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Well, you can turn with me in 
your Bibles to the Psalm 46. Psalm 46. Psalm 46, I'll read beginning 
in verse one, and then we'll pray, and then we'll look at 
this psalm in some detail. So beginning in verse one, to 
the chief musician, a psalm of the sons of Korah, a song for 
Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, 
a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, 
even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried 
into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, 
though the mountains shake with its swelling, Selah. There is 
a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy 
place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst 
of her, she shall not be moved. God shall help her just at the 
break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms 
were moved. He uttered His voice, the earth 
melted. The Lord of hosts is with us. 
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works 
of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease 
to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the 
spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. 
Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. 
The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. 
Selah. Well, let us pray. Our gracious 
God and Holy Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you 
for the Psalms and the beautiful things that they express concerning 
our great God. We pray now for the ministry 
of the Holy Spirit who gave us this word, that he would guide 
us and direct our minds now as we contemplate the majesty of 
God most high over all things. In the midst of the good and 
in the midst of the difficult and the hardships that the people 
of God undergo, in this present evil age. We pray that you would 
forgive us for all of our sins and unrighteousness, that you 
would help us to take the lesson from this psalm, that we would 
focus upon our God, that we would find that to be stabilizing and 
steadying in the midst of chaos in this present world. We ask 
that you would be glorified, that you would be praised, that 
you would look with favor upon this, your church, that you would 
bless all of the people of God and cause them to grow in the 
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 
And as well, God, we pray for any and all that are dead in 
their trespasses and sins, that you would awaken them, that you 
would make them alive by the power of your Holy Spirit, that 
you would bring them forth out of darkness into marvelous light 
to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And we pray in his 
most blessed name. Amen. Well, this is a very familiar 
psalm. I know that I've preached on 
it a few times in the life of our church. It's difficult to 
know with any certainty when David or when the sons of Korah 
composed this particular song. There are some that give us some 
indication of the historical circumstances, but ultimately 
we know that whether they are historically applied, they all 
find their terminus in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus 
is the subject matter of the entirety of the book of Psalms. 
The Lord Jesus is the focus. But with reference to this one, 
John Gill makes this observation. He surveys several options in 
terms of the historical occurrence, and then he says, but it seems 
rather to be a prophecy of the church in gospel times. and is 
applicable to any time of confusion and distress the nations of the 
world may be in through any kind of calamity, when those that 
trust in the Lord have no reason in the least to be afraid." So 
the psalm speaks comfort to God's people in discomfortable times. The psalm speaks encouragement 
to those who are perhaps discouraged and distressed by the circumstances 
that they face in this present evil age. Matthew Henry comments 
concerning Martin Luther. He said, it is said of Luther 
that when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, let us sing 
the 46th Psalm. I think that is good counsel 
on the part of that German reformer. This is a passage that you would 
do well to hide in your heart so that when those difficulties 
come, you have the fortification that God's Word affords. Well, 
I want to look first at the assurance of God's presence. You see that 
in verses 1, 7, and 11. Secondly, the demonstration of 
God's power in verses 2 to 6. Third, the invitation to consider 
God's works in verses 8 and 9. And then finally, the command 
to rest in God's sovereignty in verse 10. But let's look first 
at the assurance of God's presence. You see it thrice. Notice in 
verse 1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help 
in trouble. Verse 7, the Lord of hosts is 
with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. And then again in 
verse 11, the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is 
our refuge. And one of the things to observe 
is that the conditions or the circumstances that the people 
of God face do not determine whether or not God is present. 
In other words, I think for us, or for the most of us, we think 
that as long as things are going well, as long as work is fine, 
as long as family has some degree of stability, as long as my sort 
of external relations are all in place, it's very easy to judge 
that God is with us. It's when the opposite occurs 
that we then might conclude or infer that God is not with us. When things are troublesome at 
work or in home or in society, we might be inclined to conclude 
that God is not there among us. And as the psalmist sets this 
truth forth, he highlights a few things concerning the assurance 
of God's presence. Notice in the first place the 
nature of our Lord. Verse 1, God is our refuge and 
strength. This is sort of a maxim or an 
axiom. The passage begins, or the psalm 
begins with this. This is a settled reality in 
the hearts of God's people. Whatever this external world 
may indicate, this cannot change. The Lord is our refuge and our 
strength. He is an impenetrable refuge, 
and He possesses omnipotent strength for His people. And as we see 
this particular statement, God is our refuge and strength, this 
ought not to shock us, who are in a confessional church. We 
make much of confessing, confessing our faith with reference to God. 
And this is something of a confession here in Psalm 46. He begins with 
the doctrine of theology proper. Your life can have difficulties. 
Your life can have afflictions. Your life can be marked by suffering, 
but this thing cannot change the reality that God is our refuge 
and that God is our strength. The Proverbs tell us that the 
name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it 
and are safe. So He is the refuge for His people 
and He possesses omnipotent strength in order to defend them and in 
order to watch over them. So after this statement concerning 
the nature of our Lord, God is our refuge and strength, Notice 
he then indicates the faithfulness of our Lord there in 1B, a very 
present help in trouble. I'm not just making this up tonight 
that there are difficulties in the Christian life. It's not 
just sort of a weird bent that I have to try to communicate 
to people to perhaps dissuade you from following our blessed 
God. It's the reality, and the Bible 
sets forth that reality. The Bible does not say, well, 
you know, come to Jesus and everything will only ever be great. It'll 
only ever be great in terms of the spiritual, but with reference 
to the service of Christ, sometimes difficulties ensue. Remember 
King David of Israel, while he was a shepherd, yeah, he had 
to fight lions and bears, not to sort of minimize that, but 
it wasn't until the Spirit of God came upon him that he was 
then hunted by Saul, and then he was hunted or opposed by the 
Philistines. So the presence of the Spirit 
of God in the life of God's people does not mean the absence of 
any affliction. It does not mean the absence 
of any hardship. The same with our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Remember after he goes into the waters of baptism, John 
the Baptist tries to forbid it. Jesus says, permit it. We need 
to fulfill all righteousness. Christ goes into the waters of 
baptism. The voice of the father cries, 
this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. The spirit 
in the form of a dove descends upon the blessed savior. What 
then happens after that glorious scene? The spirit drives our 
savior out into the wilderness so that he might be tempted by 
the devil for the period of 40 days. So it is a mistake. It is a problematic view with 
reference to God and His Word and His salvation that would 
seek to minimize the difficulty of the Christian life. So the 
psalmist presupposes that. The psalmist assumes that. The 
psalmist knows this to be the case. So God is our refuge and 
strength, a very present help in trouble. And isn't that a 
wonderful sort of a statement to put together? Once again, 
we don't need to be reminded that God is our refuge and strength 
when everything's going well. We need to be reminded that God 
is our refuge and strength when everything's not going well. 
We need to be reminded that he's a very present help in trouble. 
As we survey the scriptures, we'll notice again that suffering 
and affliction and hardship and difficulty is not unique to one 
particular era of the Christian church. Remember Job. Job essentially 
lost everything. And Job makes this statement. 
He says in Job 1.20, then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved 
his head. And he fell to the ground and worshiped, and he 
said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return 
there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed 
be the name of the Lord." In all this, Job did not sin nor 
charge God with wrong. Notice that Job doesn't whine, 
he doesn't grumble, he doesn't complain, he doesn't say, how 
in the world could such bad and horrific things happen to the 
child of a king? No, Job accepts God's absolute 
sovereignty. Job accepts God's absolute sovereignty 
in the good times, but he accepts it in the hard times as well. 
And the psalmist reminds us of this. God is our refuge and our 
strength, a very present help in troubles. And that does infer, 
or rather indicate for the people of God, that we're supposed to 
lean on Him in those times of trouble. We know the psalmist, 
Psalm 23, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
of death. He doesn't say I have faith in Jesus, I have Yahweh 
as my shepherd, so there'll be no valley of the shadow of death 
in my life. It's clear sailing, it's blue 
skies, it's a light breeze, it's not 90 degrees or 100 degrees 
inside it, it's just going to be this wonderful climate and 
wonderful thing. No, he knows he's going to walk 
through the valley of the shadow of death. How does Jesus end 
the upper room discourse with reference to his disciples? John 
16. He speaks to them in John 14 
to 16, and in John 16, 33. The very end of the upper room 
discourse, where he's preparing in a special way his disciples 
for the work that he has for them. Now, John 14 to 16 is written 
for our benefit, but it was spoken specifically to these apostles, 
spoken specifically to these men that would be the foundation 
of the church that would go out and preach the gospel in a very, 
very contrary society. See, we think this is the only 
age when people hated Christians. Do you think they loved them 
in the Roman Empire? Do you think they adored them in the Roman 
Empire? Do you think they adored them throughout the history of 
the world? No, they've always hated God, so they hate God's 
people. So in John 16, 33, these things 
I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the 
world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have 
overcome the world. In other words, rest in the fact 
that God is our refuge and our strength. He's a very present 
help in time of trouble. Notice as well Acts 14, the book 
of Acts chapter 14, a splendid demonstration of the enmity of 
the world against God's people. I mean, what kind of a wretch, 
what kind of a monster, what kind of a cretin would ever want 
to hurt the Apostle Paul? Well, a lot of them, the unconverted 
ones, the persons that don't want to hear about Christ and 
Him crucified, those driven by madness and by a frenzy to exterminate 
that voice of truth in the early church. Notice in Acts chapter 
14, specifically at verse 19, then Jews from Antioch and Iconium 
came there. And having persuaded the multitudes, 
now you need to understand a little bit about what's happening here. 
They are in Pisidian Antioch at this particular point. Or 
rather, Pisidian Antioch was about 80 miles from Iconium and 
Iconium was about 18 miles from Lystra. In other words, there 
was a lot of distance that Jews covered in order to get at Paul. There was a lot of miles that 
they traversed in order to get at Paul. I sort of made that 
observation this morning with the heathen, the false prophets 
of Baal. They stand there from morning 
until noon, and then from noon until evening, crying out to 
Baal, cutting themselves, bleeding on themselves, dancing around 
their altar, trying to get Baal to perform. Sometimes the irreligious, 
sometimes the ungodly, sometimes the idolater shows a lot more 
commitment to his false god than the true people of God do to 
the true and living God. And so this is an occasion of 
that. So then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there. This 
is a derby. And having persuaded the multitudes, 
they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing 
him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered 
around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day 
he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. There's some zeal, there's 
some earnestness, there's some fervor on the part of the righteous. 
He's been stoned and left for dead, and the next morning he 
gets up and he's ready to go again. This is a man that is 
empowered by the Holy Spirit. Now, notice in verse 21, and 
when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, 
they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the 
souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, 
and saying, we must, through many tribulations, enter the 
kingdom of God. If there was Q&A after this session, 
I guarantee you what one of the Qs was not. What do you mean, 
Paul? Well, they would have known what 
Paul meant because he had previously been stoned and left for dead. 
He says in Galatians 6, no longer let anyone trouble me, for I 
bear in my body the brand marks of Jesus. 2 Timothy 3, verse 
12, he says all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus 
will suffer persecution. So when we go back to the sons 
of Korah in Psalm 46, and their composition there, pointing us 
to our refuge and our strength, and then they remind us that 
he's a very present help in trouble, They are onto something. They 
know this. This is axiomatic. This is foundational. This is what the people of God 
are to appropriate. And then that emphasis on His 
presence in verses 1, 7, and 11. Notice how the psalmist ascribes 
His name. Notice in verse 1, God is our 
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. And then notice 
in verses 7 and 11, the Lord of hosts is with us. The Lord 
of hosts, covenant God, Lord, Yahweh, and He's the Lord of 
hosts. Oftentimes, in the Old Testament, 
we see this Lord of hosts motif to explain to us the divine warrior, 
the God who destroys the enemies of God, who destroys the enemies 
of God's people. Spurgeon says, this is the reason 
for all Zion's security, and for the overthrow of her foes. 
The Lord rules the angels, the stars, the elements, and all 
the hosts of heaven, and heaven of heavens are under His sway. 
This is why the psalmist can say, the Lord of hosts is with 
us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, rest in this, delight in this, 
and understand He's a very present help in whatever troubles you 
may face. So he is the Lord of hosts or divine warrior. He is 
the one who vindicated Joshua and the children of Israel in 
Joshua 10. He is the one who vindicated 
the judges at the time of the oppressors. He is the one who 
was the champion there at Mount Carmel. It wasn't Elijah, it 
wasn't his prayer, it wasn't his doings, it wasn't his zeal, 
but it was God Most High who came to vindicate his name and 
his cause. And it's God in the Valley of Elah that brings deliverance 
to David with reference to that Philistine giant. It is that 
God that Paul celebrates in Romans chapter 8, verses 31 to 39. Who shall bring a charge against 
God's elect? It is Christ who died. It is 
in that passage when he says, if God is for us, who can be 
against us? See, I want to encourage all 
of us to think in terms of God's love, mercy, grace, but as well 
as justice and His righteousness. There is nothing wrong with crying 
out to God for vindication. There's nothing wrong with crying 
out to God that he visits his enemies with punishment. 2 Thessalonians 
1, the apostle says it is appropriate, it is right that God afflicts 
those who've afflicted you. The souls of the martyrs in heaven 
in Revelation 6. You know what they're crying 
out to God? How long until you avenge our blood that was shed 
on the earth? Again, brethren, don't go buy 
a bullhorn off Amazon.ca and run around your neighbors and 
tell them how you're praying imprecatory psalms against them 
because they didn't water their grass or they moved your wagon. But brethren, there is a reckoning 
coming. There is a divine judgment. There 
is the tribunal that no man can escape. Now, we revel in that, 
not because we're able to stand up to it, but because God Most 
High sent the Son of His love, who lived for us, who died for 
us, and who was raised again for us. And we bid others to 
look to Him, to understand the cleansing through His blood and 
the clothing with His righteousness. We press upon them the claims 
of Christ, such that they will run and find refuge in that strong 
tower. But with reference to the retribution 
of God, much of the Bible is taken up with that reality. He's 
a righteous God. He's a just God. And He will 
ultimately bring vengeance upon those who despise Him and those 
who disdain Him. So the psalmist preaches or points 
to the divine warrior, but then notice the God of Jacob. The 
God of Jacob. That underscores covenant. Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob. Now, brethren, we don't prefer 
covenant theology in this church because it's just a superior 
way to sort of look at the Bible. I mean, it is a superior way 
to sort of look at the Bible, but it affords great comfort. It affords the peace of God that 
surpasses all understanding. It's the reality that our God 
has covenanted to save us, that our God has sent the Son of His 
love in order to save us, that He won't renege, that He won't 
fail, that He will not lose, that He will bring to completion 
all that He has purposed to do. So covenant affords for the people 
of God great relief, great encouragement, great help and benefit in the 
times of distress. Now notice, secondly, the demonstration 
of God's power. The demonstration of God's power. 
As you might imagine, after the statement in verse 1, again, 
it's axiomatic, it's foundational, it's a truth claim that you accept 
and you live and light up. So when he says, God is our refuge 
and strength, a very present help in trouble, the therefore 
in verse 2 necessarily follows, right? It's a logical implication. Well, of course, right? It's 
like Paul in Romans chapter 12. Therefore, by the mercies of 
God, I beseech you, brethren, present your bodies as a living 
sacrifice, which is your reasonable service. In other words, what 
has been said in Romans 1 to 11, in terms of God justifying 
you freely by his grace through faith in Jesus, leads to the 
implication that, did you present yourself wholly to him? Of course 
you give him your body. Of course you give him your soul. 
Of course you give him your mind. That's your reasonable service. The same sort of implication 
here is in verse 2. So God is our refuge and strength, 
the very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear. Do 
you know how many times we're told in the Bible not to fear? 
Why do you think that is? Because we have a predilection 
to fear. And so what does God want? Or 
what does God call us to? Or what does God call us to contemplate? 
He calls us to contemplate who He is so that we will not be 
riddled by fear. What happens when we're riddled 
with fear? We don't leave our houses. We don't go shine His 
lights in a crooked and perverse generation. If we're riddled 
with fear, we don't hold forth the word of truth. If we're riddled 
with fear, we don't condemn abortion, or sodomy, or all the other sorts 
of things that are rampant in this present evil age. If we 
are riddled with fear, we are going to be sidelined. And so 
the psalmist points us to our God, who is our refuge and our 
strength. And when we don't have that strength 
in ourselves, we rest upon Him so that we are then able to not 
fear. We have God on our side. We have 
the God who sent hailstones down to destroy and vanquish the enemies 
of Joshua and the Israelites. We have the God of David who 
caused that one small stone to find its mark in Goliath's giant 
head. We have God Most High who sends 
fire down to consume Elijah's sacrifice. That's our God, and 
that's why the psalmist calls on us to reflect upon this. Therefore, 
we will not fear. This is the logical implication 
of confessing the God of verse 1. So if we have a robust understanding 
of God's sovereignty, which we're supposed to as Reformed believers, 
which we're supposed to, not just as Reformed believers, but 
as believers. Because the Bible doesn't present 
to us an impotent God. The Bible doesn't present to 
us sort of a hobbling God. It doesn't present to us sort 
of a crippled God. It presents to us the God of 
absolute glory, majesty, and power. And if we are His and 
He, by grace, is ours, then what should it be relative to fear? 
We're not supposed to fear. Now notice what the psalmist 
does. He gives a contrast, a series of contrasts, to demonstrate 
God's power and glory in the midst of the confusion. Notice, 
he shows the disturbances in the natural order. Look at verse 
2. So verse 2a, Therefore we will 
not fear. So what does that mean? We're 
not supposed to fear at church? Yeah, you're not supposed to 
fear at church. We're not supposed to fear when the mountains crumble? 
Well, you can go ahead and fear there, because that's bad. That's 
tough. I'm not sure that God can handle 
that one. That's not what he does, brethren. Remember, he's 
already told us he's a very present help in trouble. He has no, you 
know, dog in the fight to keep you from understanding that the 
world is a mess and that really bad things happen, really horrific 
things happen at times. So notice in verse two, therefore 
we will not fear even though the earth be removed and though 
the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. So you 
get up in the morning, you make your coffee, you look out your 
window, and you see, beyond belief, that Mount Sham is moving toward 
the Pacific Ocean rapidly. What are you supposed to do? 
Lose your mind? No. You probably will, much against 
my counsel here. I'm sure I will. But do you see 
what the psalmist is saying? God's got that. Even Mount Sham 
moves from its position of stability and ends up in the Pacific Ocean. 
You're to realize that God is our refuge and our strength. 
So the disturbances in the natural order. Therefore, we will not 
fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains 
be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar 
and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling, Selah. You're to be still and know that 
God is God. You're to not fear, trusting 
in the fact that He is our refuge and our strength. But it's not 
just the natural phenomena. Notice that it's the rage of 
the nations as well. Drop down to verse 6. So I think 
at times, the people of God can make peace with volcanoes. The 
people of God, not happily, not in near proximity, but we understand 
volcanoes blow up. We understand that rain floods. We understand that hailstones, 
if they're big enough, can kill. We understand that fire is devastating. There's something about what 
we term, at least in the insurance world, the acts of God that, 
at some level, we make peace with. There's weird things that 
happen in the world. It's not climate change. What 
is today climate change used to be called seasons. But there 
is that natural phenomena that we willingly accept. It's the 
sin of man that's a bit challenging at times. It's the rage of the 
nations. It's war for no good reason. What's happening in Ukraine? 
What's happening in Myanmar? What's happening there? Are they 
defending their borders and their sovereignty against all? Yeah, 
I don't know, but it certainly doesn't seem that way. So it's 
the rage of the nations, it's the machinations of godless men, 
it's the kingdoms and their movement. See, the psalmist says, don't 
just not fret because of the natural phenomena, because of 
the disorder in terms of the created order. But don't fret 
because the nations rage, the kingdoms were moved. Do not fret 
in light of those things, because God is sovereign in the midst 
of it. Now, in terms of the contrast, notice he mentions the disturbance 
of the natural order, the rage of the nations, but he gives 
that contrast in terms of Zion. Look at verse 4. Now, Zion in 
the Old Testament is the city of David. Zion in the New Testament 
is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why I think John 
Gill applies it to the church in gospel times. We've come to 
Zion according to Hebrews chapter 12. It's the church of the firstborn. It's the blessed people of God 
who have been saved by grace. So this contrast between the 
natural phenomena and the disorder in the world and the rage of 
the nations is set side by side with reference to the peace of 
Zion. So notice in verse 4, in the midst of the chaos, in the 
midst of the upheaval, in the midst of the difficulty, Zion's 
not shaken. Zion's not put off, you know, 
on edge. There is a river whose stream 
shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle 
of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She 
shall not be moved. God shall help her just at the 
break of dawn. The nations raged. The kingdoms 
were moved. He uttered his voice. The earth 
melted. Turn to the book of Revelation. 
Revelation, you see a similar scene in a very real-world context 
in terms of the suffering of God's people. So Revelation chapters 
2 and 3. These are letters to the seven 
churches in Asia Minor. And some of the letters have 
condemnation for things the church is doing wrong or poorly or not 
at all. The letters have commendation, you know, commending them for 
the things that they're getting right and they're doing. But 
as you read through these letters, you see sort of behind the scenes 
that the church on earth is plagued. The church on earth is afflicted. 
The church on earth has some challenges in terms of external 
problems. There's internal problems, and, 
of course, Jesus is dealing with that in these letters, but there's 
the external threat posed against the church of the Lord Jesus. 
So let's just survey a few of those. Notice in Revelation 2, 
specifically at verse 6, but this you have, that you hate 
the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. We're not 
going to get into their identification, not going to get into anything 
other than there was a group of people called the Nicolaitans, 
and their deeds were so bad that the church itself hated that, 
hated them, and Christ says He hates them too. Now notice down 
in 2.10, "...do not fear any of those things which you are 
about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some 
of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have 
tribulation ten days." Notice down in verse 13, I know your 
works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. It's a pretty 
strong statement. You dwell where Satan's throne 
is. I think what he means, it's the 
seat of the evil empire, the Roman empire specifically, and 
they're sort of programmed to get rid of Christians, to get 
rid of this threat, to get rid of these malcontents that are 
now in the empire. Look over at chapter 2, specifically 
at verse 20. Nevertheless, I have a few things 
against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls 
herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit 
sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. An internal 
threat, but a threat nonetheless. So you've got internal, you've 
got external. You've got problems, you've got challenges, you've 
got hardships, you've got woe. Notice in chapter 3, verse 9, 
"'Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say 
they are Jews and are not, but lie. Indeed, I will make them 
come and worship before your feet and to know that I have 
loved you.'" Now, the point is, when you look at chapters 2 and 
3, you see what you see there in Psalm 46, 2 and 3 and 6. You 
see chaos. You see hardship, you see difficulty, 
you see challenges, you see that the Christian life is punctuated 
very often by hardships, both internal and external. So then 
after chapters 2 and 3, you move to chapters 4 and 5. This is 
the scene change. This is the contrast. We go from 
the muck of life in this present evil age to the throne room of 
God Most High. Why do you think John, under 
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, does that? It's the same reason 
the sons of Korah do it in Psalm 46. Whatever misery, whatever 
hardship, whatever affliction, whatever difficulty you've got 
going on in this present evil age, guess where they've not 
affected? God is for you. God is not changed. God will not change. He is a 
very present help in trouble. So from the mock of life in Revelation 
2-3 to the calm dignity of the throne room on high in chapters 
4 and 5. Look at Revelation 13. Revelation 
13. Again, we're not going to spend 
time going through all identification and what's what and what about 
this and what about that, but simply note the contrast between 
chapters 13 and 14. Chapter 13, you have two beasts, 
one from the sea and one from the land. And there's lots of 
efforts to explain what these are, the significance of it. 
I think we can conclude at least two things here. One's a political 
power, and one's a religious power. That's the extent of the 
exegesis we're going to get into there in Revelation 13. But this 
much you can see as well. They're trying to get God's people. 
Right? That comes out loud and clear. 
Whatever your eschatology is, whatever you think in terms of 
the specific identity of the beast from the sea and the beast 
from the land, you have to get this, right? The beasts want 
to destroy God's people. That's just their nature. That's 
what they do. That's what makes them tick. 
They want to exterminate the people of God Almighty or enslave 
them or subjugate them in some nasty and nefarious way. So what 
happens in chapter 14? Same motif, chaos on earth, calm 
dignity of the throne room. Look at verse 1 in chapter 14. Then I looked, and behold, a 
lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 having his 
father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven 
like the voice of many waters and like the voice of loud thunder 
And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps They sang 
as it were a new song before the throne before the four living 
creatures and the elders And no one could learn that song 
except 144 000 who were redeemed from the earth These are the 
ones who were not defiled with women for they are virgins These 
are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes These were redeemed 
from among men being first fruits to god and to the lamb and in 
their mouth was found no deceit For they are without fault before 
the throne of god there's a contrast, the chaos on earth and the calm 
dignity of God's throne room. In a very helpful little commentary 
on the book of Revelation by Verne Poythress, he makes the 
observation, when God's people are beset by temptation or persecution, 
a revelation of God's nature and glory is the best remedy. 
Amen. In case I think I neglected to 
say that in the outset today or tonight of the sermon, that's 
the point. Get a glimpse of God's glory 
to steady you in the face of difficulty. That's the thesis. Just to make sure we all are, 
and I didn't steal it from him. I actually had that in my head. 
It's in my notes. Probably stole it from him at 
one point, but at least not tonight. He goes on to say, his power 
guarantees the final victory. His justice guarantees vindication 
of the right. See, brethren, I'm not picking 
on us. I think to some degree we have 
a developed understanding of this, or developing understanding 
of God's justice. But much of the church is not 
about that. It's, you know, we just got to 
watch while they plunder the gates. We just got to watch while 
they destroy everything. We just have to watch. And well, 
again, but we need to give place to wrath. Doesn't Paul give that 
in Romans chapter 12? He says, beloved, do not avenge 
yourselves. That's biblical. I'm not suggesting, 
you know, we go out, you know, with the commando sort of strapped 
ammunition and, you know, do hardship or harsh things to the 
enemies of God. But Paul does say, do not avenge 
yourselves. But he says, give place to wrath. What does that possibly mean? 
Well, I would suggest one thing it possibly means is to pray 
the imprecatory Psalms of David. Do you know that the weeping 
prophet Jeremiah, have you ever heard that they've made his name 
into a sort of a verb or adverb? I don't know if it's probably 
a verb, Jeremiah, or it's a noun. He's a Jeremiah. You know what 
that means? He's a melancholic person. He's 
a sorrowful person. He's a depressed person. He cries. Well, Jeremiah was a Jeremiah. 
Jeremiah weeps. Jeremiah has that agony. Jeremiah 
composed Lamentations after the fall of Jerusalem. You know, 
the whole book is about his lament before a thrice-holy God. Do 
you know that Jeremiah prays in precatory prayers against 
the enemies of Zion? Jeremiah does? Do you know that 
Jesus is okay with it as well? When Jesus cites psalms that 
are imprecatory in nature, that gives his sort of sanction to 
the entirety of the psalm. So back to our quote by Poitras. His justice guarantees vindication 
of the right, and his goodness and magnificence guarantee blessing 
and comfort. The blood of the Lamb demonstrates 
that solid redemption has already been accomplished. Even in the 
midst of trials and persecution, God is still the ruler. He controls 
everything. That's the point of the sons 
of Korah in Psalm 46. That's the point of John the 
Apostle on the island of Patmos as he's been exiled for the Word 
of God and the testimony of the Lord. What do they do? They look 
at the world and they comment appropriately. They don't try 
to hide the blemishes. They don't try to hide the afflictions. 
They don't try to hide the trouble. They show it in all of its gross 
detail, but then they contrast it with God and His absolute 
sovereignty and control over all things. Notice thirdly, the 
invitation to consider God's works. Look at what He does in 
verse 8. Come. What's the remedy? When you're in times of distress, 
when you are afflicted, when you have that trouble, what do 
you think is going to help you? Reflect on how good you are? 
Reflect on how righteous you are? Reflect upon how great this 
world... No, it's to come and behold the 
works of God. That's one of the things you 
see throughout the Psalms, especially those Psalms ascribed to Asaph. 
When Asaph wrote Psalms, there was darkness in the land. It 
was pretty bad, such that the Gentiles, the heathen, the pagan, 
were in the very sanctuary of God Almighty. So there's no present 
thing to sort of encourage him. He hasn't seen, you know, Gentile 
mobs or hordes cut down by, you know, AK-47s by the righteous 
children of Israel in any sort of recent memory. So where do 
you think Asaph goes? Do you think he goes to despair? 
Do you think he goes to the asylum? Do you think he goes to the kitchen? 
He goes to God. He goes to the Exodus. He goes 
to that great redemptive act of God when he liberated the 
children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. And he does the same 
thing here. not Asaph, but the sons of Korah. 
Notice, come, behold the works of the Lord who has made desolations 
in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end 
of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the 
spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. 
important brethren that you be reading your Old Testament. Yes, 
you have a lot of positive example in terms of Christian life in 
the New Testament, but you have a lot of it in the Old Testament 
as well. You have the Elijahs, you have 
the Elishas, you have the Jeremiahs, you have the Hoseas, you have 
the Micahs, you have the Amos, you have those brothers who lived 
the Christian life in the distress and in the hardship and in the 
trouble and they were always brought back to this reality 
that our God is a present health and in trouble. He is our refuge 
and our strength. So the psalmist here calls upon 
the people of God to survey the works of the Lord. That's what 
brings you up. That's what's going to bring 
you help. That's what's going to encourage you. It's not your 
accomplishments. Spurgeon says, the joyful citizens 
of Jerusalem are invited to go forth and view the remains of 
their enemies, that they may mark the prowess of Jehovah and 
the spoil which his right hand hath won for his people. It were 
well if we also carefully noted the providential dealings of 
our covenant God and were quick to perceive His hand in the battles 
of His church. Whenever we read history, it 
should be with this verse sounding in our ears. Come, behold the 
works of the Lord who has made desolations in the earth. He 
makes war cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow 
and cuts the spear in two. He burns the chariot in the fire. 
You've got a record of that from Genesis to Revelation. If you 
say, well, I just don't know, then get your Bible out and read 
it. Get your Bible out and understand 
the mighty exploits of the people of God. Read Hebrews chapter 
11. In a brief thumbnail sketch, 
he points to the faith of God's people in the various epochs 
of redemptive history, in the history of redemption. And he 
shows what they did by faith in that blessed God. This is 
not unique. Psalm 66, verse 5, come and see 
the works of God. He is awesome in his doing toward 
the sons of men. So when there's trouble, when 
there's affliction, when there's distress, when there's hardship, 
the psalmist says, as it were, be encouraged at who God is. He's a refuge and a strength. 
And be encouraged at what God has done. He's able to smash 
his enemies the way he did in the book of Exodus, as he does 
in the book of Numbers, as he did in the reading tonight in 
Deuteronomy chapter 2. It's not the prowess of Israel 
that won her those victories, it's the power of God Almighty. 
And then finally, probably the most familiar verse in the entirety 
of the psalm is verse 10. And this is the command to rest 
in God's sovereignty. Now there's some question here 
as to who it is addressed to. I'm sure we've all appropriated 
it, and, well, we should. Be still and know that I am God. 
That's great counsel, sons of Korah. Thank you. I need to be 
still. I don't need to lose my mind. 
I don't need to lose my composure. I don't need to turn to those 
things which are not God for safety and for stability and 
for some sort of security. So some suggest that the command 
to rest in God's sovereignty is first issued to the people 
of God for their comfort. Right? It is comforting, isn't 
it? I mean, you know, I don't write Christian greeting cards, 
but if I did, Psalm 4610 would probably be a big one because 
it's so wonderful, right? Be still and know that I am God. 
It's a great encouragement for the people of God. J. A. Alexander 
suggests it's to the enemies of God. It's to the enemies of 
God. Be still. and know that I am 
God. Alexander said, these words are 
addressed to the discomfited foes of Jehovah and his people. 
Cease from your vain attacks upon my people. Learn from what 
you have already seen and felt that their protector is divine 
and that he is resolved to be acknowledged as supreme, not 
only by his chosen people, but by all the nations and throughout 
the earth. So I'm going to take a sort of 
tactic that says it's both. It might be a weaselly way out, 
but it is both. Be still for the people of God 
for their encouragement and for their comfort, and be still for 
the enemies of God to understand that there is a day of reckoning 
coming. Now, with reference to the believer's confidence, Gill 
makes this observation with reference to the words, be still. He says, 
not that they should be like sticks and stones, stupid, indolent, 
and unconcerned at the commotions that were in the earth, and be 
unaffected with the judgments of God, and be wholly silent 
and inactive, but that they should not be fearful nor fretful and 
impatient, or restless and tumultuous, but be quiet and easy, resign 
to the will of God, and live in an assured expectation of 
the appearance of divine providence in their layout." I think that's 
a good way to interpret that. Be still and know that I am God. 
It doesn't mean go get on the couch and have an extended nap, 
and so all of your troubles will just blow past you. That might 
be the temptation at times. That might be the tendency at 
times to perhaps run and hide. And I'm not suggesting it's always 
necessarily wrong to run and hide. The name of Yahweh is a 
strong tower. What do the righteous do? They 
run to it and they find refuge. They find help. They find protection 
and strength there. But this asserts or this encourages 
the believer's confidence in his God. Be still and know that 
I am God. And then notice, I will be exalted 
among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The heathen are commanded this 
to instill fear and trembling and to provoke them to seek Israel's 
God. The believers are told this to 
understand that whatever afflictions are hurting Zion, Zion wins. Jesus will build His church, 
and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. The gates 
of Hades is going to mount up opposition. The gates of Hades 
isn't going to go without some kicking and screaming. The gates 
of Hades isn't rendered inactive, but they will be defeated. The 
unrighteous will be defeated, and God will be exalted among 
the nations, and He will be exalted in the earth. In conclusion, 
we see here the presence of trouble in the life of the believer. 
I'm not, you know, trying to, you know, give you this in terms 
of now everything's going to go bad for you. But to prepare 
you, if you believe that the Christian life is without any 
problems or without any hardships or any trials, you've not heard 
the Christian life preached. You've not read the Apostle Paul. 
You've not read the book of Job. You've not read the book of Lamentations. 
You've not read many of the Psalms. Psalm 88, I think I mentioned 
before, Psalm 88 is the only Psalm that I know of that doesn't 
have a happy positive note. One of the good things about 
the Psalms is that it can take you from Dan to Beersheba in 
the space of one Psalm. You're rejoicing in the glory 
of God. You're down in the depths of despair. You're casting your 
confidence upon Him. Psalm 88 is pretty much just 
a downer from verse 1 on to the end. Now, it feeds into Psalm 
89, which is the covenant psalm about David's son, David's greater 
son, even our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you think that the Christian 
life is not marked by hardships, then I would encourage you to 
read the Bible. Secondly, the knowledge of God 
in the experience of the believer. This morning I won't read the 
whole thing, but in our studies of God's decree, our brother 
pointed us to chapter 2 in the Confession. So, of God and of 
the Holy Trinity is chapter 2, and then chapter 3 is of God's 
decree. There is a close connection. 
They are inextricably connected. And when we ponder chapter 2, 
specifically paragraph 2, we're reminded of God's absolute sovereignty 
in the midst of His people. And in order to get that in our 
veins, we've got to read it in our Bibles. We've got to appropriate 
it through sermons. We have to receive that Word 
of God for the stability and comfort that God affords. Thirdly, 
the comfort we possess on our pilgrimage as believers. It's 
gonna be tough, we're gonna have hardship, but we can do it by 
the grace of God. We sing that song, the soul that 
on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert 
to his foes. That soul, though all hell should 
endeavor to shake, I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake. 
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake. What do you think the 
point is? Well, probably I'll never, no, 
never, no, never forsake. The reading a couple of weeks 
ago in Deuteronomy chapter 1. The children of Israel looked 
at the wilderness as a bad thing. As far as they were concerned, 
it was bad. When they were out in the wilderness, it was just, 
you know, this longing to go back to Egypt. You know, we had 
garlic, we had leeks, we had melons, we had meat, we had all 
kinds of stuff. You also had bondage because 
you were slaves. Well, that's okay. As long as 
we got our, you know, three hots and a cot, we'll be okay with 
the slavery. You see, God interprets the wilderness 
in a much different way. Deuteronomy 1, 29 to 31. Then 
I said to you, do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord your 
God who goes before you, he will fight for you according to all 
he did for you in Egypt before your eyes. And in the wilderness 
where you saw how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries 
his son in all the way that you went until you came to this place. Not only was it not a bad thing, 
it was God the Lord carrying Israel through that wilderness 
wandering. So it was a great and glorious 
thing. Where the hymn writer gets that, 
no, never, no, never, I'll never forsake, is Isaiah 41.10. Fear 
not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your 
God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will 
uphold you by my righteous right hand. So we have comfort in this 
earthly pilgrimage as the suffering and afflicted people of God. 
And just to remind us all, it's not all suffering and affliction. 
I mean, we have lots of good things and lots of things to 
be quite happy about. And then I want to end here on 
the promise of God to encourage believers. The promise of God 
to encourage believers. So verse 10, be still, know that 
I'm God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted 
in the earth. What does that mean in terms of our prospects 
with reference to evangelism and missions? It means we need 
to be about that. It means we need to be prayerful. 
It means that we need to give. It means that we need to send. 
It means that we need to train. It means that we need to support 
missionaries. Because God's purpose is exaltation 
in the nations and throughout the earth. Listen to Spurgeon. 
He says, I will be exalted among the heathen. They forget God, 
they worship idols, but Jehovah will yet be honored by them. 
Reader, the prospects of missions are bright, bright as the promises 
of God. Let no man's faith fail him. 
The solemn declarations of this verse must be realized. I will 
be exalted in the earth among all people, whatever may have 
been their wickedness or their degradation. Either by terror 
or love, God will subdue all hearts to himself. The whole 
round earth shall yet reflect the light of his majesty. All 
the more because of the sin and obstinacy and pride of man shall 
God be glorified when grace reigns unto eternal life in all corners 
of the world. Praise God most high that in 
the midst of a world that is marked by sin and depravity and 
wretchedness and evil, He's in the business of calling sinners 
out of darkness into marvelous light, forming them together 
in things called churches, where they can pray together, where 
they can study together, and where they can strategize together 
to send forth that glorious gospel, conquering and to conquer. Well, 
let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank 
you for your word. We thank you for this Lord's 
Day. We thank you for the Church of Jesus Christ. Help us to appropriate 
this psalm. Help us to hide it in our hearts 
that we might not fret, that we might not fear, but that we 
might have repair to that God who is our refuge and our strength, 
a very present help in trouble. I pray that you would go with 
us now, that you would watch over us, that you would be glorified 
in this congregation. And we ask through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief time 
of meditation.