Moses' Prayer for His Nation - pt.1

Introduction

I thought that I would preach on this chapter, as it is one of the chapters that the 2nd Mile Fellowship read yesterday.

This psalm must be viewed in light of the history found in Num. 13-14.

In Num. 13-14; the COI have been loosed from the bondage of Egypt, but had not yet claimed the land of promise. They were (at this time) in the wilderness.

In Ch. 13, the COI are told to choose out a man for each tribe to go and spy out the Land.

So they did, and 12 spies went into the land and searched it out for 40 days.

They returned and said ‘It’s an exceeding good land - floweth with milk and honey

The brought back a taste (pomegranates, figs & grapes)

Btw, it’s a shame that so few experience God’s best & only get a taste of it.

Ten of the spies also brought back an evil report. (Read Num. 13:28-29)

Joshua & Caleb tried to encourage them to go, but they refused

God’s anger kindled (Num. 14:11-12) But Moses pleaded for the people

However, God did pronounce Judgment upon them (Num. 14:28-35)

So when you read this Psalm in this light, it makes better sense knowing that it’s coming from a place where God is angry with a sinful, rebellious nation.

THAT BEING SAID: AMERICA IS A SINFUL, REBELLIOUS NATION AND WE NEED GOD TO TURN AGAIN UNTO US IN MERCY & CLEANSE US FROM THE PERVERSION WE’VE BECOME!

What is happening in our country is truly most vile.

I thought that the standard Sodomite agenda that has been running amok in our nation for the last 30 years was bad. (The agenda of affirmation). But what is taking place with the trans agenda is far more open and wicked.

We’re not fighting the ‘Jimmy has two daddies’ books in the library anymore. We’re having men dressed up like flaming transvestites reading ‘Jimmy has two daddies’ to toddlers. We have the most vile displays of confused, mentally deranged half-naked queers dancing & gyrating in front of our children!

We as a nation are in trouble.

I look at this whoredom going on and I wonder why God has withheld His Judgment from us. But I believe we’re experiencing nationally Romans 1. (Read Rom. 1:20-28)

It appears that God has not brought down Judgment unto America, but He’s given us up to be consumed and destroyed by sin itself.

So as we examine Ps. 90 - the only Psalm penned by Moses, I pray that we keep this in mind.

The first things to notice is The Infinite God spoken of

I. The Infinite God

Of course there are other aspects of God, but this is one that is most important under the present circumstances. We’ll speak of another in a moment.

HE is from Everlasting (v1-2)

I relabeled these points to make sure to give God His proper pronoun. Gen. 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

He is from Everlasting. God had no beginning, will have no end. He is from everlasting. ‘Before the Mountains, THOU ART GOD!’

Out in the desert when God called Moses we see: Ex. 3:13-14 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

He is from Everlasting - in fact, we see that He is outside of Time

He is Outside of Time (v4)

One thing that I want to point out is that some have tried to use v4 & 2Pe. 3:8 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” to ascribe time to God. ( In other words, this means that…)

However, in v4 we actually see two different times given. This is called Hyperbole. Moses is trying to say that God is outside of time by using time as an illustration.

It’s important to consider the greatness of God, because of what Moses compares him to in our next point:

We see the Infinite God - next we see the Instability of Men

II. The Instability of Men

Is Quickly Swept Away (v5)

‘Thou carriest them away...’

(Ill.) Have you ever seen video of a flash flood? Have you seen just how quickly something can be carried away into an unknown destination? One minute it’s here, and the next it’s gone?

This is an illustration of man. James said it like this: Jam. 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Men make plans. Jesus told this parable (Luk. 12:16-20)

You may think you have tomorrow - yet tomorrow you may be in the hands of God Almighty. Your life is a vapour that can vanish at a moment’s notice!

He is Quickly Swept Away

‌Is Come & Gone (v6)

You and I are here for such a short time. I’m turning 49yo this year and it seems as though it were yesterday that my children were babies. It seems just the day before that when I was hanging around the neighborhood playing wiffleball & GI Joes.

We have such a short amount of time to do what needs be done. So short to accomplish something eternal.

He is Come then Gone as the evening grass

‌Years Only Known by God (v10)

You might have much - then again, you might not.

The Bible tells us: Heb. 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

We each have an appointment that we’ll not be late for. It’s one that we can’t postpone or delay. It’s appointed by an INFINATE God unto a FINITE, UNSTABLE, FEEBLE man.

And that’s the comparison that Moses is trying to make in this Psalm

We see the Infinite God, The Instability of Men, next an Inescapable Judgment

III. An Inescapable Judgment

Our Sin is Not Hid (v8)

There is no such thing as ‘secret sin’ unto God.

You may hide it from me, I might from you - but NO ONE HIDES THEIR SIN FROM GOD!

But the problem with America today is that it goes so far beyond it. America is not in a sinful state that it’s trying to hide - we have devolved into dismissing the concept of sin altogether!

Is. 5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

So whether it’s on a national level or a personal level - God is not ignorant of sin. He’s not ignorant of yours or mine. He’s certainly not of America’s!

Our sin is not hid - and His Anger is Consuming

His Anger is Consuming (v7)

I made the statement in Sunday School that the Jesus that this world tries to portray is not the Jesus of the Bible (Long haired peacenik, speaking gentle-like & singing Kumbaya) The Jesus of the Bible:

Overthrew tables & chased out merchants with a whip

He called men ‘hypocrites’ and ‘whited sepulchers...’

He said: Mat. 10:34-37 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

The Bible describes His 2nd coming as: Rev. 19:11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

If you have bought into this image of Jesus that Satan has sold unto the masses, then God help you. That image is so different than what they’re going to see!

Ps. 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”

Moses said: De. 4:23-24 “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

God’s Anger is Consuming

He’s Turned us to Destruction (v3a)

This means in essence that God has turned us unto Judgment.

We are all going to face the Judgment of God

Lost souls will stand and give account & be damned to Hell

Saved souls will stand and give account for rewards or loss thereof.

Our nation is under the Judgment of God. And if you think that America is ‘too big to fail’, then go to the history books and lookup Rome.

The Bible tells us: Ps. 9:17 “The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.”

He’s Turned us to Destruction - but He’s calling us to Repentance

He’s Calling Us to Repentance (v3b)

Because we’re under God’s Judgment, we need to Turn back unto Him.

I want to take this opportunity to point something out: The condition of America today is not because of the lost - it’s because of God’s people. It’s always been that way.

You can go to the book of Judges - once the COI became a nation

You can go to the time of the kings, it’s all the same.

God’s people didn’t suffer because of the Amalekites or the Philistines - they suffered because of their sin against God, and God used the heathen to exact Judgment upon them.

But God has given us an example (Judges 2:11-)

And He’s given us a remedy: 2Ch. 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

If we want God to raise up deliverance, then we must do our part!

Lastly we see the Imploring of God’s Own

IV. The Imploring of God’s Own

To be Taught (v12)

To Restore Favor (v13-14)

To Experience Gladness in Equal Measure (v15)

That His Servants See His Work (v16a)

That Children See His Glory (v16b)‌

God’s Beauty is Reflected Upon Us (v17a)

‌God Establish our Work (v17b)

Conclusion