"THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD"
Text from Palsm 19, 104 and Job 38
Thanksgiving Message 2009
Preached by: Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, November 22, 2009
This Thanksgiving I come before the Lord and this church with a grateful heart for the Greatness of the Lord in this Church Fellowship. The Joy of the abiding presence of the Lord is Great in you.
This past week I purchased Sarah Palin's book, "Going Rogue". I have been reading it while sitting at the hospital. It is a page turner. I am not too far into it, but I have been so blessed by her description of the privilege of growing up in the beauty of frontier Alaska. In the midst of wild beauty of the Lord’s creation, her life is seamless as she describes her oneness with creation, her family, her God and her nation.
I then remembered moments of my youth standing before the stars of heaven on a beautiful night, and declaring back to God the glory of the beauty of his universe. In those moments of worship, I understood that creation proclaims God’s Omnipotence. I remember climbing to the highest place on our farm, a barn loft. From that vista, I could look across the fields, see the blue sky, and worship God in the majesty of his creation. I felt His Presence in that barn loft and the Joy of the Lord.
Sarah Palin describes receiving the Lord Jesus Christ under a starlit sky and experienced the filling of “the God shaped vacuum in the human heart”. “One summer, I attended a youth bible camp in Big Lake…Looking around at the incredible creation that is Alaska---the majestic peaks and midnight sun, the wild waters and teeming wildlife---I could practically see and hear and feel God’s spirit reflected in everything in nature. I reasoned that if God knew what He was doing in this magnificent creation, how much more did He know about me? If he is powerful and wise enough to make all this and thought also to create a speck like me, there surely must be a plan, and He’d know more than I did about my future and my purpose. I made the conscious decision that summer to put my life in my Creator’s hands and trust Him as I sought my life’s path.”
Psalm 19:1: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day pours forth speech and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. There is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun; which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat of it.” This is a Psalm of David. He studied the two greatest books, Nature and the Scripture. This Psalms reveals a two-fold revelation of Jehovah. He is revealed in nature and the Law. There are actually three witnesses the Lord has given all mankind so that the atheist is without excuse.:
(1) Creation
(2) Natural Law(3) Conscience There are five Psalms elevating God as creator: 2, 19, 29, 33, and 104. Psalm 19 reveals the truth that the plan of God can be seen in the stars. I do not believe in reading your horoscope. That is not what I am talking about and don’t want to be misinterpreted. If you are someone who read the horoscope, stop it! Satan has tried to take over this gift the Lord intended for our wisdom. I am not an astrologist. However, the Lord uses a star to reveal to the “wise men” the birth of Jesus Christ. The Lord will still use the signs of the stars to reveal Himself to His Creation. I do not operate in this gift. However, if there were once Wise Men who had this gift, then there are still those who can discern the “signs of the times” through the signs in the Heavens. Luke 21:25: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” Rev. 1:7 “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindred’s of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Job. 38: 4-7: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? Who has stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? Or who laid the corner stone thereof? When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Job. 38:31-32: Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Can you bring forth Mazzaroth (Zodiac) in his season? Or can you guide Arcturus (Bear an astrological constellation of stars with his sons? Do you know the ordinances of heaven? Can you set the dominion thereof in the earth? Pleiades = “Cimah” = “the seven stars; seven daughters of Atlas; This is the seven stars of Amos 5:8 “Seek Him who made the seven stars and Orion, and turned the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night, that calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.” This constellation appears at the beginning of Spring and is the symbol for heap, cluster, bond together, family, abundance, increase, multitude, superior, more excellent, perfect.” Orion = “Cesil” – This is a constellation in Taurus. The brightest star is Betelgues. The ancients connected Orion with storms and called him “the Giant” who is bound in the heavens. “Can you bind up the spring, or loose the winter? Thus Orion balances Pleiades: Life and death, blessing and cursing. This is means” blooming, beautiful, strong, a mighty hunter; virtuous, strength, confidence, hope.” Mazzaroth marks the path of the sun in the Heavens. This is the tabernacle for the sun; hence the signs of the stars are called the “houses” of the sun (son), because in them he moves and dwells, and completes his circuit. This is a symbol of forewarnings. Arcturus – This constellation revolves perpetually around the North Star and is called “the Bear and her train” in the R.V. The Bear is a symbol of that which is cruel and crushing. “Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. The earth founded in space; the restless ocean shut in within the boundary of His will; the dayspring clothing the earth as a garment, the recesses of the deep laid before His eyes; the knowledge of the mysterious gates of death; the resources in the treasures of hail and snow; the control of the water-food, wind, and rain; the breathing upon the waters for the formation of ice and frost; and the leading and guiding of the planets of heaven, as if they were but trifles in His hand. No one but the sovereign Lord of Heaven and the earth could thus summarize, with masterly ease, the forces at His command! Day unto Day is from age to age. Creation continually declares and prophesies the Glory of God. This is progressive revelation. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gong out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them (stars) has he set a tabernacle for the sun (or the son) which is as a Bridegroom come out of his chamber? Luke 17:21: “Nor shall they say, Look here or say there, for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Jesus is the Alpha (the starting-point) and the Omega (the Goal and the Prize). You cannot return to where you never were. “His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it.” Psalm 104: 1-3: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with honor and majesty. Who covers yourself with light as with a garment; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain: who lays the beams of his chambers in the waters; who makes the clouds his chariot: who walks upon the wings of the wind:” This is creation’s hymn” and is one of the Psalms of nature. Some have called it a song of Millennial Praise. This is a Song to God the Great Creator and is seen here as creation’s Lord. . The Psalm opens with a declaration of the essential greatness of God and then proceeds in poetic language to describe the manifestations of His greatness in creation. Then in a burst of praise, the singer recognizes the dependence of all upon Jehovah. Finally the singer cries out for the continuity of the realization of Divine purpose everywhere in order that Jehovah may rejoice in His works. 104: 19-30: “He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knows his going down. You make darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun rises. They gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens. I have to smile as I am typing this. One of the words Bob Jones gave was that I was an old lioness and I took my prey by night. That is scriptural. God is creator of time. He is Master of the deep, light, darkness, snow, hail, lightning, constellations, clouds, and mist. God is the creator and protector of animals. The Lord knows the time, season, hour day, and minute of birth and death. He knows the purpose he has for us and all is divinely appointed in His time. This is Faith. Our affliction is God-permitted to refine us so that we may see God and that we may share in His Glory. Read Job. 38: The Lord spoke to Job out of the whirlwind. God alone confronted and faced Job alone. Note that the Lord does not accuse Job, vindicate him or indict him. That God speaks at all is enough for Job. There is a kindly playfulness in the Lord’s speeches which is quite relaxing. His aim is not to crush Job with an awareness of his minuteness in contract with God’s infinite power, not to mock him when he puts his tiny mind beside God’s Omniscience. On the contrary, the mere fact that God converses with him gives him a dignity above the birds and beast, assuring him that is a splendid thing to be a man. In the sharing of a common life within the same world, God and Job both find the vindication there neither received in the discourses of the friends. Here is the answer to satan’s cynicism. Here is the proof that Job has clung to God when stripped of all else. Here is the proof that a man can love God simply for being God, not for reward! Job is vindicated in a Faith in God’s goodness that has survived a terrible deprivation, and which has actually grown in spite of the abuse of his friends and the tradition of creeds. Job found God is in the world and in creation. These beautiful words about creation are the revelation of the Lord through nature to Job. I have not finished Sarah Palin’s book. She could have had a wounded spirit from all of the abuse she suffered. Yet, she is an Overcomer. I believe she will listen to hear the Voice of God. She has placed her life in his hands. If he raises her up to the highest office in the land, she will be at peace. If he does not, she will still be at peace. She placed her destiny in the Hands of God. She came to know Him in creation, His word, and her moral conscience. I believe the Lord will bring her forth as a “rising star” to raise the banner of restoration of righteousness to this nation. This is not the conclusion in the book, but my personal observation. Carolyn Sissom, PastorEastgate Ministries, Inc.www.eastgateministries.comScripture from K.J.V. and text paraphrased from Principles of Present Truth of Psalms and Job. Observations and conclusions are my own. Quotes from “Going Rogue” by Sarah Palin
