Understanding the End of All Men
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
4/28/2013 PM
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Text:
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Psalm 73:17
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Psalters: |
418, 329, 201, 202 |
- This is a passage of Scripture which clearly answers common grace.
- Asaph has been struggling to understand why God gave prosperity of the wicked and troubles of the saints (3-14).
- Found in the sanctuary.
- Instead of drawing conclusions on the basis of experience and sight, we must go to the sanctuary of God.
- For us in the New Dispensation it is in the assembly of believers under the preaching of God’s Word.
- There God explains the gospel of eternal and unchanging grace.
- There God reveals the truth about time and the coming eternity with a heaven and a hell.
- The end of the rich and happy wicked (18,19).
- Physical death (though without bands, 4) is the end of earthly life; life on earth does not continue forever!
- But more, their “end” is eternal death (not reincarnation, nor extinction).
- Further, the wicked receive just punishment at the hands of the God against whom they have arrogantly sinned!
- It is: “destruction” (ruin) and “desolation” (appalling waste), “utterly consumed” (terrible and complete consumption).
- He, Who is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29), does the casting down, consumes them, and causes them to perish.
- And it is sudden (“as in a moment”) whether they die in bed of old age or violently in the prime of life.
- Knowledge of the end of the prosperous wicked means that the way on which they have been set is smooth, “slippery.”
- Now consider the troubles of the God-fearing people.
- Without understanding their end, their troubles are curses, but the troubles have an end determined by God.
- In the earthly life of the elect God “guides” us by His sovereign counsel unto glory (24).
- This counsel not only determined election, but it also determined every detail of the way in His great goodness.
- The end or goal of all God’s guidance of His Israel is “glory.”
- Into this glory God actively “receives” (takes) us.
- In God’s sanctuary the psalmist and we understand that the troubles of this present time are necessary for the future glory.
- No more reason to doubt God’s goodness to His people.