September 14, 2003
Lesson 2
The Book of Praises
The Foolishness of Ignoring God
Focus Thought
A humanistic secular society does not want to acknowledge God. How foolish!
Scripture Reference
John 4:23
I Corinthians 1:18-29
Psalm 19:1-3
Romans 1:20-32
Focus Verse
Psalm 53:1
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have
done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
Expositional Passage
Psalm 53:1-6
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and
have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were
any that did understand, that did seek God.
3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there
is none that doeth good, no, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they
eat bread: they have not called upon God.
5 There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered
the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame,
because God hath despised them.
6 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth
back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be
glad.
LESSON OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
I. THE FOOL
A. The Heart of a Fool
B. Denies the Providence of God
II. THE VIEW FROM ABOVE
A. God Is Mindful
B. God Looks for the Seeker
III. NATURE OF MANKIND
A. Everyone Gone Back
B. None Good, No Not One
IV. OPPRESSING THE PEOPLE OF GOD
V. IGNORING THE WORKS OF GOD
A. Great Fear
B. Put to Shame
VI. A PRAYER FOR SALVATION
A. Salvation Comes from God
B. Salvation Comes Through Zion
C. Salvation Results in Rejoicing and Joy
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Our marvelous universe is a vast, immeasurable expanse of emptiness,
except for millions of swirling galaxies billions of light years apart. Our
own family of planets quietly orbits the sun, which provides only a speck of
light in an immense sea of mostly darkness. Our tiny earth is unique among
the heavenly orbs. The blue oceans, brown deserts, green continents, and
snow-capped peaks form a spherical mosaic of breath-taking beauty. It spins
on its axis and revolves around the sun with methodical precision, providing
golden sunrises, colorful rainbows, starlit nights, and four beautiful
seasons.
What makes this world so unique is life. It is teeming with life. The
air is filled with all sorts of winged creatures, from tiny insects to large
feathered birds. The oceans, rivers, and lakes are brimming with various
creatures that swim through its waters, leap above its surface, and burrow
into the muddy bottoms. The land is abundant with life that crawls,
slithers, walks, and runs. They are incredibly diverse in size, shape, and
habits. Some are covered with hair or skin, while others are covered with
fur, feathers, or scales. Our land is draped with verdant vegetation,
radiant flowers, giant trees, and edible crops.
In the unseen world of microscopic life, each finite member is busy
growing and reproducing in its own unique way. This tiny world remains
hidden from the human eye, except through the revealing power of a
microscope. A myriad of amoeba, germs, and bacteria thrive in an unseen
world.
Then there is mankind, the most sophisticated and intelligent of all
life forms. He is self-aware, thinks in the abstract, plans and envisions
the future, and can contemplate the meaning of life. He has dexterity and
creativity. He is a social constructor, machine builder, and a philosopher.
He has learned to travel beyond the gravity of the earth, extend his life
span, and build marvelous gadgets that make life easier. All these he is
able to do because he is created in the image and likeness of his
Creator-God.
When an honest and intelligent person considers the miracle of life,
the mystery of our origin, and the diversity and complexity of life, he
concludes, "There must be a God!" There is no other reasonable conclusion.
To assume the laws of random chance brought into being this colossal
panorama of life is the most absurd theory imaginable. God calls one who
makes such a faulty assumption a fool.
I. THE FOOL
Psalm fifty-three is another version of Psalm fourteen. It is a song
written by David that observes the corruption of evil in the entire human
race. Moreover, he wrote that God ultimately will overthrow sinners. It is
evident in the psalm that David longed for the day when God's kingdom would
be established.
According to Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, the Hebrew
word nabal, translated "fool" in Psalm 53:1, means "an empty person." David
encountered a man named Nabal from Maon as he fled from Saul (I Samuel 24).
David sent ten men to ask Nabal for food. He rudely refused to help, even
though David's men had been kind to his shepherds and had provided
protection for his flocks. As David prepared to attack the man, Abigail,
Nabal's wife, brought food to David and apologized for her husband's rude
behavior. She explained that her husband was living up to his name. The
Bible says that he was "churlish [rude, insensitive, vulgar, stubborn] and
evil in his doings" (I Samuel 25:3). He was a vain and brutish man who was
indiscriminate in his dealings with others. He ignored the friendship his
herdsmen had established with David and the kindness David had shown them.
Some fools are just ignorant and uninformed. Some are educated beyond
their intelligence and become self-deluded by an overwhelming exposure to
information and pseudoscience. Some are intoxicated with man's achievements
and great accumulation of information. Others are simply rebellious and
cannot tolerate the idea of divine authority or the dreaded thought that one
day they will be judged by a supreme being.
A George Barna study shows that roughly seven percent of the American
adult population (approximately fourteen million people) describe themselves
as atheistic or agnostic. They have always been in the minority and
hopefully always will be. It is unnatural that mankind, who is God's supreme
creation and is made in His image and likeness, would say to his Creator,
"You do not exist!" Such a person is the greatest of fools!
A. The Heart of a Fool
The Hebrew word for "heart" is labe, which means "the feeling, the
will and intellect." (See Psalm 53:1.) Those who conclude in their heart
that there is no God take a gloomy view of life. Their perspective on life
leads to hopelessness. The atheistic message is a hard sell. It does not
appeal to the human heart. It is a hopeless view of life. According to the
atheist, we are only highly evolved animals that merely live out our life
spans satisfying our drives and following our instincts. Upon dying, they
believe we pass into oblivion never to know or be known again. It offers no
hope of ultimate, eternal justice for all of the inequities of this life. It
does not recognize the prevailing laws of God that transcend cultures and
generations. The atheists think every generation should rewrite societal
rules to suit their pragmatic philosophy. Moreover, in their worldview when
people face life's unavoidable dilemmas, there is no higher power to help
them. They believe that man is alone in a world of random chance.
Once an atheist challenged a Christian, "Show me proof that there is
a God." The Christian took a piece of paper and drew a circle. He explained
that the circle represented all of the knowledge in the entire universe.
Then he asked the atheist, "Illustrate how much knowledge you have by
marking the circle like a piece of pie." The atheist was honest and made a
tiny dot inside the circle. The Christian said, "How can you conclude there
is no God with such limited knowledge?"
Since he does not believe in any ultimate truth or authority, a
person who does not believe in God can be void of a sense of shame for his
sin. His character flaw is most severe due to its total depravity of
conscience. It is not just a sin of rebellion, oversight, or of seduction;
but it is the sin of deliberately discounting God as nothing-a nonentity.
Such a person is among the vilest of sinners and deserves the title "fool."
B. Denies the Providence of God
The Bible clearly reveals that God controls this world.
"And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and
setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that
know understanding: he revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what
is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him" (Daniel 2:21-22).
Sometimes it appears that the world is spinning out of control due to
man's insubordinate lifestyle and God's determination to give man a measure
of freewill, but no event is beyond His reach or ability to control.
Deism is a belief that God created the universe and then walked away.
Deists view God like a clockmaker who builds a clock. He winds it up and
then lets it run on its own. Were it true, this doctrine would eliminate the
need for prayer, since God would no longer be available to involve Himself
in the affairs of this life. It also would leave mankind totally responsible
to survive and manage the world on his own.
The atheist, on the other hand, believes that the events of life are
determined by fate and human intervention. Mankind is viewed as the sole
vehicle of self-preservation. This philosophy leaves us with all of the
responsibility on our shoulders and no outside force to help.
Life is challenging and difficult at times. Our soul cries out with
David, "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my
heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2). It is a
wonderful comfort to know the Lord is in control. When we are treated
wrongly, we know that one day God will bring all to justice (Revelation
20:11-15). When our health is threatened and the doctors give us no hope, we
still have hope, for we know the Lord (Hebrews 6:19). When our life is
nearing the end and death is inevitable, we are not without hope. Paul said,
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). When
life does not make sense, we can trust that the Lord is wiser than we are,
and He has ultimate control of all things.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah
55:8-9).
II. THE VIEW FROM ABOVE
A. God Is Mindful
"But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou
art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest
him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and
honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all
things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection
under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet
all things put under him" (Hebrews 2:6-8).
God broods over His creation, especially mankind. He is not
preoccupied in a distant place tending to other responsibilities. He has
given mankind special responsibility over nature; but fortunately, man is
not alone with his challenge. David wrote, "God looked down from heaven upon
the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did
seek God" (Psalm 53:2). God both observes and evaluates our performance.
Moreover, He knows our very thoughts and intentions (I Corinthians 3:20).
"The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the
imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee;
but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever" (I Chronicles
28:9).
God is concerned about the minute details of our lives. "Are not two
sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground
without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered"
(Matthew 10:29-30).
God is omniscient, which means, "knowing all things." In order to be
all-knowing, it would seem that God would have to keep a constant vigil over
the affairs of this life. Moreover, the Scriptures confirm His constant
visual contact with those who reverence Him. "Behold, the eye of the Lord is
upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy" (Psalm 33:18).
B. God Looks for the Seeker
Speaking to the woman at the well Jesus said, "But the hour cometh,
and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23). Only
those who seek God ever find Him; but we have assurance that if we will seek
Him, we shall find Him. Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one
that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh
it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).
III. NATURE OF MANKIND
A. Everyone Gone Back
God's assessment of the failure of the human race is not good. David
wrote, "Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psalm 53:3). Moreover, Paul the
apostle wrote of the same human failure to the Christians at Rome: "For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). In other
words, mankind is encumbered with a fallen nature that is sensual and
opposite to God's divine nature.
B. None Good, No Not One
No one is exempt from the stain of sin and the inherited fallen
nature. We are born into this world with a prevailing, innate defect. David
said, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive
me" (Psalm 51:5). When Adam and Eve were cast from the garden and cursed by
God, the curse came upon the entire human race. Paul alluded to this in his
first Corinthian epistle: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:22).
The bad news is that all have sinned, and because of the inherited
fallen human nature none are good; consequently, Adam's penalty of death
rests upon us all. But there is also good news-the gospel of Jesus Christ!
In Jesus Christ we shall receive new life through the new-birth experience.
IV. OPPRESSING THE PEOPLE OF GOD
"Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as
they eat bread: they have not called upon God" (Psalm 53:4).
The evil consume the righteous as casually as one would eat a piece
of bread. David was amazed that the wicked would so casually persecute the
righteous. Moreover, Jesus warned His disciples that this would happen: "And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the
end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22). "Then shall they deliver you up to be
afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my
name's sake" (Matthew 24:9).
Throughout history Christians have suffered at the hands of
evildoers. Even today there are Christians who are being persecuted for
their faith in Jesus Christ. One person observed a bumper sticker that
stated, "So many Christians and so few lions!" It was but one illustration
that is representative of a growing anti-Christian sentiment and sarcasm
prevalent in our world today.
V. IGNORING THE WORKS OF GOD
Some believe in God but ignore Him. This is an insult to God who
made us. When a person looks around at the marvelous beauties of creation
and cannot see God, he is spiritually blind. "The heavens declare the glory
of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Psalm 19:1). Nature does
not just give subtle hints that there is a God, it boldly and emphatically
declares it! Paul said, "For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made"
(Romans 1:20). Paul further promised a curse upon those who worship the
creation more than the Creator (Romans 1:21-32).
A. Great Fear
David foresaw the end of the evildoers-"There were they in great
fear, where no fear was" (Psalm 53:5). The persecutors will have their day
of sadistic enjoyment persecuting the righteous, but in the end they will be
terrified at the hand of the Lord. They may exhibit an absence of the fear
of God now, but one day they shall tremble in great fear! The righteous must
wait for God's vengeance, for His day of justice shall arrive.
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord"
(Romans 12:19).
The fear of the wicked will not be diminished but will escalate at
the day of the Lord. God warned, "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will
mock when your fear cometh" (Proverbs 1:26).
B. Put to Shame
"God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee:
thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them" (Psalm 53:5).
Those who opposed God and His people will be killed, and their
destruction will be so severe that their bodies will not be buried. Beasts
will scatter their bones and even the memory of them will disappear
(Jeremiah 8:2; 9:22; 16:4; 25:33; Ezekiel 6:5). What a great disgrace to the
dignity of a person! If he will not submit to God, a person will suffer
complete overthrow, destruction, and perpetual shame.
God's judgment is sometimes delayed, but it is always certain. He
loves His church and will punish those who attempt to harm His people. Jesus
said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me,
it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that
he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6).
VI. A PRAYER FOR SALVATION
A. Salvation Comes from God
Adam Clarke translated the first sentence of Psalm 53:6 as "Who shall
give from Zion salvation to Israel?" The obvious answer to the rhetorical
question is "The Lord!" The psalmist said, "Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah" (Psalm 3:8). Salvation means
the deliverance from unpleasant, oppressing circumstances. Psalm ninety-one
is filled with promises of salvation to those who make the Lord their
refuge. Moreover, we can receive great comfort from the invitation of Jesus:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).
B. Salvation Comes Through Zion
Zion is a hill in the old part of old South West Jerusalem at the
junction of the Kidron and Hinnom valleys. It was there that David built his
palace and acquired the threshing floor of Araunah (II Samuel 24:18). It was
there that he erected the Tabernacle of David and was finally buried there.
Solomon later built the Temple on Zion. It became know as "the holy hill"
(Psalm 2:6) and "habitation of the Lord" (Psalm 9:11). Later Zion referred
to the entire city of Jerusalem. Moreover, the Scriptures refer to the
millennial city and the heavenly city as Zion.
The New Testament church also became known as Zion. In his first
epistle Peter wrote, "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
believeth on him shall not be confounded" (I Peter 2:6). Jesus Christ became
the chief cornerstone of the church: "And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone" (Ephesians 2:20).
Salvation through the new-birth experience causes a person to be born
spiritually into the church of Jesus Christ-the body of Christ. Our
relationship with Jesus Christ is through His church. Apostle Paul compared
the church to a human body, with each person being a particular member and
Jesus Christ as the head (I Corinthians 12). Every born-again believer
becomes a member of the church and receives benefits and protection through
its strength.
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"
(Matthew 16:18).
A person experiences salvation through faith in Jesus Christ,
repentance of sins, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, receiving the Holy Ghost, and living for Him by faith.
When he is born again and begins his new life in Christ he will begin to
experience real joy.
C. Salvation Results in Rejoicing and Joy
David confirmed his faith that the Lord would deliver the people of
Israel from bondage: "When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad" (Psalm 53:6). He wrote of how
glad the people would be and how they would rejoice. Oh, how much Israel's
deliverance from bondage is like a sinner's deliverance from sin! God's
people have reason always to rejoice for our Deliverer reigns. He has
delivered us from sin and its corruption, and joy overflows our hearts!
Past experiences of deliverance and the immutability of God's
promises give the people of God confidence in times of persecution and
setbacks. Whatever we may experience in life, we know we can have victory
through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that
in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
CONCLUSION
There are many foolish things a person can do in this life. There is
one thing that is the most foolish of all-to doubt the existence of God!
Even if a person believes in God, however, to ignore Him is just as evil as
to deny His existence.
Jesus warned His disciples that calling a brother a fool would endanger them
of hell fire (Matthew 5:22). This term is reserved for a particular group of
individuals, which David defined in Psalm 53. He wrote, "The fool hath said
in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 53:1).
There is a God and He is concerned about the world and the people in
it. Moreover, the providence of God prevails in the affairs of mankind. He
knows everything, even the deepest secrets of man and of the universe. He
knows what is done in secret, including the thoughts and motives of an
individual.
From the human viewpoint there are good people and bad people, but
God's view of mankind is different. All mankind are fallen human beings and
no one measures up to the high standard of God. No one is without the need
of redemption.
Although there is evil in the world, and sometimes evil people mistreat the
righteous, we have hope that one day God will punish evil doers and reward
the righteous. The church can rejoice even in difficult circumstances. We
know that God will ultimately win the conflict and reward the righteous. As
long as we stay with the church, we are safe. The church is our Zion-our
place of refuge and salvation.
REFLECTIONS
. Discuss what is meant by the providence of God.
. Deism is a belief in God, but not in the providence of God. How is this
similar to atheism? Discuss.
. Does God seek after us or do we seek after Him? Discuss.
. Is there salvation outside the church? Discuss.
. Discuss God's view of the human race.
To get out of a hard situation,
try a soft answer.
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
YBIC, Thomas And YSIC, Linda.
twilliamson2@...
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