Sermon Series: Special Multi-Part Studies

Things to Remember Until - Part 1

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Sermon Series

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2026-01-18

Synopsis: John Weaver explores Psalm 73, focusing on the word 'until' as a pivotal turning point. He teaches that believers must remember the wicked only until they see their end—destruction and divine contempt—and must remember their own sins until they are thoroughly humbled, learn complete dependence on God, and rejoice solely in His grace and salvation.

[John Weaver] All right, let's open our Bibles today to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. And I'd like to read at least the first 20 verses. And so that we can. Go back and. And see how they are applicable to each of us today. They'll just be with Psalm 73, by the way, the title of the message today and probably the same title next week, the part two. maybe in part three, I'm not sure yet, but the title of the message is, Things to Remember Until, and you can understand why. Look if you would, Psalm 73 verse 1, Truly God is good to Israel, even as such as are of a clean heart.

[John Weaver] But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped, for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasses them about as a chain. Violence covers them as a garment.

[John Weaver] Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly. Concerning oppression, they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people returned hither, and waters of a full cup were wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? Look at that, and is there knowledge in the Most High?

[John Weaver] Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.

[John Weaver] Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castest them down into destruction, how they are brought into desolation, as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors, as a dream when one awakens, and so, O Lord, When thou awakenest, thou shalt despise their image. So, things to remember until. Note, if you would, please, Psalm 73.

[John Weaver] This passage is a tremendous passage and extremely applicable to us today. I've been reading through the book of Psalms. In fact, I've almost finished. But as I was reading through Psalm 73 again, One verse jumped out at me, and then it was not the entire verse. It was just one word in that entire verse. Notice, if you would, in verse 17, he says, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood I therein. So this is why I titled this message, Things to Remember Until. And when I read that word, the thought hit me, and I just got on my computer program and searched the little word until.

[John Weaver] As it is mentioned in the Bible, and I can assure you, it probably occurs a thousand times. It occurs over and over and over. We use the word until in our conversations and even in our oaths. And you will remember, I hope, that when you married, you gave an oath to God and to your spouse and you said that you would be faithful until death do us And, of course, we use that word until in many songs and slogans, and we often say until we meet again. And any time you use the word until or you think about the word until, it usually references a point in time or at least the completion of a subject or a project. I will work on this until I've finished. or I will see you not again until tomorrow. So sometimes it's a point of time, sometimes it refers into the completion of a project.

[John Weaver] But now Psalm 73 was written by Asaph. A-S-A-P-H. Asaph was a Levite. He was a Levitical singer. And I trust that you know that not all of these Psalms were written by David. Most of them were. However, Asap wrote some of the Psalms. Solomon wrote a few of the Psalms. Moses even wrote Psalm 90. And there was probably one or two other Levitical singers that wrote some of these Psalms as well. In fact, Asap has written 12 of the 150 Psalms. So, Psalm 73 is attributed to Asaph as well. Now, you don't have to turn there, but in Numbers chapter, not Numbers, but Nehemiah chapter 12 and verse 46, the Bible says, for in the days of David and Asaph of old, there were sheep of the singers and song of praise and thanksgiving unto God. So Asaph is also mentioned in the book of First Chronicles. probably other books as well because he was one of the chief singers and he of course led in singing as well. So I pointed out that Psalm 73 now is a very practical psalm and it certainly is relevant to each of us today.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to look if you would at verse 1 of Psalm 73. A very simple statement, truly God is good to Israel even as such as are of a clean heart. Why in the world do you think that this psalm would begin that way when it is talking about the problem that Asaph had? Well, there's an answer. If you look in verse 28, he makes another statement, the last verse in this psalm. He said, but it is good for me to draw near to God. I've put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works. you're going to find that many times in the Psalms, as well as a lot of the poetical books, you will find a principle or a precept or a truth enunciated in the very first verse. Then you have, after that very first verse, you have the problem that needs to be worked through. And then the last verse gives you a conclusion, which is usually based upon the first verse. And so you can see how verse 1 and verse 28 happen to be related, because all in between, basically, Asaph is referring to the problem.

[John Weaver] Now, Asaph's problem happened to be one of envy. He was envying the wicked. And at the same time, he was very foolish and very ignorant. In fact, he said that himself. So if you look in verse 22, He came to this conclusion after he saw the truth. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was the beast before thee. The words I didn't understand. I was dumb. And so he calls himself foolish and he calls himself ignorant.

[John Weaver] So what are we to remember? Well, first of all, in this psalm, I want you to note that we are to remember the wicked until. Now, what do you mean remember the wicked? Well, we are to remember the wicked not only in their station, not only where they are, but also where they're going as well. So notice, if you would, Asaph's problem was one that many Christians can identify with.

[John Weaver] Look in verse two and verse three. He said, but as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well and I slipped. In other words, he almost lost it. Why? Verse 3, for I was envious of the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. So carefully now, note if you would, he said, I was very, very upset. I was very troubled. Have you ever, a good question, have you ever looked at the wicked men and desired or envied their abundance of their money, their possessions, or their families?

[John Weaver] Now, you can stop and think about families that have been in power for years. The Rothschilds, for instance, the Warburgs, the Kennedys, all of these families have been hundreds of years, some of them just ruling and having money coming out of their ears. Have you ever thought about how these men and how these families have so much, oftentimes, and you have so little. And when you stop and think about these men and these families, they hate God. They hate his word. They hate his worship. They hate his service. They hate everything about him. And oftentimes, Christians will say, how in the world can someone so wicked have so much and we have so little and we're suffering And we're doing without and look at all that they have. And how many times have you said or you heard other people say, wow, if I only had their money, I could. And you just finish it. Just stop and think if you had several billion bucks, what could you do? Look at all the missionaries you could support.

[John Weaver] Look at all the buildings that you could build for people who wanted to worship in a building. Look, if you wanted how many homeless and how many helpless you could help, just think about that. But here's the question. If you had the money that Bill Gates has, or George Soros, or some of these individuals, would you give it to the Lord? Would you use it for him?

[John Weaver] or would you become like they are? The old Puritans had a saying, it went like this, when a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man. And that's certainly true. So, Asaph is very honest and he tells you exactly why he ended the wicked.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to watch this. Let's read in verse 4. When you look at verse 3, he said, For I was envious of the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

[John Weaver] Now, he's going to describe what caused him to envy them. He says in verse 4, there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. Lord, they're not suffering like everyone. They're not having all the problems that everyone else is having. And it seems like they're in good health. They're living forever. Look how old some of those men are. Look how old George Soros is. And it looks like some of these people will never, ever die. So this is what he's talking about. Then he says in verse 5, they're not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. In other words, they don't have the common problems that you and I have.

[John Weaver] Not only physically, but probably emotionally, probably materially. He said they're just not in trouble like us. Therefore, in verse 6, here's the results, pride compasseth them about as a chain. Violence covereth them as a garment. I mean, they're exceedingly proud, arrogant, eddy, high-minded, haughty. And look at verse 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. They have no idea what to do with everything that they have. Now, he says this in verse 8.

[John Weaver] They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. Look at verse 9. They set their mouths against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. They're not afraid to curse man, and they're certainly not afraid to curse God. I mean, they have no respect for God whatsoever. He says, therefore his people return hither, and waters of a full cup are rung out to them. And they say, now we're going back to the wicked, and they say, how does God know?

[John Weaver] And is their knowledge in the most high? In other words, God doesn't see what I'm doing, God doesn't know everything about me, so they're denying the omniscience of God. And then he says this in verse 12, Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. So when you look around and see how wicked men oftentimes, through fraud, through deceit, through unethical and ungodly and unbiblical means, acquire such possessions and such power.

[John Weaver] Well, that's what he said. These are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. So. When he saw that. He looked now at himself. And the righteous. So look now at verse 13. He says in light of that, verily, I've cleansed my heart in vain. and wash my hands in innocency." He said, it hasn't done me a bit of good to be holy. Hadn't done me a bit of good to be godly and be obedient. He said, for all the day long I've been plagued and chastened every morning.

[John Weaver] He's being tried like you would not believe. He said, if I say I will speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. Now watch verse 16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. What was he trying to figure out? Why the wicked could be so wealthy and so prosperous and so blessed and those who were serving God would have to suffer and be afflicted all the time?

[John Weaver] He said, this nearly caused my feet to slip. This nearly caused me to lose my steps. Why? He was envious.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 17. Until. Until. I remember the wicked, he said, until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I understood their end. He remembered the wicked and all that they had and all their power. He looked at himself and the fellow believers and their suffering. And now in verse 17, he said, it finally hits me. Look at this again. Let's read on verse 16.

[John Weaver] When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. Until I went to the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Now look what happens. Surely, he says concerning God, thou did set them in slippery places. Thou castest them down into destruction. We talk about slippery places. Red clay is a good illustration. Mud is a good illustration. You've heard the old adage about someone who had one foot on a banana peel and another foot in the grave, which means he's ready to slip any moment. Surely God didn't put them in slippery places. In other words, Asep said, I thought their life was really set. He said, no, no, no, it's not really set.

[John Weaver] They're in more trouble than they can shake a stick at. He said, Surely thou didst set them in separate places, thou castest them down to destruction. Look in verse 19. How are they brought into desolation? As in a moment, they're utterly consumed with terrors. They have everything and all of a sudden, in one moment, everything is useless and worthless to them as they're consumed with terrors. Now look in verse 20. He said, It's a dream when one awakeneth. So, O Lord, when thou awakenest, thou shalt despise their image. I want you to meditate on that just for a moment. Thou shalt despise their image.

[John Weaver] Have you ever considered what it might be like to be despised by God? You and I have often said about individuals, well, I despise that individual. Which means we have utter contempt for that individual. We have no desire to be around them. We have no need of them. We don't even want to acknowledge them. Can you imagine if you as a sinner can despise someone, what in the world it must be like to have a holy, sovereign, righteous God to despise you? By the way, this is what is known as justice, because these people despise God. God says, fine, I will repay you in kind. I will despise you.

[John Weaver] So, he said, it's a dream when one awakens the soul of the Lord. When thou awakenest, thou shalt despise their image.

[John Weaver] Now, look at what happened when he really, really realized the position of the wicked. He says in verse 21, Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins, so foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and after receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon the earth I desire beside thee.

[John Weaver] Note, if you would, he understands now who he is. He understands who they are.

[John Weaver] Now, this lesson to me is exceedingly simple. In other words, do not envy the wicked in their plenty, in their possessions, in their power, in their position. Don't envy them unless you're going to envy them in their end and in their destruction.

[John Weaver] Now, this is why he starts out, truly God is good to Israel, even such as a reclaimed ark. This is why he ends up in verse 28. But it's good for me to draw near to God. And Lord, I don't want anything to do with them. I don't want to end up like them. I'm just thankful for the grace of God and the mercy of God in my life. So the wicked prosper until God pulls the rug out from under them. Now, I want to show you what is actually happening. Really and truly, when you look at the wicked like this, God is just simply fattening them up for the slaughter. I'm not just making that up. That's in Scripture. So if you look in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 65, and look if you would please at verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Look at what the Word of God says. Isaiah 65, verse 12. God says, Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter.

[John Weaver] Because when I called, you did not answer. When I spake, you did not hear. But did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Notice then, therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter.

[John Weaver] Now if you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51, and look if you would please at verse 40. And here it is stated very plainly again. Jeremiah 51. Note, if you would please, verse 40. God says, I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. So you can remember the wicked until God judges him and destroys him. Here's the second thing, and this is where I want to spend most of my time today, and that is, listen carefully, remember your sins and transgressions until.

[John Weaver] I'm going to make a statement and I hope that you can identify with it. It is painful, it is upsetting, it is heartbreaking for believers to remember their sins and their transgressions and their provocations against our loving, kind, and gracious Heavenly Father. We often have vivid memories of our sins, even though those sins have been forgiven. Everyone has experienced this. Here you are praying and all of a sudden this wicked thought comes in your mind or this wicked memory of something that you did 40 years ago.

[John Weaver] And you think, where in the world did that come from? I had not even been thinking of that. And yet it comes and it's there. And have you ever wondered about this? Since God has forgiven us of our sins, and he has, why does he just not remove all of those past memories from our minds? I mean, he could do so. He's omnipotent. He has all power in heaven and earth.

[John Weaver] He can do whatever he pleases. So the question would be, why is it that you and I are plagued with the memory of our sins? In fact, the truth of the matter is, I can show you scriptures where God tells us and even, yea, commands us to remember our sins. Let me do that. Look in your Bible, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 7. Deuteronomy 9, beginning there with verse 7. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. Look at this. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. He says, Remember and forget not. Wait a minute. Remember and forget not. What were they to remember? What were they not to forget? how thou provokest the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until you came into this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb, you provoked the Lord to wrath so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you. But note, he begins, remember and forget not how thou didst provoke the Lord thy God in the wilderness.

[John Weaver] and they provoked him at least 10 times in vengeance particularly but probably many many other times as well now remember and forget not now turn over if you would to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 Deuteronomy 11 look in verse 1 hang on now therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God and keep his charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments always and know ye this day. For I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all his land. And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots, How he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you. And how the Lord destroyed them unto this day. Now watch this.

[John Weaver] When you read verses 2 through 4, he's dealing with the Egyptians. He's dealing with the unsaved. Now, beginning with verse 5, because here he's dealing with God's covenant people. and what he did unto you in the wilderness until you came into this place and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram and the sons of Eliab and the sons of Reuben how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their households and their tents and all the substance that was in their possession in the midst of Israel but your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did so he's telling him what I've done to the ungodly And now in verse five, what he did unto you.

[John Weaver] And so you remember not only your sins and your transgressions, you're also remember God's judgments and God's chastisement. So we are to remember. And not forget our sins, our trespasses, our transgressions, our provocations. We're also to remember, not forget God's judgments, and God's chastisements. Now, here's the question. Why are we not to forget these things? If you were honest as a Christian, you would have to say our sins haunt us.

[John Weaver] We cannot erase them from our minds. I can assure you, those of you who are as old as I am, can remember sins that you committed 70 years back. Those of you who are not as old as I am can remember 40, 50 years back. You can remember those sins. And have you, like I have, often said, oh Lord, Why did I ever do such? Why was I so stupid?

[John Weaver] Why was I so ignorant? Why was I so fleshly, so carnal? Why was I so rebellious? Why did I do something like that? And of course there are answers. Because we're brave, because we're sinners, but that's not the question. My question is, Why does God want us to remember our sins? Now, true, they're forgiven. I'm going to show you that from the Scripture. They're forgiven. But he's told us to remember. Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8, I want to begin to show you something. I do not enjoy remembering my sins. but they're there they're in my mind and your sins are in your mind so look in Deuteronomy chapter 8 beginning in verse 1 all the commandments which I command thee this day shall be observed shall ye observe to do that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers and thou shalt remember all the ways which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, are ye looking, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no.

[John Weaver] And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know. that he might make thee to know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment wax not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart that as the man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him." for the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks, of water, of fountains, and depths that spring out of the valley and the hills, a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and palm of granites, a land of oil, olive, and honey."

[John Weaver] Now, note if you would, let's go back and look at this. He said in verse 2,"...and thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness." We were not walking with them 40 years in the wilderness. But we've been in the wilderness ourselves. And we've had things happen to us during our lives that are very grievous and very afflicting. Why do they happen to us? And why do we do certain things? These people provoke God. Do you realize, if I remember correctly from Deuteronomy chapter 1, from where they left to enter into Galen land was an 11 day journey. And it took him 40 years. They kept sinning against God. And God said, you have to remember all these ways that I led you and I led you these 40 years of the woman's life to humble thee. Not only to humble thee, but look what else he said, I suffered thee to hunger so that I might feed thee.

[John Weaver] And he said, I fed you with food that you've never knew of. Your fathers never knew about this. I humble thee and cause you to do without that you would learn to depend upon me. and that you would learn that you are not to live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. It is the remembrance of our sins and the remembrance of our transgressions that thoroughly humbles us before God. And you have to ask, oh, Lord God, How in the world could you bless me? Look how I've lived. Look what I've done. Look how I disobeyed you. Look how I broke your heart. Look how I grieved you. Lord, how could you ever, ever bless me? How could you ever use me?

[John Weaver] But it not only is humbling, it brings us to the position that we understand If we're ever blessed, if we're ever used, if anything good ever happens to us, it must be by the goodness and the grace and the mercy of God and our entire and complete dependence upon Him. Because we know that in and of ourselves we are nothing and we can do nothing. Wow. I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 20. Ezekiel chapter 20.

[John Weaver] And look at Hewlett beginning there with verse 42. Ezekiel chapter 20 verse 42. Watch this. Ezekiel 20 verse 42. And you shall know that I am the Lord, When I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country from the which I lifted up mine hand and given to your fathers." They'd been in captivity. He said, I'm going to bring you back to the land. Watch verse 43.

[John Weaver] And there shall you remember your ways and all your doings where you have been defiled and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have commended. that you have committed, and you shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O you house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Note, he said, I'm going to bring you back in. But you have to remember all your ways, all your doings, all your defilement, and you're going to end up loathing yourself and you shall know, look at this, you shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your own wicked ways, not according to your corrupt doings.

[John Weaver] In other words, what God is telling us is this, we remember our sins, we remember our transgressions, it is for our humility, it's for our recognition that Everything that we are and everything that we have, our salvation, everything, is only because of the grace and mercy of God. Nothing because of us.

[John Weaver] Now, the same truth is given to us in the New Testament. If you will turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, and notice if you would, of verse 11. Look what he says. Wherefore remember. Wherefore remember that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands. Well what does he mean when he says wherefore remember that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh. Well, look at verse 12.

[John Weaver] That at that time you were without Christ, you were lost. Being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. He says, remember that. Remember that. Wow. Why are we to remember that? It is exceedingly humbling as a Christian to recall our sins.

[John Weaver] It's interesting how you can pass some places and those places bring thoughts in your mind that happened 50 years ago. He says, remember, we can confess our ignorance, our stupidity, our sinfulness, our rebelliousness, and all of our transgressions. But at the same time, we're learning literally to loathe our flesh and its carnality and its wickedness. And there's a passage I've quoted often. And I want to point it out again, it's Romans 8, verses 7 and 8.

[John Weaver] Let me quote it for you. He says, because the carnal mind, that's the fleshly mind, the natural mind, the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Well, you come to the realization I mean a real genuine realization that your flesh hates God. Your flesh hates God's word. Your flesh hates God's commands. Your flesh wants to do anything and everything that's contrary to God and contrary to his word. Maybe you can now understand why flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Your flesh is so absolutely corrupt. It will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[John Weaver] I want you to follow me with a few passages. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 25 to begin with. Psalm 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. Psalm 25, verse 7. Look at this. Psalm 25 and verse 7. David prays, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. According to thy mercy, remember thou me for thy goodness sake, O Lord. Don't remember me for what I did and what I am. Remember me for thy goodness sake, O Lord. And every time I read that verse, I have to add to it, I know you're telling me that You don't have to add the scriptures, but you'll understand. When I read, remember not the sins of my youth, I always add, and my middle age and my old age. Because we're still sinners. It says, remember not the sins of my youth. Look, if you would, in Psalm 42, Psalm 42, and notice if you would, verse four, Psalm 42 and verse four. David said, when I remember these things, well, his sins go back to verse three.

[John Weaver] He says, my tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say to me, where is I, God? In other words, yeah, you're you're you're you're off somewhere. God's not seemingly helping you. He said, when I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me, for I had gone with the multitude. I went with him to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept the holy day. He said, listen, why are thou cast down, O my soul? He was cast down. When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me. And many times when our sins come back, we pour out our soul. We say, oh, God, I hate it. I despise it.

[John Weaver] I wish I'd never done it. I wish the thought had never entered my mind. This is what he's saying. Look in Psalm 79. Psalm 79 and verse 8. Psalm 79, verse 8. David says, Oh, remember not against us former iniquities. Actually, Asaph, he wrote this psalm. Oh, remember not against us former iniquities, let by tender mercy speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. Oh, remember not against us former iniquities. We are brought very, very low. Now, how long are we to remember our sins and our transgressions? Well, we are to remember them until. You said until what?

[John Weaver] Until we are thoroughly humbled and we learn to walk humbly with our God in complete and total and absolute dependence upon him when we reach that point we continue until we realize that which we have in the salvation of the one true and living God who's revealed himself in Jesus Christ. And when we see our sins and we're thoroughly, totally humbled and we recognize our helplessness and our hopelessness and our entire dependence upon God and his salvation, it's this point and at this point that we learn to rejoice in him alone. We're not rejoicing in ourselves. We're not rejoicing in what we've done. We're not rejoicing in what we have. We're just rejoicing the fact that God was merciful to us and he saved us.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to follow me again very quickly. So I want you to begin in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38. And notice, if you would please, verse 17. Isaiah 38 and verse 17. Note what is said, Behold, for peace I had great bitterness, no peace but bitterness, but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. So Isaiah is saying, we didn't have peace, we had bitterness.

[John Weaver] But what did God do? But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, thus cast all my sins behind thy back. Years ago, I read an illustration for a young boy who had just been saved. Was talking about the fact that God had cast all of his sins behind God's back. And one man heard the child say that and he said, but son, what if God turns around? And the little boy said, sir, they'll still be behind his back. Doesn't matter which way he turns. And that's true. He said, God has cast all our sins behind his back.

[John Weaver] Now, let me read Micah chapter seven and verse 19. Listen carefully. He will turn again. He will have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. Here it is. Thou hast cast all of our sins in the depths of the sea. So, all of our sins are not only behind his back, they're also in the depths of the sea. Now, if you would turn to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 8, And look, if you would please, at verse 12. Hebrews 8 and verse 12. Look what he says. God said, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now, if you look in Hebrews 10 and verse 17, he says the same thing again, and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more." So God then forgets our sins.

[John Weaver] I'll explain that just momentarily. But the remembrance of our sins is for our benefit. It leads us to humility. It leads us to hatred of our sins and rebellion. It leads us to the despisement of the flesh and it also evidences our total helplessness before God. It also leads us to the rejoicing of salvation in Jesus Christ because we recognize the sinfulness and the wickedness of our flesh and our inability to do anything to please God and so we must trust in him or perish. Now God said our sins and our iniquities, he will remember no more. May I remind you that God is omniscient. The omniscience of God means that he knows absolutely everything. He knows it completely. He knows it totally. He knows it absolutely. And when the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, it does not mean that he eradicates them or erases them from his mind because he's omniscient. But what it does mean. Is he will never use those sins against us. He will never manipulate us with those sins.

[John Weaver] And we will never be judged for those sins because those sins have been judged in Jesus Christ. You remember, the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. The word propitiation in the Greek is the word helosmos, and it literally means to placate, to appease, and to satisfy. So Jesus Christ has placated, appeased, and satisfied the wrath of God, the justice of God, and the holiness of God. And God is not unjust. God is not going to demand payment twice. Since Jesus Christ is our substitute, he is our sacrifice. Our sins have been judged in him, so we will never, ever stand before God because of our sins, because they've been paid for in the Lord Jesus Christ. So there's another reason why God tells us to remember our sins. We're to remember them with a holy hatred. We're to remember them with a holy determination that by the grace of God we're not going to do those stupid sinful things again. We're just not going to do it.

[John Weaver] It is the horribleness of our sins that we see, and we understand that our sins always lead to chastisement. God is not going to allow us to escape his chastisement if we are his children. We learn to love his correction. You've heard me say this before. I never, ever enjoyed or appreciated or liked all the whippings I got as a child from my father. I hated them. I despised them. They were very grievous. They were very hurtful. But once I got grown, I was so thankful that my father did discipline me.

[John Weaver] And this is the same thing. You know what David said? David said this in Psalm 119, verses 71 and 72. He said, it is good for me that I've been afflicted. Listen carefully, that I might learn my statutes. It's good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might learn. I learned, he said, thy statutes through thy affliction. You whipped me and I learned very quickly. Then he said in Psalm 119, verses 75 through 77, he said, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right and that thou in thy faithfulness hath afflicted me. let I pray thee thy merciful kindness be for my comfort according the word of thy servant let thy tender mercies come unto me ha ha that I may live and thy law is my delight yeah one more he said in Psalm 119 verses 103 and 104 how sweet are thy words to my

[John Weaver] taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Now let me encourage you to do something. I want to encourage you to read through Psalm 119. Yeah, there's 176 verses there. Psalm 119 is an acrostic. When you look at Psalm 119, you will see it's divided in sections. In the Hebrew, the first sections all begin with Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second section begins with Beth, the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. And it goes on throughout the entire alphabet until you come to 176 verses. When you read Psalm 119, I want you to compare it with Hebrews chapter 12, especially verses 5 through 11. Because Hebrews chapter 12 verses 5 through 11 talks about chastisement, the same thing that David is talking about Psalm 119.

[John Weaver] He said, My son, forget not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither faint under his chastisement. For whom the Lord loveth, he chastens, and discourages every son whom he receiveth. If you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons. For what son is he whom the Father chastens not?" And he goes right on down. And so, actually, Psalm 119 talks about God's chastening just like Hebrews chapter 12 does.

[John Weaver] We're to remember the wicked until we see their end and we don't want anything to do with it. We're to remember our sins, our transgressions, until we're thoroughly humbled by them, learn dependence upon God, the insufficiency of ourselves, and the total and absolute work of God in salvation. So here's some applications. The first one is this. God always teaches, trains, and disciplines his own. He does not do that for the unsaved, but he does that for his children.

[John Weaver] And God's training and God's discipline is best when it is done in our youth. Ecclesiastes chapter 12 in verse 1 says, Remember now thy Creator and the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt have no pleasure in them. So it's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young. Lamentations chapter 3 in verse 27 says this, It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

[John Weaver] I want to give you two quotes. The first one is by John Trapp. He says, The yoke of God's law and the discipline of afflictions, it is good to be betimed in God's nurturing house and remain a good while there, that he be trained up in the school of afflictions, that he be a well-beaten soldier to the cross. A well-beaten soldier. Matthew Poole said it like this.

[John Weaver] It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age. Jim, you agree with that, don't you? I do. I can identify with that. It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age or change a heart made hard by custom. Solomon bids us to train up one in their youth in the way that he would have them to walk. and whether God will tame us when we are young by his word or by his rod, it is of an advantage to a man. It is also laudable, and what becomes a man early to bear the yoke of God's law or to bear afflictive providences, to have his heart humbled to the will and the feet of God. It's good to have the heart humbled. The truth of the matter is this, God is going to teach us and train us at any and every age. It's more difficult as we age because our ways are set. You know, statistically speaking, if a young man has never worked by the age of 21, he never will work.

[John Weaver] That's true. Alice and I have friends who are in their forties and fifties, never been married. Don't want to marry, I guess. And we've all talked and smiled. I can see that individual getting married right now. I mean, you know how someone said in their ways, it's almost impossible to change. especially when you've lived a certain way for so long. I mean, it's just habit. Well, this is the way it is, spiritually speaking, as well.

[John Weaver] Now, God said this in Jeremiah 22 and verse 21, I spake unto thee of thy prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not hear. This has been my manner from my youth, that thou obeyest not my voice. They grew up disobeying God. They're hardened in it. So, There are two ways to learn, as I pointed out before. We can learn by listening, receiving, and applying God's truth. Or we can learn by way of Micah 6 in verse 9, when God says, hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. So like parents, God has two ways of teaching, by word of instruction and by the rod of affliction. It's always easier to hear and obey than it is to get a whipping and then hear and obey.

[John Weaver] So we are to remember the wicked until we see their end. And we're to remember our sins and transgressions until we're thoroughly humbled, learn dependence upon God, to trust only in him and have a holy determination by the grace of God, we're not going to do those same sins again. We're just not. We're just not. The word of God tells us, and I love this passage. In Psalm 71, verse 9, cast me not off in my old age and forsake me not when my strength faileth. Cast me not off in my old age. There's no reason to be cast off in our old age if we've learned from a youth to obey God.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We ask you. to help us to remember these things until. Until, Lord, we have them in our hearts and our souls and our minds. Until we learn to be obedient unto thee. Father, give us your grace. Give us your mercy. Help us to love thee. Help us, Lord, to bow to thee. Help us, Lord, to be taught by thee.

[John Weaver] As Job said, who teacheth like God. Lord, teach us that we may listen and we may learn and obey. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray. Amen.

Things to Remember Until - Part 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	127261847585393
Subject	Sermon Series
Course	Sermon Series: Special Multi-Part Studies
Genre	Sermon
Date	2026-01-18
Dictation Name
Book	Book 193: Things to Remember Until — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	75

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to Psalm 73 and the Word 'Until'

Weaver introduces Psalm 73 and explains how the word 'until' in verse 17 inspired the message, noting its frequent use in Scripture and life to denote a point of change or completion.

All right, let's open our Bibles today to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. And I'd like to read at least the first 20 verses, so that we can go back and see how they are applicable to each of us today. They'll just be with Psalm 73. By the way, the title of the message today, and probably the same title next week, part two, maybe in part three, I'm not sure yet, but the title of the message is, "Things to Remember Until," and you can understand why. Look, if you would, Psalm 73, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:1-20

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment." "Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?" "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;"

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:17

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."

So, "Things to Remember Until." Note, if you would, please, Psalm 73. This passage is a tremendous passage and extremely applicable to us today. I've been reading through the book of Psalms. In fact, I've almost finished. But as I was reading through Psalm 73 again, one verse jumped out at me, and then it was not the entire verse. It was just one word in that entire verse. Notice, if you would, in verse 17, he says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:17

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end."

So this is why I titled this message, "Things to Remember Until." And when I read that word, the thought hit me, and I just got on my computer program and searched the little word "until."

As it is mentioned in the Bible, and I can assure you, it probably occurs a thousand times. It occurs over and over and over. We use the word "until" in our conversations and even in our oaths. And you will remember, I hope, that when you married, you gave an oath to God and to your spouse, and you said that you would be faithful until death do you part. And, of course, we use that word "until" in many songs and slogans, and we often say, "Until we meet again." And any time you use the word "until" or you think about the word "until," it usually references a point in time or at least the completion of a subject or a project. I will work on this until I've finished, or I will see you not again until tomorrow. So sometimes it's a point of time, sometimes it refers to the completion of a project.

The Structure of Psalm 73: Principle, Problem, Conclusion

Weaver highlights the psalm's structure: verse 1 states a principle, verses 2-27 describe Asaph's problem of envying the wicked, and verse 28 gives a conclusion based on the opening truth.

Now I want you to look, if you would, at verse 1 of Psalm 73. A very simple statement: "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Why in the world do you think that this psalm would begin that way when it is talking about the problem that Asaph had? Well, there's an answer. If you look in verse 28, he makes another statement, the last verse in this psalm. He said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:28

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."

You're going to find that many times in the Psalms, as well as a lot of the poetical books, you will find a principle or a precept or a truth enunciated in the very first verse. Then you have, after that very first verse, you have the problem that needs to be worked through. And then the last verse gives you a conclusion, which is usually based upon the first verse. And so you can see how verse 1 and verse 28 happen to be related, because all in between, basically, Asaph is referring to the problem.

Now, Asaph's problem happened to be one of envy. He was envying the wicked. And at the same time, he was very foolish and very ignorant. In fact, he said that himself. So if you look in verse 22, he came to this conclusion after he saw the truth. "So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee." The words "I didn't understand, I was dumb." And so he calls himself foolish and he calls himself ignorant.

Remember the Wicked Until Their End

Weaver explains that Asaph envied the prosperity of the wicked until he entered God's sanctuary and understood their ultimate destruction and God's contempt for them.

So what are we to remember? Well, first of all, in this psalm, I want you to note that we are to remember the wicked until. Now, what do you mean remember the wicked? Well, we are to remember the wicked not only in their station, not only where they are, but also where they're going as well. So notice, if you would, Asaph's problem was one that many Christians can identify with. Look in verse 2 and verse 3. He said, "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped." In other words, he almost lost it. Why? Verse 3: "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." So carefully now, note if you would, he said, "I was very, very upset. I was very troubled." Have you ever—a good question—have you ever looked at the wicked men and desired or envied their abundance of their money, their possessions, or their families?

Now, you can stop and think about families that have been in power for years. The Rothschilds, for instance, the Warburgs, the Kennedys—all of these families have been hundreds of years, some of them just ruling and having money coming out of their ears. Have you ever thought about how these men and how these families have so much, oftentimes, and you have so little? And when you stop and think about these men and these families, they hate God. They hate His word. They hate His worship. They hate His service. They hate everything about Him. And oftentimes, Christians will say, "How in the world can someone so wicked have so much and we have so little and we're suffering and we're doing without and look at all that they have?" And how many times have you said or you heard other people say, "Wow, if I only had their money, I could..." and you just finish it. Just stop and think if you had several billion bucks, what could you do? Look at all the missionaries you could support.

Look at all the buildings that you could build for people who wanted to worship in a building. Look, if you wanted, how many homeless and how many helpless you could help. Just think about that. But here's the question: If you had the money that Bill Gates has, or George Soros, or some of these individuals, would you give it to the Lord? Would you use it for Him? Or would you become like they are? The old Puritans had a saying, it went like this: "When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man." And that's certainly true. So, Asaph is very honest and he tells you exactly why he envied the wicked.

Now, I want you to watch this. Let's read in verse 4. When you look at verse 3, he said, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Now, he's going to describe what caused him to envy them. He says in verse 4, "For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm." Lord, they're not suffering like everyone. They're not having all the problems that everyone else is having. And it seems like they're in good health. They're living forever. Look how old some of those men are. Look how old George Soros is. And it looks like some of these people will never, ever die. So this is what he's talking about. Then he says in verse 5, "They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men." In other words, they don't have the common problems that you and I have.

Not only physically, but probably emotionally, probably materially. He said they're just not in trouble like us. Therefore, in verse 6, here's the results: "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment." I mean, they're exceedingly proud, arrogant, haughty, high-minded. And look at verse 7: "Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish." They have no idea what to do with everything that they have. Now, he says this in verse 8. "They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily." Look at verse 9: "They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth." They're not afraid to curse man, and they're certainly not afraid to curse God. I mean, they have no respect for God whatsoever. He says, "Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say," now we're going back to the wicked, "and they say, How doth God know?"

"And is there knowledge in the Most High?" In other words, God doesn't see what I'm doing, God doesn't know everything about me, so they're denying the omniscience of God. And then he says this in verse 12: "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." So when you look around and see how wicked men oftentimes, through fraud, through deceit, through unethical and ungodly and unbiblical means, acquire such possessions and such power. Well, that's what he said. "These are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." So when he saw that, he looked now at himself and the righteous. So look now at verse 13. He says in light of that, "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." He said, "It hasn't done me a bit of good to be holy. Hadn't done me a bit of good to be godly and be obedient." He said, "For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning."

He's being tried like you would not believe. He said, "If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children." Now watch verse 16: "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me." What was he trying to figure out? Why the wicked could be so wealthy and so prosperous and so blessed and those who were serving God would have to suffer and be afflicted all the time? He said, "This nearly caused my feet to slip. This nearly caused me to lose my steps." Why? He was envious.

Now look at verse 17: "Until." Until. I remember the wicked, he said, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." He remembered the wicked and all that they had and all their power. He looked at himself and the fellow believers and their suffering. And now in verse 17, he said, "It finally hits me." Look at this again. Let's read on verse 16. "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." Now look what happens. "Surely," he says concerning God, "thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." We talk about slippery places. Red clay is a good illustration. Mud is a good illustration. You've heard the old adage about someone who had one foot on a banana peel and another foot in the grave, which means he's ready to slip any moment. Surely God did put them in slippery places. In other words, Asaph said, "I thought their life was really set." He said, "No, no, no, it's not really set."

They're in more trouble than they can shake a stick at. He said, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." Look in verse 19: "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." They have everything and all of a sudden, in one moment, everything is useless and worthless to them as they're consumed with terrors. Now look in verse 20. He said, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." I want you to meditate on that just for a moment. "Thou shalt despise their image." Have you ever considered what it might be like to be despised by God? You and I have often said about individuals, "Well, I despise that individual." Which means we have utter contempt for that individual. We have no desire to be around them. We have no need of them. We don't even want to acknowledge them. Can you imagine if you as a sinner can despise someone, what in the world it must be like to have a holy, sovereign, righteous God to despise you? By the way, this is what is known as justice, because these people despise God. God says, "Fine, I will repay you in kind. I will despise you."

So, he said, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." Now, look at what happened when he really, really realized the position of the wicked. He says in verse 21, "Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee."

Note, if you would, he understands now who he is. He understands who they are. Now, this lesson to me is exceedingly simple. In other words, do not envy the wicked in their plenty, in their possessions, in their power, in their position. Don't envy them unless you're going to envy them in their end and in their destruction.

The Wicked Are Fatted for Slaughter

Weaver uses Isaiah 65:12 and Jeremiah 51:40 to show that the wicked's prosperity is temporary; God is merely fattening them for judgment.

Now, this is why he starts out, "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." This is why he ends up in verse 28: "But it is good for me to draw near to God." And Lord, I don't want anything to do with them. I don't want to end up like them. I'm just thankful for the grace of God and the mercy of God in my life. So the wicked prosper until God pulls the rug out from under them. Now, I want to show you what is actually happening. Really and truly, when you look at the wicked like this, God is just simply fattening them up for the slaughter. I'm not just making that up. That's in Scripture. So if you look in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 65, and look if you would please at verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Look at what the Word of God says. Isaiah 65, verse 12: "Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter."

"Because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." Notice then, "Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter." Now if you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51, and look if you would please at verse 40. And here it is stated very plainly again. Jeremiah 51. Note, if you would please, verse 40. God says,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 51:40

"I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats."

So you can remember the wicked until God judges him and destroys him. Here's the second thing, and this is where I want to spend most of my time today, and that is, listen carefully, remember your sins and transgressions until.

Remember Your Sins and Transgressions Until Humbled

Weaver teaches that God commands believers to remember their sins to produce humility, dependence on God, and a loathing of the flesh.

I'm going to make a statement and I hope that you can identify with it. It is painful, it is upsetting, it is heartbreaking for believers to remember their sins and their transgressions and their provocations against our loving, kind, and gracious Heavenly Father. We often have vivid memories of our sins, even though those sins have been forgiven. Everyone has experienced this. Here you are praying and all of a sudden this wicked thought comes in your mind or this wicked memory of something that you did 40 years ago. And you think, "Where in the world did that come from? I had not even been thinking of that." And yet it comes and it's there. And have you ever wondered about this? Since God has forgiven us of our sins, and He has, why does He just not remove all of those past memories from our minds? I mean, He could do so. He's omnipotent. He has all power in heaven and earth.

He can do whatever He pleases. So the question would be, why is it that you and I are plagued with the memory of our sins? In fact, the truth of the matter is, I can show you scriptures where God tells us and even, yea, commands us to remember our sins. Let me do that. Look in your Bible, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 9. Deuteronomy 9, beginning there with verse 7. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. Look at this. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. He says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not."

Wait a minute.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not."

What were they to remember? What were they not to forget?

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"How thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until ye came into this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you."

But note, he begins,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not, how thou didst provoke the Lord thy God in the wilderness."

And they provoked Him at least 10 times in vengeance particularly, but probably many, many other times as well. Now, "Remember, and forget not." Now turn over, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Deuteronomy 11, look in verse 1. Hang on now.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:1-7

"Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all his land; and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you; and how the Lord destroyed them unto this day."

Now watch this.

When you read verses 2 through 4, he's dealing with the Egyptians. He's dealing with the unsaved. Now, beginning with verse 5, because here he's dealing with God's covenant people. "And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: but your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did." So he's telling him what I've done to the ungodly. And now in verse 5, what he did unto you. And so you remember not only your sins and your transgressions, you also remember God's judgments and God's chastisement. So we are to remember and not forget our sins, our trespasses, our transgressions, our provocations. We're also to remember, not forget God's judgments, and God's chastisements. Now, here's the question. Why are we not to forget these things? If you were honest as a Christian, you would have to say our sins haunt us.

The Purpose of Remembering Sins: Humility and Dependence

Weaver explains from Deuteronomy 8 that remembering sins humbles us, teaches us to depend on God's word, and shows that all blessings come by grace alone.

We cannot erase them from our minds. I can assure you, those of you who are as old as I am, can remember sins that you committed 70 years back. Those of you who are not as old as I am can remember 40, 50 years back. You can remember those sins. And have you, like I have, often said, "Oh Lord, why did I ever do such? Why was I so stupid?" "Why was I so ignorant? Why was I so fleshly, so carnal? Why was I so rebellious? Why did I do something like that?" And of course there are answers. Because we're depraved, because we're sinners, but that's not the question. My question is, why does God want us to remember our sins? Now, true, they're forgiven. I'm going to show you that from the Scripture. They're forgiven. But He's told us to remember. Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8, I want to begin to show you something. I do not enjoy remembering my sins, but they're there. They're in my mind, and your sins are in your mind. So look in Deuteronomy chapter 8, beginning in verse 1. "All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."

"And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey."

Now, note if you would, let's go back and look at this. He said in verse 2, "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness." We were not walking with them 40 years in the wilderness. But we've been in the wilderness ourselves. And we've had things happen to us during our lives that are very grievous and very afflicting. Why do they happen to us? And why do we do certain things? These people provoked God. Do you realize, if I remember correctly from Deuteronomy chapter 1, from where they left to enter into Canaan land was an 11-day journey. And it took him 40 years. They kept sinning against God. And God said, "You have to remember all these ways that I led you, and I led you these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee." Not only to humble thee, but look what else he said: "I suffered thee to hunger, so that I might feed thee."

And he said, "I fed you with food that you've never knew of. Your fathers never knew about this. I humbled thee and caused you to do without that you would learn to depend upon me, and that you would learn that you are not to live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." It is the remembrance of our sins and the remembrance of our transgressions that thoroughly humbles us before God. And you have to ask, "Oh, Lord God, how in the world could you bless me? Look how I've lived. Look what I've done. Look how I disobeyed you. Look how I broke your heart. Look how I grieved you. Lord, how could you ever, ever bless me? How could you ever use me?"

But it not only is humbling, it brings us to the position that we understand if we're ever blessed, if we're ever used, if anything good ever happens to us, it must be by the goodness and the grace and the mercy of God and our entire and complete dependence upon Him. Because we know that in and of ourselves we are nothing and we can do nothing. Wow. I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 20. Ezekiel chapter 20. And look at it, beginning there with verse 42. Ezekiel chapter 20, verse 42. Watch this. Ezekiel 20, verse 42:

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 20:42-43

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers."

They'd been in captivity. He said, "I'm going to bring you back to the land." Watch verse 43.

New Testament Confirmation and the Loathing of Self

Weaver cites Ephesians 2:11-12 and Ezekiel 20:42-43 to show that remembering past sins leads to self-loathing and recognition of God's mercy.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 20:42-43

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers."

They'd been in captivity. He said, "I'm going to bring you back to the land." Watch verse 43.

"And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Note, he said, "I'm going to bring you back in. But you have to remember all your ways, all your doings, all your defilement, and you're going to end up loathing yourself. And ye shall know," look at this, "ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your own wicked ways, not according to your corrupt doings."

In other words, what God is telling us is this: we remember our sins, we remember our transgressions, it is for our humility, it's for our recognition that everything that we are and everything that we have, our salvation, everything, is only because of the grace and mercy of God. Nothing because of us. Now, the same truth is given to us in the New Testament. If you will turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, and notice if you would, verse 11. Look what he says:

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:11-12

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands."

Well, what does he mean when he says,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:11-12

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh"

? Well, look at verse 12.

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." He says, "Remember that. Remember that." Wow. Why are we to remember that? It is exceedingly humbling as a Christian to recall our sins.

It's interesting how you can pass some places and those places bring thoughts in your mind that happened 50 years ago. He says, "Remember." We can confess our ignorance, our stupidity, our sinfulness, our rebelliousness, and all of our transgressions. But at the same time, we're learning literally to loathe our flesh and its carnality and its wickedness. And there's a passage I've quoted often. And I want to point it out again, it's Romans 8, verses 7 and 8. Let me quote it for you. He says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Well, you come to the realization—I mean a real genuine realization—that your flesh hates God. Your flesh hates God's word. Your flesh hates God's commands. Your flesh wants to do anything and everything that's contrary to God and contrary to His word. Maybe you can now understand why flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Your flesh is so absolutely corrupt. It will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God Forgets Our Sins, But We Remember for Our Benefit

Weaver clarifies that God's 'forgetting' means He will never hold sins against us because Christ is the propitiation, but our remembrance is for humility and holy hatred of sin.

I want you to follow me with a few passages. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 25 to begin with. Psalm 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. Psalm 25, verse 7. Look at this. Psalm 25 and verse 7. David prays,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord."

Don't remember me for what I did and what I am. Remember me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. And every time I read that verse, I have to add to it, I know you're telling me that—you don't have to add the scriptures, but you'll understand. When I read,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth,"

I always add, "and my middle age and my old age." Because we're still sinners. It says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth."

Look, if you would, in Psalm 42, Psalm 42, and notice if you would, verse 4. Psalm 42 and verse 4. David said, "When I remember these things," well, his sins go back to verse 3.

He says, "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?" In other words, "Yeah, you're off somewhere. God's not seemingly helping you." He said, "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday." He said, "Listen, why art thou cast down, O my soul?" He was cast down. "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me." And many times when our sins come back, we pour out our soul. We say, "Oh, God, I hate it. I despise it." "I wish I'd never done it. I wish the thought had never entered my mind." This is what he's saying. Look in Psalm 79. Psalm 79 and verse 8. Psalm 79, verse 8. David says—actually, Asaph, he wrote this psalm—

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:8

"O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low." "O remember not against us former iniquities. We are brought very, very low."

Now, how long are we to remember our sins and our transgressions? Well, we are to remember them until. You said until what?

Until we are thoroughly humbled and we learn to walk humbly with our God in complete and total and absolute dependence upon Him. When we reach that point, we continue until we realize that which we have in the salvation of the one true and living God who's revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. And when we see our sins and we're thoroughly, totally humbled and we recognize our helplessness and our hopelessness and our entire dependence upon God and His salvation, it's at this point that we learn to rejoice in Him alone. We're not rejoicing in ourselves. We're not rejoicing in what we've done. We're not rejoicing in what we have. We're just rejoicing the fact that God was merciful to us and He saved us.

Now, I want you to follow me again very quickly. So I want you to begin in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38. And notice, if you would please, verse 17. Isaiah 38 and verse 17. Note what is said:

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 38:17

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back."

So Isaiah is saying, "We didn't have peace, we had bitterness."

But what did God do? "But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." Years ago, I read an illustration of a young boy who had just been saved. Was talking about the fact that God had cast all of his sins behind God's back. And one man heard the child say that and he said, "But son, what if God turns around?" And the little boy said, "Sir, they'll still be behind His back. Doesn't matter which way He turns." And that's true. He said, "God has cast all our sins behind His back."

Now, let me read Micah chapter 7 and verse 19. Listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Micah 7:19

"He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

So, all of our sins are not only behind His back, they're also in the depths of the sea. Now, if you would turn to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 8, and look, if you would please, at verse 12. Hebrews 8 and verse 12. Look what he says. God said, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Now, if you look in Hebrews 10 and verse 17, he says the same thing again: "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." So God then forgets our sins.

I'll explain that just momentarily. But the remembrance of our sins is for our benefit. It leads us to humility. It leads us to hatred of our sins and rebellion. It leads us to the despisement of the flesh and it also evidences our total helplessness before God. It also leads us to the rejoicing of salvation in Jesus Christ because we recognize the sinfulness and the wickedness of our flesh and our inability to do anything to please God and so we must trust in Him or perish. Now God said our sins and our iniquities, He will remember no more. May I remind you that God is omniscient. The omniscience of God means that He knows absolutely everything. He knows it completely. He knows it totally. He knows it absolutely. And when the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, it does not mean that He eradicates them or erases them from His mind because He's omniscient. But what it does mean is He will never use those sins against us. He will never manipulate us with those sins.

And we will never be judged for those sins because those sins have been judged in Jesus Christ. You remember, the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. The word propitiation in the Greek is the word hilasmos, and it literally means to placate, to appease, and to satisfy. So Jesus Christ has placated, appeased, and satisfied the wrath of God, the justice of God, and the holiness of God. And God is not unjust. God is not going to demand payment twice. Since Jesus Christ is our substitute, He is our sacrifice. Our sins have been judged in Him, so we will never, ever stand before God because of our sins, because they've been paid for in the Lord Jesus Christ. So there's another reason why God tells us to remember our sins. We're to remember them with a holy hatred. We're to remember them with a holy determination that by the grace of God we're not going to do those stupid sinful things again. We're just not going to do it.

Learning Through Chastisement and the Value of Early Discipline

Weaver connects Psalm 119 with Hebrews 12 to show that God's chastening teaches obedience, and it is best learned in youth before the heart hardens.

It is the horribleness of our sins that we see, and we understand that our sins always lead to chastisement. God is not going to allow us to escape His chastisement if we are His children. We learn to love His correction. You've heard me say this before. I never, ever enjoyed or appreciated or liked all the whippings I got as a child from my father. I hated them. I despised them. They were very grievous. They were very hurtful. But once I got grown, I was so thankful that my father did discipline me.

And this is the same thing. You know what David said? David said this in Psalm 119, verses 71 and 72. He said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." It's good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might learn. I learned, he said, "thy statutes" through thy affliction. You whipped me and I learned very quickly. Then he said in Psalm 119, verses 75 through 77, he said, "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight." Yeah, one more. He said in Psalm 119, verses 103 and 104, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."

Now let me encourage you to do something. I want to encourage you to read through Psalm 119. Yeah, there's 176 verses there. Psalm 119 is an acrostic. When you look at Psalm 119, you will see it's divided in sections. In the Hebrew, the first sections all begin with Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second section begins with Beth, the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. And it goes on throughout the entire alphabet until you come to 176 verses. When you read Psalm 119, I want you to compare it with Hebrews chapter 12, especially verses 5 through 11. Because Hebrews chapter 12, verses 5 through 11 talks about chastisement, the same thing that David is talking about in Psalm 119.

He said, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." And he goes right on down. And so, actually, Psalm 119 talks about God's chastening just like Hebrews chapter 12 does. We're to remember the wicked until we see their end and we don't want anything to do with it. We're to remember our sins, our transgressions, until we're thoroughly humbled by them, learn dependence upon God, the insufficiency of ourselves, and the total and absolute work of God in salvation. So here's some applications. The first one is this: God always teaches, trains, and disciplines His own. He does not do that for the unsaved, but He does that for His children.

And God's training and God's discipline is best when it is done in our youth. Ecclesiastes chapter 12 in verse 1 says, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." So it's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young. Lamentations chapter 3 in verse 27 says this: "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." I want to give you two quotes. The first one is by John Trapp. He says, "The yoke of God's law and the discipline of afflictions, it is good to be betimes in God's nurturing house and remain a good while there, that he be trained up in the school of afflictions, that he be a well-beaten soldier to the cross." A well-beaten soldier. Matthew Poole said it like this.

"It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age." Jim, you agree with that, don't you? I do. I can identify with that. "It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age or change a heart made hard by custom. Solomon bids us to train up one in their youth in the way that he would have them to walk. And whether God will tame us when we are young by his word or by his rod, it is of an advantage to a man. It is also laudable, and what becomes a man early to bear the yoke of God's law or to bear afflictive providences, to have his heart humbled to the will and the feet of God." It's good to have the heart humbled. The truth of the matter is this: God is going to teach us and train us at any and every age. It's more difficult as we age because our ways are set. You know, statistically speaking, if a young man has never worked by the age of 21, he never will work.

That's true. Alice and I have friends who are in their forties and fifties, never been married. Don't want to marry, I guess. And we've all talked and smiled. I can't see that individual getting married right now. I mean, you know how someone set in their ways, it's almost impossible to change, especially when you've lived a certain way for so long. I mean, it's just habit. Well, this is the way it is, spiritually speaking, as well.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver summarizes the two things to remember until their appointed end, and prays for grace to learn obedience through God's teaching.

Now, God said this in Jeremiah 22 and verse 21: "I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice." They grew up disobeying God. They're hardened in it. So, there are two ways to learn, as I pointed out before. We can learn by listening, receiving, and applying God's truth. Or we can learn by way of Micah 6 in verse 9, when God says, "Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it." So like parents, God has two ways of teaching: by word of instruction and by the rod of affliction. It's always easier to hear and obey than it is to get a whipping and then hear and obey.

So we are to remember the wicked until we see their end. And we're to remember our sins and transgressions until we're thoroughly humbled, learn dependence upon God, to trust only in Him and have a holy determination by the grace of God, we're not going to do those same sins again. We're just not. We're just not. The word of God tells us, and I love this passage, in Psalm 71, verse 9: "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." Cast me not off in my old age. There's no reason to be cast off in our old age if we've learned from a youth to obey God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We ask you to help us to remember these things until. Until, Lord, we have them in our hearts and our souls and our minds. Until we learn to be obedient unto thee. Father, give us your grace. Give us your mercy. Help us to love thee. Help us, Lord, to bow to thee. Help us, Lord, to be taught by thee.

As Job said, "Who teacheth like him?" Lord, teach us that we may listen and we may learn and obey. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Turning Point of 'Until'

Summary: The word 'until' marks a divinely appointed moment when understanding replaces confusion, as seen in Asaph's sanctuary experience.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. So this is why I titled this message, "Things to Remember Until."'

The Temporary Prosperity of the Wicked

Summary: The wicked may prosper now, but their end is destruction and divine contempt, so believers should not envy them.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'do not envy the wicked in their plenty... unless you're going to envy them in their end and in their destruction.'

The Necessity of Remembering Our Sins

Summary: God commands believers to remember their sins to produce humility, dependence on Him, and a holy hatred of sin.

Evidence: Weaver reads Deuteronomy 9:7, 'Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath,' and explains its purpose.

Humility Through the Memory of Sin

Summary: Recalling our sins humbles us, making us recognize that any blessing is solely by God's grace and mercy.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is the remembrance of our sins... that thoroughly humbles us before God... Lord, how could you ever, ever bless me?'

God's Forgetfulness vs. Our Remembrance

Summary: God 'forgets' sins in that He will never use them against us because Christ is the propitiation, but we remember for our spiritual benefit.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'God said our sins and our iniquities, He will remember no more... He will never use those sins against us.'

The Value of Early Discipline

Summary: Learning obedience through God's chastening is best done in youth, before the heart becomes hardened by age and custom.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Lamentations 3:27 and Matthew Poole: 'It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age.'

Key Arguments

Envy of the wicked is resolved by seeing their end

Summary: Asaph's envy ceased when he understood the wicked's ultimate destruction, teaching believers to view the wicked in light of their final judgment.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end... Surely thou didst set them in slippery places.'

God commands remembrance of sins for humility

Summary: Scripture explicitly commands believers to remember their sins and provocations to produce humility and dependence on God.

Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 9:7 and says, 'Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath.'

Memory of sin leads to self-loathing and grace-dependence

Summary: Remembering sins causes believers to loathe themselves and recognize that salvation and blessing are entirely by God's grace.

Evidence: Weaver reads Ezekiel 20:43, 'ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils,' and explains its purpose.

God's 'forgetting' is judicial, not literal

Summary: God's omniscience means He does not erase sins from His mind, but He will never hold them against believers because Christ satisfied divine justice.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, it does not mean that He eradicates them... He will never use those sins against us.'

Chastisement teaches obedience and is best received early

Summary: God's discipline, like a father's rod, teaches His children obedience, and learning in youth prevents a hardened heart later.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young... It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age.'

Scripture References

Psalm 73:1-20

Context: Weaver reads the first 20 verses as the primary text, highlighting Asaph's envy and the turning point at verse 17.

Psalm 73:17

Context: The word 'until' is the focus of the message; Asaph understood the wicked's end when he entered God's sanctuary.

Psalm 73:28

Context: Weaver notes the conclusion of the psalm, showing Asaph's renewed trust in God after his struggle.

Isaiah 65:12

Context: Used to show that God numbers the wicked for the sword, fattening them for slaughter.

Jeremiah 51:40

Context: God brings the wicked down like lambs to the slaughter, reinforcing their destined judgment.

Deuteronomy 9:7

Context: God commands Israel to remember and not forget how they provoked Him, establishing the principle of remembering sins.

Deuteronomy 11:1-7

Context: Moses reminds Israel of God's acts against the Egyptians and His discipline of His own people in the wilderness.

Deuteronomy 8:1-8

Context: God led Israel in the wilderness to humble them and teach them dependence on His word, illustrating the purpose of remembering.

Ezekiel 20:42-43

Context: God promises that Israel will remember their defilements and loathe themselves, leading to knowledge of His grace.

Ephesians 2:11-12

Context: Paul tells Gentile believers to remember their former state without Christ, reinforcing the New Testament call to remember.

Romans 8:7-8

Context: The carnal mind is enmity against God, showing the wickedness of the flesh that believers must loathe.

Psalm 25:7

Context: David prays that God would not remember the sins of his youth, but remember him according to mercy.

Psalm 42:4

Context: David pours out his soul when he remembers past things, illustrating the pain of recalling sins.

Psalm 79:8

Context: Asaph prays that God would not remember former iniquities against them, acknowledging their low estate.

Isaiah 38:17

Context: God cast all of Hezekiah's sins behind His back, showing divine forgiveness.

Micah 7:19

Context: God will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea, emphasizing complete forgiveness.

Hebrews 8:12

Context: God promises to be merciful and remember sins no more, quoted to show the new covenant promise.

Hebrews 10:17

Context: Repeats the promise that God will remember sins and iniquities no more.

Psalm 119:71-72, 75-77, 103-104

Context: David affirms that affliction taught him God's statutes and led him to hate every false way.

Hebrews 12:5-11

Context: God chastens those He loves; discipline is a mark of sonship, paralleling Psalm 119.

Historical References

Asaph, the Levitical singer

Context: Weaver identifies Asaph as the author of Psalm 73, a Levite and chief singer in David's time, who wrote 12 psalms.

Nehemiah 12:46

Context: Mentioned to establish Asaph's historical role as a chief singer in the days of David.

The Rothschilds, Warburgs, Kennedys

Context: Weaver cites these wealthy families as modern examples of the wicked who prosper and hate God, paralleling Asaph's observation.

Bill Gates, George Soros

Context: Used as contemporary examples of extremely wealthy individuals to question whether a Christian would use such wealth for God.

Puritan saying: 'When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man.'

Context: Weaver quotes this to illustrate the spiritual danger of wealth.

John Trapp

Context: Quoted on the value of bearing the yoke of affliction in youth to become a 'well-beaten soldier to the cross.'

Matthew Poole

Context: Quoted on the difficulty of bending a neck stiffened with age, emphasizing the importance of early discipline.

Important Quotes

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Significance: This is the key verse that inspired the sermon title and theme, marking the turning point from confusion to understanding.

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

Significance: Weaver identifies this as the foundational principle of the psalm, stated before the problem is described.

When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man.

Significance: A Puritan saying used to warn of the spiritual peril of wealth and the test it brings.

And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

Significance: Ezekiel 20:43, showing that remembering sins leads to self-loathing and recognition of God's grace.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Significance: Hebrews 8:12, quoted to show God's promise of judicial forgetfulness, which does not negate our need to remember.

It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age.

Significance: Matthew Poole's quote emphasizing the importance of learning obedience and humility early in life.

Discussion Questions

Why does Asaph's envy of the wicked nearly cause his feet to slip, and what finally changes his perspective?

Context: Weaver explains that Asaph envied the prosperity of the wicked until he entered God's sanctuary and understood their end.

In what ways might modern believers be tempted to envy the wicked, and how can Psalm 73 correct that?

Context: Weaver mentions wealthy families like the Rothschilds and asks if we have ever desired their abundance despite their hatred of God.

Why does God command us to remember our sins if He has forgiven them?

Context: Weaver teaches that remembering sins humbles us, teaches dependence on God, and leads to a holy hatred of sin.

How does the memory of past sins affect your relationship with God and your view of His grace?

Context: Weaver says that remembering sins makes us loathe ourselves and recognize that everything we have is by God's mercy.

What does it mean that God 'remembers our sins no more,' and how does that differ from our own remembrance?

Context: Weaver explains that God's omniscience means He does not literally forget, but He will never hold sins against us because of Christ's propitiation.

Why is it better to learn obedience through God's word rather than through His rod of affliction?

Context: Weaver contrasts learning by listening and applying truth with learning by chastisement, citing Micah 6:9.

How can we cultivate a holy determination not to repeat past sins?

Context: Weaver urges believers to remember sins with a holy hatred and a resolve, by God's grace, not to commit them again.

Applications

Do not envy the wicked; remember their end

Summary: Believers should not envy the prosperity of the wicked, but instead remember that their end is destruction and divine contempt.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'do not envy the wicked in their plenty... unless you're going to envy them in their end and in their destruction.'

Remember your sins to cultivate humility

Summary: Deliberately recall past sins to remain humble before God, recognizing that any blessing is due to His grace alone.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It is the remembrance of our sins... that thoroughly humbles us before God.'

Learn complete dependence on God through memory of sin

Summary: Use the memory of sin to reinforce your total reliance on God's word and grace, not on your own strength.

Evidence: Weaver explains from Deuteronomy 8 that God humbled Israel to teach them to live by every word from His mouth.

Loathe your flesh and its carnality

Summary: Allow the memory of sin to produce a holy hatred of your flesh, which is enmity against God and cannot please Him.

Evidence: Weaver cites Romans 8:7-8 and says, 'you come to the realization... that your flesh hates God.'

Rejoice in salvation by grace alone

Summary: When humbled by the memory of sin, rejoice solely in the fact that God was merciful and saved you through Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'we learn to rejoice in Him alone... just rejoicing the fact that God was merciful to us and He saved us.'

Develop a holy determination to avoid past sins

Summary: Remember sins with a resolve, by God's grace, not to repeat them, using the memory as a deterrent.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We're to remember them with a holy determination that by the grace of God we're not going to do those stupid sinful things again.'

Embrace God's chastening as a mark of sonship

Summary: View God's discipline as evidence of His love and a tool to teach obedience, especially valuing early correction.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Hebrews 12:5-11 and says, 'It's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:57:16Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T09:43:10Z

Clean Transcript

Things to Remember Until - Part 1

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, let's open our Bibles today to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. And I'd like to read at least the first 20 verses, so that we can go back and see how they are applicable to each of us today. They'll just be with Psalm 73. By the way, the title of the message today, and probably the same title next week, part two, maybe in part three, I'm not sure yet, but the title of the message is, "Things to Remember Until," and you can understand why. Look, if you would, Psalm 73, verse 1: "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart."
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"But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment."
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"Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?"
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"Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;"
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"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." So, "Things to Remember Until." Note, if you would, please, Psalm 73.
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This passage is a tremendous passage and extremely applicable to us today. I've been reading through the book of Psalms. In fact, I've almost finished. But as I was reading through Psalm 73 again, one verse jumped out at me, and then it was not the entire verse. It was just one word in that entire verse. Notice, if you would, in verse 17, he says, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end." So this is why I titled this message, "Things to Remember Until." And when I read that word, the thought hit me, and I just got on my computer program and searched the little word "until."
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As it is mentioned in the Bible, and I can assure you, it probably occurs a thousand times. It occurs over and over and over. We use the word "until" in our conversations and even in our oaths. And you will remember, I hope, that when you married, you gave an oath to God and to your spouse, and you said that you would be faithful until death do you part. And, of course, we use that word "until" in many songs and slogans, and we often say, "Until we meet again." And any time you use the word "until" or you think about the word "until," it usually references a point in time or at least the completion of a subject or a project. I will work on this until I've finished, or I will see you not again until tomorrow. So sometimes it's a point of time, sometimes it refers to the completion of a project.
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But now Psalm 73 was written by Asaph. A-S-A-P-H. Asaph was a Levite. He was a Levitical singer. And I trust that you know that not all of these Psalms were written by David. Most of them were. However, Asaph wrote some of the Psalms. Solomon wrote a few of the Psalms. Moses even wrote Psalm 90. And there was probably one or two other Levitical singers that wrote some of these Psalms as well. In fact, Asaph has written 12 of the 150 Psalms. So, Psalm 73 is attributed to Asaph as well. Now, you don't have to turn there, but in Nehemiah chapter 12 and verse 46, the Bible says, "For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God." So Asaph is also mentioned in the book of First Chronicles, probably other books as well, because he was one of the chief singers and he, of course, led in singing as well. So I pointed out that Psalm 73 now is a very practical psalm and it certainly is relevant to each of us today.
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Now I want you to look, if you would, at verse 1 of Psalm 73. A very simple statement: "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Why in the world do you think that this psalm would begin that way when it is talking about the problem that Asaph had? Well, there's an answer. If you look in verse 28, he makes another statement, the last verse in this psalm. He said, "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." You're going to find that many times in the Psalms, as well as a lot of the poetical books, you will find a principle or a precept or a truth enunciated in the very first verse. Then you have, after that very first verse, you have the problem that needs to be worked through. And then the last verse gives you a conclusion, which is usually based upon the first verse. And so you can see how verse 1 and verse 28 happen to be related, because all in between, basically, Asaph is referring to the problem.
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Now, Asaph's problem happened to be one of envy. He was envying the wicked. And at the same time, he was very foolish and very ignorant. In fact, he said that himself. So if you look in verse 22, he came to this conclusion after he saw the truth. "So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee." The words "I didn't understand, I was dumb." And so he calls himself foolish and he calls himself ignorant.
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So what are we to remember? Well, first of all, in this psalm, I want you to note that we are to remember the wicked until. Now, what do you mean remember the wicked? Well, we are to remember the wicked not only in their station, not only where they are, but also where they're going as well. So notice, if you would, Asaph's problem was one that many Christians can identify with.
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Look in verse 2 and verse 3. He said, "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped." In other words, he almost lost it. Why? Verse 3: "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." So carefully now, note if you would, he said, "I was very, very upset. I was very troubled." Have you ever—a good question—have you ever looked at the wicked men and desired or envied their abundance of their money, their possessions, or their families?
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Now, you can stop and think about families that have been in power for years. The Rothschilds, for instance, the Warburgs, the Kennedys—all of these families have been hundreds of years, some of them just ruling and having money coming out of their ears. Have you ever thought about how these men and how these families have so much, oftentimes, and you have so little? And when you stop and think about these men and these families, they hate God. They hate His word. They hate His worship. They hate His service. They hate everything about Him. And oftentimes, Christians will say, "How in the world can someone so wicked have so much and we have so little and we're suffering and we're doing without and look at all that they have?" And how many times have you said or you heard other people say, "Wow, if I only had their money, I could..." and you just finish it. Just stop and think if you had several billion bucks, what could you do? Look at all the missionaries you could support.
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Look at all the buildings that you could build for people who wanted to worship in a building. Look, if you wanted, how many homeless and how many helpless you could help. Just think about that. But here's the question: If you had the money that Bill Gates has, or George Soros, or some of these individuals, would you give it to the Lord? Would you use it for Him?
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Or would you become like they are? The old Puritans had a saying, it went like this: "When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man." And that's certainly true. So, Asaph is very honest and he tells you exactly why he envied the wicked.
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Now, I want you to watch this. Let's read in verse 4. When you look at verse 3, he said, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."
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Now, he's going to describe what caused him to envy them. He says in verse 4, "For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm." Lord, they're not suffering like everyone. They're not having all the problems that everyone else is having. And it seems like they're in good health. They're living forever. Look how old some of those men are. Look how old George Soros is. And it looks like some of these people will never, ever die. So this is what he's talking about. Then he says in verse 5, "They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men." In other words, they don't have the common problems that you and I have.
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Not only physically, but probably emotionally, probably materially. He said they're just not in trouble like us. Therefore, in verse 6, here's the results: "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment." I mean, they're exceedingly proud, arrogant, haughty, high-minded. And look at verse 7: "Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish." They have no idea what to do with everything that they have. Now, he says this in verse 8.
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"They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily." Look at verse 9: "They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth." They're not afraid to curse man, and they're certainly not afraid to curse God. I mean, they have no respect for God whatsoever. He says, "Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say," now we're going back to the wicked, "and they say, How doth God know?"
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"And is there knowledge in the Most High?" In other words, God doesn't see what I'm doing, God doesn't know everything about me, so they're denying the omniscience of God. And then he says this in verse 12: "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." So when you look around and see how wicked men oftentimes, through fraud, through deceit, through unethical and ungodly and unbiblical means, acquire such possessions and such power.
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Well, that's what he said. "These are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." So when he saw that, he looked now at himself and the righteous. So look now at verse 13. He says in light of that, "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." He said, "It hasn't done me a bit of good to be holy. Hadn't done me a bit of good to be godly and be obedient." He said, "For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning."
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He's being tried like you would not believe. He said, "If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children." Now watch verse 16: "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me." What was he trying to figure out? Why the wicked could be so wealthy and so prosperous and so blessed and those who were serving God would have to suffer and be afflicted all the time?
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He said, "This nearly caused my feet to slip. This nearly caused me to lose my steps." Why? He was envious.
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Now look at verse 17: "Until." Until. I remember the wicked, he said, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." He remembered the wicked and all that they had and all their power. He looked at himself and the fellow believers and their suffering. And now in verse 17, he said, "It finally hits me." Look at this again. Let's read on verse 16.
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"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." Now look what happens. "Surely," he says concerning God, "thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." We talk about slippery places. Red clay is a good illustration. Mud is a good illustration. You've heard the old adage about someone who had one foot on a banana peel and another foot in the grave, which means he's ready to slip any moment. Surely God did put them in slippery places. In other words, Asaph said, "I thought their life was really set." He said, "No, no, no, it's not really set."
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They're in more trouble than they can shake a stick at. He said, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction." Look in verse 19: "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." They have everything and all of a sudden, in one moment, everything is useless and worthless to them as they're consumed with terrors. Now look in verse 20. He said, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image." I want you to meditate on that just for a moment. "Thou shalt despise their image."
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Have you ever considered what it might be like to be despised by God? You and I have often said about individuals, "Well, I despise that individual." Which means we have utter contempt for that individual. We have no desire to be around them. We have no need of them. We don't even want to acknowledge them. Can you imagine if you as a sinner can despise someone, what in the world it must be like to have a holy, sovereign, righteous God to despise you? By the way, this is what is known as justice, because these people despise God. God says, "Fine, I will repay you in kind. I will despise you."
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So, he said, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."
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Now, look at what happened when he really, really realized the position of the wicked. He says in verse 21, "Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee."
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Note, if you would, he understands now who he is. He understands who they are.
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Now, this lesson to me is exceedingly simple. In other words, do not envy the wicked in their plenty, in their possessions, in their power, in their position. Don't envy them unless you're going to envy them in their end and in their destruction.
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Now, this is why he starts out, "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." This is why he ends up in verse 28: "But it is good for me to draw near to God." And Lord, I don't want anything to do with them. I don't want to end up like them. I'm just thankful for the grace of God and the mercy of God in my life. So the wicked prosper until God pulls the rug out from under them. Now, I want to show you what is actually happening. Really and truly, when you look at the wicked like this, God is just simply fattening them up for the slaughter. I'm not just making that up. That's in Scripture. So if you look in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 65, and look if you would please at verse 12. Isaiah 65 and verse 12. Look at what the Word of God says. Isaiah 65, verse 12: "Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter."
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"Because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not." Notice then, "Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter."
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Now if you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51, and look if you would please at verse 40. And here it is stated very plainly again. Jeremiah 51. Note, if you would please, verse 40. God says, "I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats." So you can remember the wicked until God judges him and destroys him. Here's the second thing, and this is where I want to spend most of my time today, and that is, listen carefully, remember your sins and transgressions until.
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I'm going to make a statement and I hope that you can identify with it. It is painful, it is upsetting, it is heartbreaking for believers to remember their sins and their transgressions and their provocations against our loving, kind, and gracious Heavenly Father. We often have vivid memories of our sins, even though those sins have been forgiven. Everyone has experienced this. Here you are praying and all of a sudden this wicked thought comes in your mind or this wicked memory of something that you did 40 years ago.
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And you think, "Where in the world did that come from? I had not even been thinking of that." And yet it comes and it's there. And have you ever wondered about this? Since God has forgiven us of our sins, and He has, why does He just not remove all of those past memories from our minds? I mean, He could do so. He's omnipotent. He has all power in heaven and earth.
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He can do whatever He pleases. So the question would be, why is it that you and I are plagued with the memory of our sins? In fact, the truth of the matter is, I can show you scriptures where God tells us and even, yea, commands us to remember our sins. Let me do that. Look in your Bible, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 9. Deuteronomy 9, beginning there with verse 7. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. Look at this. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 9, verse 7. He says, "Remember, and forget not." Wait a minute. "Remember, and forget not." What were they to remember? What were they not to forget? "How thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until ye came into this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you." But note, he begins, "Remember, and forget not, how thou didst provoke the Lord thy God in the wilderness."
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And they provoked Him at least 10 times in vengeance particularly, but probably many, many other times as well. Now, "Remember, and forget not." Now turn over, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Deuteronomy 11, look in verse 1. Hang on now. "Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all his land; and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you; and how the Lord destroyed them unto this day." Now watch this.
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When you read verses 2 through 4, he's dealing with the Egyptians. He's dealing with the unsaved. Now, beginning with verse 5, because here he's dealing with God's covenant people. "And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; and what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: but your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did." So he's telling him what I've done to the ungodly. And now in verse 5, what he did unto you.
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And so you remember not only your sins and your transgressions, you also remember God's judgments and God's chastisement. So we are to remember and not forget our sins, our trespasses, our transgressions, our provocations. We're also to remember, not forget God's judgments, and God's chastisements. Now, here's the question. Why are we not to forget these things? If you were honest as a Christian, you would have to say our sins haunt us.
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We cannot erase them from our minds. I can assure you, those of you who are as old as I am, can remember sins that you committed 70 years back. Those of you who are not as old as I am can remember 40, 50 years back. You can remember those sins. And have you, like I have, often said, "Oh Lord, why did I ever do such? Why was I so stupid?"
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"Why was I so ignorant? Why was I so fleshly, so carnal? Why was I so rebellious? Why did I do something like that?" And of course there are answers. Because we're depraved, because we're sinners, but that's not the question. My question is, why does God want us to remember our sins? Now, true, they're forgiven. I'm going to show you that from the Scripture. They're forgiven. But He's told us to remember. Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 8, I want to begin to show you something. I do not enjoy remembering my sins, but they're there. They're in my mind, and your sins are in your mind. So look in Deuteronomy chapter 8, beginning in verse 1. "All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."
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"And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey."
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Now, note if you would, let's go back and look at this. He said in verse 2, "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness." We were not walking with them 40 years in the wilderness. But we've been in the wilderness ourselves. And we've had things happen to us during our lives that are very grievous and very afflicting. Why do they happen to us? And why do we do certain things? These people provoked God. Do you realize, if I remember correctly from Deuteronomy chapter 1, from where they left to enter into Canaan land was an 11-day journey. And it took him 40 years. They kept sinning against God. And God said, "You have to remember all these ways that I led you, and I led you these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee." Not only to humble thee, but look what else he said: "I suffered thee to hunger, so that I might feed thee."
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And he said, "I fed you with food that you've never knew of. Your fathers never knew about this. I humbled thee and caused you to do without that you would learn to depend upon me, and that you would learn that you are not to live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." It is the remembrance of our sins and the remembrance of our transgressions that thoroughly humbles us before God. And you have to ask, "Oh, Lord God, how in the world could you bless me? Look how I've lived. Look what I've done. Look how I disobeyed you. Look how I broke your heart. Look how I grieved you. Lord, how could you ever, ever bless me? How could you ever use me?"
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But it not only is humbling, it brings us to the position that we understand if we're ever blessed, if we're ever used, if anything good ever happens to us, it must be by the goodness and the grace and the mercy of God and our entire and complete dependence upon Him. Because we know that in and of ourselves we are nothing and we can do nothing. Wow. I want you to turn, if you would, to the book of Ezekiel chapter 20. Ezekiel chapter 20.
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And look at it, beginning there with verse 42. Ezekiel chapter 20, verse 42. Watch this. Ezekiel 20, verse 42: "And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers." They'd been in captivity. He said, "I'm going to bring you back to the land." Watch verse 43.
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"And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Note, he said, "I'm going to bring you back in. But you have to remember all your ways, all your doings, all your defilement, and you're going to end up loathing yourself. And ye shall know," look at this, "ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your own wicked ways, not according to your corrupt doings."
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In other words, what God is telling us is this: we remember our sins, we remember our transgressions, it is for our humility, it's for our recognition that everything that we are and everything that we have, our salvation, everything, is only because of the grace and mercy of God. Nothing because of us.
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Now, the same truth is given to us in the New Testament. If you will turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, and notice if you would, verse 11. Look what he says: "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands." Well, what does he mean when he says, "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh"? Well, look at verse 12.
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"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." He says, "Remember that. Remember that." Wow. Why are we to remember that? It is exceedingly humbling as a Christian to recall our sins.
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It's interesting how you can pass some places and those places bring thoughts in your mind that happened 50 years ago. He says, "Remember." We can confess our ignorance, our stupidity, our sinfulness, our rebelliousness, and all of our transgressions. But at the same time, we're learning literally to loathe our flesh and its carnality and its wickedness. And there's a passage I've quoted often. And I want to point it out again, it's Romans 8, verses 7 and 8.
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Let me quote it for you. He says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Well, you come to the realization—I mean a real genuine realization—that your flesh hates God. Your flesh hates God's word. Your flesh hates God's commands. Your flesh wants to do anything and everything that's contrary to God and contrary to His word. Maybe you can now understand why flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Your flesh is so absolutely corrupt. It will not inherit the kingdom of God.
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I want you to follow me with a few passages. I want you to turn back in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 25 to begin with. Psalm 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. Psalm 25, verse 7. Look at this. Psalm 25 and verse 7. David prays, "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord." Don't remember me for what I did and what I am. Remember me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. And every time I read that verse, I have to add to it, I know you're telling me that—you don't have to add the scriptures, but you'll understand. When I read, "Remember not the sins of my youth," I always add, "and my middle age and my old age." Because we're still sinners. It says, "Remember not the sins of my youth." Look, if you would, in Psalm 42, Psalm 42, and notice if you would, verse 4. Psalm 42 and verse 4. David said, "When I remember these things," well, his sins go back to verse 3.
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He says, "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?" In other words, "Yeah, you're off somewhere. God's not seemingly helping you." He said, "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday." He said, "Listen, why art thou cast down, O my soul?" He was cast down. "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me." And many times when our sins come back, we pour out our soul. We say, "Oh, God, I hate it. I despise it."
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"I wish I'd never done it. I wish the thought had never entered my mind." This is what he's saying. Look in Psalm 79. Psalm 79 and verse 8. Psalm 79, verse 8. David says—actually, Asaph, he wrote this psalm—"O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low." "O remember not against us former iniquities. We are brought very, very low." Now, how long are we to remember our sins and our transgressions? Well, we are to remember them until. You said until what?
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Until we are thoroughly humbled and we learn to walk humbly with our God in complete and total and absolute dependence upon Him. When we reach that point, we continue until we realize that which we have in the salvation of the one true and living God who's revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. And when we see our sins and we're thoroughly, totally humbled and we recognize our helplessness and our hopelessness and our entire dependence upon God and His salvation, it's at this point that we learn to rejoice in Him alone. We're not rejoicing in ourselves. We're not rejoicing in what we've done. We're not rejoicing in what we have. We're just rejoicing the fact that God was merciful to us and He saved us.
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Now, I want you to follow me again very quickly. So I want you to begin in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38. And notice, if you would please, verse 17. Isaiah 38 and verse 17. Note what is said: "Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." So Isaiah is saying, "We didn't have peace, we had bitterness."
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But what did God do? "But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." Years ago, I read an illustration of a young boy who had just been saved. Was talking about the fact that God had cast all of his sins behind God's back. And one man heard the child say that and he said, "But son, what if God turns around?" And the little boy said, "Sir, they'll still be behind His back. Doesn't matter which way He turns." And that's true. He said, "God has cast all our sins behind His back."
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Now, let me read Micah chapter 7 and verse 19. Listen carefully. "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." So, all of our sins are not only behind His back, they're also in the depths of the sea. Now, if you would turn to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 8, and look, if you would please, at verse 12. Hebrews 8 and verse 12. Look what he says. God said, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Now, if you look in Hebrews 10 and verse 17, he says the same thing again: "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." So God then forgets our sins.
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I'll explain that just momentarily. But the remembrance of our sins is for our benefit. It leads us to humility. It leads us to hatred of our sins and rebellion. It leads us to the despisement of the flesh and it also evidences our total helplessness before God. It also leads us to the rejoicing of salvation in Jesus Christ because we recognize the sinfulness and the wickedness of our flesh and our inability to do anything to please God and so we must trust in Him or perish. Now God said our sins and our iniquities, He will remember no more. May I remind you that God is omniscient. The omniscience of God means that He knows absolutely everything. He knows it completely. He knows it totally. He knows it absolutely. And when the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, it does not mean that He eradicates them or erases them from His mind because He's omniscient. But what it does mean is He will never use those sins against us. He will never manipulate us with those sins.
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And we will never be judged for those sins because those sins have been judged in Jesus Christ. You remember, the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. The word propitiation in the Greek is the word hilasmos, and it literally means to placate, to appease, and to satisfy. So Jesus Christ has placated, appeased, and satisfied the wrath of God, the justice of God, and the holiness of God. And God is not unjust. God is not going to demand payment twice. Since Jesus Christ is our substitute, He is our sacrifice. Our sins have been judged in Him, so we will never, ever stand before God because of our sins, because they've been paid for in the Lord Jesus Christ. So there's another reason why God tells us to remember our sins. We're to remember them with a holy hatred. We're to remember them with a holy determination that by the grace of God we're not going to do those stupid sinful things again. We're just not going to do it.
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It is the horribleness of our sins that we see, and we understand that our sins always lead to chastisement. God is not going to allow us to escape His chastisement if we are His children. We learn to love His correction. You've heard me say this before. I never, ever enjoyed or appreciated or liked all the whippings I got as a child from my father. I hated them. I despised them. They were very grievous. They were very hurtful. But once I got grown, I was so thankful that my father did discipline me.
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And this is the same thing. You know what David said? David said this in Psalm 119, verses 71 and 72. He said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." It's good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might learn. I learned, he said, "thy statutes" through thy affliction. You whipped me and I learned very quickly. Then he said in Psalm 119, verses 75 through 77, he said, "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight." Yeah, one more. He said in Psalm 119, verses 103 and 104, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."
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Now let me encourage you to do something. I want to encourage you to read through Psalm 119. Yeah, there's 176 verses there. Psalm 119 is an acrostic. When you look at Psalm 119, you will see it's divided in sections. In the Hebrew, the first sections all begin with Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second section begins with Beth, the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. And it goes on throughout the entire alphabet until you come to 176 verses. When you read Psalm 119, I want you to compare it with Hebrews chapter 12, especially verses 5 through 11. Because Hebrews chapter 12, verses 5 through 11 talks about chastisement, the same thing that David is talking about in Psalm 119.
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He said, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." And he goes right on down. And so, actually, Psalm 119 talks about God's chastening just like Hebrews chapter 12 does.
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We're to remember the wicked until we see their end and we don't want anything to do with it. We're to remember our sins, our transgressions, until we're thoroughly humbled by them, learn dependence upon God, the insufficiency of ourselves, and the total and absolute work of God in salvation. So here's some applications. The first one is this: God always teaches, trains, and disciplines His own. He does not do that for the unsaved, but He does that for His children.
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And God's training and God's discipline is best when it is done in our youth. Ecclesiastes chapter 12 in verse 1 says, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." So it's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young. Lamentations chapter 3 in verse 27 says this: "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth."
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I want to give you two quotes. The first one is by John Trapp. He says, "The yoke of God's law and the discipline of afflictions, it is good to be betimes in God's nurturing house and remain a good while there, that he be trained up in the school of afflictions, that he be a well-beaten soldier to the cross." A well-beaten soldier. Matthew Poole said it like this.
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"It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age." Jim, you agree with that, don't you? I do. I can identify with that. "It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age or change a heart made hard by custom. Solomon bids us to train up one in their youth in the way that he would have them to walk. And whether God will tame us when we are young by his word or by his rod, it is of an advantage to a man. It is also laudable, and what becomes a man early to bear the yoke of God's law or to bear afflictive providences, to have his heart humbled to the will and the feet of God." It's good to have the heart humbled. The truth of the matter is this: God is going to teach us and train us at any and every age. It's more difficult as we age because our ways are set. You know, statistically speaking, if a young man has never worked by the age of 21, he never will work.
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That's true. Alice and I have friends who are in their forties and fifties, never been married. Don't want to marry, I guess. And we've all talked and smiled. I can't see that individual getting married right now. I mean, you know how someone set in their ways, it's almost impossible to change, especially when you've lived a certain way for so long. I mean, it's just habit. Well, this is the way it is, spiritually speaking, as well.
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Now, God said this in Jeremiah 22 and verse 21: "I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice." They grew up disobeying God. They're hardened in it. So, there are two ways to learn, as I pointed out before. We can learn by listening, receiving, and applying God's truth. Or we can learn by way of Micah 6 in verse 9, when God says, "Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it." So like parents, God has two ways of teaching: by word of instruction and by the rod of affliction. It's always easier to hear and obey than it is to get a whipping and then hear and obey.
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So we are to remember the wicked until we see their end. And we're to remember our sins and transgressions until we're thoroughly humbled, learn dependence upon God, to trust only in Him and have a holy determination by the grace of God, we're not going to do those same sins again. We're just not. We're just not. The word of God tells us, and I love this passage, in Psalm 71, verse 9: "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." Cast me not off in my old age. There's no reason to be cast off in our old age if we've learned from a youth to obey God.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee. We ask you to help us to remember these things until. Until, Lord, we have them in our hearts and our souls and our minds. Until we learn to be obedient unto thee. Father, give us your grace. Give us your mercy. Help us to love thee. Help us, Lord, to bow to thee. Help us, Lord, to be taught by thee.
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As Job said, "Who teacheth like him?" Lord, teach us that we may listen and we may learn and obey. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:57:16Z

Things to Remember Until - Part 1

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver explores Psalm 73, focusing on the word 'until' as a pivotal turning point. He teaches that believers must remember the wicked only until they see their end—destruction and divine contempt—and must remember their own sins until they are thoroughly humbled, learn complete dependence on God, and rejoice solely in His grace and salvation.

Introduction to Psalm 73 and the Word 'Until'

Weaver introduces Psalm 73 and explains how the word 'until' in verse 17 inspired the message, noting its frequent use in Scripture and life to denote a point of change or completion.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:1-20

"Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment." "Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?" "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;"

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:17

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:17

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end."

So this is why I titled this message, "Things to Remember Until." And when I read that word, the thought hit me, and I just got on my computer program and searched the little word "until."

The Structure of Psalm 73: Principle, Problem, Conclusion

Weaver highlights the psalm's structure: verse 1 states a principle, verses 2-27 describe Asaph's problem of envying the wicked, and verse 28 gives a conclusion based on the opening truth.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 73:28

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."

Remember the Wicked Until Their End

Weaver explains that Asaph envied the prosperity of the wicked until he entered God's sanctuary and understood their ultimate destruction and God's contempt for them.

The Wicked Are Fatted for Slaughter

Weaver uses Isaiah 65:12 and Jeremiah 51:40 to show that the wicked's prosperity is temporary; God is merely fattening them for judgment.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 51:40

"I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats."

Remember Your Sins and Transgressions Until Humbled

Weaver teaches that God commands believers to remember their sins to produce humility, dependence on God, and a loathing of the flesh.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not."

Wait a minute.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not."

What were they to remember? What were they not to forget?

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"How thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until ye came into this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you."

But note, he begins,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 9:7

"Remember, and forget not, how thou didst provoke the Lord thy God in the wilderness."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:1-7

"Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all his land; and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you; and how the Lord destroyed them unto this day."

Now watch this.

The Purpose of Remembering Sins: Humility and Dependence

Weaver explains from Deuteronomy 8 that remembering sins humbles us, teaches us to depend on God's word, and shows that all blessings come by grace alone.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 20:42-43

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers."

They'd been in captivity. He said, "I'm going to bring you back to the land." Watch verse 43.

New Testament Confirmation and the Loathing of Self

Weaver cites Ephesians 2:11-12 and Ezekiel 20:42-43 to show that remembering past sins leads to self-loathing and recognition of God's mercy.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 20:42-43

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers."

They'd been in captivity. He said, "I'm going to bring you back to the land." Watch verse 43.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:11-12

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands."

Well, what does he mean when he says,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:11-12

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh"

? Well, look at verse 12.

God Forgets Our Sins, But We Remember for Our Benefit

Weaver clarifies that God's 'forgetting' means He will never hold sins against us because Christ is the propitiation, but our remembrance is for humility and holy hatred of sin.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth,"

I always add, "and my middle age and my old age." Because we're still sinners. It says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth."

Look, if you would, in Psalm 42, Psalm 42, and notice if you would, verse 4. Psalm 42 and verse 4. David said, "When I remember these things," well, his sins go back to verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:8

"O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low." "O remember not against us former iniquities. We are brought very, very low."

Now, how long are we to remember our sins and our transgressions? Well, we are to remember them until. You said until what?

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 38:17

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back."

So Isaiah is saying, "We didn't have peace, we had bitterness."

Now, let me read Micah chapter 7 and verse 19. Listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Micah 7:19

"He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

Learning Through Chastisement and the Value of Early Discipline

Weaver connects Psalm 119 with Hebrews 12 to show that God's chastening teaches obedience, and it is best learned in youth before the heart hardens.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver summarizes the two things to remember until their appointed end, and prays for grace to learn obedience through God's teaching.

As Job said, "Who teacheth like him?" Lord, teach us that we may listen and we may learn and obey. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray. Amen.

Things to Remember Until - Part 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	127261847585393
Subject	Sermon Series
Course	Sermon Series: Special Multi-Part Studies
Genre	Sermon
Date	2026-01-18
Dictation Name
Book	Book 193: Things to Remember Until — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	75

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to Psalm 73 and the Word 'Until': Weaver introduces Psalm 73 and explains how the word 'until' in verse 17 inspired the message, noting its frequent use in Scripture and life to denote a point of change or completion.
The Structure of Psalm 73: Principle, Problem, Conclusion: Weaver highlights the psalm's structure: verse 1 states a principle, verses 2-27 describe Asaph's problem of envying the wicked, and verse 28 gives a conclusion based on the opening truth.
Remember the Wicked Until Their End: Weaver explains that Asaph envied the prosperity of the wicked until he entered God's sanctuary and understood their ultimate destruction and God's contempt for them.
The Wicked Are Fatted for Slaughter: Weaver uses Isaiah 65:12 and Jeremiah 51:40 to show that the wicked's prosperity is temporary; God is merely fattening them for judgment.
Remember Your Sins and Transgressions Until Humbled: Weaver teaches that God commands believers to remember their sins to produce humility, dependence on God, and a loathing of the flesh.
The Purpose of Remembering Sins: Humility and Dependence: Weaver explains from Deuteronomy 8 that remembering sins humbles us, teaches us to depend on God's word, and shows that all blessings come by grace alone.
New Testament Confirmation and the Loathing of Self: Weaver cites Ephesians 2:11-12 and Ezekiel 20:42-43 to show that remembering past sins leads to self-loathing and recognition of God's mercy.
God Forgets Our Sins, But We Remember for Our Benefit: Weaver clarifies that God's 'forgetting' means He will never hold sins against us because Christ is the propitiation, but our remembrance is for humility and holy hatred of sin.
Learning Through Chastisement and the Value of Early Discipline: Weaver connects Psalm 119 with Hebrews 12 to show that God's chastening teaches obedience, and it is best learned in youth before the heart hardens.
Conclusion and Prayer: Weaver summarizes the two things to remember until their appointed end, and prays for grace to learn obedience through God's teaching.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Envy of the wicked is resolved by seeing their end

Asaph's envy ceased when he understood the wicked's ultimate destruction, teaching believers to view the wicked in light of their final judgment.

Weaver says, 'Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end... Surely thou didst set them in slippery places.'

God commands remembrance of sins for humility

Scripture explicitly commands believers to remember their sins and provocations to produce humility and dependence on God.

Weaver cites Deuteronomy 9:7 and says, 'Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath.'

Memory of sin leads to self-loathing and grace-dependence

Remembering sins causes believers to loathe themselves and recognize that salvation and blessing are entirely by God's grace.

Weaver reads Ezekiel 20:43, 'ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils,' and explains its purpose.

God's 'forgetting' is judicial, not literal

God's omniscience means He does not erase sins from His mind, but He will never hold them against believers because Christ satisfied divine justice.

Weaver states, 'When the Bible says that God remembers our sins no more, it does not mean that He eradicates them... He will never use those sins against us.'

Chastisement teaches obedience and is best received early

God's discipline, like a father's rod, teaches His children obedience, and learning in youth prevents a hardened heart later.

Weaver says, 'It's best to learn a lot of these things when you are young... It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age.'

Scripture References

Psalm 73:1-20: Weaver reads the first 20 verses as the primary text, highlighting Asaph's envy and the turning point at verse 17.
Psalm 73:17: The word 'until' is the focus of the message; Asaph understood the wicked's end when he entered God's sanctuary.
Psalm 73:28: Weaver notes the conclusion of the psalm, showing Asaph's renewed trust in God after his struggle.
Isaiah 65:12: Used to show that God numbers the wicked for the sword, fattening them for slaughter.
Jeremiah 51:40: God brings the wicked down like lambs to the slaughter, reinforcing their destined judgment.
Deuteronomy 9:7: God commands Israel to remember and not forget how they provoked Him, establishing the principle of remembering sins.
Deuteronomy 11:1-7: Moses reminds Israel of God's acts against the Egyptians and His discipline of His own people in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy 8:1-8: God led Israel in the wilderness to humble them and teach them dependence on His word, illustrating the purpose of remembering.
Ezekiel 20:42-43: God promises that Israel will remember their defilements and loathe themselves, leading to knowledge of His grace.
Ephesians 2:11-12: Paul tells Gentile believers to remember their former state without Christ, reinforcing the New Testament call to remember.
Romans 8:7-8: The carnal mind is enmity against God, showing the wickedness of the flesh that believers must loathe.
Psalm 25:7: David prays that God would not remember the sins of his youth, but remember him according to mercy.
Psalm 42:4: David pours out his soul when he remembers past things, illustrating the pain of recalling sins.
Psalm 79:8: Asaph prays that God would not remember former iniquities against them, acknowledging their low estate.
Isaiah 38:17: God cast all of Hezekiah's sins behind His back, showing divine forgiveness.
Micah 7:19: God will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea, emphasizing complete forgiveness.
Hebrews 8:12: God promises to be merciful and remember sins no more, quoted to show the new covenant promise.
Hebrews 10:17: Repeats the promise that God will remember sins and iniquities no more.
Psalm 119:71-72, 75-77, 103-104: David affirms that affliction taught him God's statutes and led him to hate every false way.
Hebrews 12:5-11: God chastens those He loves; discipline is a mark of sonship, paralleling Psalm 119.

Historical References

Asaph, the Levitical singer: Weaver identifies Asaph as the author of Psalm 73, a Levite and chief singer in David's time, who wrote 12 psalms.
Nehemiah 12:46: Mentioned to establish Asaph's historical role as a chief singer in the days of David.
The Rothschilds, Warburgs, Kennedys: Weaver cites these wealthy families as modern examples of the wicked who prosper and hate God, paralleling Asaph's observation.
Bill Gates, George Soros: Used as contemporary examples of extremely wealthy individuals to question whether a Christian would use such wealth for God.
Puritan saying: 'When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man.': Weaver quotes this to illustrate the spiritual danger of wealth.
John Trapp: Quoted on the value of bearing the yoke of affliction in youth to become a 'well-beaten soldier to the cross.'
Matthew Poole: Quoted on the difficulty of bending a neck stiffened with age, emphasizing the importance of early discipline.

Important Quotes

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

This is the key verse that inspired the sermon title and theme, marking the turning point from confusion to understanding.

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

Weaver identifies this as the foundational principle of the psalm, stated before the problem is described.

When a Christian gets rich, God either gains a fortune or loses a man.

A Puritan saying used to warn of the spiritual peril of wealth and the test it brings.

And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

Ezekiel 20:43, showing that remembering sins leads to self-loathing and recognition of God's grace.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 8:12, quoted to show God's promise of judicial forgetfulness, which does not negate our need to remember.

It is not so easy to bend a neck stiffened with age.

Matthew Poole's quote emphasizing the importance of learning obedience and humility early in life.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why does Asaph's envy of the wicked nearly cause his feet to slip, and what finally changes his perspective?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Asaph envied the prosperity of the wicked until he entered God's sanctuary and understood their end.

[Question]

In what ways might modern believers be tempted to envy the wicked, and how can Psalm 73 correct that?

[Context]

Weaver mentions wealthy families like the Rothschilds and asks if we have ever desired their abundance despite their hatred of God.

[Question]

Why does God command us to remember our sins if He has forgiven them?

[Context]

Weaver teaches that remembering sins humbles us, teaches dependence on God, and leads to a holy hatred of sin.

[Question]

How does the memory of past sins affect your relationship with God and your view of His grace?

[Context]

Weaver says that remembering sins makes us loathe ourselves and recognize that everything we have is by God's mercy.

[Question]

What does it mean that God 'remembers our sins no more,' and how does that differ from our own remembrance?

[Context]

Weaver explains that God's omniscience means He does not literally forget, but He will never hold sins against us because of Christ's propitiation.

[Question]

Why is it better to learn obedience through God's word rather than through His rod of affliction?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts learning by listening and applying truth with learning by chastisement, citing Micah 6:9.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a holy determination not to repeat past sins?

[Context]

Weaver urges believers to remember sins with a holy hatred and a resolve, by God's grace, not to commit them again.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T09:43:10Z