Bible Study - Beyond Belief (1) - GOD Is Holy - Psalm 99 - June 1, 2014

Bible Study – Beyond Belief (1) – GOD Is Holy – June 1, 2014

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled “Beyond Belief: Does What I Believe about GOD Change Anything?”

Our focus scripture is Psalm 99:1-9.

For the next six (6) weeks we will examine various scriptures and consider “Does what I believe change anything?”

GOD'S desire is for a person to build his or her faith about HIM upon truth as revealed through experience, which is confirmed by HIS Word, the Bible, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Truth will change our lives such that we will become more like HIM as we obediently serve HIM. Our perceptions of GOD must be based upon what GOD reveals about Himself not what we think about GOD.

We know in the physical world certain truths exist. There are laws which govern motion, chemical reactions, gravity and the list goes on. Gravity works and man has learned how to use or defy gravity. Mankind depends upon gravity working consistently. Yet, when it comes to the Spiritual world many deny the existence of GOD because they do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. The Apostle Paul put it well in 1 Corinthians 2:12-16:

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (KJV)

But the question is does our denial of GOD mean that HE does not exist or the god we shape according to our notions; our ideology or the ideologies of others make it real? None of the gods the world has fashioned has reached down to mankind but Yahweh has reached down to mankind through the Jews and then by coming to earth in the flesh as GOD’S only Son, JESUS.

We can quibble all we want but it is certain that one day we will all die and go into eternity. But where to after that – meet GOD and JESUS - Heaven or Hell? The Bible is very clear as recorded in Psalm 14:1a:

1 The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.”

James 2:19:

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

I have talked to people who tell me that they will take their chances. If there is a GOD of love, HE or SHE will let them into heaven. What does HE tell us through HIS Word? It is important to know the truth of HIS Word. Our focus scripture helps us to see GOD through the Spiritual eyes of the Psalm writer.

Psalms 47, 93, 96-99 were isolated about 100 years ago and referred to as the Enthronement Psalms. They have been used at worship festivals celebrating and acknowledging the LORD as King. Each of these Psalm’s focus on different elements of the reign of GOD. Psalm 99 encourages us to discover the truth of GOD’S character. GOD alone is Holy – HE is pure, righteous and worthy of worshipper’s reverence. The psalmists likely wrote this Psalm based upon his experience with GOD.

So how was this Psalm likely used? A worship leader could have spoken verses 1-3a and the worshippers responded with verses 3b. I highlighted the worshippers’ likely response in bold letters. The conclusion of this scripture is “GOD is Holy.”

Psalm 99:1-9 :( Let’s read our focus scripture to help us get an overview of this Psalm.)

The King Is Holy

1 The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the • cherubim. Let the earth quake. 2 • Yahweh is great in • Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. 3 Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy.

4 The mighty King loves justice. You have established fairness; You have administered justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the Lord our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel also was among those calling on His name. They called to Yahweh and He answered them. 7 He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them. 8 Lord our God, You answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, an avenger of their sinful actions. 9 Exalt the Lord our God; bow in worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.

Holy Reign:

Let’s read Psalm 99:1-3:

1 The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the • cherubim. Let the earth quake. 2 • Yahweh is great in • Zion; He is exalted above all the peoples. 3 Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy.

The LORD is Yahweh or YHWH. HE reigns as King. The psalmist declares GOD King.

Notice that there are no vowels in YHWH because the written Hebrew language did not include vowels. In order to help readers to remember to speak “adonai” instead of YHWH the speaker inserted vowels. The Jews held the word Yahweh so sacred that they avoided speaking it and instead spoke “adonai.” A spoken Latin version of “adonai” was pronounced “Jehovah.”

Let’s read the scripture regarding the personal name GOD gave to Moses in Exodus 3:13-18:

13 Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: • Yahweh , the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation. 16 “Go and assemble the elders of Israel and say to them: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I have paid close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised you that I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 They will listen to what you say. Then you, along with the elders of Israel, must go to the king of Egypt and say to him: Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.

Yahweh is probably a third person form of the Hebrew verb “I AM.”

The LORD reigns. HE has reigned and will continue to reign. HE is eternal and sovereign. HE guides all matters in the universe, the world and in the lives of people.  HIS desire is to bring all to a saving knowledge of Himself and after the passion of CHRIST to bring all to a saving knowledge of JESUS.

GOD never forces a person to accept HIM or CHRIST but HE leads them to a point of decision whether or not to accept or reject HIM or CHRIST. As the old saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.”

The Psalmist stated that the LORD had revealed Himself through HIS leadership and involvement with the Israelites. HE had been very visible physically through HIS mighty works and through HIS interaction with HIS chosen leaders.

All people but especially the Jews should honor HIM because HE has revealed HIS presence and protective care to them in the pillar of fire at night and the cloud by day.

HE also revealed Himself to HIS chosen by the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant contained artifacts revealing the active presence of GOD among of HIS chosen.

The Ark of the Covenant was designed by GOD and revealed HIS place of authority above and between the Cherubim’s on the Ark.

Cherubim’s are powerful angelic creatures who serve GOD. GOD is above them. I think this was GOD’S message to the Israelites and for us today for all to keep in mind that HE is above all including heavenly beings and Satan.

The Ark was placed in the most Holy place of the temple as a reminder of the presence of GOD.

The reference to Zion is a reference to Jerusalem. (Verse 2)

GOD’S name embodies all the aspects of GOD but the most important fact is for all people to know that GOD is Holy, to which the Israelites could testify. HIS Holiness defines HIS nature and character, which in turn confirms HIS attributes, some of which are listed in this Psalm and revealed throughout the Bible by HIS chosen servants. GOD can be trusted in all matters.

Many obedient servants of GOD give testimony and witness to HIM today. Do we accept their witness as GOD’S presence and involvement or do we brush their witness off as coincidences? We want GOD to work 100% of the time in all matters concerning our lives, the lives our family, friends and the list goes on. It is often hard to accept GOD’S no when HE does not perform like we think HE should. We must keep in mind that GOD is sovereign.

Holy Justice:

Let’s read Psalm 99:4-5:

4 The mighty King loves justice. You have established fairness; You have administered justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the Lord our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy.

The psalmist viewed GOD as the eternal Ruler of the universe. HE loves justice, practices justice and righteousness in dealing with HIS chosen people, the Israelites. HIS reference to Jacob was a synonym for Israel. HE did not show favoritism toward the Israelites even though they were HIS chosen. When they sinned HE punished them. HE warned them but if they did not repent, HE did what HE said HE would do. Since HE did not spare HIS chosen, why do you think HE will spare those who reject HIM?

Like a loving Father, GOD set the example for how HE wanted HIS chosen to treat each other in society e.g. be firm, consistent, honest, loving, truthful, fair and so much more. HIS desire is for HIS children to reflect HIM in their lives.

What a privilege Christians have in that they have the indwelling Holy Spirit Who can empower, lead, guide, teach, direct, gift, assure and so much more as they yield themselves to obediently serve GOD through CHRIST. CHRIST came to earth to reveal GOD and HIS attributes.

Has any other god revealed himself to mankind? NO! Has any other god died and been resurrected from the dead? NO!  Yet, supposedly intelligent people follow such religions and practices. Satan blinds and he prevents them from seeing the truth of CHRIST.

Holy Grace:

Let’s read Psalm 99:6-9:

6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel also was among those calling on His name. They called to Yahweh and He answered them. 7 He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud; they kept His decrees and the statutes He gave them. 8 Lord our God, You answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, an avenger of their sinful actions. 9 Exalt the Lord our God; bow in worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.

The psalmist reflected back to Israel’s journey with GOD from Egyptian bondage to the Promised Land. GOD spoke to the Israelites through Moses, Aaron and later Samuel. They called upon HIS name and HE responded to them. In fact, GOD wanted to speak to the Israelites when HE chose them as HIS people just like HE had spoken to Moses but the Israelites were afraid for GOD to speak to them directly as recorded in Exodus 19:4-13:

4 ‘You have seen what I (GOD) did to the Egyptians and how I (GOD) carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me. 5 Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine, 6 and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” 7 After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord. 10 And the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes 11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death. 13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows. No animal or man will live. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.”

Exodus 19:18-21:

18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20 Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will • fear Him and will not sin.” 21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

GOD is Holy and this is the theme of this psalm. GOD desired a personal relationship with the Israelites but they were afraid as we read. GOD came to the Israelites and ultimately to mankind in the flesh as the promised Messiah, JESUS. JESUS paid, in full, the penalty for the sins of every person who will place their faith in HIM.

As we read in verse 8 Lord our God, You answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, an avenger of their sinful actions.

First, GOD answered them.

Second, GOD forgave them and when HE did HE lifted them up because the burden of sin was removed when HE forgave them. But the psalmist wanted to make sure they did not get the idea that forgiveness of sin was automatic. This leads us to the third focus.

Third, “You were a forgiving God to them, an avenger of their sinful actions.” HIS chosen should not get the idea that they do not have to confess their sins. Sin must be confessed, acknowledge the wrong and repent of the action or thought. GOD does not want a seed to linger in our minds to sprout and grow into something as bad or worse. This is true for all Christians. Just because we have eternal life does not mean we can wallow in the things of the world and not be negatively influenced. The Bible is clear as recorded in Proverbs 23:7a:

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: (KJV)

If you wrote a Psalm, what would you write about what you have experienced by walking with HIM?

These are the facts as recorded in GOD’S Word, the Bible and substantiated by many other servants called by GOD. GOD is Holy and sovereign. HE is just, righteous, fair, the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever, and the list goes on.

If you have not already received CHRIST as your Savior, now is your opportunity. Ask HIM to forgive you for your sins and to come into your life now. Ask Him to lead you to the place where you can be fed Spiritually and serve HIM. Blessings!!!