God's Kindness Shown to Us in Creation

Passage Introduction

Sometimes you can remember exactly where you were standing when you learned a new word?

Clarkston, around 2006, I learned the word Halal

Halal is an Arabic term which means permissible.

Linguists have long debated the connection between the words “hillel” and “halal.” Some argue that there is a connection between the two words, while others argue that there is no connection.

Abe’s Meats is launching a Kickstarter campaign, to make Interfaith Meat Products that are kosher and halal.

Hallel is a prayer of thanksgiving / this is a Hallel Psalm

“In Jewish tradition Psalm 136 has been called the Great Hallel (or Great Psalm of Praise). It does not use the words hallelu-jah, but it is called the Great Hallel for the way it rehearses God’s goodness in regard to his people and encourages them to praise him for his merciful and steadfast love.” (James Montgomery Boice)

Great Psalm of Praise

Responsive reading: We picture a great multitude of the people of God gathered in the temple courts. A priest or Levite would call out a reason to give God thanks, and His people would respond with, “For His mercy endures forever.” (26 times)

Ezra 3:11 indicates that this encouragement was part of a responsive singing among God’s people: Ezra 3:11 “11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.”

The sentence is used several times in the Old Testament in the context of some kind of public praise or declaration.

1 Chronicles 16:37-41 suggests that His mercy endures forever was sung daily as part of the morning and evening sacrifices.

In the assignments of the priests in David’s day.1 Chron 16:41 “41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;”

In Israel’s praise at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. 2 Chron 5:13 “13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;”

In the record of the LORD’s victory over the Ammonites as they praised. 2 Chron 20:21 “21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Mercy Endures

The declaration proclaims that God’s hesed (mercy) never ends and will always be given to His people.

Psalm 136 (KJV)

Enduring mercy of God in Creation

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Enduring mercy of God in Deliverance of His People v.10-25

Gratitude that should be expressed to the God of mercy v.26

Give thanks to God...

Three names are given

1 O give thanks unto the LORD / Yawheh or Jehovah - the title of grace

2 O give thanks unto the God of gods / Elohim - the name of might

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords / Adonai - the title of sovereignty

For He is good

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The fact that God is good is fundamental to all that He is and does.

We know that God is love and that love is an expression of His goodness. 1John 4:8 “8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

“He is good beyond all others; indeed, he alone is good in the highest sense; he is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, and the rewarder of good. For this he deserves the constant gratitude of his people.” (Spurgeon)

Our understanding of good

Because we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), we know something of what is good. Gen 1:27 “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

We are fallen, and our knowledge of good is corrupted. Yet our entire concept of good is rooted in God and His goodness. Romans 5:19 “19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Those who question God’s goodness do so according to some standard of what is good and what is evil.

The very existence of that standard connects them to something beyond themselves – back to the Creator who made them in His image.

For His mercy endureth forever

Often think in these terms.

Grace is getting better than you deserve.

Mercy is not getting what you deserve. (Traveling mercy always seemed so intense)

Mercy is the translation of the great Hebrew word hesed, which may be understood as Yahweh’s grace, His loyal love, His covenant, loyal love unto His people.

God’s kindness shown to us in His creation

Psalm 136:4-5 “4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

This week during a big downpour I saw Greg standing outside. He said seeing it move in uncontrollable was sobering. I think that is the purpose of a storm outside of the rain it brings.

Ben & Kristen brought me back a book from Sing. The Heart in Pilgrimage. Classic Devotionals on the Christian Life. Section by George Washington Carver concerning nature.

First, . . . nature in its varied forms are the little windows through which God permits me to commune with Him, and to see much of His glory, majesty, and power by simply lifting the curtain and looking in.

Second, I love to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so.

begin now to study the little things in your own door yard, going from the known to the nearest related unknown, for indeed each new truth brings one nearer to God.

Creation alone leaves us wondering, but in light of the Gospel it leaves us worshipping our Creator

What may be known about God. Romans 1:19 “19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.”

Romans 1:20 “20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Since “God is spirit” (John 4:24), all His qualities are invisible to physical eyes and can be understood by the human mind only as they are reflected in what has been made that is, in God’s creative work.

The self-existent God, however, is the Creator of all things, and therefore since the Creation of the world His “invisible qualities” have been clearly seen.

The witness to God in nature is so clear and so constant that ignoring it is indefensible. Their condemnation is based not on their rejecting Christ of whom they have not heard, but on their sinning against the light they have.

Third, I am more and more convinced, as I search for truth, that no student of nature can “Behold the lilies of the field,” or “Look unto the hills,” or study even the microscopic wonders of a stagnant pool of water, and honestly declare himself to be an Infidel. . . .

The Wisdom of the Heavens

The context and flow of this psalm demonstrates that what God described in Genesis 1 really happened. The psalmist does not treat them differently, as if one were a legend and the other actual history.

Psalm 136:5 “5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

“There are no iron tracks, with bars and bolts, to hold the planets in their orbits. Freely in space they move, ever changing, but never changed; poised and balancing; swaying and swayed; disturbing and disturbed, onward they fly, fulfilling with unerring certainty their mighty cycles. The entire system forms one grand complicated piece of celestial machinery; circle within circle, wheel within wheel, cycle within cycle.” (The Orbs of Heaven, cited by Spurgeon)

Mercy seen in the first four days of creation

Psalm 136:6-9 “6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Each of these is an expression of His never-ending mercy toward His people, we can say that God created the heavens and the earth with His people in mind.

Paul teaches the same in Lystra when he taught the Gentiles. Acts 14:17 “17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

God’s Greatness shown through nature

We should not let the fact that some have exalted creation above the Creator keep us from appreciating the wonder of nature.

Six Psalms could be referred to as Nature Psalms (8, 19, 29, 65, 104, 148)

Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalm 29:3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: The God of glory thundereth: The Lord is upon many waters.

Psalm 65:9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: Thou greatly enrichest it With the river of God, which is full of water: Thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

Psalm 148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: For he commanded, and they were created.

Psalm 104 celebrates God's Greatness

In creating the world.

His providing for the world.

His caring for the world.

the world's dependence upon Him.

God has done great wonders

Psalm 136:4 “4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

It is true that God alone does great wonders, and the following lines tell us that creation is the beginning (not the end) of those wonders.

Also, in the renewal of His creation.

In the smile I see upon the face of a new believer.

God has revealed Himself in nature.

Psalm 104:1–2 (KJV 1900)

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

1. Witness to God’s grace Matthew 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

2. Creation witnesses to God’s invisible attributes of eternal power and divine nature. Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

3. Creation witnesses to God’s faithfulness in caring for His creatures. Matthew 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

4. Nature reveals God’s infinite knowledge. Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

5. Nature reveals God’s infinite wisdom Proverbs 8:27-29 When he (WISDOM) prepared the heavens, I was there: When he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: When he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, That the waters should not pass his commandment: When he appointed the foundations of the earth:

6. Nature reveals God’s holiness Exodus 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

7. Nature reveals God’s glory Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork.

8. Nature reveals God’s righteousness. Psalm 50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: For God is judge himself. Selah.

Asaph described a courtroom scene in which the Mighty One, God, the LORD—three designations for the Lord—came to judge.

9. Nature reveals a certain standard of conduct. The expression “contrary to nature” or “unnatural” can be used to describe not only fallen man’s worship but also his behavior. Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

Give thanks

God never asks you to worship Him, God never asks you to give Him praise without you understanding the reason why you ought to do that.

The reason why you ought to do that is always rooted in who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do.

Psalm 136:1 “1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

The psalmist has actually supplied you with three theological reasons to give thanks to God — because He is Lord, because He is good, and because His lovingkindness never ends.

Here will be a day when our prayers end. There will never be a day when our praises end.