SUBJ: The absolute intolerance of God
in the matter of the workers of iniquity and the magnitude of the mercy
that is to be compared to it.
AIM: That we may grow to hate sin more
and to love the mercy of God and the God of mercy supremely. We must
hate sin because of the hatred of God.
INTR: Many face great difficulty with
the hard sayings of the Bible and this one is no exception. The problem
is how we reconcile the love of God with the hatred of God. The answer
is that all reconciliation is in Christ. 1. We have been inundated
with a shallow concept of love and mercy and even God is tried in the
minds of many by that standard. 2. We define our likes by contrast
with our dislikes in every aspect of our being. Otherwise our thoughts
are of no value one way or another and the evil one would delight
therein. 3. If God does not hate or if hatred does not exist, how can
we understand love and especially how can the greatness of His love be
considered?
THESIS: It is
because of the hatred of God that we understand and desire His mercy.
The prayer of David was directed against his enemies but because of the
hatred of God (vv. 1-3).
I. Consider first the negative approach
to the pleasure of God (v. 4) 1. It is important that we understand
the concept of the pleasure of God and that we find our delight in the
pleasure of God and the sovereign exercise of His will. 2. There is
no place for "in between" or "sort of" with God 3. Who God is not -
and we think on pleasure in wickedness and we furthermore consider the
implication that there are those that have pleasure in wickedness. 4.
Neither shall "evil ones" dwell: 1) The question: Psalms 94:20 Shall
the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief
by a law? 2) The expectation: 2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according
to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness. 5. The evil man can not be comfortable with God and
God will not have Him - He hates him.
II. The Hatred of God (vv.
5-6) 1. The difficult doctrine of the hatred of God - compared to the
fact that God is love. 1) Holiness is demanded and is caught up in
the love of God 2) Man’s standard of tolerance leads to this
difficulty. 2. Consider the sense of the prophet: Thou art of purer
eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore
lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue
when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
Habakkuk 1:13 3. Consider some examples of God's intolerance: Cain,
Sodom, Nadab and Abihu, Achan, Uzzah, and even Ananias and Sapphira may
be an example even to believer's of God intolerance for sin. 4. The
foolish shall not stand: the proud, self determined, enamored with their
own wisdom and promoting rather the way of iniquity. 5. Thou
hatest... 1) Not all sinners else none are saved (But all are
constituted sinners and were by nature the children of wrath even as
others). 2) Those who make sin the business of their lives finally
and completely - those who do not seek mercy. These include both the
matters of morality and even religion. Matthew 7:22-23 22 Many will say
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and
in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity. 3) Many would claim that God hates
the sin but loves the sinner without exception - not according to the
scripture. 6. Consider then the intolerance of God and Christ: Romans
8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
III.
The multitude of thy mercy... (v. 7) 1. There is an implied
consciousness of the magnitude of the mercy of God 1) If there were
no hatred, there could be no mercy 2) The measure of mercy is the
measure of hatred and visa-versa. 2. Consider the makeup of this
mercy: Contained in the promises, displayed in Christ, manifested in
regeneration and adoption, experienced in forgiveness, received in
fellowship with His Son and it thus becomes the source of joy
forevermore (see v. 11)
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