Live 2 Warning! Giving Thanks is a Command! (501)

or, A Heart of Gratitude.

we once again are recording live in the studio. We spend a few moments getting caught up, and Nathan shares a word about kids and protecting their safety. Stay tuned to the end when we share a few online recommendations about podcasts we listen to. For now, here are the show notes that Keith was reading from as we recorded.

Psalm 50:14

a heart of gratitude

1. The Righteous Judgment of God (vv.1-6)

1 The name here for God is: L Yahweh Elohim. Or, Almighty God.

He summons, or calls the witnesses by name. God’s covenant was with the entire earth. The covenant with Noah. The entire earth, from east to west, was being called as a witness of the natural order.

Genesis 9:8-17
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,
9 “Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you;
10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.
11 “I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;
13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
14 “It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud,
15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 “When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

2 God shows interest in his people, and recognizes Zion as the perfect and beautiful place. The true shining city on the hill. Psalm 48:2

3 God is coming, not may come. His appearance inspires and terrifies. Like a burning fire of wrath, he comes to judge. His anger is like a fierce tempest. One that would send violent shivers through anyone in it.

4 Summoning the heaven and earth to judge mankind according to his natural order.

Deuteronomy 32:1
1 “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak;
And let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

Judgment for rebelling against God.
Isaiah 1:2
2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.

He gathers all people to be judged. But first, he has a word for his godly people.

5-6 These were God’s people by covenant, and their obedience proven in their sacrifice.

Exodus 19:5, six
5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;
6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

Exodus 24 5-8
5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”
8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

The idea of being in good standing with God is not automatic. God is a righteous judge. Everything in his heaven and earth is in order, only due to his will. He does not tolerate anything that goes against his will. The natural order of heaven and earth will witness and testify to his righteousness.

2 Warning to the Godly (vv.7-15)

7 Although God demands sacrifice, he does not need the offerings. He is the rightful ruler, under the terms of the covenant with his people.

They were to be a culturally pure people, a people guided and protected by God.

8 God’s people are not being judged for lack of sacrifice. God doesn’t need their sacrifice. There offerings were to be done out of thanksgiving and dedication. If they are not motivated from true gratefulness, he does not need them.

9-11 Bulls or goats? He doesn’t need them, especially if not offered with joy. Beast of the forest, or wild animals are his already. Cattle on a thousand hills, or domestic animals are already his. Everything from animals to birds, he already knows them. He’s the creator and ruler of everything. He doesn’t need their proud offerings that they might boast about. He certainly doesn’t need their offerings for food.

12-13 Even if God were hungry, he wouldn’t let anyone know. He already owns the world and all it contains. God asks rhetorical questions about whether he actually needs to eat or drink from animals. The real purpose of this type of sacrifice is in communion with him.

14 The motivation for the sacrifice should be thanksgiving. The motivations for a vow should be out of willingness, gratitude and dedication. These voluntary offerings were also eaten by those giving them. It was God’s way of sharing in communion with them.

These types of offerings were often given after someone went through a difficulty or received an answer to prayer.

15 Despite having a wrong attitude, God is still willing to rescue his people. All it takes is to humbly call on him in a time of trouble. Calling to him in our humility will cause us to honor him.

3 Warning to the Wicked (vv.16-21)

16-17 But not everyone is willing to be humble. God asks: What gives them the right to tell God how he should operate? He asked: what gives them the right to speak his words, or to claim his covenant for themselves.

They hate and resent religious discipline, and cast aside his teachings. They disregard what he asks of them. He hates the hypocrites who seem to talk the talk, but never walk the walk. They’re just in it for self-promotion. He calls them unspiritual, foolish and wicked.

18-20 This type of religious thinking loves the thief and admires the adulterer. They speak evil and tell lies. They even stoop so low as to slander their own brother. Two associates with, and give approval of this kind of lawbreaker makes you guilty by association.

21 God is silent in his observation. It doesn’t mean he is giving his consent. He’s building a case against the evil one.

Malachi 2:17
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”

Do you believe that it is vanity to serve God? Or that serving him has no purpose? Do you count arrogance is a blessing?

People test God, and seem to get off the hook and escape.

Malachi 3:14-15
14 “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts?
15 ‘So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'”

Don’t mistake God’s patient for his consent. He freely bestows both judgment and grace. He can’t be placed in a box by human beings.

In his own time, he will act. When he judges, he will do it openly.

4 The Righteous Judgment of God (vv.22-23)

22-23 God is patient, and offers plenty of times to repent. Once God has had enough, he will judge swiftly. Who can you call for help, when the one who would’ve been your helper is now your judge?

Hosea 5:14
14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim
And like a young lion to the house of Judah
I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.

Gratitude from the heart is what honors God. The one who orders his ways according to God’s orderly nature. r the one who has proper priorities. God honors the one who is ways are in line with his.

Hebrews 13:15-16
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

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