00:30:54,520 --> 00:31:00,640 So maybe we ought to pray for the sins of our country, the 503 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:04,640 abortions, the same sex marriages, the transgenderism, 504 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:08,040 all of them in defiance of our holy God and his written word. 505 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,840 You know, someday, like what happened to Israel, God is going 506 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,280 to pour out his wrath on the United States of America. 507 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,200 Lord willing, we won't be here. We'll be in heaven with the 508 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,080 rapture. But I love Habakkuk chapter 3, 509 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,960 verse 2. And Habakkuk heard the story 510 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:27,880 that Babylon was going to come. And he says, O Lord, in verse 511 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,240 two, I've heard the report of you and your work. 512 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:34,800 O Lord, do I fear in the midst of your years, revive it. 513 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:36,600 In the midst of years make it known. 514 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:42,360 And the last four words he says in wrath, remember mercy. 515 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,160 That's what I pray for the United States of America, 516 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,120 because the wrath of God is going to be poured out on this 517 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:51,240 wicked nation. But right now God is withholding 518 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:53,960 that wrath. God is compassion and patient, 519 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,760 not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to 520 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:00,360 repentance. But someday that wrath will be 521 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:02,200 poured out. So I pray in wrath. 522 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,600 Remember mercy. Do you pray like that? 523 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:07,920 The psalmist does. Let's move on after he says 524 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,440 pardon us in verse 8, the last part of eight be he says pity 525 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:13,920 us. He says let your compassion. 526 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:16,800 It's a plural. He's plural here, not singular. 527 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,480 Come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 528 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,840 ASAP is about as low as he can go. 529 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,920 He's about as discouraged, depressed as he can go. 530 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,760 And so he just makes a desperate plea and he calls upon that 531 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:36,000 God's mercy would come before it's too late, that all of God's 532 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,760 people will be wiped out. Lamentations 322 says the 533 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:43,240 steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 534 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,520 His mercies never come to an end. 535 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,280 He cries out for love and the compassion and mercy of God. 536 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,640 Let's move on to point #3A prayer for glorification verse 537 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,480 9. So ASAP begins with a lament in 538 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,040 verse one, Oh God, which is Elohim. 539 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:04,400 ASAP then begins praying in verse 50. 540 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,160 Lord, that's Yahweh. ASAP continues praying here in 541 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,080 verse 90. God, that's Elohim. 542 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,080 And there's a couple sub points here. 543 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:14,880 Deliver us for your glorious name. 544 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:19,320 Pardon us for your name's sake. So he says in the beginning of 545 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:21,480 verse nine. Help us, O God, of our 546 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,280 salvation, for the glory of your name. 547 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:30,120 ASAP is appealing to the greatest motivation of all. 548 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,360 He's asking God to act for the namesake of his own glory. 549 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,560 He prayed that God would guard the greatness of his name in the 550 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,240 world, G Campbell Morgan said of this verse. 551 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:47,200 ASAP had a passion for the glory of the divine Name, one 552 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:51,640 commentator said in this Psalm. All that God does, he does 553 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:56,920 primarily to preserve, pursue, and promote His own glory. 554 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:01,680 This is the highest end and the chief ambition that stir the 555 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:07,320 passion of God's own heart, namely, the magnification of His 556 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:11,480 own most holy Name. Here is the supreme good for 557 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,440 which God acts, the promotion of His own honor. 558 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:19,320 If this is the loftiest pursuit of God, then so it must be for 559 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,719 man. All people must live for what is 560 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:26,560 greater than themselves if there are to be elevated to experience 561 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:31,159 life as God proposes. Many that live for the greatness 562 00:34:31,159 --> 00:34:36,199 of God, or they merely exist. This is the highest goal and the 563 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:40,560 most honorable aim of man, the passionate pursuit of the glory 564 00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:44,080 of God. I'm I read Isaiah 42 eight verse 565 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:48,040 earlier. I am the Lord that is my name, 566 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:52,320 my glory. I give to no other nor my praise 567 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:56,960 to carve idols in all situations we ought to pursue the glory of 568 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,400 God ASAP is hoping for a miraculous intervention here. 569 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,560 It's not going to come, but he's going to pray for it. 570 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,000 Matthew 69 when we begin the Lord's Prayer, it says our 571 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,280 Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name. 572 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:16,240 The question for today is have we or have you made God's glory 573 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:17,760 number one priority in your life? 574 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,000 I think it was last year we had a men's Bible study on a Monday 575 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,720 night and Lance was talking about that verse that you all 576 00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:29,640 know, 1st Corinthians 1031. Everybody knows that verse. 577 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:35,600 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the 578 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:41,200 glory of God. And Lance mentioned driving and 579 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:43,120 that hit me like a cat, a ton of rocks. 580 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,440 Like really no. But the more I thought about it, 581 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,920 he's right. Driving. 582 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:53,160 I, I, I get in my car and I pray, father give me a safe 583 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,640 drive as I take my daughter tests at the school to safe 584 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:57,560 drive going home. I pray because it's crazy out 585 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,120 there. But I never thought about it 586 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:04,120 before. It says whatever you do, do for 587 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:06,360 the glory of God. And that kind of changed my 588 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,160 perspective. I think I finally understood 589 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:10,080 that verse. First Corinthians 1031. 590 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:11,200 It's not just eating and drinking. 591 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,840 It's whatever you do all day, all night. 592 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:18,280 We are to do for the glory of God, including driving. 593 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,680 So he says #1 deliver us for your glorious name. 594 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:26,240 And then the last part of verse 9, he says, pardon us for your 595 00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:29,720 name's sake. He says deliver us and atone for 596 00:36:29,720 --> 00:36:31,280 our sins. Why? 597 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:35,120 For your name's sake, maybe your translation says forgive our 598 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:37,240 sins. You know, here we have the word 599 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:41,360 atone and we spent a lot of time talking about that word last 600 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,360 week. When we look at Psalm 65 and we 601 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:48,880 said three times it's mentioned in Psalms, Psalm 65, you atone 602 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:52,360 for our transgressions, Psalm 7838. 603 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:56,840 Yet he being compassionate atone for an iniquity and did not 604 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,400 destroy him. And I mentioned last week the 605 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,240 word atone just means to cover, to wipe out. 606 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:04,800 But think about it. Here's ASAP. 607 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,560 If the temple's destroyed sacrifices could no longer be 608 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:13,320 made at the temple, right? So how will Israel make 609 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,200 atonement for sins? How will they cover those sins 610 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,960 if sins were really going to be atone for God had to provide a 611 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:25,760 better sacrifice, right? And Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 6 612 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:30,760 prophesied 700 years before the Messiah would come, says, But he 613 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:32,600 was pierced for our transgressions. 614 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:34,840 He was crushed for our iniquities. 615 00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:38,400 Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. 616 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:42,000 And but, and with his wounds we are healed all. 617 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:46,400 We like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned away everyone his 618 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:51,080 own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 619 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:55,560 Let's look at #4 a prayer of vengeance. 620 00:37:55,840 --> 00:38:00,800 I could have titled it a prayer of imprecatory verses 11:50, 621 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,200 because that's kind of what we have here. 3 sub points here. 622 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:09,520 Silence our enemies, save the prisoners and sevenfold their 623 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:12,120 taunts. So some point #1 silence your 624 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:14,320 enemies. Verse 10, it just says, why 625 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,600 should the nation say, where's their God? 626 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:20,000 Here we have the second question in the Psalm, the second 627 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,880 searching question in the Psalm. Where's their God? 628 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,640 So in Israel's time, you probably know that when in one 629 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:31,800 nation defeated another nation, it was proof to the victorious 630 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:35,520 nation that their gods were stronger than the enemy gods. 631 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:39,960 So the Babylonians are taunting the Jews here by asking, where 632 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:42,560 is your God? He's non existent is what 633 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,480 they're saying. At least it's what they're 634 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,600 implying. These two half verses are 635 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,240 technically an imprecatory prayer. 636 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,800 Now you could also include verse 6 where it says pour out your 637 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,480 wrath upon the nation's. And we have talked about 638 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,000 imprecatory prayers a lot. If you remember last year we 639 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,600 looked at Psalm 58 and mentioned an entire Psalm about 640 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:07,000 imprecatory prayers. I hope you remember that. 641 00:39:07,240 --> 00:39:10,000 And every once in a while in the Psalms that we've looked at, 642 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,800 there's a verse here. And usually it begins with let 643 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:17,480 him do this, Let God do this. So, you know, I think you may, 644 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:19,360 I've talked a lot about imprecatory prayers. 645 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:23,440 But you know, and I mentioned that every day when I pray, I 646 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,920 pray to imprecatory prayers. One, that God would destroy 647 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,080 Hamas and that the reigning hostages would be released. 648 00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:34,520 And the second is that God would destroy the five Myanmar or 649 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,760 Bernie's generals who are destroying the land of Myanmar. 650 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,480 You know, I'm not asking God, I'm asking God. 651 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:47,640 God, if it's your will, pour out your wrath now get those 652 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:50,600 hostages released, judge the wickedness of those wicked 653 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:55,200 nations, knowing that God will pour out his wrath later. 654 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:58,680 But there's nothing wrong that we can't pray in preparatory 655 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,400 prayers against those wicked nations of the world. 656 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:06,240 So so he's praying that God would judge those nations. 657 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,880 He says there. In the in the next part there 658 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:14,480 verse 10, let the avenging of the out poured blood of your 659 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:17,080 servants be known among the nations before our eyes. 660 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:21,200 This is the second time, verse 3 and verse 10 that ASAP has 661 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:22,960 mentioned the outpouring of the blood. 662 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:24,960 That's how great the slaughter was. 663 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,840 The slaughter was great. So Ace AP's asking here. 664 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:33,840 God, we want the world to see your vengeance upon these wicked 665 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:36,080 nations. We want you to display your 666 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:40,720 power to destroy these nations should you choose to avenge 667 00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:43,360 them. And I mentioned before that God 668 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:46,320 would destroy Babylon, but it would be many, many years down 669 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:49,000 the road. Next, say the prisoners, verse 670 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,720 11. He says, let the groans of the 671 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,560 prisoners come before you, according to great power, 672 00:40:54,880 --> 00:41:00,720 preserve those doomed to die. So the one he's suffering, Asaph 673 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,680 is suffering here, but he includes a plea to save the 674 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:06,720 prisoners. Like I pray for the hostages 675 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:10,240 that are being held by Hamas because many of these prisoners 676 00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:14,280 here would face execution. Like then I mentioned they only 677 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:18,560 took a few 1000 back to Babylon. Most of the people, thousands 678 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,800 upon thousands, maybe 300,000 people were slaughtered. 679 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:25,040 So this is the same kind of prayer that we we can make 680 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,600 today. And then verse 12, sevenfold, 681 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,920 they're taunts, He says return sevenfold into the lap of our 682 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:34,800 neighbors. That's the wicked nations, the 683 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:37,000 taunts which we have, Taun you, O Lord. 684 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:41,480 Now the number sevenfold here in this verse is a concept from 685 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:45,000 Leviticus 26. If you go to Leviticus 26, don't 686 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,800 turn there. Now verses 21 to 28, God says I 687 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:53,240 will punish Israel sevenfold for their sins, for breaking my 688 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:56,760 covenant. OK, So here Aceps ask God to 689 00:41:56,760 --> 00:42:00,640 punish Babylon sevenfold for their sins. 690 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:05,280 After witnessing what Babylon did to the Jews, the temple and 691 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:09,560 Jerusalem, how could ASAP not cry out for God to give 692 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:16,080 retribution to them? So ASAP began with a lament in 693 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:17,280 verse one. Oh God. 694 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:20,080 He began then prayed in verse 50. 695 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:22,800 Lord. He continues praying in verse 696 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,800 90, God. And now he ends verse 12 with Oh 697 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:29,560 Lord. And then our last point tonight, 698 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:35,240 verse 5, a prayer of adoration, Psalm, verse 13. 699 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:41,360 You know, almost every single Psalm of the 150 psalms, almost 700 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,480 all of them end with praise or at least some type of adoration 701 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,880 or some type of Thanksgiving. There are a few Psalm 88, Psalm 702 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:55,360 137 that just ended abruptly. But like most Psalms are Psalm 703 00:42:55,360 --> 00:43:00,800 after 12 verses ends the last verse, verse 13, with a prayer 704 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:05,040 of adoration. And it's interesting that what 705 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,040 ASAP's been through, what his eyes have seen, what his body 706 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:12,360 has felt, maybe his relatives were taken, maybe his children 707 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:14,480 were taken. You know, maybe his wife was 708 00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:16,280 slaughtered. We don't know exactly. 709 00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:21,600 But ASAP can still give praise. He can still give thanks to God 710 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:24,720 here in verse 13. This is a powerful lesson for 711 00:43:24,720 --> 00:43:27,120 all of us. You know, I don't know what 712 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:30,080 tragedy you've had. I don't know what illness you 713 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:34,120 had or maybe going through, maybe the loss of a job, maybe 714 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:35,920 what family troubles are going on. 715 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:39,680 And we pray and we ask the Lord, how long, O Lord, do I have to 716 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:44,840 go through this ordeal? But while you wait, we need to 717 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:48,640 give him two things. We need to give thanks forever 718 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:51,400 and we need to give praise fervently. 719 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:56,000 Verse 13, the first part says, But we your people, the sheep of 720 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:59,720 your pasture, we'll give thanks to you forever. 721 00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:03,280 ASAP's prayer of restoration wasn't answered. 722 00:44:03,640 --> 00:44:07,920 Jerusalem was still in ruins. ASAP's prayer of glorification 723 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:10,040 wasn't answered. Help did not come. 724 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:14,360 ASAP's prayer of vengeance wasn't answered for maybe 70 725 00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:18,000 years or many years. Yet ASAP could still trust the 726 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,600 Lord and give thanks to the Lord. 727 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:23,920 Why? Well, he says right there, we 728 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:29,600 are the sheep of your pasture. So if you're in Psalm 79, look 729 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:34,440 at verse 13 and I've underlined verse 13. 730 00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:37,000 I underline or I circle the sheep of your pasture. 731 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:41,600 OK, underline that. Now go down to the next Psalm, 732 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:45,680 Psalm 80, verse one. And what's it say? 733 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:53,000 Give here, O Shepherd of Israel, we are the sheep of his pasture 734 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:57,280 and God is a shepherd and God knows what he's doing, even 735 00:44:57,280 --> 00:45:01,360 though we don't understand him, though we cry out so ASAP knows 736 00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:05,680 that we are the sheep of the pasture, but that the shepherd 737 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:09,640 of Israel is God. And Psalm 79, God's going to 738 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:13,160 shepherd his people forever. God is always our Good Shepherd. 739 00:45:13,720 --> 00:45:18,960 You know how bad things were, Habakkuk, that wonderful little 740 00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:21,160 book. When you come to the very end, 741 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:25,840 God tells he's going to destroy Israel, Jerusalem, He's going to 742 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:28,520 use the Babylonian army. There's this debate between 743 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:31,320 Habakkuk and God. Finally, in the end of chapter 744 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:37,520 3, Habakkuk says though the fig tree should not blossom, nor 745 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:42,840 fruit beyond the vines, the produce of the olives fails and 746 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:47,440 the fields produce no food. The flock be cut off from the 747 00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:50,400 fold and there be no herds in the stalls. 748 00:45:50,520 --> 00:45:55,240 That's six different animals or foods he mentions in verse 18. 749 00:45:55,240 --> 00:45:58,280 He says, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. 750 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:02,120 I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 751 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:06,600 God the Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like deer. 752 00:46:06,760 --> 00:46:08,680 He makes me tread in high places. 753 00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:13,480 So ASAP in Psalm 7913 could give thanks. 754 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:18,040 Habakkuk in Habakkuk 13, knowing the horror of what was going to 755 00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:20,520 happen would still give thanks and joy. 756 00:46:21,200 --> 00:46:27,040 Psalm 7720 says you led your people like a flock by the hand 757 00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:29,960 of Moses and Aaron. God shepherd his people by the 758 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:34,360 hand of Moses and Aaron during the Exodus and of court in the 759 00:46:34,360 --> 00:46:37,680 New Testament. This theme is greatly expanded 760 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:40,000 in the book of John, and we're going to look at that book on 761 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:44,640 Sundays in just a few months. But John 1011, Jesus says I am 762 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:47,720 the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his 763 00:46:47,720 --> 00:46:52,920 life for his sheep. And in Hebrews 1320 it says now 764 00:46:52,920 --> 00:46:56,680 the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord 765 00:46:56,680 --> 00:47:01,720 Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of eternal 766 00:47:01,720 --> 00:47:04,680 covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do, 767 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:08,280 His will working in us that which is pleasing his sight 768 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:11,880 through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. 769 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:15,240 Amen. So the children of Israel were 770 00:47:15,240 --> 00:47:19,040 God's sheep and we believers in Jesus Christ or Jesus sheep. 771 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:21,600 So we need to give thanks forever like ASAP. 772 00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:25,880 Then the last line of verse 13 says from generation to 773 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:29,400 generation, we'll recount all your praise. 774 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:33,920 We need to give praise fervently no matter what the trial, the 775 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:36,840 suffering. The problem is ASAP is 776 00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:38,960 undergoing the worst crisis in his life. 777 00:47:39,800 --> 00:47:42,960 But he still, as the worship leader in the temple, was 778 00:47:42,960 --> 00:47:45,800 committed to praise God. And I believe he probably went 779 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:49,240 to Babylon and would continue to lead worship to the to the 780 00:47:49,240 --> 00:47:53,240 people that were taken there. Now we need to, he was committed 781 00:47:53,240 --> 00:47:58,560 to praise God, not for the things that God gave him, not 782 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:02,840 for the things that God did, but just simply because God, who who 783 00:48:02,840 --> 00:48:06,440 he is, deserves our worship. He would be committed to teach 784 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:10,760 his children, his grandchildren how to praise the Lord. 785 00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:15,120 So in closing tonight, what could we take away from this 786 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:17,960 Psalm? Many things, but I'll give you 3 787 00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:21,280 things. And #1 we mentioned it. 788 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:26,080 The wrath of God is coming. It's coming upon this nation, 789 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:29,000 the United States of America, it's coming upon the world. 790 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:32,400 And it could happen any day. If you've been with us in our 791 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:36,160 study of First Thessalonians, chapter 5, in our Psalm, Israel 792 00:48:36,160 --> 00:48:41,440 was warned again and again and again of the consequences for 793 00:48:41,560 --> 00:48:45,000 for failing to obey God. And this Psalm is another 794 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:49,320 warning for those who refuse to repent and put their faith and 795 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:53,520 trust in Jesus Christ. And Second Peter chapter 2, 796 00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:58,560 verses 49, write that down. We have another strong warning, 797 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:01,880 and I'll read it if you want to turn there, but I'll read it. 798 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:05,160 It says in second Peter chapter 2, verses 4. 799 00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:09,640 For if God did not spare angels, that's number one example, when 800 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:13,560 they sin, but cast them into hell and committed them to 801 00:49:13,560 --> 00:49:17,160 chains of gloomy darkness, to be kept until the judgment. 802 00:49:17,720 --> 00:49:22,520 If he did not spare the ancient world, that's example #2 but 803 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:26,120 preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness with seven others, 804 00:49:26,240 --> 00:49:29,840 when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly, If by 805 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:32,680 turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that's the third 806 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:37,320 example to ashes, he condemned them to extinction, making them 807 00:49:37,320 --> 00:49:41,640 an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. 808 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,240 So I could go on and read and read, but he gives 3 examples 809 00:49:45,240 --> 00:49:47,440 there that were worn. The angels. 810 00:49:47,640 --> 00:49:51,080 These are wicked angels, the ancient world and the time of 811 00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:54,680 Noah, and of course Sodom and Gomorrah that God was going to 812 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,480 judge him. But most of the world ignores 813 00:49:57,480 --> 00:50:00,600 that warning. But you know, our our families, 814 00:50:01,480 --> 00:50:06,440 our relatives, even our church, our country, our world has 815 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:09,640 received warning after warning from sacred Scripture. 816 00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:13,840 And our God is a God of love, a God of great compassion. 817 00:50:14,320 --> 00:50:16,720 And as I mentioned earlier, his desires that no one should 818 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:19,120 perish. If you if you were to go to the 819 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:22,560 next chapter in the second Peter verse 9 says the Lord is not 820 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:27,640 slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is 821 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:32,640 patient towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that 822 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:38,640 all should reach repentance. But God must and will punish 823 00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:42,640 sin. Romans 623 says the wages of sin 824 00:50:42,840 --> 00:50:47,200 is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. 825 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:52,520 So wrath is coming and we need to tell the world that number 2. 826 00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:58,040 I think the glory of his name. I know you know that we are not 827 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:01,640 to take the name of the Lord in vain or Hollywood movies take it 828 00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:05,600 repeatedly and people are always, you know, the people who 829 00:51:05,600 --> 00:51:08,200 don't believe in God use his name as a curse word. 830 00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:13,040 But one commentator said that a similar supreme passion for 831 00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:17,960 God's glory should saturate the heart and focus the prayers of 832 00:51:17,960 --> 00:51:21,000 every believer. There must be a seeking first 833 00:51:21,000 --> 00:51:25,280 the Kingdom of God by every child of God before there should 834 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:29,560 be a pursuit of earthly things. You know that verse, Matthew 633 835 00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:32,720 seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. 836 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:39,040 And it says in whatever the believer does in every activity, 837 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:43,000 including driving, and that's first Corinthians 1031. 838 00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:46,960 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for 839 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:51,280 the glory of God. This is God's own chief pursuit 840 00:51:51,280 --> 00:51:54,280 is His glory. And so it should be with 841 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:57,200 believers. The greatest appeal to God in 842 00:51:57,200 --> 00:52:02,360 prayer should always be the advancement of his name and the 843 00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:05,800 spread of fame among the unbelieving nations. 844 00:52:06,120 --> 00:52:11,560 So I take that apart away. And then #3 maybe you feel 845 00:52:11,560 --> 00:52:14,880 abandoned by God. Maybe you're struggling like 846 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:18,640 ASAP was. Are you like, are you a believer 847 00:52:18,640 --> 00:52:22,640 like ASAP asking the question, How long, O Lord? 848 00:52:23,360 --> 00:52:26,480 Now remember when we studied Psalm 5, which was all about 849 00:52:26,480 --> 00:52:29,120 prayer? Also, I said, if you're 850 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:31,680 struggling and you don't know what's going on, make sure 851 00:52:31,680 --> 00:52:36,880 number one, you are a believer in Jesus Christ and #2 make sure 852 00:52:36,880 --> 00:52:40,480 there is no sin in your life that would cause not to hear 853 00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:42,040 your prayers. OK? 854 00:52:42,280 --> 00:52:44,960 But if you have Jesus Christ in your heart and you don't know of 855 00:52:44,960 --> 00:52:48,840 any sin, maybe you've cried out to God and you said how long, O 856 00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:50,960 Lord, for this trial? How long? 857 00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:54,680 Maybe you feel abandoned by God. There's nothing more difficult 858 00:52:54,680 --> 00:52:59,680 maybe when God is silent. OK, but what should you do? 859 00:52:59,960 --> 00:53:01,480 Well, you should do what ASAP does. 860 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:04,160 Take your complaints to God in prayer. 861 00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:07,040 Cry out. You can complain to God. 862 00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:10,400 Not complaints about normal complaints, but complaints about 863 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:12,600 God. Why aren't you judging the 864 00:53:12,600 --> 00:53:15,600 abortion clinics in California? Why aren't you dealing with this 865 00:53:15,600 --> 00:53:18,200 transgender? Why don't you send Jesus today 866 00:53:18,440 --> 00:53:20,480 and then pour out your wrath in this wicked nation? 867 00:53:20,680 --> 00:53:24,880 We can go to God in prayer. God's not offended by our 868 00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:28,680 questions, especially when we're transparent like ASAP. 869 00:53:29,840 --> 00:53:34,000 But while you're crying out to God and saying how long you need 870 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:39,400 to be in the fellowship of believers, OK, don't stay away 871 00:53:39,400 --> 00:53:43,120 from church. That's exactly what Satan wants 872 00:53:43,120 --> 00:53:46,760 you to do. He, he wants you as you're going 873 00:53:46,760 --> 00:53:49,240 through this trial, as you're going through his persecution, 874 00:53:49,360 --> 00:53:50,640 as you're going through the suffering. 875 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:54,240 He wants you to be down and out, not to read your Bible, not to 876 00:53:54,240 --> 00:53:57,960 pray, and not to be in church. But this is the exact place you 877 00:53:57,960 --> 00:54:02,240 need to be first Peter, which is all about suffering first Peter 878 00:54:02,240 --> 00:54:09,080 412 says, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial 879 00:54:09,360 --> 00:54:14,440 when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange 880 00:54:14,760 --> 00:54:17,840 or happening to you. And then the next verse, verse 881 00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:23,120 13 says, But rejoice in so far as you share in Christ's 882 00:54:23,120 --> 00:54:28,280 sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his 883 00:54:28,280 --> 00:54:31,960 glory is revealed. The trial is small compared to 884 00:54:31,960 --> 00:54:34,280 the glory that we will see when we're in heaven. 885 00:54:34,720 --> 00:54:36,560 So you need to be in the worship service. 886 00:54:36,840 --> 00:54:39,920 You need to be singing praise songs like the worship leader 887 00:54:39,920 --> 00:54:43,360 ASAP would do. When you sing songs of praise to 888 00:54:43,360 --> 00:54:49,440 God, even when your hearts are hurting, when it seems like God 889 00:54:49,440 --> 00:54:54,080 is silent and you feel abandoned, songs of praise clear 890 00:54:54,080 --> 00:54:57,760 our hearts and remind us that God has not abandoned us. 891 00:54:58,440 --> 00:55:00,600 And then another thing, as you're suffering, as you're 892 00:55:00,600 --> 00:55:05,880 struggling, serve the Lord. Take time to minister to others 893 00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:09,680 because that gets your mind off your trial, off your suffering. 894 00:55:10,160 --> 00:55:13,960 So those are just three takeaways I have from Psalm 79. 895 00:55:13,960 --> 00:55:17,000 Wrath is coming. We need to do all we can do for 896 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:19,560 the glory of God. And if by chance you're feeling 897 00:55:19,560 --> 00:55:22,520 abandoned and wondering why God isn't answering your prayers, 898 00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:27,040 search your hearts and and just continue to worship, continue to 899 00:55:27,040 --> 00:55:29,000 wait. That's what ASAP did. 900 00:55:29,080 --> 00:55:32,240 Let's pray. Father, thank you for Psalm 79. 901 00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:35,280 Thank you that we know the historical account of this 902 00:55:35,280 --> 00:55:38,320 Psalm. Thank you for this brother ASAP. 903 00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:41,240 You don't know a lot about him, Lord, but I believe he was a 904 00:55:41,240 --> 00:55:44,320 godly man and I believe he suffered tremendously. 905 00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:50,200 But Father, he, he, he knows like we know that you're a holy, 906 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:53,960 holy God and you will judge sin because you're a righteous God 907 00:55:54,240 --> 00:55:57,520 and you must punish sins to it, to it for your justice. 908 00:55:58,120 --> 00:56:00,240 So Father God, we know that wrath is coming. 909 00:56:00,680 --> 00:56:02,560 So we pray for our relatives today. 910 00:56:03,160 --> 00:56:07,800 I know when the CCC prayer letter, there's at least 25 911 00:56:08,560 --> 00:56:11,280 people in our church asking for prayer for the relatives. 912 00:56:11,920 --> 00:56:14,440 And so, Father, we do pray for all our relatives that don't 913 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:17,760 know Jesus Christ, that we would have another opportunity to 914 00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:21,880 share with them that the wrath of God will be poured out and 915 00:56:21,880 --> 00:56:24,280 punished. And you, they do not want to be 916 00:56:24,280 --> 00:56:27,800 here when the rapture comes and we're in heaven because this 917 00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:31,520 tribulation, this world will be even much more worse than it is. 918 00:56:31,920 --> 00:56:34,880 So Father, we pray for the salvation of our loved ones who 919 00:56:34,880 --> 00:56:37,480 perhaps grew up in this church, who wandered away. 920 00:56:38,080 --> 00:56:40,720 And Father, I just pray for another opportunities to share 921 00:56:40,720 --> 00:56:44,200 with them the love of Christ and the consequences of rejecting 922 00:56:44,200 --> 00:56:46,400 him. And Father, we pray for Christ 923 00:56:46,400 --> 00:56:50,320 Community Church that you would use it as a light of salvation 924 00:56:50,600 --> 00:56:53,960 for W Camino, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, that the word of God 925 00:56:53,960 --> 00:56:57,360 would be preached here that would cause salvation to come to 926 00:56:57,360 --> 00:57:00,080 many people. And for us who have salvation 927 00:57:00,280 --> 00:57:05,280 for sanctification, Father, help us to honor your name, not just 928 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:10,360 with our lips by not cursing, but in whatever we do, wherever 929 00:57:10,360 --> 00:57:14,840 we do, at work, at home, whether we're a housewife, whether we're 930 00:57:14,840 --> 00:57:19,120 a teacher, whether we drive, whether we're anywhere. 931 00:57:19,520 --> 00:57:22,920 May we glorify your holy and great and awesome and mighty 932 00:57:22,920 --> 00:57:27,160 name, Father. May we lift up anybody who's 933 00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:31,400 struggling today, anybody who's suffering, anybody who like ASAP 934 00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:34,240 says, how long, O Lord, how long must I wait? 935 00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:38,440 Father, we love the answer of prayer when it's yes, We don't 936 00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:41,280 really like it when it's no, but we appreciate their abruptness. 937 00:57:41,800 --> 00:57:44,280 But help those who are struggling through whatever 938 00:57:44,280 --> 00:57:46,440 situation would be. And they might be saying how 939 00:57:46,440 --> 00:57:50,200 long, O Lord, that they would, that they would pass the test, 940 00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:54,720 that they would survive the trial, that they would persevere 941 00:57:54,920 --> 00:57:58,440 as we are as Christians. And we pray that for us, for 942 00:57:58,440 --> 00:58:01,360 those of us who aren't suffering, that we can come 943 00:58:01,360 --> 00:58:03,480 alongside those who are and help them. 944 00:58:03,920 --> 00:58:06,680 We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.