Psalm 19 God's Revelation

Title: Psalm 19 Scripture: Psalm 19

Type: Expository series Where: GNBC 8-30-20

Intro: The late Bill Klem was one of MLB’s best-known umpires. When he stood behind the plate, he was in charge of everything that mattered. He was the unquestioned authority; you didn’t challenge his word. He had a way of looking contentious managers straight in the eye and backing them right into the dugout. On one occasion, in the 9th of a critical game. The batter hit the ball to left field and the runner on third broke for the plate with the potential winning run. The catcher crouched to make the tag. There was a fierce collision with the catcher, the runner, and the umpire all knocked to the ground. Everyone eagerly awaited the decision. In one dugout the players were screaming, “He’s safe! He’s safe!” In the other dugout they yelled, “He’s out! He’s out!” The fans were in a divided uproar. In the midst of the noise and confusion, Bill Klem stood up, looked directly into the stands, raised his fist and exclaimed, “He ain’t nothin’ ‘til I’ve called it!” Klem was the authority and nobody was going to take that away from him! (From Stephen J Cole, God’s Revelation/Our Response). We live in a day and age of absolute moral confusion. Opposing voices scream, “This is the way you should live.” Supposed experts: philosophers, politicians, educators, social workers, doctors, psychiatrists, and not a few pastors tell us how they think we should live. However, at the end of the day, most of their ruminations are simply speculation. We don’t need more speculation. We need a sure word. We need trustworthy truth. Where do we find such a guiding light? If the sovereign God of the universe has spoken, and He has called it as He sees it, then it really doesn’t matter what opposing sides are screaming. We are to set aside our opinions and submit to His decision.

Prop: Examining Ps. 19 we’ll better understand and appreciate God’s revelation to mankind.

BG: 1. “Revelation” speaking of is not the final book of the Bible, but rather, “revelation” is the supernatural communication of truth to the mind.

2. In Psalm 19 we see that God has two divisions of revelation: General/Natural, Special/Specific

3. Again, today, another Psalm of King David.

Prop: Exam. w/me Ps. 19 as we better understand and appreciate God’s revelation to mankind.

I. King David Highlights Natural/General Revelation in vv. 1-7.

A. By Definition Natural/General Revelation is Visible to All People.

1. What is General Revelation?

a. God’s general Revelation is God’s communication of Himself to all persons at all times and in all places. (M. Erickson, p.153). Three of the most important passages to consider are Romans 1&2; and of course here in Psalm 19.

King David, begins this, one of the most beautiful of all Psalms with: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Possibly the king is sitting on the roof of his palace on a some cool winter’s night and he is amazed at the beauty of the star-filled heavens. Maybe he saw a glorious sunrise or beautiful sunset.

b. David is making two clear statements in this passage: 1. Vv.1,2,&4 – There is overwhelming evidence for God’s existence as seen in His creation. “glory” is the Hebrew word for “weight or worth”. There is abundant evidence to see the worth of God in His creation. 2. There is no need for a special education to grasp the significance of this evidence. General revelation speaks with a silent witness that everyone is able to hear.

2. General Revelation has a lens w/ 3 main focal points by which we may perceive a general knowledge of God.

a. Illust: I have begun to enter the realm of bifocals. Use bifocals when lost your up close focal point w/ age. Some people need trifocals. Distance, medium, and up close focal points. Well, when consider General Revelation think of it as a pair of tri-focal lens! That lens w/ 3 focal points known as General revelation focuses on: 1. Nature – the amazing and impressive nature of creation. The heavens and stars. The seas. Etc. 2. History – God is at work throughout history. God’s sovereign hand guides the march of history. See the hand of God in great events of history. (British Revivals in 1700’s. Dunkirk evacuation WWII, etc.). 3. The moral conscience of human beings. Humans make moral judgments of right and wrong. Illust: We see an out of control soccer coach screaming at his team of 5 years old kids and think it is not right. Why? Not written in Bible. “Thou shall not scream while coaching 5 yrs. old.” Man has the image of God placed w/in him/her at creation. Although fallen and marred, we get this sense of “oughtness” from that image. We of all the creatures are religious. Where does that idea come from? The indwelling image of God.