The Bronze Favour - The Favour of God to Humans [Sermon]

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

July 2019

Psalm 90

A. Relationship

Psalm 90:1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.

B. Wrongdoing

Numbers 21:5

The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.”

Psalm 90:8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

C. Repercussions

Numbers 21:6

The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

Direct vs Indirect

1. Fellowship broken

Psalm 90:13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.

2. Favour removed

Psalm 90: 5-7, 9-10. 5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.

9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.

10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures;

yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

D. Reflection

1. Reflection on Gods greatness

Psalm 90:1-4

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

2. Reflection on human frailty

Psalm 90:5-6

5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:

6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

E. Respond in prayer

Numbers 21:7

So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people.

1. for the power to seek God

Psalm 90:11-12

11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.

12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalms 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,

equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2. For the restoration of fellowship

Psalm 90:13-17

13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

The favor of God does not come without fellowship with God.

Numbers 21:8-9

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

John 3:14

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

How deep the Father’s love for us,

How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss -

The Father turns His face away…

Photo by Harli Marten on Unsplash