Text: Psalm 139:16
Theme: “You saw my unformed body”
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am happy that the Lord has given me the opportunity to preach this morning on the theme ‘the foreknowledge of God’ under that broad theme we were meditating on various perspectives. Today let us understand the greatness of our Creator God.
This sermon has three major sub-themes and some minor themes to understand very clearly.
A. I am not a product of Evolution
B. I am product of Eternal Determination
C. I am proud of my being as Human
A. I am not a product of Evolution
Naturalist Charles Darwin in his book "On the Origin of Species"(1859) wrote about organisms change over the times as a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioural traits. Evolution took place by three ways, such as, divergent, convergent and parallel. However, I don’t want to degrade myself to a monkey or donkey. I am dignified human being. I wouldn’t approve somebody calling me monkey or an animal. I was not born out of animals, and I am not a product of evolution.
B. I am product of Eternal Determination
Psalm 139:16: Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect (KJV).
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (NIV).
This verse has the words substance, imperfect or unformed. It reminds that how God took the substance and seen it closely and shaped beautifully.
(i) Substance
is ‘shapeless thing’, embryo (Ellicott). It is a mass, a rude mass and entangled, and not unfolded into proper form. Therefore all my members have continuance fashioned (Joseph Benson).
Albert Barnes says that "my substance, yet being imperfect," it’s a single word translated as ??? go^lem. It occurs only in this place: The verb - ??? ga^lam - is found in 2 kings 2:8, where it is used in reference to the mantle of Elijah. Elijah took his mantle, and "wrapped it together". That is, he rolled it up, or he folded it. The noun means that which "is" rolled or wrapped together; that which is folded up, and hence, is applicable to anything folded up or undeveloped; and would thus most aptly denote the embryo, or the fetus, where all the members of the body are as yet folded up, or undeveloped.
(ii) Seen by God
John Hill describes the word seen by God beautifully that the book of God's eternal mind, and his designs, the plan of the human body was drawn, all the parts of it described, and their form, places, and uses fixed, even when as yet not one of them was in actual being; but in due time they are all exactly formed and fashioned according to the model of them in the mind of God; who has as perfect knowledge of them beforehand as if they were written down in a book before him.
(iii) Shaped by God
Three examples can help us to understand about this with our limited knowledge:
Potter and the Clay:
When the clay is kept on the potter’s wheel but the potter has very clear picture of what kind of vessel he wants to make from that lump. While as yet the vessel was upon the wheel the Potter saw it all (Charles Spurgeon).
Architect and Building:
A skillful architect before he builds draws a model, or gives a draught of the building in his book, or upon a table; there he will show you every room and contrivance: in his book are all the parts of the building written, while as yet there are none of them, or before any of them are framed and set up. In allusion to architects and other artisans. Everything is in his mind and comes out beautifully.
Weaver and the Cloth:
One of my friends supplies silk saris to important shops in Chennai and other cities. When I visit him he explained on how he arrives that beautiful design. Only a silk ball is seen at his hands. Then at length arises an unexpected beauty, and an accurate harmony of colors and proportions. Further Adam Clark explains with an illustration of an embroidery work, pattern and carton.
Likewise, the Lord knows not only our substance, but our shape: This is substantial knowledge indeed. The Lord's observation of us is intent and intentional. It’s not hearsay acquaintance, but the knowledge which comes of sight. The Lord's observation of us is intent and intentional, the divine mind discerns all things as clearly and certainly as men perceive by actual eye sight. His is not hearsay acquaintance, but the knowledge which comes of sight.
so, by a method as exact, revere all my members in continuance fashioned, i.e., from the rude embryo or mass they daily received some degree of figuration under the artificer's hands, there at length arises an unexpected beauty, and an accurate harmony of colors and proportions." unformed lump containing all essentials of the human frame, but not yet distinguished or reduced into any form or order; yet the eyes of the Lord see it and all its parts distinctly.
So we can understand that God brings the shapeless mass into the most curious texture of parts, most skillfully interwoven and connected with each other, until it becomes a body harmoniously diversified with all the limbs and lineaments of a man, not one of which at first appeared, that we have eyes, ears, hands, and feet, is all due to the wise and gracious purpose of heaven.
Mathew Henry comments that the God is at work in continuance to fashion all of us; which in due time and by degrees were formed into bones, fleshy sinews. Or, as it is in the margin, what days (and the days in which) they were or should be fashioned; by what steps, in what order and time, each part of the body should receive its proper form. This also was written or appointed by God.
C. I am proud of my being
I am fearfully and wonderfully created by God, God has engraved me in his palms. Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me(Is. 49:15-16). Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm (SS. 8:6). I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts" (Hag. 2:23).
The words "my members" are not in the original. The Hebrew puts "all of them." The reference may be, not to the members of his body, but to his "days". All my "days," or all the periods of my life, were delineated in thy book.
Cambridge Bible commentary narrates that each day of man’s life with all its history was per-determined by the Creator and recorded in His book, before one of them actually was in existence:—a clear expression of the truth that there is an ideal plan of life providentially marked out for every individual. (Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do).
There are four book obviously known to us by reading the scriptures. Those books are:- Psalm 139:16 mention about the ‘Book of formation’. Psalm 56:8 mention the ‘Book of Tears’. Malachi 3:16 mention the ‘Book of Remembrance’ and Revelation 20:12 mentions the ‘Book of Eternal life’. Pulpit commentary puts this understanding as "my life was planned out by God, and settled, before I began to be."
That is, When my substance - my form - was not yet developed, when yet an embryo, and when nothing could be determined from that by the eye of man as to what I was to be, all the future was known to God, and was written down - just what should be my form and vigor; how long I should live; what I should be; what would be the events of my life.
Hence, Abraham Wright comments that self-pride is unnecessary, despising others is undesirable and despising self is uninvited.
First, not to be proud of what we are; all's the work of God. How beautiful or comely, how wise or holy so ever you are, 'its not of yourselves. What hath any man, either in naturals or supernatural, which he hath not received?
Secondly, despise not what others are or have, though they are not such exact pieces, though they have not such excellent endowments as yourselves; yet they are what God hath made them.
Thirdly, despise not what yourselves are. Many are ashamed to be seen as God made them. Many are troubled at small defects in the outward man; few are troubled at the greatest deformities of the inward man: many buy artificial beauty to supply the natural; few spiritual, to supply the defects of the supernatural beauty of the soul.
Conclusion: Let us acknowledge the Creator who created us with a purpose. Come let us work together to appreciate the God’s creation in each other. Never give up because God knows beforehand about you, he has greater purpose. Our responsibility is to build our society and love one another and accept one another.
