Sermon
delivered on April 26th, 2015
By: Pastor Greg Hocson
Text: Psalm 8
Introduction
Here in Psalm 8, David rejoices and
celebrates the amazing majesty and glory of the LORD God Jehovah. David was overwhelmed by the
greatness of God. And being overwhelmed, he wrote these words ...
O LORD, our Lord, how
excellent is thy name in all the earth!
The word "excellent"
means "majestic, surpassingly great, superb, and stupendous."
David sees that excellent Name of God
all around him. Wherever he turns his eyes, he sees it. When he looks up into
the vast heavens, the sky, the moon and the stars which God has set in place,
there, he sees the glory and greatness of God.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens
declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.
The number, the size, the distance
and the beauty of the stars. Who can look up into the skies and not be
overwhelmed by the greatness of God.
When he looks at man, small and
insignificant and yet greatly loved by God, he sees as well the majesty and the
glory of God. When he looks to the creatures of this earth and the place where
God has put them and the way in which they live and function here on this earth
...
7: All sheep and oxen,
yea, and the beasts of the field; 8: The fowl of the air, and the fish of the
sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
When he sees all of these things too,
he sees the glory and the majesty of God.
Truly, David could say with the
angelic beings in...
Isaiah 6:3 And one
cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole
earth is full of his glory.
And seeing all these he concludes the
way he began ...
O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is
thy name in all the earth!
Who can look at these things and not
burst into praise. But there is one more place where David sees the greatness
of God. And it is in the way God defeats HIs enemies!
I - God's enemies
2: Out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that
thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
God has enemies. He has many enemies. And leading
those enemies is the great enemy - Satan. He is the Enemy or Adversary. He
decided long time ago to oppose God and to oppose those who love God. His
purpose is to dethrone God and to rob God of His glory. He wants the praise for
himself. He opposes the Gospel. He opposes the Church. He opposes the work of
God and the workers of God. He will not give up without a fight.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober,
be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour:
He is also called the Avenger, the
Revengeful. He is after revenge. He wants to get even with God. The devil wants to get back
at God. He thinks something was his and that God took it from him. When God, in
His justice, cast him out of heaven and threw him down from his high and lofty
place as Lucifer, son of the morning, and condemned him to hell, he believes
that he was done wrong. And he wants to get back at God.
But God is God. God is Almighty. Satan is no match to God. By
the way, since Satan cannot get back at God, he gets at us, the Christians.
Satan is THE ENEMY and THE AVENGER
but who are the ENEMIES?
Ephesians 2:1 And you
hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2: Wherein in time
past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience:
Satan rules the children of
disobedience and those fallen angels whom he seduced into mutiny so that they
revolted against God with him.
You are either an enemy of God by
nature or you are reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
Matthew 12:30 He that
is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth
abroad.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers
and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
We have to know whose side are we on?
Are you for us or are you for our adversaries? Are you for God and His Christ
or are you still at enmity with God, alienated from God by wicked works? Do you
bow before God as your Lord and as your King or do you reject the Holy Commandments
as not binding on you?
Colossians 1:21 And
you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled.
II - God's army
Psalm 2:1 Why do the
heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2: The kings of the earth
set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and
against his anointed, saying, 3: Let us break their bands asunder, and cast
away their cords from us. 4: He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the
LORD shall have them in derision.
The LORD shall laugh at His enemies.
He despises them. God knows how foolish and unreasonable, how irrational, how
futile are their attempts against Him - He therefore laughs at them.
How is God going to defeat His
enemies?
Psalm 8:2 Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine
enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Through babies and nursing infants
Not literally, but figuratively. Men are like babies. There is not much difference between
a baby and a full grown man . Compared to God and to the works of Creation man
is nothing. Compared to God, man is extremely small and extremely weak.
That's why this statement in verse 8
is amazing not only because we are small and insignificant compared to God, but
also because the enemy is strong and subtle and determined and resolved.
Babies and nursing infants are weak,
they seem to have no wisdom or knowledge. They are utterly dependent on others.
They are insignificant in the world's eyes. Babies and nursing child are weaklings and unskillful. They are no match to Satan. And yet
this Psalm says ...
Psalm 8:2 Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine
enemies, that thou mightest still (stop, silence, destroy) the enemy and the avenger.
If I have many enemies and they are
very strong and powerful enemies, I will hire strong men and army and then give
them state of the art weapons to defeat the enemies. But not so with God. He
will defeat His enemies by babies and nursing infants. Men and women who are in
their own eyes, and in the eyes of the world, as babes and sucklings.
1 Corinthians 1:27 But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world (things
in the eyes of the world considers foolish) to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of
the world (things in the eyes of the world considers weak) to confound (shame) the things which are mighty; 28: And base
things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and
things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29: That no flesh
should glory in his presence. 30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God
is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the
Lord.
God will still, stop and silence His
enemies by weakest among us. The Lord uses that weakness to anger and defeat
the wicked one, to overthrow the unlawful kingdom of Satan that he has
unlawfully taken from the Lord.
God will conquer the giant Goliath
through the little boy David.
God displays His power in human
weakness. The strength of these warriors are in their weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10: Therefore I take
pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Our power to serve God lies in our
weakness. Yes, God's people suffer, they have afflictions, they lie in sickness
on their bed, they have pain and yet they patiently wait upon the Lord.
He doesn't use our greatness and
strength, He uses our littleness and weakness.
Matthew 11:25 At that
time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes. 26: Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
God has chosen childlike men and
women who are simple hearted and honest and trustful and loving. God does not
choose the wise but the foolish things. Those who do not know, those who do not
pretend to know but those who submit themselves to God's instruction.
God has ordained strength out of the
mouth of weak people. Those who are weak and poor cannot do much more than
speak but they speak what God has given them to speak. Those are the ones that
God has chosen.
III - God's weapon
What weapons does God use in this
conflict?
Psalm 8:2 Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine
enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
The weapon that God will use are not
bombs or swords or WMD. He will not conquer His enemies by violence or
coercion; not by manipulation or deceit; not by wisdom of man or cleverness of
man. But through the mouth of babies and nursing infants. God chooses to defeat
His enemies with babies and nursing infants. And not just with babies and
nursing infants, but with what comes out of their mouth, with what they say ...
Psalm 8:2 Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine
enemies, that thou mightest still (stop, silence, destroy) the enemy and the avenger.
God is defeating Satan's kingdom. He
is shaking its very foundations and He extends the gracious empire of the Lord
Jesus Christ by the gracious words that come from the mouth of His people.
God may use the little mouth of a
baby as His conquering weapon against the devil. Out of the mouth of a little child comes the great strength
of God, that shall silence His enemies.
Psalm 68:11 The Lord
gave the word: great was the company of those that published it. 12: Kings of
armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
God shall use the mouth of babes and
sucklings to defeat and silence the enemy and the avenger. They are opening their mouths and
saying or crying something. And whatever they are saying or crying is powerful
enough to still the enemy and the avenger. God is making what comes out of
their mouths strong. Whatever it is that is coming out of their mouths, it is
defeating the enemies of God.
1. With their mouth
they pray to God
Prayers is one of the most effective
forms of assault against the powers of darkness. Nothing can stand against the
blessed power of prayer. There is nothing the devil dreads so much as prayer?
Satan may laugh at our toiling, mocks
at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray!
The man, the woman, and the child,
who knows how to pray shall certainly prevail with God and still the enemy and
the avenger.
James 5:16 Confess your
faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
2. With their mouth
they praise of His Name
When we praise God we are saying God
is great and what He does is great. Praise glorifies God, and that is what Satan cannot bear.
Psalm 50:23 Whoso
offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright
will I shew the salvation of God.
As God is glorified in our praises,
Satan is degraded. That's a blow to Satan and his pride, for whenever we praise
God we cast down the pride of the great enemy.
Matthew 21:14 And the
blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15: And when
the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the
children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they
were sore displeased, 16: And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And
Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
These children are praising the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God which is what Psalm 8:2 is talking about. God is defeating
his enemies through the weakness of children and man.
When God's people sing something
happens ...
A classic example in the Old
Testament where God's people defeated the enemies of God when they began to sing and praise
the LORD is in ...
2 Chronicles 20:19 And
the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the
Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20: And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of
Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah,
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21: And when he had
consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should
praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say,
Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22: And when they began to
sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon,
Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
A classic example in the New
Testament is in ...
Acts 16:25 And at
midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners
heard them. 26: And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations
of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every
one's bands were loosed.
This is why Satan does not want God
to be praised.
Psalm 22:3 But thou art
holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
God dwells in the praise of His
people. That's the place, that's the climate or environment where God manifest
Himself.
Psalm 50:14 Offer unto
God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: 15: And call upon me in
the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
3. With their mouth
they proclaim the Gospel
The proclamation of the Gospel, the
teaching of God's Words are the weapons that God uses in this great battle. God
uses human tongues to proclaim His Word and this wins the victory.
This is the sharpest blow of all. The
enemy dreads nothing so much as witness-bearing to the gospel, for he knows
that it pleases God ...
1 Corinthians 1:17 For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18: For the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which
are saved it is the power of God. 19: For it is written, I will destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this
world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21: For after that
in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
There are two things seems foolish to
the world: Christ crucified and the preaching of the Cross.
Christ crucified looks foolish and
weak. But all of Scripture aims to teach us that ....
1 Corinthians 1:23 But
we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; 24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25: Because the foolishness of God is
wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
God uses the foolishness of preaching
to overthrow Satan and all of his evil devices.
So Christians, hold forth the Word of
Life. Preach the Gospel! You may be small and weak like babes and sucklings but
the however weak and inexperience you are, we have to understand that the power
and strength does not lie on us, it lies on the Word of God that we speak. The
Word of God is so strong and majestic and effective, even though the feeblest
mouth speaks it.
Hebrews 4:12 For the
word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The testimony of Jesus is strength,
however feeble may be the voice which utters it.
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not
my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the
rock in pieces?
Whenever we proclaim the salvation of
Jesus Christ with our mouth, we are weakening and smiting the enemy. When we tell "the old, old story, of Jesus and His
love," again
and again, then is God, out of our mouths is stilling the enemy and the
avenger.
God has ordained the very weakest
among people - babes and nursing infants to go forth and to proclaim His truth.
Closing Thoughts
What kind of God is He that He who
can do this?
What kind of God is He that is able
to create a universe that is so great with the word of His mouth? What kind of
God is He that I spite of His great He is mindful of man and care for him? What
kind of God is He that when I look at creatures there is so much beauty and
complexity? What kind of God is He that He is able to defeat His enemies with
the mouth if babes and sucklings?
I want to know Him!
I want to know and understand who He
is. I will seek Him with all my heart and He promises that every one who
genuinely seeks Him shall be rewarded.
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye
shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
We need to understand how small and
weak we are but, more importantly, how great and powerful our God is. David did
not stop at feeling small, he also cried out:
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy
name in all the earth! Amen!
Psalm 145:1 I will
extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2:
Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3:
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is
unsearchable.
I want other people to
know Him!
He is worthy to be known and to be
made known!
This is the purpose of our existence!
To know God and make Him known!
Daniel 12:3 And they
that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn
many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Finally ...
Do you have people you love and
concerned about that are still in darkness? Don't give up, God is able to bring
them in.
Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our
Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above
the heavens. 2: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained
strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the
avenger.
But He will use you, through your
prayers, through your praises, through your ascribing greatness ....
May God bless every little "child" here at GTBBC and still the
enemy and the avenger. Amen!