Anvil

This recording is from Christ Kingdom Church in Waterford Lakes, East Orlando. Visit us online at christkingum.org for our calendar, driving directions, and more audio recordings. Chapter 1 of Psalm 1 Blessed is the man, who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He's like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither, and all that he does he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. But he who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord holds them in derision. Then he'll speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, as for me, I've set my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will tell of the decree, the Lord said to me, you are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the earth, and the ends of the earth, your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Now therefore, O kings, be wise, be warned, O rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, kiss the sun, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. This is God's Word. Pray with me as we turn our hearts to hear from the Lord's Word, and hear teaching from the Lord's Word. Father, we ask you to, especially this morning, help us to put aside the distractions of the heat. I'll be honest, I don't like this. I recognize it's something you've allowed. I recognize that you're good, and you love us, and you did this this morning, and so we thank you by faith, even though it's difficult. I do ask you now to supernaturally give us peace this morning as we're listening, help us to focus and concentrate, and speak to us. Your spirit is far more powerful than the discomfort of the lack of air conditioning, and so we're asking you to speak to us this morning and make your word clear to us. Especially for Darren, I know this is probably a surprise to him, having to think and preach and speak in heat, so give him the same peace of mind and clear thinking, and again, we want your spirit to work here in our hearts this morning, so we ask this in the name of Jesus, amen. Good morning. This reminds me of old school church, I grew up in seeing all the ladies with the bans from the funeral home, desperately trying to stay alive during the sermon. A third to fifth graders, sorry, you're stuck in here, although I think at this point all of us would probably be in the K2nd, because there may be AC back there, so that may be the place to go if you bail out somewhere in the sermon, and this seems like it was also a good season for me to give up the experiment of thinning hair and just go ahead and shave it all off. It was all for today. Before we get to our passage this morning, I'd like to tell you a story. Once upon the 15th century, Givertake, King Baylek and the Moabites were in great dread, overcome with fear of the Israelites, and with good reason, because in Abraham, a long time before, God had promised to give Abraham and his descendants a special land of their own, and now God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt, and they were well on their way to that land. We've got it also promised to make them a great nation, and we're told that while they were in Egypt, God made them great in possessions. They were fruitful. They multiplied greatly, so that by the time they were camped on the plains of Moab, they were like a swarm of locusts that covered the land like a blanket. Got it also promised his people in Abraham that he was going to bless them. And at Mount Sinai, he gave them his covenant law. It was a gift that he had not given to any other nation, and it was the blessing that would identify them as his treasured possession, his kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. God also had promised his people that he would bless all of those who blessed them, and he would curse all of those who cursed them. And that last part, that really seemed to be coming to pass. Think about it. When Pharaoh and his army tried to attack the Israelites at the Red Sea, the floods covered them. They went down into the depths like a stone so that not one of them remained. Later on in Israel's journey, when the Canaanites at a rod fought against them, we're told their cities were devoted to destruction. And finally, when Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og King Abation, came out against the Israelites, the Israelites defeated them, and we're told that not one survivor was left. Now, guess where the Israelites had settled down after all that? On the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan of Jericho. That may not mean much to you, but as King Bayla put it, they're dwelling opposite me. They're right before his very eyes. They're laid up hard against him like a dog does to you and the men. So in that fear, King Baylaq and the Moabites joined forces with their neighbors, the Midianites, and they plotted to overcome the horde of Israelites that were camped out on his front door. It just so happened that King Baylaq, and you'll forgive me because we're getting ready to use the name Baylaum. Baylaq, Baylaum, Baylaq, Baylaum. So I'm probably going to start calling him King B so that you can keep the two separate. Just so happened that King B knew a guy named Baylaum, who lived nearby in Pethelworth, down by the river in the land of the people of Aram, you know where that's at. And the word on the street was that Baylaum was a powerful diviner of the gods. And it was widely believed that whomever Baylaum blessed would be blessed and whomever Baylaum cursed would be cursed. So King Baylaq, King B, sent the elders of Moab and Midian to call on Baylaum. And after paying him handsomely with the requisite fees of divination, they requested that Baylaum would come and curse the Israelites for King B so that he could then defeat them and drive the Israelites from the land. Well, after a little talk with God, Baylaum refused to go with them. Because during the night, God had made two things very clear to Baylaum. One was this, you shall not go with them. And the second was, you shall not curse the people for they are blessed. So the princes went back to King B with the news that Baylaum refuses to come with us. Well, King B being a king wasn't really accustomed to being told no, you know how kings can be. So he just assumed, well Baylaum must be holding out for some more money because you know how the diviners of the gods can be. So he sent the princes off again and off they went to ask Baylaum that he would let nothing hinder him from coming to King B and cursing the Israelites for him. And this time King B promised Baylaum with these words, I will surely do you great honor which means in the Hebrew, I'm going to give you a lot of money. And whatever you say to me, I will do. Well, the offer intrigued Baylaum so much so that even though God had already said no once, he thought, why not ask again? So he goes before God a second time. And this time God told Baylaum, if the men have come to call you, rise and go with them. But that didn't mean that God was giving Baylaum carte blanche to do whatever King B told him to do. No, God said, if the men come and call you, rise and go with them, only do what I tell you. So the next morning, Baylaum saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. Now, a little aside here, I have to make a confession. I was raised hearing this story and it was Baylaum's ass, okay? So kids or adults, go ahead and snicker because it's very likely that I'm going to throw ass in instead of donkey. And so just get it out of the way in case that happens, all right? So Baylaum saddled his donkey and he went with the princes of Moab. And then this funny thing happened on the road to Moab. Three times Baylaum's donkey refused to go the way that Baylaum wanted her to go. The first time she turned aside out of the road and went into a field. So Baylaum struck his donkey to turn her into the road. Little further down, a second time, it was a narrow path that went between two vineyards with stone walls on either side. And Baylaum's donkey so hugged one side of the path that his foot was caught and crushed against the stone wall. And so Baylaum struck his donkey again to get her back on the way that he wanted her to go. Wounded this time. Well, the third time it happened was when they came to an even narrower spot in the road where you couldn't even turn right or left. And Baylaum's donkey at that point, she just stopped. She laid down underneath them and she refused to go forward anymore. And we were told that Baylaum's anger was kindled like fire. And so he beat his donkey with his staff mercilessly for refusing to go where he wanted her to go. Only this time the donkey talked back. I pick up the passage and numbers 22. The Lord opened the mouth of the donkey and she said to Baylaum, what have I done to you that you have struck me these three times? Baylaum said to the donkey, because you've made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand for then I would kill you. And the donkey said to Baylaum, am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way? And Baylaum said no. And then God opened the eyes of Baylaum so that he could really see for a change. And you've got to get the irony. Baylaum was known as the divine seer, but yet he's blind. God has to open his eyes and he sees for a change for the first time. And he sees that he wasn't the only one that was angry. Because apparently when Baylaum left to go and meet with King B, he must have left with the intent of not just doing what God had told him to do. And so Baylaum and his sinfulness was blinded from seeing that God's anger had now been kindled against him. And God had dispatched an angel with a drawn sword to stand in Baylaum's path to oppose him. Because the way meaning the path of life that Baylaum had chosen to go was perverse before God. And so if the donkey kept going on the way meaning the path of the road, that Baylaum wanted her to go on, the angel was ordered to kill Baylaum, but leave the donkey alive. Well in that moment, Baylaum saw the grace of Yahweh, Israel's God, toward him. Because God had sent a messenger to warn him to not continue on in this perverse way that King Baylaum was wanting him to go in. And this messenger had come to call Baylaum to repent and to speak only the word that I tell you. And Baylaum also saw a faithful donkey who had acted as his savior, because she repeatedly suffered his anger and his desire to kill her also that she could preserve his life. It's the only reason she did what she did to keep him alive. And no matter how hard he tried, that donkey kept from continuing in the way that was going to lead to Baylaum's certain death. Well with his eyes open to the reality of the truth, where told Baylaum confessed his sin. Even said that he was willing to go back if God wanted him to. But God renewed his permission and said, Baylaum went on with the princes of King B. Well upon entering the city of Moab, King B greeted Baylaum with a barrage of questions, kind of like a nervous parent after midnight that their child on prom night. And King B said, did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you? So Baylaum reminded King B that his divining powers didn't work like a vending machine. It wasn't just as simple as putting in enough money and then pressing a button and then you get what you want. No, Baylaum told King B, have I now, and notice how he says, have I now, after realizing what he realized on the road, have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.

Early the next morning, King B took Baylaum to spy on Israel's camp so that he could curse them. And after some sevenfold sacrifices were made and after we're told Baylaum did, as Baylaum had said, Baylaum went to see what God might show him. And when God made Baylaum, we're told he put a word in his mouth and he said, return to Baylaum and thus, shall you speak. And remember, King B had hired Baylaum to curse Israel. But like his donkey, God was making Baylaum turn aside from going the way that Baylaum desired. Instead, Baylaum came back and he reported to King B, how can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom Yahweh has not denounced? So instead, God gave Baylaum a vision of the Israelites as a blessed people and he looked out and he saw that they were set apart from all the other nations as God's chosen people and they were as numerous as the dust of the earth. And they were so prosperous that Baylaum said that he envy them even in their death. Well, when Baylaum turned aside from cursing Israel, like King B wanted him to, King B was angry. You know how kings can be. He said, what have you done to me? I told you to curse my enemies and behold, you've done nothing but bless them. But Baylaum reminded King B. He said, must I not take care to speak what Yahweh puts in my mouth early the next morning? King B tried to get Baylaum back on track. So he took Baylaum to spy on the Israelite camp from another vista with this demand. Curse them for me from there. And again, after the sevenfold sacrifices were made, Baylaum went to meet with Yahweh. And when God met Baylaum, we're told he put a word in his mouth and he told Baylaum, you return to Baylaum and thus shall you speak. Now, by this point, King B is determined for Baylaum to curse Israel. But when Baylaum returned, King B soon learned that God's word cannot be trumped. Baylaum returned and declared, God is not a man that he should lie or son of man that he should change his mind. Has he said and will he not do it or has he spoken and will he not fulfill it? Behold, I received a command to bless. He is blessed and I cannot revoke it. And just like his donkey, God made Baylaum wound King Baylaum with his second prophecy. Because in the second prophecy, Baylaum saw that God was with the Israelites and that God fought for them like a wild ox. And therefore, no divination of any kind would prevail against them. And furthermore, he saw the Israelites camped out there and they were poised like a lion to destroy King B and the Moabites and the Midianites. And they would not rest until the deed was done. That was the vision that God gave Baylaum. That's what he told King B. It wounded King B. But yet the wound of that prophecy only angered King B even more. He scolded Baylaum by saying that it would have been better if he just kept his mouth shut. But Baylaum reminded King B. Did I not tell you all Yahweh says that I must do third times a charm. Or so King B must have thought. Because he took Baylaum to a third place where he could spy on the Israelites and he told him, perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there. Hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Come on, Baylaum, let's get it together. Let's get back on track here. Let's do what I brought you here to do. So they performed the seven fold sacrifices for a third time in case God need a little bit more. But only this time Baylaum didn't go apart to meet with God because by now it was clear to Baylaum that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel. God wasn't going to allow Baylaum to curse them. So instead of going apart, Baylaum turned and he faced the Israelite camp head on and when he did we're told the spirit of God came upon him and God's word weld up from within him. And like his donkey, God made Baylaum to fall down on the ground and he refused to go on trying to curse Israel like King B wanted him to. Instead, in this third time, we're told Baylaum blessed the Israelites like he'd never blessed them before. He declared that they were a lovely, fruitful people who had been planted by God upon the earth like gardens beside a river and cedar trees beside waters and then he prophesied that a king was going to come from the Israelites whose kingdom would be exalted above all the others. He blessed Israel like he'd never blessed them before and then he cursed King B and the Moabites and the Midianites like he'd never done before. He told him if King B refused to heed all of the warnings that God had given him through his messenger Baylaum and if King B was going to continue on the perverse way of cursing God's people, then God was gonna lead the Israelites against the Moabites and against the Midianites to break their bones and pieces and pierce them through with his arrows. And then finally Baylaum declared the immovable, unshakable, inescapable and unbreakable truth of God's word that he had promised Abraham centuries before when he told Abraham and all of his descendants blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.

Sadly in the end, King B refused to heed God's word. And you gotta think about it. Baylaum had served King B safely for many years just like Baylaum's donkey had served him. Baylaum had cursed and blessed whom ever King B had wanted to curse and blessed years in the past. And yet this time Baylaum could only bless three times no matter how hard King B tried to get him to curse Israel. Baylaum's strange behavior should have been warning enough that this was one God who could not be bought off and this was one people, the Israelites whom King B would never prevail against. But King B's sinfulness had blinded him from saying the truth that God's anger was kindled against him because he was seeking to curse God's covenant people. And rather than repent and be blessed along with Israel by blessing them instead and seeking refuge with them, King B were told struck his hands together. It was a sign of disdain and fury. And then King B told Baylaum that he should flee for his home presumably because King B was about to kill Baylaum for doing what he did. Well in response to that Baylaum reminded King B of what he told him from the start, that he was only allowed to speak what Yahweh gave him. And that King B nor anyone else ever would ever be able to buy their way out of the truth of God's word. And now that King B had refused to repent at the hearing of God's word, Baylaum gave him a fourth prophecy, kind of threw it in for free at the end on his way out of town. And in that prophecy, there's a little series of these little prophecies that Baylaum gives him. One of those prophecies speaks of a king. Again, rising from among the Israelites. And this King Baylaum says, I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Shath. Any of the sound familiar to you? Let's see, we got pagan kings and pagan rulers conspiring against God's chosen, wanting to free themselves from their control. We've got people choosing to go one way or another in life. Some people follow after God's word. They're blessed and they're described as being fruitful trees beside rivers of water. We've got another person who's worn not to go in the way that's perverse and that person is forced to the ground and he's unable to stand. And then we've got others who refuse to heed God's word and are confronted with God's anger and his wrath and they're told that their plot is hopeless since God's word cannot be undone. And they're threatened that they're going to perish if they continue on in that way of rebellion. And in this story, we also have the promise of a king from among God's chosen people who would rise up and crush his enemies, breaking them in pieces. Now, where have we heard all that before? See, like the story, a Baileman king be, Psalms 1 and 2, which I personally believe were intended to be read as one Psalm together. There are other scholars that believe that as well. Those Psalms together, they're about God's word. Those Psalms together, they open our eyes to see the real, real world, the revelation of God's kingdom that's coming on earth as it is at heaven and it's dividing our world in two between the righteous and the wicked. And Psalms 1 and 2 together, they lay out for us the paradigm that covers all of human history, past, present, and future. And it's this paradigm, how people respond to God's word and what becomes of them because of their response. Now, God the Father has declared Jesus his son as king. There is life and his death and his burial and his resurrection and his ascension, Jesus' reign and rule is firmly fixed. And as such, all of the nations of the world belong to him, which is why we have missions to begin with, which is why when we leave this place, God calls us to go into all of the nations because they all belong to him. And in Jesus, we are told all the families of the earth would be blessed. But we're also told in Psalm 1 and 2, 2 especially, that it is the inheritance of Jesus to triumph over his enemies. That's the reality. That's truth. Try as you might, it cannot be changed because once you see it, it can't be unseen. God's word has come into the world, has invaded our territory and has settled right in our midst, right before our very eyes and it's laid hard up against us. So the question is, what are we to do? Some like King B, it chooses to rebel against God's word. No matter what, because they cannot see God's kingdom as anything other than bonds to be burst and cords to be cast away. The thought of serving Jesus as King to them is nothing but sheer slavery. And so they rebel. And what are we told? God sits in heaven and he laughs. He laughs because he knows that all they're plotting and all they're scheming is in vain. It's all just chaff. It's all just the empty holes that are blown away by the wind. They've chosen the way that parishes. It leads to death. And when the judgment comes, they will not be left standing. That's interesting at the end of that story and numbers 24. We're told that Baylek went his way. We never hear from King Baylek again. However, given the prophecies that a king would come out of Israel who would crush the rulers of Moab, it's a pretty safe assumption that King Baylek did not fare too well in the future, which is why we never hear from him again. King Baylek learned the hard way that God will not be manipulated like a man and God's word will never be trumped. But you know what? It's not too late for the rebel. Confess. Repent from the sinful way that you've chosen and serve Jesus as King with Godly fear. Because Jesus isn't just King, he's the Redeemer King. He's the one who has come as the perfect sacrifice for our sin and our guilt. He is the one who has come to bring life and bring it to the full. So rather than curse Jesus and try and break free from his kingdom and perish in the way, instead as a minister of the gospel, I tell you, bless Jesus and seek refuge in him and you will not be cast out. You will be blessed because his word is truth and it will not change. If only Baylem had continued in that way. Baylem starts out well enough in the story. Once God opened his eyes to see the truth, to see that the way he had chosen was perverse before God and that if he continued on it, it would end in his death. Baylem seemed to get on track because no matter how hard King be poked him and protted him and scolded him in his anger, Baylem refused to continue in the way of cursing Israel and steady held fast to the God-given purpose and mission of all that the Lord says that must I do.

And when the story ends, we're told that Baylem didn't go on his way like King Baylem. Instead, we're told Baylem went back to his place. There's a significant difference there. And it leads us to believe that it seems as if Baylem's eyes are still open to the truth of God's word at the close numbers 24, but that's not the end of the story. Eventually for selfish game, Baylem gave in to Baylex desires and he went astray. And even though he couldn't curse Israel of his own doing, he devised a scheme to put a stumbling block in Israel's way so that Israel would end up bringing curses on herself. And as such, we're told in numbers 31 that Baylem was killed when the Israelites fought the Midianites. And the testimony of God's word ever since the book of numbers speaks of Baylem with disdain and contempt as an enemy of God's kingdom. The shouldn't come as a surprise to us because Jesus warned us about this temporary kind of faith. The one we are told by him who hear the word and immediately receives it with joy, and he endures for a while, but when tribulation and persecution come on account of obeying that word, they immediately fall away. And these are the ones who hear the word of Jesus, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches, they choke out the word and it proves to be unfruitful in their lives. Jesus warned us about that. So be loving church of Jesus Christ, apply your life to God's word and pray for the grace to persevere in our faith. Let us not be found walking in the way of Baylem because it is the way that leads to death. Now, make no mistake though. The story about Baylem and Baylik is really cause for us as the church of Jesus Christ to rejoice. The teaching of Psalms one and two together make that joy even clearer because God the Father has firmly fixed Jesus' son as the Redeemer king. And as such, the wicked will not last their way will perish. No weapon formed against us will succeed. And if God is for us, who can be against us? And Jesus is building his church and he told us, he promised us that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. It's reason to rejoice the teaching of Psalm one and two because it reminds us that God made him, Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us that in Jesus we might become the righteousness of God, the truth that we celebrate, the truth that brings us to meet with God at his table. By faith, we can seek refuge in Jesus and he will not cast us out. We will be blessed no matter how much someone else may want to curse us because God will not be manipulated like a man and his word will never be trumped. His word is truth. So the story and the teaching of Psalm one and two should be a reason and cause for us to rejoice. But the story doesn't end there. It's just like bail in the pagan. God's covenant people, the Israelites, chose a way that was perverse before God as well. Now as the Israelites were camped out there on the plains of Moab, the longer they lived there, they eventually became unfaithful to Yahweh, their covenant God. And it began with their lust for the Moabite women and it ended with their idolatry. They began worshiping the gods of the Moabites in the Midianites. God's words still stood firm. He was with them to fight for them. They couldn't be cursed by an enemy from without. But because they didn't heed God's laws, we were told in Numbers 25 that God's anger was kindled against his own. And they brought the covenant curses upon themselves just like God said, what happened and his word. Now indeed, Jesus is a righteous man. He is the righteous man for us, the one who perfectly fulfilled God's word, the one who perfectly did God's will and finished God's work. And indeed our God is a gracious God, forgiving us of all of our sins in Jesus, not counting our unrighteousness against us. But look to some one and two again and you'll see that it clearly defines the ones who take refuge in Jesus. The ones who take refuge in Jesus are the ones who serve Him in godly fear. The ones who in humility, worship and revere Jesus as God's Son, the Redeemer King. In short, what some one and two remind us is something else that we learn in Jesus, and the gospels later on in the New Testament, that the gospel isn't something just to be believed. The gospels be to be believed and it's to be obeyed. Think about it, Jesus himself defined his disciples as those who are baptized and who are taught to obey everything that he commands. And Jesus said the ones that are blessed are the ones who hear God's word and keep it. And Jesus is also the one who says the one who hears his words and does them is like the wise man who builds his house upon the rock and it never falls. But the one who hears Jesus's words and does not do them is like the fool who builds his house on the sand and when all the tribulation comes and it storms against them, it falls and great is its fall. The Apostle Paul made it very clear that yes, we are saved by God's grace through faith and even our faith isn't of our own. It's a gift from God, but then he goes on to say God's creating us a new and Jesus is for good works, which he has prepared for us beforehand that we should walk in them. I think Baylam said all of this the best way when he said this. After his eyes had been open to the truth of God's word, Baylam repeatedly says that his mission was this, all that the Lord says that I must do. Beloved church of Jesus Christ, blessed is the man who does not walk astray but instead who delights himself and the law of Yahweh are covenant God by meditating on his word day and night. So elders of the church, leaders of the church, keep God's word before us always, shepherd us in God's word and the way of God's words that we will walk in that way faithfully all our lives. Parents of the church let's be found keeping God's word always before our children. Training them in the way that it directs us and we are to do it with faith and God's promise that when they're older, they won't depart from it. Church of Jesus Christ, let's do whatever we have to do in order to meditate on the law of the Lord and delight ourselves in that word so that with body and soul we can delight ourselves in God's word and not depart from his ways. God's word is an anvil. It's just there and it's in your way. It's heavy and it's hard, it's solid and it's steadfast and it's immovable and unchangeable. God's word isn't something that you apply to your life. God's word isn't a smorgasbord where you get to pick and choose all the bits that you like and then only what fits on your plate. God's word is an anvil. It's something that your life gets applied to like it or not and unless you're prepared to be shaped by it, it'll break you. Just ask Balam's ass, that's what she saw and she knew what to do and may God give us the grace to see and do the same, may God give us the grace to say and to live out the mission of our lives all that the Lord says that I must do. Thanks be to God, let's pray. Lord, your word is food for our soul. We do not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from your mouth. So God, we thank you for feeding us this day and we pray Lord that you would establish our footsteps in the way of your word, that no sin or iniquity would have dominion over us. So that Lord, we would be a blessing to all the nations, that all the nations would be able to look upon us as your church and see that blessed are the ones who take refuge in you. Lord, establish our footsteps in your way that no sin or iniquity would have dominion over us so that Jesus Christ would be lifted up on high and draw all men and women and children to himself. God, give us the grace to trust you, to place our faith in Jesus and give us the grace to live out the mission that all that you say that we must do. In the name of Jesus, our king and for his kingdom, we pray this, amen.