The One who's always been makes you one who will always be. Gospels: Week 1 - Jesus' Incarnation and Birth We begin the New Testament by, of course, tracking through the Gospel Narratives - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We'll spend the rest of the summer in these gospels, and each day we'll be in a different book as we work through Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension chronologically. Heartlight.org John 1:1–14 (NASB95) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Belgic Confession Article 10: The Deity of Christ We believe that Jesus Christ, according to his divine nature, is the only Son of God— eternally begotten, not made nor created, for then he would be a creature. He is one in essence with the Father; coeternal; the exact image of the person of the Father and the “reflection of his glory,” being in all things like him. He is the Son of God not only from the time he assumed our nature but from all eternity... Summary This opening passage of John's gospel is known as his prologue. John is the last of the four gospels to be written, and right off the bat it becomes clear that his account will have a different feel than the other three. Mark's gospel came out the first, followed by Mathew and Luke's account, and together these three are known as the synoptic gospels, in that the give a synopsis of Jesus' life. These three gospels include many of the same episodes, but each has a slightly different twist or perspective. It's not that John's gospel doesn't give an overview of Jesus' ministry like the other three, but it slows the pace down, providing more details about fewer aspects of His life - especially the conversations He had. And we'll be learning all sorts theological insights into who the God-Man is and what He did even as we read the synoptic gospels, but it's here in John's gospel that we'll take the deepest dives into the branch of theology dealing with the second member of the Trinity, aptly referred to as Christology. John makes for a smooth transition from the Old Testament to the New (the word testament is a synonym for covenant) by opening with the same exact words that Moses began with in Genesis: In the beginning. So in other words, there's really nothing new about the New Testament; it's just that the incarnation (literally: became flesh) makes clear what's always been, but wasn't always clearly seen or understood. You see, up unto the point where the Light (that's Jesus) began to shine, the world groped about in the darkness we read about in Isaiah a few months ago because of the world's primary problem: It did not know Him, even though the world was made through Him. Dig Deeper John's prologue is so theologically rich that we could spend weeks or even months digging deeper into it and still never hit bottom. But today we'll need to content ourselves with just two verses that you really must have memorized as a Christian: First, memorize the famous opening verse: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is the Logos (Word) of the universe; that is, He's the rational principle by which everything exists and the essence of reason. But the Logos isn't some mysterious force that's beyond our comprehension, rather His very nature is communicative, which is why our English Bibles translate Logos with Word. So Jesus is the clearest revelation of God, or as Paul puts it in Colossians 1, the Son is the image of the invisible God. In what will become one of John's primary themes, this opening statement introduces the concept of God's triune nature. God is most certainly one (une), as one of the Old Testament's most foundational statements makes clear (Deut. 6:4), but He's also three (tri). Jesus, the Word, is both with God, and He always was God. God is one in essence and three in person. Second, memorize verse 12: 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name... We live in a world convinced that all people are children of God. While it's certainly true that all people are created in God's image and thus must be treated with dignity and respect, the fact is that as one who's received Jesus and believed in His name, you've been uniquely adopted as a true child of God - an heir of the Kingdom of God - which is the primary theme of the entire New Testament (Matthew 25:34, James 2:5, 1 Peter 1:3-4, Galatians 4:7, Titus 3:7). AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who along with the Son and Spirit is one God manifested in three persons; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live in a way consistent with being a child of God; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The coming generations depend upon you to teach them. Psalm 78:1–8 (NASB95) 1 Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children, 6 That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children, 7 That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments, 8 And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 103 Q. What is God’s will for you in the fourth commandment? A. First, that the gospel ministry and education for it be maintained, and that, especially on the festive day of rest, I regularly attend the assembly of God’s people to learn what God’s Word teaches, to participate in the sacraments, to pray to God publicly, and to bring Christian offerings for the poor. Second, that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through his Spirit, and so begin already in this life the eternal Sabbath. Q&A 104 Q. What is God’s will for you in the fifth commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings— for through them God chooses to rule us. Summary Psalm 78 is a historical psalm that accounts two events from generations past. These first eight verses of the psalm lay out the purpose of this poem. The author of Psalm 78 uses poetic language to share historical accounts familiar to the Israelites which detail God’s justice and mercy. In each of these accounts, the Israelites responded with faith and obedience. The remembrance of these ancient events has been passed down from generation to generation. The author had been taught this as a child and is now recording these events in this psalm for the following generation to hear. The purpose of passing down this testimony of past events was more than to keep their memory alive. These accounts were shared to inspire future generations to keep God’s commandments and avoid the stubborn rebellion of previous generations. Dig Deeper In this retelling of past events, the author of Psalm 78 demonstrates a necessary responsibility for believers, sharing the history of our faith with the next generation. Even when children go to Sunday School or receive a Christian Education, the primary place that they will learn or not learn about God is at home. The Church and/or Christian School is not a substitute for modeling Christian behavior in the home. Instead of relying on others to teach the faith, it is the duty of every parent to share the stories of our faith with their children. Let the Church supplement, not replace, your God-given responsibility to teach the faith to the next generation. The stories shared in Psalm 78 were meant to remind following generations of the dangers of rebelling against God. By learning from the mistakes of previous generations, they would hopefully avoid making the same mistakes themselves. I too often hear believers complain about upcoming generations and how they are too disrespectful or don’t take church seriously. My question is, what have they been taught? How much time have you spent investing in passing on the stories of our faith to next generation? If you want to see God at work in the next generation, be more than just a silent observer to their faith journey. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who established a testimony that we must teach our children; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will use you as a teacher of generations to come, even the children yet to be born; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Who don't you want to see repent? BibleHub.com Jonah 4 (NASB95) 1 But it (Nineveh's repentance) greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. 3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” 4 The LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?” 5 Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. 6 So the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. 7 But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. 8 When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” 10 Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. 11 “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?” Belgic Confession Article 20: The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ We believe that God— who is perfectly merciful and also very just— sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death. So God made known his justice toward his Son, who was charged with our sin, and he poured out his goodness and mercy on us, who are guilty and worthy of damnation, giving to us his Son to die, by a most perfect love, and raising him to life for our justification, in order that by him we might have immortality and eternal life. Summary It is in this final chapter of Jonah that we learn the reason for Jonah fleeing from God’s command. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh because he feared that the people there would repent and that God would forgive them. This is exactly what happened, upon hearing the warning from God the people repented. God then forgave and withheld destruction from the more than 120,000 people of Nineveh. Jonah was displeased with this and expressed his anger with God. He did not want Nineveh, one of the most hated enemies of Israel, to be spared from destruction. Jonah was so angry that he wanted to die. He sat in the shade of a plant, which God later took away with a worm and scorching heat. While God was gracious towards the people of Nineveh, Jonah cared more about the destruction of the plant than the wellbeing of the Ninevites. Dig Deeper The Book of Jonah is a contrast between God’s compassion and the resentful attitude of Jonah towards the people of Nineveh. The book ends without resolution to this difference in mindset as God was merciful to the Ninevites and Jonah remained angry about it. God did not treat the Ninevites according to the desires of Jonah. He also did not deal with the Ninevites in line with what they deserved. Nineveh was a hated enemy of God’s people, the Israelites. The people were guilty of evil and wrongdoing. The actions of the Ninevites made them worthy of destruction, yet God was gracious towards them. Be grateful this day that like the people of Nineveh, God does not give you what you deserve. We all have sinfully rebelled against the Lord our God and are therefore deserving of being objects of his wrath. So again, spend time this day praising God that he does not deal with us according to what we deserve, instead offering his love and forgiveness to all who trust in Him. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who does not give us what we deserve, but has compassion and mercy; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that unlike Jonah, you would desire all people to repent and be saved; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Repentance brings about God's relenting. DailyVerses.net Jonah 3 (NASB95) 1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. 4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8 “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. 9 “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it. Canons of Dordt Point III/IV, Article 8: The Serious Call of the Gospel All who are called through the gospel are called seriously. For seriously and most genuinely God makes known in his Word what is pleasing to him: that those who are called should come to him. Seriously he also promises rest for their souls and eternal life to all who come to him and believe. Summary In the first chapter of this book Jonah was disobedient to God’s instructions. Instead of going to Ninevah as he had been commanded, Jonah ran away from God. This resulted in a great storm and Jonah being swallowed by a great fish. The second chapter of Jonah details Jonah’s prayer from within the great fish. At the end of the chapter 2, Jonah was vomited up onto dry land by the fish. Being caught in a storm, thrown into the sea, swallowed by a great fish, and being vomited onto the shore seems to have softened Jonah’s rebellious heart. In the third chapter of Jonah, God once again commands the prophet to go and preach against the great city of Nineveh. This time Jonah was obedient. When the people of Nineveh heard the words of Jonah, they repented of their sinful ways. When word had reached the king of Nineveh, he too repented and ordered others to do so also. Seeing the way that Nineveh had turned from their evil ways, God spared them from the coming disaster. Dig Deeper When Jonah came to Nineveh as a prophet and shared God’s message that the city would be overthrown in forty days, there are many ways the residents could have responded. But instead of doubting or even attacking the prophet, the people of Nineveh believed him. Hearing of the destruction that was coming to their city, the people responded with humility. They placed on sackcloth and fasted. Even the king joined in by trading in his fancy clothes for sackcloth and his bed for a pile of ashes. The people of Nineveh responded to God’s warning by changing their ways. A prophet might not walk into your town declaring God’s judgment, but the Bible is full of warnings about the dangers of sin. The motivation for the Ninevites’ change of heart was the coming destruction of them and their city. You might not have a forty day ultimatum, yet the spiritually destructive power of sin is no less dangerous for you. Trust the warnings against sin found in scripture, repent, flee from your sin, and pursue a relationship with our loving God who stands ready to extend grace and forgiveness. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who calls all people to repent and believe; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that like the Ninevites, you will heed God's call and turn from sin; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The LORD answers the prayers of the distressed. BibleStudyTools.com Jonah 2 (NASB95) 1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, “I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. 3 “For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. 4 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5 “Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 “I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 “While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD.” 10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 117 Q. How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us? A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in his Word, asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word. Summary The first chapter of Jonah details his disobedience to God’s calling and the resulting judgement. After being cast into the sea, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. Chapter 2 gives an account of Jonah’s prayers from inside the great fish. From the darkness of the fish’s belly, Jonah cried out to God in response to his current situation. As the great fish descends below the surface of the water, Jonah feels banished from the Lord’s sight and presence. This is more than a fear of death; Jonah is expressing the separation from God he has brought upon himself through his disobedience. Jonah’s prayer of distress turns into one of thanksgiving, as Jonah speaks of God’s saving power. What started as a petition for salvation from Jonah’s impending doom becomes a prayer of praise for God’s deliverance. Dig Deeper Even though Jonah was in the depths of the sea, God heard and responds to his petitions. In an act of divine grace, the great fish vomits Jonah out upon dry land. While being thrown up by a fish may not sound like a pleasant experience, for Jonah this marked his deliverance from his current peril. God had heard and accepted Jonah’s prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. The deliverance of Jonah from the belly of the great fish did more than just save him from certain death. Despite his past reluctance, Jonah was being given a second chance to faithfully obey God’s calling. Jonah is not the only person to try to run away from God. He was fortunate that God graciously gave him an undeserved second chance. In what ways are you running away from God? Set aside some time today to consider how God might be giving you a second chance to do the right thing. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who answers those who call upon Him out of deep distress; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that in moments that you feel yourself fainting away that you'll remember the LORD and call upon Him; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Don't push back against the LORD - He has a powerful sense of humor! Jonah 1 (NASB95) 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. 5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. 6 So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.” 7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” 13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. 14 Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.” 15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. 17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Canons of Dordt Point I, Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel In order that people may be brought to faith, God mercifully sends proclaimers of this very joyful message to the people he wishes and at the time he wishes. By this ministry people are called to repentance and faith in Christ crucified. For “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without someone preaching? And how shall they preach unless they have been sent?” (Rom. 10:14-15). Summary Jonah was called to be a prophet of God, a person who delivers a message on behalf of God. The Book of Jonah opens with God instructing Jonah to go to the great city of Ninevah and speak out against their evil ways. What we remember Jonah for was how he fled from God. Jonah was disobedient to God’s command to go to Ninevah, instead fleeing from the Lord’s presence by sailing on a ship headed towards Tarshish. God had directed Jonah to go to Nineveh, which resided on the east side of the Tigris River. Instead, Jonah hopped on a boat going to Tarshish, which is believed to have been in southern Spain. Jonah was fleeing from God by going the opposite direction from where he was commanded to go. In response to Jonah’s disobedience, God’s judgment was cast upon him. A great storm endangered the ship he was on the point that the crew feared for their lives. After casting lots, it was determined that Jonah was the cause of the storm. He was cast into the sea and the storm calmed. Yet this was not the end of Jonah’s story, for amongst God’s judgment was also God’s grace. A great fish swallowed up Jonah, saving him from drowning in the sea and carrying him to the place of God’s choosing. Dig Deeper Jonah is remembered in children’s stories as a prophet who survived several days in the belly of a whale. The focus of the Book of Jonah is not the whale or great fish. Jonah is about a prophet who tried and failed to run away from God’s command. What has God called you to do? In which ways are you, like Jonah, running away from God’s command? Jonah ran in the opposite way that God commanded and God’s judgment fell upon him. An obstacle was placed in Jonah’s way in the form of a great big storm that threatened to sink the ship he was on. When you flee from God, He might place obstacles in your way. Annoying as they may be, these obstacles might be a warning sign. Jonah needed to be cast into the sea and swallowed by a great fish for him to finally start heading towards Ninevah. What obstacles are in your way? How is God currently trying to get your attention? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sovereignly rules all things - even the great fish; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will know and follow God's will rather than push against it; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Understanding a psalm's mechanics results in more comfort & confidence. Psalm 75 (NASB95) For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song. 1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks, For Your name is near; Men declare Your wondrous works. 2 “When I select an appointed time, It is I who judge with equity. 3 “The earth and all who dwell in it melt; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah. 4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; 5 Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.’ ” 6 For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation; 7 But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. 8 For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, and the wine foams; It is well mixed, and He pours out of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs. 9 But as for me, I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 And all the horns of the wicked He will cut off, But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 52 Q. How does Christ’s return “to judge the living and the dead” comfort you? A. In all my distress and persecution I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very One who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse from me. All his enemies and mine he will condemn to everlasting punishment: but me and all his chosen ones he will take along with him into the joy and the glory of heaven. Summary This week's psalm gives us the opportunity to geek out just a bit on some of its technical elements. Don't worry... we won't get too far into the weeds. Besides, understanding how a psalm works will enable you to benefit much more as you read and sing the Psalter yourself. Let's start with the psalm's heading, or more technically, its title. We're used to seeing headings above nearly every passage in our printed Bibles which help us to quickly locate specific pericopes (the official term for a unit of scripture) and summarize what it's about. But those were added by the Bible translator, not the Biblical authors. But the titles above many psalms are different — they are part of the Hebrew text itself, not later editorial headings added by modern Bible publishers. For that reason, many theologians treat them as part of the inspired text. Sometimes the title provides the context in which the psalm was written. Today's tells us the author was Asaph, who wrote Psalm 50 & 73-83. David appointed him to lead Israel's worship, and whereas David's psalms are often personally based, Asaph's lean toward national concerns. David favors singular pronouns (The LORD is my shepherd) whereas Asaph mostly uses plural: We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks (although not exclusively - notice the "I" in verse 9). The title indicates Asaph wrote this psalm for the director of music, and that it's both a psalm and a song. Since all of the psalms are meant to be sung, this seems redundant. What this means here is that Psalm 75 is meant to be both sung and accompanied with stringed instruments playing the specified tune. Asaph includes one more technical term in Psalm 75: the Hebrew word selah. We're not entirely sure what the word means, but it was likely a notation for the musicians performing the psalm to pause for a moment to add impact to the words just sung. This makes sense in the way it's used here in Psalm 75 right after verses 2-3: The LORD says: 2 “When I select an appointed time, It is I who judge with equity. 3 “The earth and all who dwell in it melt; It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah = Let that sink in! Dig Deeper It can get confusing to talk about a psalm's verses. On one hand, Psalm 75 has 10 verses. These designators, of course, were added centuries after the psalm was written, not by Asaph. But the psalms are poetically versified as well in ways that don't always correspond to the printed verse numbers. Psalm 75 has four poetic verses, which are more accurately referred to as strophes. communal thanksgiving (75:1), a divine oracle (75:2–5) a prophetic oracle (75:6–8) and individual thanksgiving (75:9–10) Notice the balanced, almost wedge-shaped movement of the psalm. The first and last strophes correspond to one another in thanksgiving, while the two middle strophes focus on God’s judgment against the proud. This kind of mirrored structure is often called a chiasm, and it is common in Hebrew poetry. The structure draws special attention to the center of the psalm: the proud are warned not to lift themselves up, because exaltation does not come from any earthly direction. God alone is the Judge; He brings one down and lifts another up. One final technical note that shows up both here in Psalm 75 and also in lots of other places in the Bible: the use of the word horn. Here the word horn does not refer merely to an animal’s horn, but to what that image represents: strength, status, and power. Mark Futato explains, "The horn was primarily a symbol of power. People raising their own horn was a figure for autonomous and defiant self-assertion; here it is defiance against the rule of God, who is enthroned in heaven." The psalms are written to bring you comfort and confidence as you read, pray and sing them. The more you understand the basic mechanics that lie behind them, the more comfort and confidence you'll gain. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is the Judge; He puts down one and exults another; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that, like Asaph, you will declare God's praises forever; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The good things you do are far from being meaningless... they have eternal significance. Bible.com Ecclesiastes 12 (NIV) 12 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5 when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” 9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 62 Q. Why can’t the good we do make us right with God, or at least help make us right with him? A. Because the righteousness which can pass God’s scrutiny must be entirely perfect and must in every way measure up to the divine law. Even the very best we do in this life is imperfect and stained with sin. Q&A 63 Q. How can you say that the good we do doesn’t earn anything when God promises to reward it in this life and the next? A. This reward is not earned; it is a gift of grace. Summary This final chapter of Ecclesiastes begins with a warning to 'Someday Christians' - people who are neither ignorant of Christianity's basic tenants nor hostile to them. They're people who just kind of set their faith off to the side in favor of pursuing other endeavors first. They'll get around to solidifying their faith 'someday.' Our Teacher gives the opposite advice, instructing you to remember your Creator before the days of trouble come. Indeed, none of us really know how many 'somedays' we even have left, and even those whose days stretch out for nine or even ten decades often find no pleasure in life's final stage. When that darkness comes, and even the strong men stoop and those looking through the windows grow dim, God often seems farther away than ever. Finally, the day comes where your dust returns to the ground it came from, and your spirit returns to the God who gave it. Will you be ready for that reunion? While countless stories exist of death bed conversions, they are relatively rare. The Teacher implores you not to stake eternity on the hopes that you'll have time for a quick 'come to Jesus' moment when your 'someday' shows up. Our Teacher closes out his lesson with the same famous words that he began with: everything is meaningless. But as we've seen throughout this week, the Teacher isn't a pessimist proclaiming that all is pointless. Quite the opposite in fact. The NIV picked the word meaningless to translate the Hebrew word hěʹ·věl, which literally means smoke or mist. Maybe a good paraphrase would be fluff. So what the Teacher tells us here is that you'll never fully grasp the worldly fluff that temps you to put off the solid reality of remembering your Creator in the days of your youth. Dig Deeper The Teacher, having finished his lesson, gives way to a narrator who writes a short postscript. He begins by complementing the Teacher's ability to impart knowledge by finding just the right words which are upright and true. He then compares the Teacher's words to goads - sharp sticks used to guide animals. These words we've read these past couple of days have been anything but pleasant, but as Sean O'Donnell writes, "Without the pain, there is no gain; without the prodding, we would walk in the wrong direction or down a perilous path. This is true of Ecclesiastes. Has it pricked your conscience? Driven you to repentance? Pushed you forward in faith? If so, God’s goad has been for your good." The final teachings of Ecclesiastes are among its most valuable. After all has been heard in this twelve chapter search for meaning, it gives the conclusion of the matter, and it's quite simple: Fear God and keep His commands. This shouldn't surprise us a bit, since we've been reminded throughout our study of the Old Testament of God's purpose in creating man: to work and keep [literally: to serve/worship God and maintain holiness] (Genesis 2:15). So the way to find true meaning and enjoyment in this otherwise meaningless and broken world is to just do what God created you to do. The book ends on what some might think is an ominous reminder, that God will bring every deed into judgment. And it should be ominous if you're putting off repentance until 'someday'! But it's not just the hidden and evil things we do that will be judged, but the good things as well. This means that the good things you do in gratitude for your salvation in Christ are far from meaningless, for they have eternal significance. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who enables those who fear Him and keep His commands to find true meaning and enjoyment; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will remember your Creator now and not wait for 'someday'; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Life's better things look much different than you expect. Ecclesiastes 7:1–6 (NIV) 7 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. 3 Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. 5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. 6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless. 7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A: 42 Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die? A. Our death does not pay the debt of our sins. Rather, it puts an end to our sinning and is our entrance into eternal life. Q&A 57 Q. How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you? A. Not only my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even my very flesh, raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with my soul and made like Christ’s glorious body. Summary Maybe you've concluded that the book of Ecclesiastes is depressing and pessimistic as we've read through portions of it this week. It's not, but you could be forgiven for thinking so. So far, all that the Teacher, an enigmatic narrator modeled after the life of King Solomon, has done is demonstrate that nothing in this life under the sun has any true and lasting meaning. It's all a chasing after the wind. But the sharp eyed reader has also found some diamonds along the way that indicate that despite life's apparent meaninglessness for those trapped under the sun, bits of true enjoyment and genuine meaning can be found when you slow down and realize that God grants these good gifts to those who please Him. In our short passage today, the Teacher isn't yet ready to designate anything on earth as good, but he does go so far as indicating that some things are better than others. But these better things in life are quite surprising: It is better to: ...have a good name than fine perfume; ...arrive at death rather than be born; ...go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting; ...be frustrated than to laugh; ...heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools; ...get to the end of the matter rather than its beginning; ...be patient rather than to have pride. Dig Deeper I often read through this passage as I meet with the immediate family right before a funeral. Going to a funeral probably won't make anyone's top ten list of fun things to do - or even top one hundred for that matter - but heading to a house of feasting sounds pretty good. Yet the Teacher makes clear that you should switch the value of these two opposite experiences. The Teacher explains exactly why this is the case: Death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. As a preacher, I get to speak to people in all sorts of settings and environments: Sunday after Sunday in the sanctuary, in classrooms, and gatherings both large and small around town. Since preaching is two-way communication, I'm watching you just as much as you're watching me (which is why every church has its own preacher, rather than one video message piped to thousands of congregations). So I'm measuring and monitoring the level of engagement while I speak. Most of the time, most of the people are engaged, but it's only natural that all people occasionally tune out at some point only to tune back in a few moments later. But this isn't the case at a funeral - there everybody is locked into every word. We spend every other moment in life trying to distract ourselves from the reality that death is our destiny, but as people sit in the physical presence of death, they can't hide from this cold, hard truth any longer. It's the words you hear in the house of mourning that make it so much better than the house of feasting. As Jesus' disciples exclaimed to Him, you have the words of eternal life - where else could we go? It's there in that moment, when you're heart is at its thirstiest, that your Father fills it up with the satisfying living water of the gospel, reminding you that the one who believes in Christ will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Him will never die (John 11:25-26). What could possibly be better than that? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sets before us that which is better; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will pursue life's better things, even though they look so different than expected; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Stop chasing the wind, and learn how to enjoy life. Ecclesiastes 2 (NIV) 2 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. -- 17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Summary Yesterday we met the Teacher, whom the book of Ecclesiastes is named after, who is modeled after the life of King Solomon. God had invited Solomon to ask for whatever he desired. Since Solomon asked for wisdom rather than wealth, God granted him both. So Solomon has the massively vast resources to do anything he wants, and he also has the wisdom required to truly find out what is good. His first test was pleasure, but that also proved meaningless, an awesome word we learned yesterday which literally means smoke / fog - things which can be seen but not grabbed onto. Solomon's evaluation of pleasure was plenty comprehensive. He laughed, but determined that to be madness. He cheered himself with wine and embraced folly, even as his mind stayed sober in a sense - it continued guiding him with wisdom as he futilily looked to see what was good for people to do uner the heavens during the few days of their lives. Having struck out on pleasure, the Teacher turned to industry, undertaking great projects which netted him massive farms, herds and flocks culminating in silver, gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. Nobody had ever been greater. But when he looked at it all, the Teacher concluded it all to be meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Dig Deeper The Teacher's massive blessings had morphed into a giant curse. None of the amazing things he experienced, built or developed had any lasting meaning, so it makes sense that he hated life. He knew that ultimately he'd succumb to death, and that everything he'd toiled for must be left to the one who'd come after him. All their days, the Teacher concludes, people's work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. In other words, it's all meaningless. But the Teacher does find a glimmer of hope in the midst of despair. You can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in your toil. In other words, learn to enjoy what you can in life. Without God - that is, life under the sun - is pure meaninglessness, but with Him you can find some enjoyment. Ironically, God gives sinners the task of gathering and storing up wealth, which looks so good from a distance, but is ultimately a chasing after the wind. But to the one who pleases Him, God gives that which has true meaning: wisdom, knowledge and happiness. And at the appointed time, God will hand over all the wealth the sinners gathered and stored up. The point is that although you can build and acquire lots of impressive stuff in your life, none of it has lasting meaning. So don't focus so much of your life upon acquiring it. Take time to enjoy the satisfaction that God often supplies to those who work hard, but keep your focus on life above the sun, where Christ is. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to those who please Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been raised with Christ, that you would set your mind on Him even as you work hard in this life under the sun; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: