LEANESS IN THE SOUL
PSALM 106:10-15; ROMANS 15:4; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:61
Introduction:
“The history of God’s past is a record of continuous mercies, the history of man’s, one of as continuous sin.” Israel had been redeemed from slavery out of the land of Egypt and had cross the Red Sea on dry land. Soon afterward the people began to rebel against the Lord. They soon forgot what they had witnessed as God brought plague after plague upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
They received what they wanted, but soon forgot how they got it. Then they received something they did not want – God’s judgment against a rebellious people.
I. GETTING WHAT THEY WANTED v. 10
A. They wanted redemption from slavery, Psalm 111:9, “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.”
1. As servants of the enemy, Psalm 18:17, “He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.”
2. As servants of sin, Romans 6:17-18, “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18-Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
B. They wanted rest, Psalm 16:9, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
1. To dwell confidently, Exodus 33:14, “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”
2. To have peace of mind, Psalm 38:3-4, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4- For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.”
C. They wanted deliverance, Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
II. FORGETTING WHAT HE DID v. 13
A. He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, Exodus 14:30, “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.”
B. He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, Psalm 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
1. God had redeemed them, Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.”
a. God preached the truth to them as He has to us, Psalm 40:9, “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.”
b. The Lord preached repentance from sin, Mark 6:12, “And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”
c. Faith in Christ was preached, Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
2. God had forgiven Israel of all his iniquities, Psalm 130:8, “And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”
a. This was Israel’s greatest need, Acts 5:31, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
b. Through Him all that believed were justified, Acts 13:38-39, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39- And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
III. GETTING WHAT THEY DIDN’T WANT v. 15
A. For rebellion God sent a cruel messenger, Proverbs 17:11, “An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.”
1. Israel had a history of rebellion, Deuteronomy 9:7, “Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.”
2. They provoked the Lord, Deuteronomy 9:8, “Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.”
B. Israel lost his identity because of rebellion, Deuteronomy 4:27, “And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.”
1. For the sin of their mouth, Psalm 59:12, “For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.”
2. For their pride, Proverbs 16:5, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”
3. For their cursing, Psalm 109:17, “As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.”
CONCLUSION:
Israel was unfaithful to the Lord and suffered the consequences for that unfaithfulness. God gave him all of the advantages and yet Israel turned from the Saviour as John tells us in John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
The Lord has opened the door for the Gentiles and many have trusted Christ as their Saviour. However, many have walked away from the truth. God’s judgment is a terrible thing. Many will feel His wrath, but not His children as Paul tells us in Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
There is NO LEANNESS for God’s FAITHFUL servants.