Wednesday
Evening Bible Study
April 7, 2004
:81-88 CAPH
The experience of darkness
:81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope
in thy word.
fainteth – kalah – to cease, consume, end, fail, finish, be spent
(Psa 119:81 ICB) I am weak from waiting for you to save me. But I
trust your word.
:82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt
thou comfort me?
comfort – nacham – to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be
comforted
Ps 119:82 (NLT) My eyes are straining to
see your promises come true. When will you comfort me?
:83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke;
yet do I not forget thy statutes.
bottle – no’d – skin, bottle, skin-bottle
Spurgeon: The skins
used for containing wine, when emptied, were hung up in the tent, and when the
place reeked with smoke the skins grew black and sooty, and in the heat they
became wrinkled and worn.
Ps 119:83 (NLT) I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
exhausted with waiting. But I cling to your principles and obey them.
I’m still hanging on.
:84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
How long will this go on? Perhaps even “how long will I live?”
:85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are
not after thy law.
The idea is that of digging a pit in order to capture animals. If you dug a
pit and your neighbor’s ox fell into it, you’d have to pay for the ox (Ex. 21:33-34).
:88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall
I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
lovingkindness – checed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness
Lesson
Choosing what influences you
All through this section there’s a choice that the psalmist is making:
What are you going to let affect your life the most, troubles, or the Word?
Paul had lived a rough life as an apostle. By the time you get to Acts 20,
he’s had all sorts of troubles. He writes of some of them in 2Corinthians,
which was written around the time of Acts 20:1. Here’s some of what he’s faced
as he contrasts himself with some of the false teachers of the day:
(2 Cor
11:23-27
KJV) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am
more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above
measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. {24} Of the Jews five times
received I forty stripes save one. {25} Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was
I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the
deep; {26} In journeyings often, in perils of waters,
in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the
heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false brethren; {27} In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
By the time of Acts 20, Paul had started making the rounds of the churches
he had planted and was collecting money for the church in Jerusalem
because a famine had struck Jerusalem.
As he made his way back to Jerusalem,
one prophet after another received a word from God saying that Paul was going
to be arrested in Jerusalem. When
he stopped to visit with the elders of the church in Ephesus,
where he had spent three years …
(Acts 20:17-24 KJV) And
from Miletus
he sent to Ephesus,
and called the elders of the church. {18} And when they were come to him, he
said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what
manner I have been with you at all seasons, {19} Serving the Lord with all
humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the
lying in wait of the Jews: {20} And how I kept back nothing that was profitable
unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to
house, {21} Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance
toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. {22} And
now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing
the things that shall befall me there: {23} Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions
abide me. {24} But none of these things
move me, neither count I my life
dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.
Paul had learned much about affliction, and he wasn’t
about to let it stop him from what God had called him to do. His focus was on
God, not on his affliction.
The same attitude is what will defeat Satan in a great battle coming up
where Satan will be cast out of heaven once and for all:
(Rev 12:10-11 KJV) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night. {11} And
they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the
death.
What moves you? The psalmist says that it’s God’s Word that moves him, not
his troubles.
:89-96 LAMED
A turn in the psalm – The triumph of faith over darkness
:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in
heaven.
settled – natsab – (Niphal) to station oneself, take an upright position; to stand
firm
Lesson
The Eternal Solid Word
Our changing society.
Illustration
The people who are starting college this fall across the nation
were born in 1986.
They were only five years old when the Persian Gulf War
was waged.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums.
The expression “you sound like a broken record” means
nothing to them.
They may have heard of an 8-track, but chances are they
probably have never actually seen or heard one.
The digital (Compact) Disc was introduced eight years
before they were born.
As far as they know, stamps have always cost over 30 cents.
They have always had an answering machine.
Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels.
They were born seven years after the Walkman was
introduced by Sony.
They have no idea when or why Jordache
jeans were cool.
They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
They don’t know who Mork was or
where he was from.
They never heard the term “Where’s the beef?”.
Do you feel old now?
The concept of marriage.
When I was in high school, premarital sex was understood to be wrong,
though people did it. Now it’s not even considered to be wrong.
Living together before marriage was considered living on the wild side, now
it is standard operating procedure.
Now we see our society sliding even further with talk about homosexual
marriage. I remember growing up hearing about homosexuality and it was
considered perverse or a joke. Now our society is trying to say we ought to
accept it just like we have learned about racial equality. Absolutely
incredible.
Change is sometimes a difficult thing. We’re in the process of moving. We
just sold our house and are purchasing a new house in Fullerton.
Though it’s kind of exciting to think of moving to a new house, it’s also a bit
unnerving. I don’t like it when things change. I like things to stay the same.
God’s Word never changes. His standards stay the same in a society that is
all over the map.
(Mat 24:35 KJV) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away.
If you want stability in your life, keep God’s Word as
your foundation. It will never change.
:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should
then have perished in mine affliction.
delights – sha‘shua‘– delight, enjoyment
Lesson
The Word sustains us in affliction
On Sunday we were looking at the relationship that the Word has to us going
through affliction. We saw that:
Affliction corrects our course
(Psa 119:67 KJV)
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Affliction helps us learn the Word
(Psa 119:71 KJV)
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy
statutes.
God is faithful in allowing us to be afflicted
(Psa 119:75 KJV)
I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in
faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Now we see that God’s Word is the thing that can keep us going and sustain
us during times of difficulty or affliction.
Over the last couple of weeks our family has come to the decision that
we’re going to need to move in order for our boys to all be going to the same
school. A month ago this wasn’t even
something we had thought about, but now it seems like this is what we need to
do. Right now the housing market is kind
of crazy and there aren’t a lot of houses for sale. When houses are put up for sale, they sell
within a couple of days. On Saturday
night, the ladies’ leadership team was praying for our situation and when my
wife got home, she got an e-mail at 10:15 p.m.
about a house that had just gone on the market in Fullerton. We went and saw the house on Sunday afternoon
and put in an offer. We also listed our
house for sale. By Sunday evening at
church, my phone was ringing from realtors wanting to see our house. By Tuesday afternoon, our house was sold,
though we hadn’t heard about the house we had put an offer on. When we went to bed last night, I was kind of
dizzy with the speed that things are happening.
It felt very weird to think that our house was no longer going to be our
house. I kept waking up all night with
this heaviness and anxiety that our world was coming apart, but I had this
strange feeling in the back of my head that I just needed to read my Bible and
it was all going to be okay. When I got
up, my wife told me that the Quiet Time reading today was amazing. This is how today’s reading started, at the
place where Joseph has become the leader of Egypt
and his family is about to move from Canaan to Egypt:
(Gen 46:1-7 KJV) And Israel
took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered
sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. {2} And God
spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob.
And he said, Here am I. {3} And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I
will there make of thee a great nation: {4}
I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up
again: and Joseph
shall put his hand upon thine eyes. {5} And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons
of Israel
carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the
wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. {6} And they took their cattle, and
their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt,
Jacob, and all his seed with him: {7} His sons, and his sons' sons with him,
his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him
into Egypt.
Strange stuff, huh? Yet I felt as if God was speaking to us
again, giving us strength in a time of anxiety, peace in a time of fear.
:96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy
commandment is exceeding broad.
Ps 119:96 (NLT) Even perfection has its limits, but your commands
have no limit.
He’s seen the best of what man can do, but God’s Word is better.
All earthly things are limited, but His Word is infinite.
:97-104 MEM
A section of praise. No complaints, just praise.
:99 I have more understanding than all my
teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I used to think this meant that I’d be smarter than my teachers. This was one of my favorite verses in high
school.
Illustration
A boy was new in a school. His first class was science. His teacher said,
“Please, everyone who believes in Christ please stand.” The new boy was the
only one to stand. The teacher said, “Can you feel, see, smell, taste, or hear your God?” The kid replied, “No, sir.” “Then you may sit
down for your God doesn’t exist,” the teacher said. The boy then asked, “May I
ask something?” The teacher said yes and the teenager began, “Sir, can you
feel, smell, taste, hear or see your brain?” The teacher said “no”. Then the
boy said, “Well then you may sit down for you have no brain!”
Lesson
Read for application
This doesn’t mean more “knowledge”, but more “understanding”, more
wisdom. It’s not about knowing more
facts, but knowing what to do with what you know.
It’s one thing to know that the black furry animal with the white stripe
down it’s back is a skunk. It’s one thing to know that a skunk is an
omnivore, that it eats small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, and that it loves
honey and bees. It’s one thing to know
about the smelly liquid that it sprays from glands as a defense mechanism.
It’s wisdom to stay away from it.
When we spend time in God’s Word, our goal is not to acquire more facts so
we can beat everyone else at Bible Trivia.
Our goal is to look for the things to apply to our life. We need to learn wisdom.
(Prov 4:7 KJV) Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get
wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
People talk about the “meat” of the Word.
(Heb 5:12-14 KJV) For when
for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as
have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For
every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
In context, the “meat” is the part of the Word where a
person has put it into practice, “by reason of use”,
they have learned to apply the Word and to apply it to help them tell good from
evil.
When Daniel was a young man, Nebuchadnezzar had made one of his initial
defeats of the city of Jerusalem. At that time, many of the best and brightest
young men were taken to Babylon to
be trained to serve the Babylonian empire.
Daniel was a man who feared God and knew the Word. We see evidence of this all through his life. Daniel’s standards led him to make decisions
that were different from other youths in Babylon.
(Dan 1 KJV) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim
king of Judah
came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
unto Jerusalem,
and besieged it. {2} And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah
into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried
into the land of Shinar
to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of
his god. {3} And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the
master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel,
and of the king's seed, and of the princes; {4} Children in whom was no
blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all
wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had
ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the
learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. {5} And the
king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which
he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might
stand before the king. {6} Now among these were of the children of Judah,
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah: {7} Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs
gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar;
and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to
Azariah, of Abednego. {8} But Daniel purposed in his
heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of
the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
We don’t know all the details, but there was apparently something not very
“kosher” about the food that the Babylonian government was feeding this young
folks. Daniel was more concerned about
keeping God’s laws than he was in pleasing people.
{9} Now God had brought Daniel into favour
and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. {10} And
the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath
appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse
liking than the children which are of your sort? then
shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
The eunuch was afraid that Daniel was going to hurt himself by keeping
God’s laws and not eating the king’s food.
{11} Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the
prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, {12} Prove thy servants, I beseech
thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. {13} Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and
the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and
as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
Daniel doesn’t demand his way. He
asks for a period of time to test to see what kind of effect his diet would
have.
{14} So he consented to them in this
matter, and proved them ten days. {15} And at the end
of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the
children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. {16} Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine
that they should drink; and gave them pulse. {17} As
for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and
wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. {18} Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should
bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before
Nebuchadnezzar. {19} And the king communed with them;
and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the
king. {20} And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king
inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his realm. {21} And Daniel continued even unto the
first year of king Cyrus.
It’s good to pay attention to God’s ways.
You turn out better for it.