Lesson #17 P3

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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

PSAMLS 88
Lesson #17/P3
LIFE AND DEATH QUESTIONS

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 88:1

• SUBTITLE: “A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.”
  • “Sons of Korah”

= the family of sacred musicians.

• “Mahalath Leannoth” =

FLUTES PLAYED IN HUMILIATION AND MOURNING.

• “Maschil”

IN HEBREW MEANS = INSTRUCTION, WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, OR INSIGHT. THEREFORE, THIS IS A PSALM OF INSTRUCTION TO WISDOM.

• “Heman the Ezrahite” =

A FAMILY OF SINGERS (2CHR 5:12)

 

• THIS PSALM IS A PSALM OF GREAT SORROW AND MOURNING. THE ONLY BRIGHTNESS IS THAT GOD IS STILL THERE IN THE MIDST OF DEEP TROUBLES, FOR HE IS THE GOD OF MY SALVATION. (1)
• THERE ARE TIMES IN LIFE WHEN THE DEEP PIT OF TROUBLE SEEMS TO BE SO DEEP THAT THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
• THIS PSALM HAS BEEN APPLIED TO VARIOUS BIBLICAL PERSONS IN DEEP TROUBLE:
  • JOB IN HIS PITIFUL CONDITION OF SICKNESS.
  • KING UZZIAH THAT SUFFERED WITH LEPROSY.
  • JEREMIAH, THE PROPHET, WHO SUFFERED IMPRISONMENT IN A DUNGEON.
  • KING HEZEKIAH, WHEN HE WAS SICK AND TURNED HIS FACE TO THE WALL.
  • AND WE CAN PROPHETICALLY ADD JESUS CHRIST TO THIS LIST.
• IT IS AT TIMES OF DEEP PHYSICAL DISTRESS THAT PEOPLE USUALLY STOP AND THINK ABOUT THEIR ETERNAL DESTINY. THIS PSALM IS CONCERNED WITH ASKING THESE KINDS OF QUESTIONS ON FACING DEATH.

• READ PSA 88:1-18
  • THE CONTENTS OF THE PRAYER THAT REVEAL THE AUTHOR’S SITUATION:
    • THE CONTINUAL CRY TO GOD DAY AND NIGHT. (1)
    • THIS AUTHOR IS ON THE EDGE OF DEATH. (3, 15)

 

• “…them that go down into the pit…”

 

(4)
• THE PIT IS SHEOL OR HADES WHICH WAS THE PLACE OF THE DEAD.
  • IN THE TIME OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHEN A PERSON DIED, HE WENT TO SHEOL OR HADES WHICH HAD TWO CHAMBERS.
    • IF HE WAS A NON-BELIEVER, HE WENT TO THE CHAMBER CALLED “TORMENT”.
    • IF HE WAS A BELIEVER, HE WENT TO THE CHAMBER CALLED “ABRAHAM’S BOSOM”.
  • ALL THOSE WHO DIED AND WENT TO SHEOL, WHETHER BELIEVER OR NON-BELIEVER, WAITED FOR THE FINAL RESURRECTION AND JUDGEMENT.
• READ LUK 16:19-31 THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
  • THIS STORY SHOWS US THESE TWO CHAMBERS OF “TORMENT” AND “ABRAHAM’S BOSOM” THAT WERE SITUATED SIDE BY SIDE IN THE TIME OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
  • LAZARUS IS THIS STORY IS NOT THE LAZARUS THAT JESUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
  • AT THE TIME BETWEEN THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE RESURRECTION, JESUS CHRIST MOVED ABRAHAM’S BOSOM AND ALL THE DEAD BELIEVERS TO HEAVEN AND CALLED THE NEW PLACE IN HEAVEN “PARADISE”. (EPH 4:8-10 LUK 23:43)
• READ EPH 4:8-10
  • THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT JESUS CHRIST WENT TO THIS PLACE AFTER HIS CRUCIFIXION AND BURIAL.
  • THEREFORE, THIS PSALM COULD PROPHETICALLY RELATE TO CHRIST IN THIS WAY.
    • IF THIS TRULY RELATES TO CHRIST, VERSES 4-7 ARE HIS EXPERIENCES IN SHEOL OR HADES.
    • READ 1PET 3:18-20
      • JESUS WENT TO THE “TORMENT” SIDE BEING “FREE” (PSA 88:5) AND NOT BOUND TO STAY THERE.
      • HE PREACHED TO THE DEAD NON-BELIEVERS WHO WERE “CUT OFF FROM GOD’S HAND” (PSA 88:5) IN THE GREAT FLOOD OF NOAH’S DAY.
        • IT WAS NOT TO GIVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE, FOR THERE ARE NO SECOND CHANCES. THIS LIFE IS THE ONLY CHANCE MAN GETS TO SURRENDER HIS HEART TO JESUS CHRIST.
        • INSTEAD IT WAS TO PROVE TO THEM THAT THEY WERE WITHOUT EXCUSE. THEY SHOULD HAVE BELIEVED NOAH’S PREACHING.

 

• “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and

thou hast afflicted me with all they waves, Selah.”

 

(7)
• ON WHAT MUST THE NON-BELIEVER CONTEMPLATE ACCORDING TO THE “SELAH” IN VERSE 7?
  • THIS IS THE CONDITION OF THE DEAD NON-BELIEVER WHO LIES IN TORMENT.
  • BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST TOOK OUR SINS UPON HIS OWN BODY AND BORE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN WHICH IS DEATH, HE WENT TO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT FOR US.
  • HOW MARVELOUS THAT THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST THAT HAS SURRENDERED HIS LIFE TO CHRIST, WILL BE SPARED THIS AWFUL PLACE. INSTEAD THE BELIEVER WILL IMMEDIATELY GO TO PARADISE IN HEAVEN TO BE WITH THE LORD WHEN HE DIES.

 

• “Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.”

 

(8)
• THE NON-BELIEVER IS LEFT THERE IN TORMENT WITHOUT HOPE WAITING FOR THE FINAL RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE.

 

• “Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.”

 

(10)
• WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THE SECOND QUESTION IN VERSE 10?
  • THE ANSWER IS YES, THE DEAD SHALL ARISE. THE NON-BELIEVER WILL BE RESURRECTED TO STAND BEFORE GOD IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT.
    • READ REV 20:11-15
  • THE ANSWER IS YES. THOSE WHO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR WILL BE RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD AND BE GIVEN A NEW INCORRUPTIBLE BODY FOR ETERNAL LIFE. (1COR 15)
• HOWEVER, IT WILL BE ONLY THE BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST THAT WILL PRAISE GOD. YES, THE NON-BELIEVERS WILL BEND THE KNEE AND BOW TO HIM BUT THEY WILL NOT GIVE HIM JOYFUL PRAISE. (ROM 14:11)
• EVERY HUMAN SHOULD STOP AND THINK ABOUT HIS ETERNAL DESTINY. THIS IS WHY THERE IS A “SELAH” AT THE END OF VERSE 10.

 

• “Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? “

 

(11)
• WHEN JESUS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AFTER HIS CRUCIFIXION, THERE WERE MANY WHO WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
• THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE PROOF OF THE COMING RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS TO ETERNAL LIFE.
  • GOD IS LOVE AND PROMISED TO EXTEND MERCY TO THOSE THAT TRUST IN CHRIST.
  • GOD’S LOVE SENT JESUS CHRIST TO THIS EARTH TO CARRY OUR SINS ON THE CROSS.
  • GOD FAITHFULNESS TO HIS CRUCIFIED SON, JESUS CHRIST, IS PROOF THAT HE WILL BE FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE FOR BELIEVERS.
• QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
  • THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS ASKED IN THIS PSALM THAT EVERY HUMAN SHOULD ASK AND CONTEMPLATE THE ANSWERS BEFORE HIS DEATH:
    • =1= “Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead?” (10)
      • YES, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (JOH 11:25)
    • =2= “Shall the dead arise and praise thee?” (10)
      • YES, “And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” (REV 19:5)
    • =3= “Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave?” (11)
      • YES, “… now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1COR 15:20)

 

• =

 

4=

“…or thy faithfulness in destruction?”

(11)
• YES, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:” (1COR 15:42)
• =5=” Shall thy wonders be known in the dark” (12)
  • YES, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” (JOH 1:4, 7)
• =6= “…and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (12)
  • YES, “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (ACT 17:31)
• =7= “LORD, why castest thou off my soul?” (14)

 

• “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

 

(1COR 15:22)
• ONLY THE NON-BELIEVER WILL EXPERIENCE ETERNAL DEATH AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
• =8=”…why hidest thou thy face from me?” (14)
  • TO THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST, “… he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (HEB 13:5b) THE NON-BELIVER HAS NO SUCH PROMISE.

 

• “Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.”

 

(18)
• DEATH DIVIDES:
  • IT DIVIDES THE LIVING FROM THE DEAD.
  • IT DIVIDES BELIEVERS FROM NON-BELIEVERS.
  • IT SEPARATES FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.
• APPLICATION:
  • EVERY HUMAN HAS A SOUL WORTH SAVING. JESUS CHRIST CAME TO THIS EARTH TO DO JUST THAT.
  • BELIEF IN CHRIST’S SACRIFICE FOR YOUR SINS ON THE CROSS. IN HIS RESURRECTION THAT PROMISES ETERNAL LIFE, AND RECEIVING HIM INTO YOUR HEART WILL PUT YOU INTO HIS FAMILY OF BELIEVERS AND GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE WITH GOD.
  • IT IS YOUR DECISION TO MAKE WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY.

HOMEWORK
PSALMS 89
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• APPLICATION OF PSA 88
  • WRITE YOUR DECISION FOR OR AGAINST JESUS CHRIST HERE.

 

• PREPARATION FOR PSA 89
• READ PSA 89:1-52
  • JESUS CHRIST IS THE “FIRSTBORN”. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU FIND CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST?

MEMORY VERSE: PSA 89:52