Praise God For His Glory
Psalm 96
Here again we have another Psalm without a title but by comparing this Psalm to the Psalms of David it is probable that he wrote this Psalm also.
The pure fact is, that once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and have been "Born Again", any of us should be able to write this Psalm.
A study of 1 Chronicles chapter 16 will teach us that this Psalm was written at the return of the Ark to the Tabernacle by King David but we should also be able to see the prophesy that is contained in these scriptures.
This Psalm was delivered to Asaph and we know that Asaph was the singing prophet of God!
When we have found the True and Living God we will all sing praises to Him!
Let's Begin:
*****Psa 96:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
In the Tabernacle and in the Temple the music was assigned to the Levites and it was only the Levite men who made up the choruses of singers.
It was not that the women could not sing because there are many instances in the Bible where we see the women singing but all these instances are outside the Temple and the Tabernacle.
It may surprise you but in almost every bird species only the male usually sings.
Again it is not because the female bird cannot sing, it is because the female is in search of a mate and their own singing could cause confusion.
God is not the author of confusion even in the animal world!
Women in the Bible times lived in a patriarchal society. The role of the woman was restricted to the home and family.
Women were subjected to the rule of their male counterpart but they were also adored for their beauty and their purity and in many cases in the Bible they actually held leadership roles in government.
But in religious life, women were always subordinate to men.
It was not until the time of Lord Jesus Christ that that barrier for was lifted for the women by Christianity.
We should not forget men and women have always been on equal standing in the eyes of God from their day of creation.
We are all created in the image of God!
Knowing these things we still have our separate roles.
Just as that male bird will sing out to find a suitable partner, only the male who recognizes that the woman, is in all ways his equal, will ever be able to find a suitable partner.
In Christianity we are all made one in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And we can all now sing a "New Song"!
In the time of David, that new song was about the coming of the Messiah and the practicing Jew is still singing that same song.
But these songs of prophecy go far beyond the coming of the Messiah and point to His return the second time to judge this Earth and sit as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This will be the time when all false religions will learn to worship and praise the Lord Jesus Christ.
That word "sing" is the command for all of us, male and female, to "praise" the Lord!
Jesus Christ is the "manifested Glory" of God!
Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
At the same time that our Father in Heaven declares He will not give His glory to another, He commands us to give praise and glory to His Son who created all the things we can see and all the things we cannot see.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
There should be no doubt in our minds who we should praise.
There is no doubt who we should "Glorify"!
There is no doubt why we should be singing a "new song"!
It is the Lord who is our Savior!
*****Psa 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Three times in these first 2 verses we have seen the command to "sing".
The number three is a divine number.
Three times in these first two verses we have also seen the title "LORD".
The thing we know for sure is that the Lord Jesus is:
1) The Way.
2) The Truth.
3) The Life.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The Trinity of God is a fundamental to the Christian doctrine!
The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost are "the three" who are the completely united persons who form our God.
This must be the truth of Christianity but this truth is rejected by all false religion.
It is only when you know the true God of the Bible that you can sing a "new song".
God not only reveals His name to us in the Bible but He reveals His true character.
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord our God and we must sing, sing, sing, to praise His Holy Name!
And His name will be blessed forever!
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
We have no excuses for not showing forth His gift of salvation from day to day.
Even when we are having our worst day, if you know the Lord Jesus, you are still saved!
The greatest thing we can have in this world is the knowledge that we are saved!
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
All those that say they do not know for sure, need to get back on their knees until they know for sure the salvation of the Lord!
When we know these things we also know that we are to walk in the ways of the Lord and be a witness to His truth of salvation.
We are commanded to sing a "new song" and we are commanded to tell the entire world why we can have that "new song"!
*****Psa 96:3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
What then is the subject matter of this new song?
It is the glory of our Lord Jesus.
We need to declare, His name, His praise, His wonders of redemption and His promises.
And who are we to declare these things to? The entire world we live.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
And what is that message of our new song? It is the "good news" the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures";
We must not think of the wonders of the Lord as just being His miracles.
The wonders of the Lord are shown more in His mercy and in His grace.
The wonders of the Lord are shown in His Love, His wisdom, and in His power.
There is no one on this earth that deserves to be left behind in the hands of Satan when the Lord has provided such an escape to all who will believe.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
There is nothing more important than this message of God!
Why?
*****Psa 96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
Our God is great!
God is an invisible, personal, and living spirit.
God is self-existent, eternal and unchanging.
God is omniscient, faithful and wise beyond all knowledge.
God is just, merciful, and loving.
God hates evil and God is omnipotent and cannot fail against evil.
God created humans for one purpose.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Those that want to spend eternity with our Great God will praise Him according to His greatness!
The difference between the true God and all the false gods of this world is this.
In every false religion it is the responsibility of the believer to make appeasement to their so called god. In other words it rest on that person to provide works that are good enough or a sacrifice that is approved to satisfy the requirements of their false god.
But our Great God, Jehovah, has taken it upon Himself to provide a means of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our only works is to have "Faith"!
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
All gods of false religion are man-made either by hand or in their minds!
*****Psa 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
An idol is an image or anything else used as an object of worship in place of the true God, Jehovah, the God of the Bible!
Idolatry is every thing which men set up in their hearts to regard, which lessens their reverence of the Lord.
Revered means actual fear mingled with respect and affection!
It is the Lord who is also our Creator!
We did not exist until the Lord spoke us into existence!
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Our God is the author of physical life and also the author of eternal life!
*****Psa 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
We have no idea of the splendour of Heaven but God has revealed at least two things here that we know are of Heaven.
Neither strength nor beauty are uncommon but to find this combination in "one" is rare.
In our world, beauty is very seldom strong and those with strength very seldom have much beauty.
The Temple of Solomon was a man-made sanctuary that defined strength and beauty.
1) Strength:
In reality, it is better for all buildings to be strong rather than a thing of beauty.
The same thing is true of our own character.
Atheist are absorbed in their own character and have no beauty.
All false religions rely on man-made character and try their best to beautify it but it is still a false beauty.
It is only the strong earnest character we obtain from a walk with the Lord Jesus Christ that can be called beautiful.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Character is the thing that marks a real human being!
2) Beauty:
Most Christians are content with their strength and care very little for the beauty of the Christian life.
We have a tendency to tell the sinner he is bound for Hell and not provide them with the only means of escape.
This is strength that lacks beauty.
If we observe God's creation we can see that God created beautiful things.
The bluest skies, the beautiful grasslands and flowery meadows, the wonderful oceans and seas, the majestic night time skies and so much more.
It is man-made things that tarnish God's creation.
The beauty of the Christian is his faith!
The Temple of Solomon may have defined beauty and strength of the man-made but only a God can make a temple that can truly possess these qualities!
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
It is only the holy temple of God that can have strength first and then beauty!
*****Psa 96:7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psa 96:8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
When we began we saw that word "sing" mentioned three times.
We also saw the title LORD mention three times and related this to the Holy Trinity, our Triune God.
We now see the word "give" written down for us three times.
Giving is best described as sharing what you have with others.
We might ask, what do I have to "give" unto the Lord?
The Bible is specific:
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Many may say "well God saved my soul but I continue to struggle with a body that is not worthy".
Again the Bible is specific:
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace "sanctify you wholly"; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
God is in the process of sanctifying our whole body, our whole spirit and our whole soul, surely we can give all our selves to the Lord.
God sacrificed His only Son Jesus in a bloody sacrifice so that we could bring to Him an unbloodied sacrifice!
We are to bring to God a "living sacrifice" which is ourselves and we are to bring with it our thanksgivings.
There are no sacrifices other than these if we include our with these our tithe!
We must give ourselves.
We must give our thanksgivings.
We must give our tithe.
And we must give all these things for the glory of the Lord!
If the Lord is faithful to fulfill His promises and He is, we must be just as faithful to Him!
God says that none should appear before Him with empty hands!
*****Psa 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
We cannot say we are going to worship if we come to God empty handed!
Holiness means we are consecrated to the service of God.
Consecrated means we have separated ourselves from the world and are prepared to follow the will of God.
Following the will of God is first being obedient to God's written Word and only after that, will God point out any special request He has for us!
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Personal holiness can also be called sanctification!
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Sanctification can only come by the work of the Holy Spirit and it is a beautiful thing in the eyes of God.
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
This is our greatest goal in our worship to give ourselves totally to God!
*****Psa 96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Though much of this world could care less what will happen tomorrow because they just live for today, those that remain live in fear of our world being destroyed by our own actions or the actions of some evil people.
There are truly evil men in this world who would destroy it in a false hope of an even a more false religion.
The pure facts are, that the world we live in shall be shaken to the point of destruction:
Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Isa 24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
This an absolute fact and all the prophesies of the Bible will be fulfilled, which include the fact that this verse states that a new world will be established that cannot be moved.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The heathen are the lost of this world and this is the message that we are to bring to them, beginning with the "good news", the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God will judge all people righteously before these other things can take place!
It these things that can lead to joy in this life!
*****Psa 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
The angels in Heaven who have been involved in spiritual warfare from the time of Lucifer's fall and the fall of mankind, will finally rejoice to see the end of this wickedness.
All God's creation will rejoice:
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And all those that know the Lord Jesus as their Savior will rejoice:
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
If we remember, our world has been under a curse since the time of Adam's fall:
Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
In the time of the tribulation that curse will devour this world we live in:
Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
But at the end of that 7 year period when the Lord comes to judge this earth that curse will be lifted:
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
It will be time to rejoice throughout all of God's creation!
The King is coming!
*****Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
There is only one other prophecy that has to be fulfilled before this day takes place and that is the "Rapture" of the Church.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
There is absolutely no reason, that we that know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, are not rejoicing now knowing all these things.
We have the glory of the Lord within us!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Psalm 96
Here again we have another Psalm without a title but by comparing this Psalm to the Psalms of David it is probable that he wrote this Psalm also.
The pure fact is, that once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and have been "Born Again", any of us should be able to write this Psalm.
A study of 1 Chronicles chapter 16 will teach us that this Psalm was written at the return of the Ark to the Tabernacle by King David but we should also be able to see the prophesy that is contained in these scriptures.
This Psalm was delivered to Asaph and we know that Asaph was the singing prophet of God!
When we have found the True and Living God we will all sing praises to Him!
Let's Begin:
*****Psa 96:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
In the Tabernacle and in the Temple the music was assigned to the Levites and it was only the Levite men who made up the choruses of singers.
It was not that the women could not sing because there are many instances in the Bible where we see the women singing but all these instances are outside the Temple and the Tabernacle.
It may surprise you but in almost every bird species only the male usually sings.
Again it is not because the female bird cannot sing, it is because the female is in search of a mate and their own singing could cause confusion.
God is not the author of confusion even in the animal world!
Women in the Bible times lived in a patriarchal society. The role of the woman was restricted to the home and family.
Women were subjected to the rule of their male counterpart but they were also adored for their beauty and their purity and in many cases in the Bible they actually held leadership roles in government.
But in religious life, women were always subordinate to men.
It was not until the time of Lord Jesus Christ that that barrier for was lifted for the women by Christianity.
We should not forget men and women have always been on equal standing in the eyes of God from their day of creation.
We are all created in the image of God!
Knowing these things we still have our separate roles.
Just as that male bird will sing out to find a suitable partner, only the male who recognizes that the woman, is in all ways his equal, will ever be able to find a suitable partner.
In Christianity we are all made one in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And we can all now sing a "New Song"!
In the time of David, that new song was about the coming of the Messiah and the practicing Jew is still singing that same song.
But these songs of prophecy go far beyond the coming of the Messiah and point to His return the second time to judge this Earth and sit as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This will be the time when all false religions will learn to worship and praise the Lord Jesus Christ.
That word "sing" is the command for all of us, male and female, to "praise" the Lord!
Jesus Christ is the "manifested Glory" of God!
Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Isa 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Isa 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
At the same time that our Father in Heaven declares He will not give His glory to another, He commands us to give praise and glory to His Son who created all the things we can see and all the things we cannot see.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
There should be no doubt in our minds who we should praise.
There is no doubt who we should "Glorify"!
There is no doubt why we should be singing a "new song"!
It is the Lord who is our Savior!
*****Psa 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Three times in these first 2 verses we have seen the command to "sing".
The number three is a divine number.
Three times in these first two verses we have also seen the title "LORD".
The thing we know for sure is that the Lord Jesus is:
1) The Way.
2) The Truth.
3) The Life.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The Trinity of God is a fundamental to the Christian doctrine!
The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost are "the three" who are the completely united persons who form our God.
This must be the truth of Christianity but this truth is rejected by all false religion.
It is only when you know the true God of the Bible that you can sing a "new song".
God not only reveals His name to us in the Bible but He reveals His true character.
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord our God and we must sing, sing, sing, to praise His Holy Name!
And His name will be blessed forever!
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
We have no excuses for not showing forth His gift of salvation from day to day.
Even when we are having our worst day, if you know the Lord Jesus, you are still saved!
The greatest thing we can have in this world is the knowledge that we are saved!
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
All those that say they do not know for sure, need to get back on their knees until they know for sure the salvation of the Lord!
When we know these things we also know that we are to walk in the ways of the Lord and be a witness to His truth of salvation.
We are commanded to sing a "new song" and we are commanded to tell the entire world why we can have that "new song"!
*****Psa 96:3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
What then is the subject matter of this new song?
It is the glory of our Lord Jesus.
We need to declare, His name, His praise, His wonders of redemption and His promises.
And who are we to declare these things to? The entire world we live.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
And what is that message of our new song? It is the "good news" the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures";
We must not think of the wonders of the Lord as just being His miracles.
The wonders of the Lord are shown more in His mercy and in His grace.
The wonders of the Lord are shown in His Love, His wisdom, and in His power.
There is no one on this earth that deserves to be left behind in the hands of Satan when the Lord has provided such an escape to all who will believe.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
There is nothing more important than this message of God!
Why?
*****Psa 96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
Our God is great!
God is an invisible, personal, and living spirit.
God is self-existent, eternal and unchanging.
God is omniscient, faithful and wise beyond all knowledge.
God is just, merciful, and loving.
God hates evil and God is omnipotent and cannot fail against evil.
God created humans for one purpose.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Those that want to spend eternity with our Great God will praise Him according to His greatness!
The difference between the true God and all the false gods of this world is this.
In every false religion it is the responsibility of the believer to make appeasement to their so called god. In other words it rest on that person to provide works that are good enough or a sacrifice that is approved to satisfy the requirements of their false god.
But our Great God, Jehovah, has taken it upon Himself to provide a means of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our only works is to have "Faith"!
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
All gods of false religion are man-made either by hand or in their minds!
*****Psa 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
An idol is an image or anything else used as an object of worship in place of the true God, Jehovah, the God of the Bible!
Idolatry is every thing which men set up in their hearts to regard, which lessens their reverence of the Lord.
Revered means actual fear mingled with respect and affection!
It is the Lord who is also our Creator!
We did not exist until the Lord spoke us into existence!
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Our God is the author of physical life and also the author of eternal life!
*****Psa 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
We have no idea of the splendour of Heaven but God has revealed at least two things here that we know are of Heaven.
Neither strength nor beauty are uncommon but to find this combination in "one" is rare.
In our world, beauty is very seldom strong and those with strength very seldom have much beauty.
The Temple of Solomon was a man-made sanctuary that defined strength and beauty.
1) Strength:
In reality, it is better for all buildings to be strong rather than a thing of beauty.
The same thing is true of our own character.
Atheist are absorbed in their own character and have no beauty.
All false religions rely on man-made character and try their best to beautify it but it is still a false beauty.
It is only the strong earnest character we obtain from a walk with the Lord Jesus Christ that can be called beautiful.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Character is the thing that marks a real human being!
2) Beauty:
Most Christians are content with their strength and care very little for the beauty of the Christian life.
We have a tendency to tell the sinner he is bound for Hell and not provide them with the only means of escape.
This is strength that lacks beauty.
If we observe God's creation we can see that God created beautiful things.
The bluest skies, the beautiful grasslands and flowery meadows, the wonderful oceans and seas, the majestic night time skies and so much more.
It is man-made things that tarnish God's creation.
The beauty of the Christian is his faith!
The Temple of Solomon may have defined beauty and strength of the man-made but only a God can make a temple that can truly possess these qualities!
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
It is only the holy temple of God that can have strength first and then beauty!
*****Psa 96:7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psa 96:8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
When we began we saw that word "sing" mentioned three times.
We also saw the title LORD mention three times and related this to the Holy Trinity, our Triune God.
We now see the word "give" written down for us three times.
Giving is best described as sharing what you have with others.
We might ask, what do I have to "give" unto the Lord?
The Bible is specific:
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Many may say "well God saved my soul but I continue to struggle with a body that is not worthy".
Again the Bible is specific:
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace "sanctify you wholly"; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
God is in the process of sanctifying our whole body, our whole spirit and our whole soul, surely we can give all our selves to the Lord.
God sacrificed His only Son Jesus in a bloody sacrifice so that we could bring to Him an unbloodied sacrifice!
We are to bring to God a "living sacrifice" which is ourselves and we are to bring with it our thanksgivings.
There are no sacrifices other than these if we include our with these our tithe!
We must give ourselves.
We must give our thanksgivings.
We must give our tithe.
And we must give all these things for the glory of the Lord!
If the Lord is faithful to fulfill His promises and He is, we must be just as faithful to Him!
God says that none should appear before Him with empty hands!
*****Psa 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
We cannot say we are going to worship if we come to God empty handed!
Holiness means we are consecrated to the service of God.
Consecrated means we have separated ourselves from the world and are prepared to follow the will of God.
Following the will of God is first being obedient to God's written Word and only after that, will God point out any special request He has for us!
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Personal holiness can also be called sanctification!
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Sanctification can only come by the work of the Holy Spirit and it is a beautiful thing in the eyes of God.
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
This is our greatest goal in our worship to give ourselves totally to God!
*****Psa 96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Though much of this world could care less what will happen tomorrow because they just live for today, those that remain live in fear of our world being destroyed by our own actions or the actions of some evil people.
There are truly evil men in this world who would destroy it in a false hope of an even a more false religion.
The pure facts are, that the world we live in shall be shaken to the point of destruction:
Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Isa 24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
This an absolute fact and all the prophesies of the Bible will be fulfilled, which include the fact that this verse states that a new world will be established that cannot be moved.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The heathen are the lost of this world and this is the message that we are to bring to them, beginning with the "good news", the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God will judge all people righteously before these other things can take place!
It these things that can lead to joy in this life!
*****Psa 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
The angels in Heaven who have been involved in spiritual warfare from the time of Lucifer's fall and the fall of mankind, will finally rejoice to see the end of this wickedness.
All God's creation will rejoice:
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And all those that know the Lord Jesus as their Savior will rejoice:
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
If we remember, our world has been under a curse since the time of Adam's fall:
Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
In the time of the tribulation that curse will devour this world we live in:
Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
But at the end of that 7 year period when the Lord comes to judge this earth that curse will be lifted:
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
It will be time to rejoice throughout all of God's creation!
The King is coming!
*****Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
There is only one other prophecy that has to be fulfilled before this day takes place and that is the "Rapture" of the Church.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
There is absolutely no reason, that we that know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, are not rejoicing now knowing all these things.
We have the glory of the Lord within us!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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