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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 15 AND 16
LESSON #10
THOSE WORTHY TO ENTER THE KINGDOM;
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 16:11
IN THIS SECTION OF THE PSALMS (9-15) WE HAVE SEEN THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OFUNGODLINESS. WE HAVE DISCUSSED HOW THIS IS PRIMARILY A CONDITION OF THE LAST DAYS ANDSPECIFICALLY A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
PSALMS 9 AND 10 = A PICTURE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST
PSALM 11 = TESTING OF THE RIGHTEOUS
PSALM 12 = THE GODLY MAN IN THE MIDST OF UNGODLINESS
PSALM 13 = GODS PEOPLE IN THE TRIBULATION
PSALM 14 = THE DEPRAVITY OF MAN IN THE LAST DAYS
PSALM 15 = THE RIGHTEOUS WHO WILL ENTER GODS KINGDOM
READ PSA 15:1-5 IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
THIS PSALM WAS SUNG BY THE JEWS AS THEY WALKED TO JERUSALEM ON THEIR WAY TO THE FEAST DAYCELEBRATIONS OF GOD. IT WAS WRITTEN BY DAVID.
THE PRIMARY AND PROPHETIC INTERPRETATIONS:
AFTER THE PREVIOUS PSALMS OF UNGODLINESS, THIS PSALM BEGINS WITH 2 QUESTIONS. IT SEEMS ASTHOUGH THERE IS NOTHING BUT UNGODLINESS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, AND YET DAVID KNOWS THAT GODIS HOLY. THEREFORE, THE QUESTION IS, “IS ANYONE WORTHY TO ENTER GODSKINGDOM?” “WHO SHALL ABIDE IN THY TABERNACLE? WHO SHALL DWELL IN THY HOLYHILL?” THE “HOLY HILL” IS ZION OR JERUSALEM.
READ REV 21:1-8
THE PSALM PROCEEDS TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BY GIVING US A LIST OF THOSE WORTHY TO ENTERHIS KINGDOM.
GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF LIVING:
1. THE PERSON WHO WALKS UPRIGHTLY.(2)
HE LIVES A LIFE ACCORDING TO GODS STANDARDS.
SOCIAL VIRTUES:
2. HE DOES GOOD DEEDS (2)
3. HE SPEAKS THE TRUTH IN HIS HEART. (2)
IN OTHER WORDS HE DOES NOT DECEIVE HIMSELF TO JUSTIFY HIS SINS.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
4.. THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT GOSSIP, SLANDER, OR TELL LIES.(3)
5. HE DOES NOT DO EVIL THINGS AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE. (3)
6. HE DOES NOT BEAR A GRUDGE AGAINST ANOTHER PERSON. (3)
RELIGIOUS CHARACTER BY CONTRAST:
7. THE PERSON WHO HATES EVIL AND DOES NOT GIVE HONOR TO THOSE WHO PRACTICE EVIL.. (4)
8. HE HONORS GODLY PEOPLE (4)
9. HE KEEPS HIS WORD EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL TO HIM. (4)
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS:
10. THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT TAKE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND DOES NOT TAKEBRIBES. (5)
IN COMPARISON TO THIS LIST, CAN YOU HONESTLY SAY THAT YOUR LIFE MAKES YOU WORTHY TO ENTERGODS KINGDOM?
THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUSLY NO. WE ALL FALL FAR SHORT OF GODS GLORIOUS STANDARD.
HOWEVER, THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL BE THERE. HOW DO YOU GET THERE?
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST THAT WASHES YOU OF YOUR SINS AND MAKES YOU RIGHTEOUS.
IF WE CANNOT LIVE UP TO GODS STANDARD, WHY DOES GOD TELL US HIS STANDARD HERE? WHYDOES HE NOT SIMPLY TELL US TO RECEIVE HIS SON?
1. WE HAVE TO COME TO REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT LIVE UP TO GODS STANDARD. WHEN WE DOTHAT, WE WILL THROW OURSELVES AT GODS FEET AND BEG FOR MERCY. THEN WE WILL BE IN APOSITION TO RECEIVE GODS ANSWER TO OUR MORAL DILEMMA. GODS ANSWER IS JESUSCHRIST.
IF WE DID NOT KNOW GODS STANDARD, WE WOULD NEVER BE AWARE OF OUR SHORT COMINGS. IFWE ARE NOT AWARE OF OUR NEED, WE HAVE NO REASON TO INVITE JESUS INTO OUR LIVES.
2. WHEN WE RECEIVE JESUS IN OUR HEARTS, WE MUST BEGIN TO LIVE THE WAY GOD WANTS US TOLIVE.
READ JAMES 2:14-20
TO LIVE ACCORDING TO GODS STANDARD IS THE WORKS THAT WE DO IN RESPONSE TO OUR FAITHIN HIM. WE NEED TO KNOW GODS STANDARD SO WE KNOW HOW WE SHOULD LIVE AFTER WE BECOMECHRISTIANS.
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
NOTICE THAT THERE ARE 10 ITEMS ON OUR LIST. THERE ARE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN EXODUS. THENUMBER 10 IS A SYMBOLIC NUMBER FOR GODS STANDARD.
LETS GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS LIST. IT TELLS US WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO GOD. MANY TIMESCHRISTIANS THINK THAT WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO GOD IS HOW THEY ACT AT CHURCH.
WORSHIP, PRAYER, TITHING, BIBLE STUDY, ETC.
THIS LIST CONTAINS NONE OF THESE THINGS. IT IS ONLY ABOUT HOW WE LIVE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.WE NEED TO TAKE MORE SERIOUSLY HOW WE TREAT OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR PERSONAL EVERY DAY LIVES.
READ PSA 16:1-11 A MESSIANIC PSALM: THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
PSALM 16 BEGINS ANOTHER SECTION OF PSALMS.
THE THEME OF PSALMS 16-24 IS CHRIST AND THE FAITHFUL REMNANT.
THIS IS A MESSIANIC PSALM. IT TELLS US ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH. IT HAS A TITLE,”MICHTAM OF DAVID”.
WHAT IS “MICHTAM”?
MARTIN LUTHER TRANSLATED THIS WORD TO MEAN = “A GOLDEN JEWEL”.
THERE ARE OTHER PSALMS WITH THIS TITLE,
PSALMS 56-60. THESE PSALMS HAVE AS A THEME EITHER DELIVERANCE OR DENUNCIATION.
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:
THERE WERE MANY TIMES IN DAVIDS LIFE THAT HE LIVED CLOSE TO DEATH: WHEN HE PROTECTEDHIS SHEEP FROM WILD ANIMALS, WHEN HE FOUGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD AGAINST GOLIATH AND OTHERFOREIGN ARMIES, WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, AND WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM,
DAVIDS PRAYER IN VERSE 1 IS THAT GOD PROTECT HIM. HE HAS PUT HIS FAITH IN GOD, ANDTHEREFORE, ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE, HE IS SPECIAL.
THIS IDEA CONTINUES THROUGH THE WHOLE PSALM.
A STATEMENT OF FAITH: (2)
DAVID TALKS TO HIMSELF IN FAITH OUT LOUD. HE SAYS,
1. YOU ARE MY GOD AND APART FROM YOU I HAVE NOTHING GOOD. (2)
2. ALL MY JOY AND DELIGHT IS IN THOSE WHO ALSO BELIEVE IN YOU. (3)
3. THE LORD IS THE BEST INHERITANCE A PERSON CAN RECEIVE. (5-6)
THE LORD IS MY PORTION AND MY CUP.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE 2 WORDS.
MY PORTION = THAT WHICH AUTOMATICALLY BELONGS TO ME WHETHER I USE IT OR NOT.
MY CUP = THAT WHICH I HAVE GAINED AND MADE MY OWN BY USING IT.
“THE PORTION OF MINE INHERITANCE…THOU MAINTAINEST MY LOT”
THIS REFERS TO THE LAND THAT BY GRACE WAS GIVEN TO EACH TRIBE BY CASTING LOTS. (THE BOOKOF JOSHUA)
DAVIDS DETERMINATION: (7-8)
1. HE MAKES A DECISION TO BLESS THE LORD. (7)
USUALLY WE THINK ABOUT THE LORD BLESSING US. WE NEVER THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BLESS THELORD.
WE OFTEN DISCOVER DAVID SAYING THIS IN THE PSALMS.
THE WORD “BLESS” MEANS = TO SPEAK WELL OF, TO MAGNIFY A PERSONS NAME.
DISCUSSION HOW CAN WE BLESS THE LORD?
2. HE KEEPS THE LORD IN MIND EVERY MINUTE OF HIS LIFE. (8)
THE RESULTS OF BLESSING THE LORD: (7-11)
1. GOD WILL GIVE YOU WISDOM WHEN YOU GO THROUGH PROBLEMS (7)
2. GOD WILL ALWAYS BE AT YOUR RIGHT HAND. (8)
3. GOD WILL KEEP YOU FIRM IN THE FAITH. (8)
YOU WILL NOT BE A YO-YO CHRISTIAN.
4. YOU WILL HAVE JOY IN YOUR LIFE. (9,11)
5. YOU WILL REST IN THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION AND THE BLESSINGS OF ETERNAL LIFE. (9-11)
THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
THIS PSALM IS CALLED THE RESURRECTION PSALM BECAUSE IT TELLS US ABOUT THE DEATH, BURIAL,RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST.
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS PSALM REFERS TO JESUS?
READ ACTS 2:25-36
TWO TIMES PETER QUOTES FROM PSALMS TO TELL THE PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS RESURRECTION.
ACTS 2 25-28 QUOTES PSA 16:8-11
ACTS 2:34 QUOTES PSA 110:1
PETERS ARGUMENT IS THAT BECAUSE DAVIDS BODY DECAYED IN THE GRAVE, DAVID DIDNOT FULFILL THOSE VERSES IN PSALM 16. JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED THEM WHEN HE RAISED FROM THEDEAD.
PSALMS 16:8 REFERS TO THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST.
PSALMS 16:9 REFERS TO THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
PSALMS 16:10 REFERS TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
PSALMS 16:11 REFERS TO THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST.
WHAT DOES THIS CHAPTER TELL YOU ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST?
1. HE KNEW THAT GOD WOULD RAISE HIM FROM THE DEAD ACCORDING TO THIS PSALM.
2. HIS BODY DID NOT ROT IN THE GRAVE.
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
CAN YOU HONESTLY SAY THE THINGS DAVID SAID IN PSALM 15 ?
1. YOU ARE MY GOD AND APART FROM YOU I HAVE NOTHING GOOD.
2. ALL MY JOY AND DELIGHT IS IN THOSE WHO ALSO BELIEVE IN YOU.
3. THE LORD IS THE BEST INHERITANCE A PERSON CAN RECEIVE.
IDOLATERS CANNOT SAY THESE THINGS. (4) THE PERSON WHO PUTS SOMETHING ELSE IN PLACE OF GODIS AN IDOLATER. HE WILL EXPERIENCE SORROWS INSTEAD OF BLESSINGS.
BECAUSE THE LORD IS THE BEST INHERITANCE THAT YOU CAN HAVE, YOU WILL ALSO BE RAISED FROMTHE DEAD. PRAISE GOD!
READ 1COR 15:20-24
HOMEWORK
PSALMS 17
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 15-16
HOW ARE YOUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARD GOD DIFFERENT THAN DAVIDS?
PREPARATION FOR PSA 17
READ PSA 17:1-15
WHAT DOES DAVID SAY ABOUT GOD?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 17:8
