Lesson #07/P3

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PSALMS 78
Lesson #07/P3
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ACCURATE HISTORY

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 78:35

 

• SUBTITLE: “

MASCHIL OF ASAPH”

 

• THE WORD MASCHIL MEANS = INSTRUCTION.
  • THIS PSALM IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL. ITS PURPOSE IS TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION THIS HISTORY.
• ASAPH IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS PSALM.

 

• READ PSA 78:1-3
• GOD INSTRUCTS US TO READ AND LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD THAT TELLS US OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR HIS PEOPLE.

 

• “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: “

 

(2)
• PROPHETICALLY THIS REFERS TO JESUS WHO USED PARABLES TO TEACH THE DEPTHS OF THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S KINGDOM.
  • IN THE SAME WAY, PARENTS SHOULD USE LIFE EXPERINECES TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN GOD’S PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE.
• THE PHRASE, “DARK SAYINGS” REFERS TO THEIR DEPTH AND NOT TO THEIR SPIRITUAL LEVEL OF LIGHT.

 

• “Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us

 

.” (3)
• THERE IS NOTHING NEW HERE FOR THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY JEWISH FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS. BUT THE AUTHOR IS MOVED TO ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO TEACH THE TRUE HISTORY OF MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.
• READ PSA 78:4-8 A TESTIMONY IN JACOB

• GOD DOES NOT WANT HIS WORKS HIDDEN OR FORGOTTEN. HE BEGINS WITH JACOB.
  • JACOB WAS THE SON OF ISAAC. HE WAS AMBITIOUS AND REBELLIOUS. HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WOULD BENFIT HIS OWN WEALTH AND POSITION EVEN IF IT DISADVANTAGED OF OTHER PEOPLE.
    • WHENEVER GOD SPOKE OF THE ISRAELITES AS STUBBORN AND REBELLIOUS, HE CALLED THEM “JACOB”.
• THE TESTIMONY IN JACOB IS THAT GOD FINALLY TOUCHED JACOB’S HEART AND CHANGED HIS LIFE. IT IS THROUGH JACOB THAT GOD BEGAN TO WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE. HE CHANGED JACOB’S NAME TO ISRAEL AND CALLED HIS PEOPLE THE ISRAELITES.
• GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE TESTIMONY IN JACOB IS FOUND IN VERSE 7:

 

• “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

 

• THIS IS THE PURPOSE FOR LEARNING ISRAEL’S HISTORY OF GOD’S DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE.
• READ PSA 78:9-11 THE CHILDREN OF EPHRAIM THAT KEPT NOT THE COVENANT

• THIS SITUATION IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT IN SCRIPTURE BUT MAY REFER TO ISRAEL IN GENERAL BECAUSE THIS TRIBE WAS GUILTY OF CONSTANT COMPLAINT, CONTENTION, AND DIVISION AND IS THEREFORE USED TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AS A WHOLE.
• READ PSA 78:12-31 ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS

• GOD’S MIRACLES AND PROVISION WERE GREATEST IN BRINGINS HIS PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT AND IN TAKING THEM THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. HE MENTIONS THE MIRACULOUS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WILDERNESS HISTORY:
  • THE OPENING OF THE RED SEA.
  • GOD’S GUIDANCE BY A CLOUD BY DAY AND A PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT.
  • THE WATER THAT CAME FROM THE ROCK.
  • THE PROVISION OF MANNA.
  • THE PROVISION OF QUAIL.
• INSPITE OF THESE MIRACLES OF GOD’S POWER THAT BENEFITTED HIS PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE SINNED MORE AGAINST GOD (17)
  • THEY TEMPTED GOD (18)
  • THEY SPOKE AGAINST GOD (19) LIMITING GOD IN HIS POWER.
  • “….

they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation”

(22)
• THEY PRESUMED UPON THE GOODNESS OF GOD AND DID NOT CURB THEIR LUST.

 

• “They were not estranged from their lust”

 

(30)
• AS A RESULT, GOD HAD TO PUNISH THEM FOR THEIR SINS.
• READ PSA 78:32-40 THE NATURE OF THE FLESH

• THE ISRAELITES LIVED IN WHAT WE CALL THE “FLESH NATURE”. HUMAN NATURE BEING WHAT IT IS, WE SEE IN ISRAEL THE CYLCE OF EVERY MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD:
  • A LACK OF BELIEF IN GOD RESTULTS IN SIN (32)
  • IN SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SIN, THEY CALL OUT TO GOD FOR HELP. (34) BECAUSE THEY REMEMBERED THAT GOD HAD ONCE HELPED THEM. (35)
  • THEIR LOVE AND DEVOTION WAS NOT SINCERE BECAUSE THE MOTIVE WAS SELFISH. (36-37)
  • THEY FAILED THE TEST OF OBEDIENCE WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN PROOF OF THEIR LOVE. (37) BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIVE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOISES, THEY BROKE THE COVENANT.
  • BUT GOD IN HIS MERCY CAME TO THEIR AID WHEN THEY CALLED UPON HIM. (38)
    • THIS DEMONSTRATES GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS TO HIS SIDE OF THE COVENANT.
    • THIS DEMONSTRATES THAT GOD KNOWS THE FLESH NATURE IS ALWAYS UNSTABLE AND TOO WEAK TO LIVE UP TO GOD’S EXPECTATIONS. (39)
• READ PSA 78:41-54 THE UNLIMITED POWER OF GOD IN EGYPT

• SOME OF ISRAEL’S GREATEST MIRACLES OF GOD’S POWER OCCURRED IN EGYPT AGAINST PHAROAH AND THE GOD’S OF EGYPT.
  • ASAPH MENTIONS SOME OF THE PLAGUES IN EGYPT:
    • THE WATERS TURNED TO BLOOD
    • THE PLAGUES OF FLIES, FROGS, CATERPILLARS, AND LOCUST.
    • THE PLAGUES OF HAIL, WIND, LIGHTNING, EVIL ANGELS, AND PESTILENCE.
    • THE PLAGUE OF THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN.
  • HE MENTIONS THE DESTRUCTION OF PHAROAH’S ARMY IN THE RED SEA.
• READ PSA 78:55-67 IN THE PROMISED LAND

• GOD MIRACULOUSLY GAVE HIS PEOPLE THE PROMISED LAND AS AN INHERITANCE AND BY DIVIDING THE LAND AMONG THE 12 TRIBES.
  • HE GAVE THEM VICTORY OVER THEIR ENEMIES.
  • HOWEVER,THEY TEMPTED AND PROVOKED GOD LIKE THE PREVIOUS GENERATION THAT DIED IN THE WILDERNESS. (57)
    • IN OTHER WORDS THEY DID NOT LEARN FROM THEIR HISTORY.
• IN THE PROMISED LAND, THEY BEGAN TO WORSHIP IDOLS. (58)
  • THIS IDOLATRY PROVOKED GOD’S ANGER BECAUSE EVENTUALLY HE WOULD HAVE TO PUNISH THEM.

 

• “…he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh.”

 

(60)
• THE TABERNACLE IS WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE DWELT AMONG HIS PEOPLE. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN IDOLS, GOD’S PRESENCE HAD TO LEAVE.
• WITHOUT GOD’S PRESENCE THE PEOPLE WERE WEAK AND FELL UNDER THE POWER OF THEIR ENEMIES. (61-62)
• THE ENEMY DESTROYED THE STRENGTH OF ISRAEL IN EVERY LEVEL OF THEIR CULTURE. (63-64)
• HOWEVER, GOD WOULD NOT PERMIT THE ENEMY TO TOTALLY DESTROY HIS PEOPLE. HE STRENGTHENED ISRAEL AND BLESSED THEM IN THE TIMES OF THE KINGS.(65)
• READ ISA 78:68-72 DAVID AND THE PERPETUAL PROMISE

• GOD CHOSE THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND KING DAVID TO BE THE REPOSITORY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL.(68)
• GOD ESTABLISHED MOUNT ZION IN JERUSALEM TO BE THE LOCATION OF HIS PERPETUAL TEMPLE.

 

• “…guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.”

 

• THROUGH ALL OF ISRAEL’S REBELLION OVER THE CENTURIES, GOD HAS TAKEN THEM THROUGH TIMES OF CHASTISEMENT AND TIMES OF BLESSING. IN HIS PERFECT WISDOM AND POWER, HE KNOWS THE LEVEL OF PRESSURE TO PUT UPON THEM SO AS TO PREVENT THEIR ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION. HE WILL CONTINUE TO PRESERVE THEM BY HIS SKILLFULNESS SO AS TO FINALLY BRING THEM TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST AT HIS SECOND COMING. IN THIS WAY, HE WILL FINALLY FULFILL ALL HIS PROMISES OF BLESSING.
• REVIEW:

• ISRAEL’S SINS AGAINST GOD WERE:
  • PROVOCATION: THEY PROVOKED GOD TO JEALOUSY
  • TEMPT: THEY TEMPTED GOD TO GIVE THEM WHAT WAS NOT IN HIS WILL.
  • THEY SPOKE AGAINST GOD.
  • THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IN GOD OR IN HIS PROMISES.
  • THEIR HEART WAS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD BECAUSE OF THEIR HYPOCRISY.
  • THEY DID NOT DEMONSTRATE LOVE BY THEIR OBEDIENCE TO HIS COVENANTS.
  • THEY GRIEVED GOD BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BLESS THEM AND COULDN’T.
    • THE THINGS THAT GRIEVE GOD ARE THESE:
      • WHEN WE DENY HIM OUR FELLOWSHIP.
      • WHEN WE DENY HIM THE LORDSHIP OF OUR LIFE.
      • WHEN WE NEGLECT TO SERVE HIM.
      • WHEN WE DENY HIM THE OPORTUNITY TO CONFORM US TO CHRIST’S NATURE.
      • WHEN WE DENY EXPRESSING HIS LOVE THROUGH US.
      • WHEN WE DENY HIM ACCESS TO OUR LIVES THAT HE PURCHASED.
      • WHEN WE DENY HIM THE PLEASURE OF BLESSING US BECAUSE OF OUR REBELLION.
  • THEY LIMITED GOD’S POWER BY THEIR LACK OF FAITH.
  • THEY DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAD DONE FOR THEM IN THE PAST.
• APPLICATION:

• THE BELIEVER IS RESPONSIBLE TO TEACH GOD TO FOUR GENERATIONS (5-6)
  • WHAT IS THAT WE MUST TEACH? (7)
    • WE MUST TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO SET THEIR HOPE IN GOD.
    • WE MUST REMIND THEM OF GOD’S PAST WORKS.
    • WE MUST TEACH THEM OBEDIENCE TO GOD BY WORD OF MOUTH AND BY OUR ACTIONS.
• WHAT PRINCIPLES GIVE US INSTRUCTION IN DIRECTING OUR CHILDREN TO GOD?
  • GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IS THE MODEL THAT PARENTS SHOULD USE WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE WE SEE THROUGHOUT ISRAEL’S HISTORY.
  • PARENTS SHOULD KEEP THEIR PROMISES TO THEIR CHILDREN FOR GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES TO US.
  • PARENTS SHOULD USE THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN TO DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE THE SINS GET TOO BIG.
  • PARENTS SHOULD KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN THE SAME WAY THAT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US.
  • PARENTS SHOULD TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE.
  • PARENTS SHOULD TEACH THEIR CHILDREN THE TRUE HISTORY OF HOW GOD ESTABLISHED THE UNITED STATES ON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.
  • PARENTS SHOULD TEACH THEIR CHILDREN WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THEIR LIVES PERSONALLY AND HOW GOD GUIDES THEIR LIVES.

HOMEWORK
PSALMS 79
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Psa 78
  • What is your plan this week for sharing God’s truths with your children, your grandchildren, or your great grandchildren?
• Preparation of Psa 79
  • Read Psa 79:1-13
    • What in this prayer can be of help to a person in deep problems?
• Memory Verse: Psa 79:9