Psalm 83 Pt 4

0:01 All right, saw eighty three, go ahead and have that open. I'm going to do a couple of quick review and just not even really, you're not going to get much review is what you're not going to get. So just to kind of set everything up, starting in December of twenty twenty three, for all of twenty twenty four, I made the focus on the podcast what we are calling the Sermons two point oh app Sermon Challenge. The goal of that challenge was for everyone to download the Sermon's two point oh app and then on that app millions and millions upon millions of sermons. They add about five to six thousand sermons per week, so you can never you could never listen to everything even if you wanted to. But there's that's like this massive library of spiritual content. So I want people to be able to utilize it as much as possible. When you're adding five to six thousand sermons per week, that's a lot of content, right, So what I've done is told everyone to buy a notebook. What you do is go to basically the Discover tab on the app. You can go to Newest, just scroll down, just choose one as random as possible. Don't look at anything. Don't look at the name of the church, don't look at the don't look at anything.

1:07 Just choose one, listen to the sermon, write down the name of the sermon, the name of the speaker of the church, and then just write a one sentence summary of said sermon. So by the end of the year, you have a sermon for every single day of the year. That was the goal. So to mix it up and to make it more interesting is at different times I will come along on the podcast and say, Okay, this week, the focus is this, so only look for sermons on this verse or this subject or this topic, or whatever the case may be. So we have a tendency to do that, which always is interesting because we never know what we're going to find. And then on the podcast, as I'm choosing random sermons, I do sermon reviews, which I never know what's going to happen because I don't listen to them first. So is live on the air me going WHOA, what is happening here? What are they doing here? It's always fun because we never know what we're going to find.

1:59 So for the last week on the for the Sermon's two point oh app challenge on the podcast. It's all been Saw eighty three, Saw eighty three, Saw eighty three, Saw eighty three, and ED has taken some wild twists and turns. So the one thing we just have to correct is this. We spent two hours last week on Saw eighty three. Right, we spent an hour just in the last hour on Psalm eighty three. So we've done and I've spent I even know how many hours of work on Saw eighty three on the podcast. So it's been a lot of work on SSAW eighty three. It all started because of a sermon on the Sermon's two point oh app that claimed that Saw eighty three is pointing to a future war in the Middle East. We have no idea why they say that, because they never really articulated why they never explained it. Then we found a sermon on the Sermon's two point o app that said Psalm eighty three is actually a prediction of Second Chronicles, chapter twenty. And if you'll note Saw eighty three, who is the author of p Saw eighty three? Everyone, if you look at your Bible asf well, the pastor and this sermon said that Jehosaphat, who's the king in Second Chronicles twenty called in Asaph to compose this psalm, this lament. Well, there's a problem with that. Asaf was dead, Okay, so there's no way he could have called him in. I don't know why that's said in a sermon. So in the last hour we clarified everything.

3:22 So let me just make this very clear, just in a quick review. Psalm eighty three is not predicting a future war. Saw eighty three was not a prophecy of Second Chronicles chapter twenty, and Saw eighty three is not set in the historical context of Second Chronicles Chapter twenty. Saw eighty three is a psalm written by Asaf, who was basically the worship leader during the king the time of David and partially the time of Solomon. Asaf is dead way before you get to Second Chronicles chapter twenty. Everybody got that right. Now, here's what's important. Psalm eighty three is a lament. It's not a prophetic psalm. It is expressing lament, fear, anxiety, worry, concern, and crying out to God for help. The historical setting, what we know of the historical setting is found where and Psalm eighty three we don't know where else to connect it to any other connection would be purely what would be just conjecture and just making things up people want to do. Then I listened to a sermon on Saw eighty three that made it about the church. It's not about the church. It's about Israel and the enemies they were facing.

4:41 Even the MacArthur Study Bible says this about Psaw eighty three, which is just drives me crazy. It says Bible students believe that the nations mentioned are only symbolic of all of Israel's enemies. Well, no, we don't believe that, and I don't know that would come from They're not symbolic, they're real enemies facing like wid What would be the textual basis for saying that that's symbolic. There's none. There's none, Like you can't just go and say, well that's symbolic. If you start that, guess where that ends. Well, you know, Jesus being born of a virgin, that's just symbolic.

5:24 You know Jesus dying on the cross and raising again, that's just symbolic. You could just make everything symbolic. Now, if the language in the text, you hence that there's symbolic language being used and guess what you do. Then you have to prove it textually. You can't just impose it in the middle of a lament psalm, where clearly why wouldn't be why would the Psalmist be writing a lament psalm about symbolic enemies? The answer should be you don't you write a laments when you're facing real enemy. He's okay, So immediately this stuff just drives me crazy. So that's all. That's all. Uh, that's a whole week of review done in about two five minutes. All right, So here we go. We are working on Psawm eighty three.

6:15 We covered a number of verses last week. We're gonna cover some of those same verses. So our outline starts with Psalm eighty three, verse one. We call this what the plea? The plea, the plea, the plea. All right, in Psalm eighty three, let's read verse one. Do not keep silent, Oh God, do not hold your peace, and do not be still, Oh God. This implies what this is, not that it explicitly really declares it, but what is it teaching us that from the psalmist perspective, and since this is a communal lament, from the perspective of the congregation, they all perceive that God up to this crying out has been what silent and inactive? They don't know where God has been? And why do they not know where God has been? Because they're facing a threat that we're going to read as we go through the song. They see their current circumstances, and their current circumstances calls into question what God's action or his an action. So they're like God, based on what I see, what do I not see you? Based on what I see, I do not see you. And that is the story of the Christian life. We believe in a God in whom we cannot see, and we see circumstances that tell us

7:47 there isn't a God. Right. That is the struggle of the Christian life. Right. I mean, I could pull up statistics today to tell you how many women were raped this week, how many children were molested this week, how many murders there were. I could talk about things happening in Gaza, things happening in Ukraine. I could by the time I got done just giving you statistics. In fact, how many children right now are in a children's cancer ward dying of cancer. They will never see they're sweet sixteen, They're never have their first kiss, they'll never have their first day, They're going to be dead. I can bring up all of these statistics, and what does that look like? Come on, we can say it. I know we're in church. Where's God? Right? I know we're not supposed to say that, but if you're honest, that's that's what it feels like, right, Because Where's God? I mean, I mean we could go throughout history. I don't know, World War II, six million Jews being exterminated. Oh, that kind of makes you go, Where's God? How many millions have people died in World War Two? We can talk about the people who died in World War One, people died in the Revolutionary War nom Korea. I mean, we go on and on and on and on and nine. I was in the militry. I saw people coming back from overseas without an arm or a leg. Okay, death, destruction, all the things that go on in the world on a regular because children who are being beaten, I mean, I could go on and the world is filled with what some of the most horrific things. We can't even process them. Right.

9:22 So the struggle of the Christian life is what if you may want to write this down, the struggle of the Christian life is to believe in the God in whom we cannot see and the face of a reality that tells us there is no God. That is a struggle. There's no easy answer for that. But that's why the definition of faith in Hebrews. Everybody go find it. Everybody should know it. But we'll probably state it incorrectly. Look at it's Hebrews chapter eleven, is it not? Y'all tell me what it says. Instead of me telling you what it says, you tell me, tell me if you find it. The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, we're putting faith. That's what faith is.

10:22 It's grabbing on to what cannot be perceived. It's grabbing onto that which cannot be seen. Faith says there is a God when reality, when what we can see, says there isn't a God. Well, the sawmist here is very bothered. God, where are you? What's going on? And because they're facing a very serious threat, all right. The plea is a common theme in many of the Lament psalms, where the psawmist basically cries out to God to not be silent or inactive in the face of the current situation or threat. The Sawmist is essentially asking God to pay attention, listen, intervene on our behalf. The sentiment is expressed in this verse reflects the salmest feeling that God's intervention is urgently needed, and there may be a perception that God has been silent or unresponsive up to that point. Obviously, you wouldn't be crying out if you felt God was being responsive and active. You wouldn't be crying out, would you. So clearly that's why he's crying out. It conveys a sense of longing for God to break the silence, take action in the midst of the imminent danger or chris described in the Psalm. And basically this what we can learn from this is it's okay to cry out to God and say, God, I don't understand where you are, I don't understand what you're doing. It's okay to be that real and that vulnerable. We see it in the life of Job. Was he that real and vulnerable?

11:48 Yes? Does God condemn him for how real and vulnerable he is? No? Does God answer his questions? No? Okay, in some ways, that's my favorite part of the book. Right, Job's like, God, what about this, this, this, this, And God's like what about this? This, this, this? And then Job's like, well, I'll just be quiet. So meaning Job was never given the answer, and a lot of people read that going well, it all makes sense. The whole thing makes no sense because God set the entire thing up and Job said, well, in the end, he got a new family. Does that replace the old one that died? I mean, that's that's like a weird that's a weird way to do so, but it demonstrates what that is okay to cry out to God and say God, where are you? And that's what he does. Now Verses two through five gives us the reason for this plea, the reason he's so passionate, the reason he's saying God, do not keep silent, God, do not hold your peace, do not be still. And I don't know in your translation, but in the New King James, do not keep silent, Oh God, exclamation point, do not hold your peace and do not be still, O God, exclamation point.

13:01 They're trying to emphasize the translators that this is a passion. It's almost like a scream, God, where are you now? Why is he crying out for this? Well? We see this in verses two through five, do we not? The reasons for the plea are very simple. For behold, your enemies make a tumult. What's the first reason? The enemies are making a tumult? Everybody see that the enemy? Now what does that term tumult means? It means refers to a loud, confused noise or disturbance. When the sumust mentions that the enemies are making a tumult and applies that there's an uproar, a commotion, chaotic behavior is being exhibited by them, right, it's there's In other words, it's it's a loud, chaotic situation that would create what a sense of panic, a sense of concern. If you're sitting there and there's a a group of armies in a sense acting erratic and confused, and they're coming towards you, you may be like, we need some help now, right? So there, that's why, because the enemies are they are making a tumult. Next, who's and those who hate you have lifted up their head? Right now? The idea is these enemies hate God.

14:22 The phrase indicates that the enemies are not only opposed to God's people but also harbor a deep seated animosity towards God himself. Their hostility is directed not just at the nation or community, but extends to the Divine, reflecting a rebellious and defiant stance against God. Not only they're making a tumult, they hate God? Now, why would that be concerning if you are an Israelite? Because you are connected to God, because God is entered into a covenant with you. So if they hate your God, they're gonna hate the nation whom God has made a covenant with. All Right, that makes you even more a little bit concern. Right, The text says not only that, not only do they hate God? What else does it say? The end of verse two they have lifted up their heads. This is a symbol.

15:11 This symbolizes arrogance, pride, and defiance. It suggests that the enemies are acting with a sense of haughtiness and self importance, perhaps displaying an attitude of superiority and triumph. They may be showing off their power, influence or confidence, and their ability to achieve their goals. They're prideful, They're arrogant. They hate God Now, you can see one of the pamists is saying, what God, you need to possibly, I don't know, show you need to show up and you probably should have been here about forty five minutes ago because we had a problem. We got a serious problem. Does that make sense? Right? Next? What else? Another reason for this plea?

15:56 What have they done? In Starting in verse three, they have taken crafty council against your people and consulted together against your sheltered ones. Look in verse five, for they have consulted together with one consent, they form a confederacy. The idea of taking crafty council that the enemies are devising cunning and deceitful strategies, are plans to harm God's people. They are not employing an honest method, but rather using deceitful, shrewd, and possibly underhanded tactics in their schemes. The use of the word crafty implies a level of cunning and subtlety in their planning, indicating that they are strategic and calculating in their actions.

16:38 In other words, what this is demonstrating? Hey? Not they chaotic and loud and scaring us together. Not only do they hate you, they are very deceitful and cunning. They may be so deceitful and so using you know, strategy that we can't even stand again, we don't even know exactly what they're doing. It's demonstrating a grave concern that the enemy's ability and their desidfulness may be so powerful that they cannot stand against it. It's a way of saying, we are in serious trouble here. We are in serious, serious trouble. They're consulting together. The enemies are not acting alone, but are coming together in consolation, suggesting it coordinated and collaborative effort against God's people.

17:26 By consulting together, they are pulling their ideas, their resources, and their efforts to mount a unified front against their common adversary. This collaborative approach may indicate that the enemies are organized, united and working in concert to achieve their malicious objectives. So we get the idea that what they're coming for us and they have they're teaming up, meaning Israel now is not just facing one. They're facing a multitude and that are loud, chaotic, and are very subtle and deceitful, meaning that they're demonstrating we are basically what are they saying we're helpless, We're hopeless, we need help. All right, we see the same concept kind of being repeated here. Not only have they're consulting together.

18:22 Look at verse five and six, we are verse five, they've consulted together with one consent, they form a confederacy against you. Once again, this describes their hatred for God. I mean, I've got a lot of more notes. I'm skipping a lot of my notes because I'm trying to hurry, right, But you get the eye. Do we get the picture? We see the plea and one of the reasons for the plea. When I just gave you a good number of the reasons, did I not? And I think we articulated them relatively well. All right, Now look at verse four. Another reason, another reason for this plea. Everybody, see verse four. They have said, who is the the enemies that have come together?

19:03 They said, come, let us cut off, cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more. Here we see that the enemy is the desire of the enemy. Here's here's a good reason to cry out to God, because what's your enemy's desire? Are they there just to come take your resources. Are they there just to push you back because they feel you're being a threat? Are they there just to threaten you? No, they're there for what purpose? Your annihilation so that you no longer That's that's a pretty good idea. Look, it's one thing for someone saying, hey, I'm coming over, I'm coming over and I'm gonna take that from you. Okay, that's a little bit of concerning.

19:45 I'm gonna come and then kill you. That's a little bit more concerning. Yes, Well, their stated goal is what no longer be a nation? That you will not even be remembered if you're not gonna be remember that means there can be nothing left. There can't be anything left. Does that get the idea? Now? We could ask ourself a question here, right, what would motivate these enemies to come together to form a confederacy to wipe them off the face of their What could be their possible motivations could be land I wrote down a number of them, all right. First, a possible eliminate what they perceive as a thread, elimination of a thread. One possible motivation behind the enemy's desire to cut Israel off from being a nation is to eliminate what they perceive as a threat to their own security or dominance. Israel's existence as a nation may have been seen as a hindrance or a challenge to the interests of the enemy nations, prompting them to seek its destruction. Well, because we got to be very honest about something, right, when is comes out of Egypt, Now they do a lot of walking in circles for forty years, right, So for forty years, nobody probably cares much about them, right, because they're just walking in circles. Like man, these people are confused, right, right, and they're all dying off. Then ultimately

21:17 they cross the Jordan, right, they cross over, and where do they enter into Canaan? And what did they start doing? When they get there? They start killing people. There's someone in that land. But God had promised that land to Israel. Now those people don't perceive, oh, well, you've got to kill us because God gave us you're a land, our land. God would say it's my land, but the people there would say it's our land. So if you hear that Israel is wiping people off the face of the earth, you may perceive them to be wide a threat.

21:59 So they may Hey, we've got to eliminate them before they eliminate because does the rest of the nations have like, oh, wait, they only want from this river to this river? Right do they know? Because at that time the revelation of God was given to whom, just to Israel right now. The rest of the people have no idea what's going on. So they're like, oh, so if we move over here, we'll be safe. They could be thinking there's nowhere to run because Israel's killing people. I know we always perceive we don't perceive it that we will read our Bibles. But if you think about it from a logical perspective, if you lived at that time, you wouldn't have been going, ah, here comes Israel, the good guys. You would have been looking at Israel as the invaders. So you could see maybe why they want to come together right now at a roundabout way, you can see why you would want to kind to scream out to God, Wait a minute, you're the one who told us to go in and do this. Where are you okay? Show up here? Correct?

23:03 Right? So that's maybe jealousy or envy. The enemies may have been motivated by jealousy or envy towards Israel, whether it be due to Israel's relationship with God, their prosperity, or their perceived favor in the eyes of God. The jealousy could have fueled their desire to wipe out Israel in a race its name from history. I'm not a big fan of the jealousy thing. I think they would have seen them more as a threat. Oh, we're jealous of you. I think they would have been. Now, maybe they were jealous of the land Israel was obtaining, possibly right, do what? Oh? Well, yeah, they would have been really upset. Yeah, I mean, yeah, we will get into some of the nations that are mentioned here. This could be a religious conflict. Another possible reason for the enemy's motivation is this verse. Could this in this verse could stem from the religious or ideological differences. The enemies may have beliefs or practices that clash with those of Israel, leading to a deep seated animosity and a desire to eradicate Israel as a nation in order to assert their own beliefs or ideologies. Well, that's what it would have felt like Israel was doing. By killing off everyone, then they were establishing what a mono theistic religion and an area that in many cases they were polytheistic. They were demanding that there's only one god you could worship, and it was very different than everyone else's gods. So they could have felt, you're trying to establish basically a theocracy, and we're going

24:40 to destroy your theocracy, so we can destroy we can establish our theocracy, and may have been a religious war, which atheist. This is one of the atheist arguments against religion is that it's very the reason for so many wars. But in this particular case, it may have been. You could see, right a desire for power and domination. The enemies might have sought to exert power and dominance over the region, or sought to expand their own territory. Bobby said, land at the expense of Israel. By eliminating Israel's a nation, they may have been aiming to strengthen their own position and influence in the region. I mean, if someone is taking land, well, then that weakens you, so then you want to take back the land. I mean, in a little bit of a way, that's kind of what we're seeing with Russia and Ukraine. Russia wants Ukraine back as a part of Russia.

25:33 They don't want them to be independent. Now, they could argue, well, we can get into all the geopolitical arguments there. We won't get into that, but you get the idea, right, This could be because of historical rivalries. There could have been historical rivalries or conflicts between Israel and the enemy nations that fuel the motivations are described in this verse. Past grievance, territorial territorial disputes, or clashes of interest may have contributed to the enemies to tination to erase Israel's memory as a nation. A very good reason, right, A very good reason could simply be what that this has been an ongoing conflict. Israel was in conflict with people constantly, so this could just been building up and building up and building up, and it was just a matter of time, right, it was just a matter of time. Now you'll see the suggestion that the enemies desire to wipe out Israel and eighty three and saw eighty three four could ultimately be motivated by their hatred for God himself.

26:33 And so there's a couple of ideas. We look at it from more of a philological perspective. It could be for a couple of reasons. Right, we kind of looked at some of their motivations more from a like earthly perspective, but if we look at it from a philological perspective, they may wanted to wipe out Israel for some of the following reasons. Are you ready Israel's covenant relationship with God. Throughout the Bible, Israel is depicted as chosen people of God with whom God made a covenant. The enemy's hostilities towards Israel could be a scene as an indirect way of expressing their opposition to God and has chosen people. That desire to wipe out Israel may stem from the rejection of Israel's special relationship with God. I mean, if you're a nation walking around saying God's on our side and what we do, God is on our side, well, that's gonna make other people a little nervous. If these people think God are on their side, what's gonna stop them? They can do whatever and claim what God is on our side. Now. I did a podcast this week because I don't like I don't like that phrase so much, but you know, I heard it in the United States military. It's been used in the history of America over and over and over and over and over. America loves to always claim what God is on our side, as if God is sitting in heaven with an American flag behind him. Okay, God is not in a Maria. I know that's a shock to some of you. Is not an American. So when we say God is on our

28:07 side, we are speaking for whom did God call you and tell you? So in any military conflict we find ourselves, we almost invoke God as guiding, leading, directing, and helping us. That you got to be really careful with that, because once you think God is on your side, then you can do whatever you want. Because I do remember, see, I'm very familiar with this battle, this military campaign, because it's what caused me to have, you know, almost die because of my seizures. I remember when we decided to invade a rock because they had weapons of mass destruction and turned out they didn't have anything, and almost a million people died for no apparent reason, and we said that who was on our side? When terrorists attacked the United States of America on nine to eleven, they believed who was on their side? God? And the Civil War? Did the North believe God was on their side? The South, do they believe God was on their side? Was God? You see the problem with that. But if you if any other nation sees another nation who believes God is on their side, you see what that would be perceived as a threat. Because if they believe God is on their side, they can justify anything. This is why I don't like when politicians invoke God because the minute once you this is so

29:38 look as we do it as people, so we'll turn it to ourselves. But the minute you say God is on your side, we always have a way of utilizing God as a means to justify what we want in our actions. Well, it's one thing when you do it right, It's one thing if you're arguing with your spouse, God is on my side, you're wrong, right, Okay, that's a domestic dispute. That's still ridiculous when people do that. But we love to do that. People do it in church. Whenever there's a church split, both sides always claim God is on their side. It's been going on throughout the history of Christianity, right, But when it becomes political are national, then it gets really nervous because now you can justify almost anything, and we can't. God is not a tool for us to use. God is there for us to submit and worship. There's a big difference in using God, and everyone loves to use God. Right, Well, you could see why the nations may be a little concern about Israel's use of God because we know when they're practice, they didn't always obey God. But they would have no problem claiming God is on their side when they were going in to take something or kill someone. Now, in some cases God was on their side, right, that's also but in this case it was directly revealed and stated. So, but it still would be disturbing if you're another nation, would it not? Right? Another possible reason given

31:10 it is that maybe this, in a roundabout way, the physical war that's taking place here in PSAW eighty three. Now we're not going to go to We'll get into this a little bit more depending on how quickly we can advance through this. But some will argue that the physical encounters the physical war in SSAW eighty three is a picture of a spiritual war. Now, let's read on how they describe this. We may reject this concept. This is how one source states it from a spiritual perspective. The enemy is attempting to destroy Israel could be viewed as a part of a larger spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil. If the enemies are driven by a deep seated hatred for God, their actions against Israel could be seen as an attempt to thwart God's plan and purpose for his people. I see this, But I don't like when you classified as a battle between good and evil, because it was Israel good, not even clothes, not even a little bit, right.

32:10 I mean, when Asaph is writing this, remember he was the worship leader between during the reign of two kings, David, a polygamist, murderer, adulterer, Solomon, the king of polygamy, and the king of adultery. He put, I mean, he committed more adultery than anybody could. Probably we just got to give him the record, right, A thousand women, okay? And not only that, he did what when David was dying, he became David's headman. David told him to go kill these people, and he started killing them. He killed his own half brother. So so I don't know if you can say those are the good guys, those are the bad guys. What we can see is these are the people God chose.

33:00 He did not choose them because they were better or more godly. He chose them out of grace. Thank goodness, because He chose you, not because you're more godly, but out of grace. And it demonstrates that our relationship with God is not based on what we do, but based on what God has done for us. There's a lot of lessons there. So when I say spiritual warfare, maybe you could argue that these nations are motivated by a hatred for God. But I don't know if they would have I don't think they would state at them that way. They probably see Israel just as a threat to their nation. But maybe there's a level of spiritual warfare. Maybe not. Another one says a rejection of God's sovereignty. The enemy's desire to erase the memory of Israel as a nation may be rooted in a broader rejection of God's sovereignty and authority over the world. I don't think they would have seen it that way. Hey, we don't we reject God, so we want to destroy Israel because we reject your authority. Now, I don't believe in that God. They believe in a different God. So they could be arguing, our God is sovereign, not your God. And you know what happens. We have two nations who both believe their God is sovereign. Both are going to then act believing that they're in the right because not only is God sovereign, but God is on their side. Oh that's a mess, that's a that's an ugly thing. One source says. In the historical context of ancient Israel, many of the surrounding nations worshiped pagan gods and had different

34:34 religious beliefs. The hatred towards Israel could have been fueled by the enemy's disdain for the God of Israel and his commandments, leading them to seek the destruction of Israel as a way of undermining the influence of Israel's God. All right, so there's a lot of reasons why. But we know this they're doing. What This is what we can dogmatically assert coming together and what is their explicit goal? Israel out? And if you are an Israelite or if you're asaf when the people come to worship, the people coming to worship, what may be on their mind? Hey, did you do you know where the armies are right now? Do we have an update, because I mean, they couldn't be checking their phone, they couldn't be checking the news. So what have you heard? What have you heard? Wouldn't the people in the congregation in a sense using that kind of language, that would have been what worried? So what does he do? He compose a lament to take the emotions of the people and together they can do what God, where are you?

35:45 Because there's an army's plural coming for our annihilation. We need you to do something yesterday. We we can feel that. Can we not? Or at least maybe you can't. I think we should be able to feel that. Now this is interesting, all right. Please note, as it's describing all the reasons, there's an interesting phrase. Look at verse three, very interesting phrase. Two words in the New King James, I think it's two words in all your translations. They have taken crafty council against your people. We've talked about that, consulted together. We've talked about that against your two words. What are the two words after that? Do what? Just peoples?

36:39 All the nib says consulted together against your It doesn't say sheltered ones or treasured ones, precious ones. There we go, So we've got precious ones, sheltered ones. What other translations? Do we have hidden ones? All we have hidden Okay, okay, yours they cherished? Okay, so we have sheltered ones, those you treasured, hidden ones, precious ones. We have this very interesting phraseology here, all right. Now, this is interesting because and in the midst of describing all the reasons for this play, he says, hey, want my reason for this play is because God's coming after us, And he describes themselves in a very specific way sheltered ones, precious ones, treasured ones, hidden ones, very expressive phrase. So what does this phrase seem to mean or what does it seem to indicate? Because I think it's very interesting, all right? And Psalm eighty three to three describes the enemy's actions against God sheltered ones, also translated as his hidden ones, also translated as treasured ones. The phrase carries significant meaning and implications if we go with the idea of sheltered ones, which is the new King James.

38:04 This translation suggests that the enemies are targeting those who are under God's protection, care and refuge. The sheltered ones are seen as being safeguarded by God, seeking safety and security in Him. The enemy's actions against these individuals can be seen as an assault of God's divine protection and a threat to those who have sought refuge sought refuge in Him. So let's go with that phrase, sheltered ones. Now, look at the phrase in the New King, James, I'm gonna read it you ready. He talks about your enemies and make a tumult. They hate you, They've lifted up their head, they've taken crafty counsel against your people. They've consulted together against your sheltered ones. Now, and the way that is written, what do you think the Psalmus is hoping to do here? What do you think his motivation is by utilizing this phrase sheltered ones. We I just told you what it kind of means. It means that the phrase implies that this is a group of people who is sheltered by God. God is their protector. God is their refuge. God is their shield. God is the one that they're trusting in. Why do you think the psalmist is utilizing that phrase in the way it is written? Okay, let me ask you this. Is it written to for the benefit of the people or is it written in a way that he's trying to say something to God to motivate God. Is this to comfort the people or is this

39:37 to motivate God? Okay, Sarah goes with motivate God? Why why would you go with it? It's used to motivate God. Well, because he's saying this to God. Right, Hey, God, you've been still. Now he's saying, God, you've been silent and still. But you need to remember, these people are coming after your sheltered ones, and they are the sheltered ones because of God's covenant. So in a sense, I think I think Sarah's right. This is more I think directed at trying to motivate God. Hey, God, what are the sheltered ones? And your sheltered ones are about to be destroyed, so maybe it's time to Hey, you know, it's almost like your kid coming to it. Hey, you're my mom, help me out here? Right, Hey God, I'm your sheltered one, help me out here. Now. It could also be in a roundabout way. Also, it does demonstrate I can't speak for the people here, but I can speak for the psawmist here since he's the one writing this, right. The psawmist is also kind of going back to what we talked about. He's demonstrating faith in God, even though the circumstance would seem to make you go like, I'm gonna get on the phone and see if I can call some other nations. Hey, can I borrow your God? Because our God has just gone on vacation. We need a new one really quick.

41:01 Our God just went silent. We think he moved away, he turned off his phone. He's not answering our text. We need a new God. But he doesn't could do that. He's relying on the fact that God made a covenant with them, and he's trusting in God even though the circumstances say what I don't buy you. My circumstance would be the pack the bags we're getting out of town. Okay, I would be like, I am not a Jew, I am not an Israelite. Well, I would start speaking a new language and dressing a new way. All right, Okay, maybe you people are more brave than me, but okay, but I would be like, I gotta come up with a plan. Oh and come on, right, we will all do that, do we not? Look it's easy. Look, it's easy to sit here in church, and we could raise our hands and go God, You're our protector, you're our rock, you're our defender, You're a shield, you're a help and a time of trouble and we can we trust God, God will protect us. And then someone walked through that door with a gun. Then what do we do?

42:07 Are you just gonna go God's my protector and shield, come on shoot? Yeah, we'd probably start trying to fight, or we if someone has a gun, they're gonna try all of a sudden, we're gonna forget that God's a rock defender. This is him saying, though, hey, we're in trouble, but you wear sheltered ones and around the way, he's still trying to show that faith. In some ways, I admire that, right, and it may be a way to try to give to people some kind of assurance, right, Hey, hey, hey, hey, I know we're in trouble, but God, we're his sheltered ones. He's gonna defend us. But it's easy to say that. It's hard in the midst of a difficult situation, right, very difficult. And there was a famous movie in the eighties called The Mission, and it was it was based off these Catholic missions. I can't remember what country they established these missions, but there were tribes who wanted the Catholic mission basically wiped off the face of the earth.

43:05 Right. Well, some wanted to do what fight back? Some were like, we're supposed to love our enemy. God is our protector and shield. So if I remember, and it's been a long time, the one convinces the people and they're like holding the crucifix and they're wearing like white robes, and they're like marching towards them, and they get wow. So then of course, from an atheistic perspective, you'd be like, well, that's what God does for you. That's again, what did I say? The dilemma of the Christian life is trusting in a God I cannot see when facing a life that tells me that God doesn't exist. Well, the sheltered ones, But what if we go with the hidden ones? Well. Another translation of the phrase hidden ones may imply that these individuals are not easily visible or known to the enemy, may be considered hidden or protected from harm by God, out of sight, out of reach those seeking to do them harm. The enemy's actions against these hidden ones may be driven by desire to uncover or expose, or attack those whom they perceive as elusive or protective. So this could be the idea. This one doesn't seem to be so motivated. I don't know how that would motivate God. Hey, we're your hidden ones, other than you're saying, God, keep us hidden. You've hidden us. But if they are coming after Israel, that doesn't sound like they're that hidden, do they? Right? So I don't like the phrase hidden ones. Sheltered ones make more sense hidden ones. And obviously there's something with the Hebrew because

44:36 none of the translators can agree. So there's one of those Hebrew phrases that everybody's like, Well, just always remember sometimes in the Hebrew or the Greek. If you've ever done any study in Hebrew Greek, you know this. This is probably true in any language, but Hebrew Greek. You can have a Hebrew word that can mean what twenty different things, which can be maddening, can it not? Because one pastor will say, well, this is what it means. Yeah, but it can mean nineteen other things. So then how do you determine what it means? You typically have to determine based off the context in which it's used, which can be very Then people can make a lot of arguments. Right. You can say, well, baptism means immerse. But there's a passage I think an acts where the Greek word for baptism is used for them washing the table. Well, then see those who believe in you know, sprinkling. We'll say, see they didn't immerse the entire table. But then others will say, but they made the table fully wet. So they say, you know how you get into this never ending debate? Right, So that drives me crazy. But so there's something here that makes it difficult the other one's treasured ones. This translation conveys the idea that the individuals targeted are by the enemies are precious and valued or cherished by God. Now, this one would clearly be used by the psalmus to motivate God. Where your treasured ones, we're precious to you, let us be wiped off the face of the earth. Does that make sense all right?

46:06 The term implies that these individuals hold a special place in God's heart and are highly esteemed by him. The enemy's actions against these treasured ones can be understood as an affront to God's love and care, prompting his intervention and defense on their behalf. This one makes the most sense to me, the treasured ones, because when we talk in the Old Testament, going Deuteronomy and before, clearly God has treasured Israel above all the other nations. He almost refers to them what as his son, as his child, kind of the apple of his eye. So the Psalmist is like, God, if we're your treasured ones based off the covenant you made. If you don't do something, there's not going to be anyone left to fulfill the covenant. Two. So do something, and so you can see right there. So I think that I think that's very important. All right now, Well I could get into it, and I don't think it's hard to figure out. Can we all agree when it says sheltered ones, treasured ones, precious ones. Can we all agree that's a reference to Israel? Okay, I don't need to.

47:19 I don't need to. The only reason I feel like I have to clarify that because I don't know how many sermons where got that turned into a discussion about what us in this case, this is a reference to Israel and the context. Okay, however we want to apply to us, it first has to be applied there, all right, there's a I've got like ten paragraphs of notes there, but I'm just gonna skip them all. Let's go now, let's go back to verse four, all right, just to kind of summarize everything here. Or we'll just go from two through We'll go to two through five just to kind of summarize everything, all right, So we see the plea, and now we have all the reasons. Because the enemies are making what a tumult. Another reason is because they hate God. Another reason, they've lifted up their heads, showing their arrogance, their pride. Another reason, they've taken crafty counsel against your people. Another reason, they've consulted together and they with one consent, and they have formed a confederacy. Another reason is because they want to do what wipe off the nation of Israel.

48:24 And the Psalmist, in the midst of describing the reasons, he tries to tell God. He tries to motivate God, Hey, you gotta do something, because not only are they doing all of these things, they're coming after your sheltered ones, your treasured ones, your precious ones. And I think it's also a way to remind the people, Hey, we're going to cry out to God. And the reason we're going to trust God is because we are his precious ones, his treasured ones. Does that make sense? Is everybody okay? With that? Right? I'm gonna skip about five more other paragraphs. Okay, Now, let's go to five through eight. Oh, we got a hurry. We gotta hurry, We gotta hurry, we gotta hurry. We'll see if we can get through these. This should be really quick. A right, you're ready? And some eighty three? Five through eight? What happens in these verses? The enemies are listed as a coalition of nations who seek to destroy Israel. These nations are outlined as follows.

49:20 I'm just gonna say brief things about each one. Are you ready? What's the first one mentioned? Eat them? Adam is the descendants of Esau, who held a long standing robbery with the Israelites. Do you remember Jacob and Esau? And for some reason, God loved one and hated the other before they ever did anything. Kind of a messed up story, right from a human perspective, Yes, right. It's used in the Book of Romans to talk about the doctrine of election. Right when it makes people very very very angry. Well, if you think it's angry, try to be Esau because who was kind of really not a very good guy in that story. Jacob kind of a jerk, a deceiver, but he's the one God chose and Esau. Wow, man, Yeah, that's a story all right. Next, who's next in the list? Ishmaelites descendants of Ishmael, often associated with nomadic tribes in the region. Well, we know how things turned out for Ishmael. Right, not such a good story, is it? But do we want to go to that story? Oh, that story's got so many problems. Okay, what happens to Hagar? And that story is just absolutely messed up? Okay? Abraham and Sarah, she's a slave, she has no she cannot give what consent. She's just used. She's just used.

50:45 And then what did they do with her messed up story? And who's doing the using? Those who believe in God, which once again demonstrates God's people or what sinners? Right? All of us are right? Okay, but so Ishmael. You can see where maybe maybe the Ishmael Lights would have a possible few problems, you think a few problems, right, because all the promises go through Isaac. Right, I Remember this is this creates problems throughout history, right, I mean, that's when they're fighting over the land.

51:25 If you're a Jew, the land belongs to you because of whom Isaac comes through Isaac. If you are one of the Arab nations, you may say the land belongs to you because coming through Ishmael or the firstborn. So both can make an argument that the line belongs to them. And how has that worked out? Yeah? Still not worked out? All right? Okay, next, what's the next one? Moab? Moab are the descendants of Lot, who were historical enemies of Israel, right, and how did the Moabites come about? Because a man who is called righteous in the New Testament, not only did he offer his daughters for the men of the city to rape them. Okay, he then got drunk and had relations with them, and not just once, but twice. You would think after the first time you would kind of go, maybe I should not drink around my daughters. But he does it twice. Now the daughters are involved in it the situation.

52:34 But you think, after you made the mistake once, hopefully you would stop in the second time. But you know what the reality is, we don't always stop our sin after the first time? Do we so? So in Allah we can relate. But a lot is called a righteous man in the New Testament? How can he be called a righteous man? Remember there's remember all of us. There's two parts of us right or two categories for us right. Two reality. The first reality is what you are in your position in Christ. In Christ, remember salvation. Remember this is the whole difference between Protestant Christianity and Catholicism. Catholicism says we are justified by an infused righteousness. Luther completely rejected that. And why did he reject that? Well, if I haven't, if I haven't infused righteousness, I should be able to be what perfect? And why did Luther realize? I can't be perfect?

53:25 And Luther was losing his mind. He kept going to confession hour after hour after hour, and even the priests were like, man, you got to calm yet. But He's like, if God is holy and he demands perfection, then I have to be perfect. And you said that I've received an infused righteousness, so I should be able to be And he realized I can't do it. I can't do it, He can't do it, can't do it. Can't do it. And then he realized that phrase that the just will live according to faith, and he's like, huh. And then he realized that by faith we are saved by faith. And what happens by faith, God does not infuse righteousness, He imputes it, meaning he accredits to your account. So Bobby's position is what righteous, holy, perfect, The obedience of Christ is imputed to his account. He is absolutely perfect. Now does anyone know Bobby? Okay, he's not perfect and righteous practice, he's what in practice, and now the rest of us are better than him.

54:29 But okay, no, but you get the idea. That's the truth of all of us. So why can Lot be called a righteous man because of imputed righteousness? Why can damn it be called a righteous man? Why can Solomon? Because as a righteous man. Now, we don't like that, do we, Because we're like, the practice better match the position. It's never gonna match the position, because the position is perfect, and in practice we will never even come anywhere near that, because we still maintain a sinful nature even after conversion. And anyone who denies the existence of the sinful nature after conversion are deceiving themselves. Because it's clear in everyone's life. And what does God's law demand perfection? Roll is, James, if you're guilty at one point, guilty of all? So all of us have broken all.

55:19 We are in a perpetual state of breaking all the ten commandments. Nobody wants to admit that. But positionally, what am I? The perfection of Christ is my perfection? Positionally. That's why when the Bible says if anyone is in Christ as a new creature, old things have passed away, all things have become new, that's not talking about you practically. That's talking about you positionally. Because it was talking about you practically, then all Christians would be what perfect? Okay? Well, but we're not perfect? Okay? All right? So there's a moab Our. Next the hag Ride. So the Hagarens, who are they? Possibly a reference to Nomads or descendants of Hagar possibly? Okay? Do what? Yeah? Oh yeah, If you say it that way, then it makes more sense, y yeah, all right.

56:16 Next Giball, a city in the region of modern day Lebanon. I don't know anything else about them, all right, so you could probably find more. I just had to make it simple and quick, all right. Next Ammon descendants of Lot, also known for their hostility towards Basically all the descendants of Lot hated his reel Okate, right it seems like. But in some cases the descendants of Lot were wide They couldn't even come to worship. Remember, they were kind of basically thrown out. They were not allowed to come to worship. They were because they were seen as basically what unclean, corrupt, ungodly. So you could see that would lead to a little bit of hostility, right because did they do anything? As Kate always says to me, I didn't ask to be born, right, well, they didn't ask to come from an ancestual relationship with Lot and his daughters. But yet in some ways that brings about negativity right right. Next a Malek, a long standing enemy of the Israelites, known for their attacks on the vulnerable.

57:15 Next Felictia, inhabitants of Philistine region, known for their conflicts with Israel throughout history. Can we agree that Philistines are always a problem? Were they not? The significance of listing these enemies in Psalm eighty three is to illustrate a united front against Israel, seeking to wipe out the nation and erase its memory. The Samist calls upon God to intervene it thwart the Psalm the plans of these enemies, highlighting the faith of the Samists in God's power to deliver and protect his people from their adversaries. The mention of these specific nations serves to emphasize are you ready the historical context of the conflict and the hatred faced by Israel, reminding the readers of the ongoing struggle and opposition encountered by well Israel.

58:06 What was happening to them? The Psalm underscores the importance of seeking divine assistance and placing trust in God's sovereignty amidst diversity, showcasing the enduring relevance of these themes in the lives of believers. So we'll have to stop there. We can't go any far. But there's the enemies. I mean, I think that's a lot. That's a number of enemies, are they not? Some of these are well known enemies. Now you have all if your well known enemies doing what coming together, making them more powerful and more dangerous. When you are a little nation of Israel and you have all of these enemies coming against you, then you're going to want to cry out to God because you feel like God has what abandon you? So I'm going to end with what hell we started? What is? How is good? What is a great way to describe the Christian life? Believing in a God in whom you cannot see, while living in circumstances that scream every day there is no God?

59:13 That is the conflict? And sometimes what do you feel inside of you? Come on you, I know we're in church, but maybe some of you can't say this. Sometimes you question where God is or even if God exists, and maybe you say you can't do that, but you can do that. But then sometimes we feel, Wow, there's no question there's God. Look at creation. Oh there has to be a God. Sometimes you feel like you're just confident that there is a God. Sometimes you don't remember Martin Luther's famous quote, do you love God? Love God? Sometimes I hate him? Oh? Why? Because sometimes circumstances make you do what It not only question God's actions, question his presence. You may even questioned his existence, or it may make you bitter and upset at him. And plenty of us have experienced plenty of things to make it that way. That's the struggle. And anyone who denies that struggle is trying to give you a disneyfied version of Christianity, the Hallmark movie version of Christianity. You don't want the Hallmark movie or the Disney version of Christianity because someday you're gonna become at the end of yourself and just be like, this doesn't work, because it's a facade. It's what we It's the infocommercial version of Christianity. We don't need an infocommercial. The Bible is filled with people who believe in God in the

1:00:45 midst of circumstances that make absolutely no sense if God exists. That's why I love the Bible in that sense. It doesn't give us a fairy tale, right. You have people who believe in God, but everything around them would tell you kind of question, like you want to say to the people who who you're reading about, maybe you should just stop believing in him. It's not really working out very good for you. But they continue to do what believe because faith is the substance of what, okay, of things not seen right, the evidence of things not saying what. It's the substance of what.

1:01:28 Let's make sure we quote it correctly. Look at Hebrews eleven one. Well, end with making sure we quote it correctly, because yeah, there's two different phrases there. If we want to make sure we use them absolutely correct, I'm gonna make sure y'all will leave here knowing Hebrews eleven one. Substance of things hope for the evidence of things not seen. It's when you hope for something. There's no substance there, right, it's just hope. But faith put substance to it. Right, there's a faith that there is a God. I hope there's a God. I want there to be a God. That everything makes sense, there's a purpose, there's a reality, there's an explanation, there's something Sometimes I don't understand it. But faith takes that hope in a God and gives it substance. Right, and then I can't see God. But faith does what gives me evidence for that which I can't see. And not only that, it gives you evidence for what you can't see that contradicts what you can see. That's the hardest thing about faith.

1:02:34 It contradicts what you can see. I go home right now and just start looking at the news. I'm gonna be like, oh, forget this clearly there is no God. He moved away. Hey, I don't know what happened. He's left us. Faith says he's right there on the throne. Man, that's hard, is it? Not? Well? Here? They got physical in it, about to wipe them off the face of the earth. And what is the psalmist doing? God? We need you to wake up. God, Remember who we are. Where are your chosen ones? Where are your sheltered ones where you're precious? Do something? And those enemies sound pretty pretty dangerous, do they not? Those some people have some long history and hatred for Israel. These are not people who are like just moved in next door. These people hating you for a long time, and they're coming together. You can see the concern. All right, let's just stop right there. Look, can we come before you this afternoon? Lord?

1:03:36 Forgive us for our struggles with our lack of faith. May we continue to struggle with that lack of faith so that we grow stronger in our faith, that we can trust and believe in You when everything tells us not to. When we ask this in Jesus name, and God's people said