Faith in God as He Reveals Himself

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Isaiah 40; Lord's Day 35
Psalters: 17, 334, 415, 137
  1. The basis.
    1. This commandment teaches us about God’s being and His relationship.
      1. He is a Spirit (John 4:24) without tangible, visible form (John 1:18; Col.1:15), and thus we cannot make images of Him.
      2. He is infinite in His being and His glory, with nothing equal to Him (Isa. 40:12-17) and every image limits Him (25,27,28).
      3. His relationship with His people (covenant friend) makes images unnecessary.
    2. God requires that He be worshiped, loved, and thanked accurately, i.e., as He has revealed Himself.
      1. Natural man is able only to know about (not "know") God; they cannot understand the things of God (I Cor. 2:14; Rom. 1).
      2. God further reveals Himself in His Word and in the preaching of His Word (I Cor. 1:21).
    3. This command prohibits the use of anything to represent God because they conflict with His revelation of Himself.
      1. Any image or representation of a creature is material, external and limited (calves of Aaron and Jeroboam).
      2. Image worship is an effort of man to form his own concept of God, which is always less than what He is.
  2. The implication.
    1. This commandment establishes the "regulative principle" of worship, i.e., God tells us how He is to be worshiped, so the manner of worship is regulated by God's Word (q. 96; Westminster Shorter, q.50) (Deut. 4:2; 12:31,32).
      1. We include in worship only what God commands, so He determines how man will serve Him.
      2. The Reformed tradition is that God alone may determine how we will serve Him – all else is self-willed service.
    2. Only those elements prescribed by Scripture are permitted: preaching, sacraments, prayer, offerings, singing.
      1. The lively preaching of His revelation (I Cor. 1:21) is God's way of instructing and correcting our mental images.
      2. The singing of versifications of the Psalms is because it is the inspired songbook of the church given by the Spirit.
    3. The characteristics of public worship are: spirituality, simplicity, solemnity, orderliness, and stability.
  3. The commandment gives powerful motivations and encouragements to obey Him.
    1. First, God pursues with anger and jealousy those who hate Him by not worshiping Him as He commands.
    2. Second, God makes clear that the violation of this command bears fruit on our children.
    3. Obedience is encouraged when God promises to show His mercy on those who serve Him as He commands.
    4. Resulting admonitions.
      1. May the solemn formality of our worship services be a reflection of our love for our God.
      2. May our relationship to God be sincere (love), and not mere formality.