PURSUING The ROCK Of AGES--I—Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 15, 18
VBS Theme: Gold Rush—Searching for the Rock of Ages!
Attention:
The value of Gold today’s commodities market.
Sat. June 24, 2012—Gold commodities were worth $1,566.90 per troy ounce or ~31.1g which = ~1.1oz.
Is that gold worth your personal investment?
Mt 13:44—““Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found & hid; & for joy over it he goes & sells all that he has & buys that field.”
Need:
Moses revealed Israel’s need to seek/pursue the Rock of Ages.
God’s word encourages our need to seek/pursue the Rock of Ages.
Who searches for the Rock of Ages?
OR
How do we pursue the Rock of Ages?
3 considerations in your pursuit of the Rock of Ages.
1— A pursuit of the Rock of Ages considers...
His NAME(:3)
Explanation: (:3)LORD
31:30—32:2—Introduction
31:30—“Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were ended:
That which follows(:32:1-44) comprises a “song”(31:19, 22, 30) which was composed by Moses in his 120th year(31:1-2). He composed it & taught it to Israel the same day(31:22; 32:44-45). It was presented & taught at Joshua’s inauguration(30:14, 23; 32:44). The song was incorporated within the Book of the Law(32:46?) & placed beside the Ark of the Covenant “as a witness against” erring Israel (31:24-26). This song was taught to Israel & was intended to be passed down from generation to generation(31:19, 22 & 32:46). Its main purpose was that it be committed to memory(31:21) in order that it remain a standing testimony against Israel as a witness to both YaHWeH & their own flesh-driven inclinations(31:20-21). Thus “this law” became that by which their very life was sustained(32:47).
Moses‘ “then” “spoke” “the words of this song” to the collective “assembly of Israel.” Moses made sure every Israelite heard the song to its very last word. The Israelite’s capacity for memorization was obviously much greater than is generally experienced today, as in most cultures, without print & digital reproduction. It was also committed to song so that there would be a tune &/or rhyme associated with the words making them more memorable.
The Song of Moses is a vitally important testimony(32:47) to God’s character, intentions, judgment & heartache as He has sought to bring about the establishment of the nation of Israel.
32:1—“Give ear, O heavens, & I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
What Moses has to say is borne before both the heavens(plural/dual) & earth(the abode of all humanity & ) as witnesses.
The very words of Moses’ mouth are of vital significance to not only Israel but to all of creation.
32:2—Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.”
Moses speech & the words of his mouth(:1) are not idle words but are rather a “teaching” event. Meant to instruct those who will hear them. They are declarative of great truth which all creation is in need of understanding.
Moses’ words are to be as “rain” & “dew” upon “tender herbs” & “grass.” Were it not for “rain” & “dew” such fragile plants wither & die. Likewise, without the sustaining word(“rain” & “dew”) that Moses is about to declare, all creation(“tender herb” & “grass”) withers & dies. He is about to declare God’s fatherhood/majesty/greatness/goodness/perfection & power.
:3—“For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.”
Moses proceeds to declare YaHWeH’s “name” to his constituency, the assembly of Israel. In declaring “the name” Moses is proclaiming the whole of that knowledge which has been revealed to & thru him & is readily pertinent to all of Israel.
Thus Moses can proclaim that Israel is to “ascribe/give” to their “God”, the “greatness” which is due Him. Thereby, it is Israel’s personal call & expectation to willingly “ascribe” the honor of magnificence to their deserving “God.”
God’s “greatness” is such that it extends beyond that of any created being, spiritual or carnal. He is indeed worthy of Israel’s & our praise.
Thereby YaHWeH inhabits the praise of His people(Ps. 22:3).
“Proclaim/Publish”—arq kaw-raw'—Qal Imperfect—1) To call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.1a) (Qal)—1a1) To call, cry, utter a loud sound, 1a2) To call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God), 1a3) To proclaim, 1a4) To read aloud, read (to oneself), read, 1a5) To summon, invite, call for, call & commission, appoint, call & endow, 1a6) To call, name, give name to, call by. Strong—a primitive root [rather identical with 07122 through the idea of accosting a person met]; To call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications).
From—arq kaw-raw'— a primitive root: To encounter(whether accidentally or in a hostile manner).
“Name”—Mv shem—1) Name—1a) Name, 1b) Reputation, fame, glory, 1c) The Name (as designation of God), 1d) Memorial, monument. Strong—a primitive word [perhaps rather from Mws suwm[To put(used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, & elliptically)] through the idea of definite & conspicuous position; compare Mymv shaw-mah'-yim[The sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)]; An appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication--Honor, authority, character.
“LORD”—hwhy yeh-ho-vaw'—Jehovah = "the existing One." 1) The proper name of the one true God—1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of ynda ad-o-noy'. Strong—(the) Self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God.
“Ascribe”—bhy yaw-hab'—1) To give, provide, ascribe, come. Strong—a primitive root; To give (whether literal or figurative); generally--To put; imperatively(reflexive)--Come.
“Greatness”—ldg go'-del—1) Greatness—1a) Greatness, magnitude, 1b) Magnificence, 1c) Pride, insolence(bad sense).
“God”—Myhla el-o-heem'—2) (plural intensive - singular meaning)—2a) god, goddess, 2b) godlike one, 2c) Works or special possessions of God, 2d) The (true) God, 2e) God. Strong—gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used(in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; & sometimes as a superlative.
Argumentation:
Ex. 3:10-18—““Come now, therefore, & I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, & that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel & say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ & they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, & this is My memorial to all generations.’ “Go & gather the elders of Israel together, & say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, & of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you & seen what is done to you in Egypt; “& I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites & the Hittites & the Amorites & the Perizzites & the Hivites & the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk & honey.”’ “Then they will heed your voice; & you shall come, you & the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; & you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; & now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’”
Ps. 89:15-18—“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.”
Jer. 23:5-6—““Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign & prosper, And execute judgment & righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Mat. 1:21-23—““And she will bring forth a Son, & you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, & bear a Son, & they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.””
To just name the name of Jesus brings all the works of God to mind & heart. We are flooded with & immersed in that remembrance!
Illustration:
My Daddy’s dental practice/He practiced dentistry with integrity/He was never exorbitant with his pricing/He tried to do things inexpensively for the sake of his patients/He didn’t do cheap work/He used dental labs who did good work for a fair price/He occasionally accepted food(casseroles/dressed chickens, etc.) for payment—even though my mom was a good cook & we never wanted for anything/Therefore his name is still highly regarded around Granite Quarry/The mention of my Daddy’s name evokes respectful greetings & compliments—People inevitably say of him, “I had a lot of respect for Dr. Sherman.”/His NAME(reputation)!
A reputable company that has made a name for itself/The NAME evokes feelings of warmth, helpfulness, kindness & fairness/The NAME
Application:
?Have you considered the NAME of the Rock of Ages?
?Have you sought the Rock of Ages?
2— A pursuit of the Rock of Ages considers...
His CHARACTER(:4)
Explanation: (:4)Attributes
:4—“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth & without injustice; Righteous & upright is He.”
This “God” “YaHWeH” by name, is “the Rock.”
As a “Rock” YaHWeH is unmovable & unchanging. He is to be looked to for generation after generation ad infinitum because His character is permanent, fixed, set, & immutably eternal.
Chevrolet touts their trucks are ‘Like a rock!’—Last forever...tough as nails, nothing is better, can’t be improved upon, etc.
‘Rock solid’—A phrase meaning dependable, well made, reputable(in a good way)
“Rock”(See :15)—rwu tsuwr—1) Rock, cliff—1a) Rocky wall, cliff, 1b) Rock (with flat surface), 1c) Block of stone, boulder, 1d) Rock (specific), 1e) Rock (of God), 1f) Rock(of heathen gods) n. pr. dei, 1g) Rock. Strong—properly--A cliff(or sharp rock, as compressed); generally--A rock or boulder; figuratively--A refuge; also an edge(as precipitous).
“His work is perfect”
As “the Rock” everything He has, does & will do is “perfect”—entire/complete/whole, nothing is missing in God’s “work.”
“Work/Works”—lep po`al—1) Work, deed, doing—1a) Deed, thing done, 1b) Work, thing made, 1c) Wages of work, 1d) Acquisition (of treasure). Strong—An act or work(concretely).
“Perfect”—Mymt tamiym'—Adj.—1) Complete, whole, entire, sound—1a) Complete, whole, entire, 1b) Whole, sound, healthful, 1c) Complete, entire (of time), 1d) Sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity, 1e) What is complete or entirely in accord with truth & fact (neuter adj/subst). Strong— Entire(literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun)--Integrity, truth.
“For all His ways are justice”
Absolutely “all” of YaHWeH’s “ways” are objectively the epitome/embodiment of “justice” itself! God’s decisions are built upon the perfection of His being & thus it is impossible for even one of them to fail.
*God meets fallible man with His perfect judgments intentioning that we will repent of our self-chosen direction, & turn to Him instead.
“All”—lk kol—N.m.—1) All, the whole—1a) All, the whole of, 1b) Any, each, every, anything, 1c) Totality, everything. Strong—properly--The whole; hence, All, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense).
“Ways”—Krd deh'-rek—1) Way, road, distance, journey, manner1a) road, way, path, 1b) Journey, 1c) Direction, 1d) Manner, habit, way, 1e) Of course of life (fig.), 1f) Of moral character (fig.). Strong—A road(as trodden); figuratively--A course of life or mode of action, often adverb.
“Justice/Judgment”—jpvm mish-pawt'—N. m.—1) Judgment, justice, ordinance—1a) Judgment—1a1) Act of deciding a case, 1a2) Place, court, seat of judgment, 1a3) Process, procedure, litigation (before judges), 1a4) Case, cause (presented for judgment), 1a5) Sentence, decision (of judgment), 1a6) Execution (of judgment), 1a7) Time (of judgment); 1b) Justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man), 1c) Ordinance, 1d) Decision (in law), 1e) Right, privilege, due (legal), 1f) Proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan. Strong—properly--A verdict(favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or [participant's] divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, & the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege(statutory or customary), or even a style.
“A God of truth & without injustice”
“Truth” resides in Israel’s “God,” YaHWeH. It is impossible for God to lie(Heb. 6:17-18) & thus “injustice” cannot be found in Him.
“God”—la 'el—1) god, god-like one, mighty one—1a) Mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes, 1b) Angels, 1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations), 1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah; 2) Mighty things in nature; 3) Strength, power. Strong—Strength; as adjective--Mighty; especially the Almighty(but used also of any deity).
“Truth/Faithfulness”—hnwma em-oo-naw'—N. f.—1) Firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness. Strong—literally--Firmness; figuratively--Security; morally fidelity. Used 49X.
“Without/Does no”—Nya 'ayin—1) Nothing, not, nought. Strong—from a primitive root meaning To be nothing or not exist; A non-entity; generally used as a negative particle.
“Injustice/Iniquity/Wrong”—lwe eh'-vel or lwe aw'-vel—1) Injustice, unrighteousness, wrong—1a) Violent deeds of injustice, 1b) Injustice (of speech), 1c) Injustice (generally). Strong—(moral)evil.
“Righteous & upright is He”
Because of the above fact, Israel’s God YaHWeH is both “righteous” & “upright.” His decisions are entirely “right.”
He is likewise, straight up in His dealings, with no possibility of crookedness, deception(2Sam. 22:26-27) nor shadow of turning(Js.1:17).
Israel has within their choice of access, the God who is the fundamental & ultimate asset of all mankind!
“Righteous/Just”—qydu tsaddiyq'—Adj.—1) Just, lawful, righteous—1a) Just, righteous (in government), 1b) Just, right (in one's cause), 1c) Just, righteous (in conduct & character), 1d) Righteous (as justified & vindicated by God), 1e) Right, correct, lawful.
“Upright/Right/Just”—rvy yaw-shawr'—1) Straight, upright, correct, right—1a) straight, level, 1b) Right, pleasing, correct, 1c) Straightforward, just, upright, fitting, proper, 1d) Uprightness, righteous, upright, 1e) That which is upright (subst). Strong—Straight (literally or figuratively).
Our God is a God of Noble & virtuous Character.
Argumentation:
Js. 1:17—“Every good gift & every perfect gift is from above, & comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
Lk. 11:9-13—““So I say to you, ask, & it will be given to you; seek, & you will find; knock, & it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, & he who seeks finds, & to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!””
The precious gift of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is a gift of love granted by our heavenly Father!
Rom. 1:16-20—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first & also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power & Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”
Heb. 13:5-6—“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?””
Rom. 8:28-32—“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; & whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
Deut. 33:27—“The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’”
Ps. 18:1-3—“<
Jude 24-25—“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory & majesty, Dominion & power, Both now & forever. Amen.”
His Character is such that He is entirely & uniquely deserving of our desire for His receipt of these things!
Rom. 5:1-5—“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, & rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; & perseverance, character; & character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Jn. 1:14—“And the Word became flesh & dwelt among us, & we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace & truth.”
Illustration:
Pool floats/We leave them so we can watch the wind blow them around/But recently we had to throw some beach balls & noodles away...Why?!/Because the Character or Attributes changed dramatically!—No longer float or hold air_no fun!/His CHARACTER
Application:
?Have you considered the CHARACTER of the Rock of Ages?
?Have you sought the Rock of Ages?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Value of Gold— $1,566.90 per ~1.1oz.
Action:
A pursuit of the Rock of Ages considers...
1. His NAME(:3)
2. His CHARACTER(:4)
3. His PURPOSE(:15, 18)
Presented 06/24/2012am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
