Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 3 of 16

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2000-05-21

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on Psalm 106, focusing on verse 7. He identifies the twin sins of ignorance and ingratitude as the first specific sins confessed by the psalmist. Weaver explains that true confession requires specificity and repentance, not just a general admission of sin. He demonstrates how the Israelites failed to understand God's wonders in Egypt and forgot His many mercies, provoking God to anger. Despite their rebellion, God saved them for His name's sake. The sermon concludes with applications urging believers to count their blessings, live by faith, and recognize that all God does is by grace.

[John Weaver] Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Beginning with verse 1. Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O, visit me with Thy salvation, that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance.

[John Weaver] We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies, but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his namesake, that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

[John Weaver] And the waters covered their enemies, and there was not one of them left. Then, believing his words, they sang his song. Or they sang his praise, which would be they sang his psalm or they sang his praise.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you that this series is entitled The Hallelujah of Confession. And once again, the reason why is because this is the first hallelujah psalm. It begins with praise ye the Lord, which is Hallelujah. There are a number of Hallelujah Psalms in the Bible, and the reason it's called the Hallelujah of confession is because this psalm is full of confession, confession of sin.

[John Weaver] Now, by way of introduction, let me just remind you in verses one through five, I gave you four reasons why the psalmist invited us to praise the Lord. The first one is found in the first verse, and that is because of his goodness and his mercy that endures forever. The second one is found in verse 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? So here are the marvelous works of God, and the truth of the matter is they are so great, the psalmist said, we cannot give God all the praise and the glory that's due unto his name. The third reason he invites us to praise the Lord is found in verse 3 is because of his blessings upon the obedient.

[John Weaver] Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doeth righteousness at all times. And the fourth reason we dealt with is found in verses four and five where the psalmist wanted to be delivered personally from an ungodly situation that he might ultimately see the success of God's law of God's kingdom and of God's grace toward his nation. And of course, we dealt with that in detail in the first message.

[John Weaver] And then secondly, in verse six, we have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly. I told you in verse six, here was a general confession. And last week, I just dealt mainly with the first phrase. We have sinned with our fathers. I showed you how we have sinned with our fathers. We have sinned with them seminally in the fact that we were in their loins when they committed their sins. We have sinned with them imputatively, that is, many times Their sins were imputed to us as Adamson was imputed to us. I told you this is known as generational sins in the Bible. We went to Exodus 34 where God says he visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. And then we send in them representatively how that our fathers represent their families and their offspring. Fourthly, we've sent in them nationally and I dealt with the bond that exists between the people of a nation and showed you that from Scripture, and then fifthly, we have sinned in them actually.

[John Weaver] That is, we've actually committed the same sins that they committed. Now, to prove that, the psalmist is going to begin specifying the sins beginning with verse 7. So remember now, verse 6 is a generalization, but when you come to verse 7 through verse 46, there is a specification of the sins.

[John Weaver] Now let me begin by saying this, it is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins. You see, everyone is willing to admit, well, yeah, I'm a sinner. Well, yeah, I've done some bad things. Well, yeah, I've done wrong. But when you start trying to nail that individual down and say, well, tell me specifically about your sins, all of a sudden we don't want to talk about specifics. And so the psalmist is saying. It's not only necessary to admit the fact that we are sinners, but it's also necessary to confess before the Lord our specific sins as well.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask and answer this question for you. Why is it do we need to specify and delineate our sins before the Lord? Why do we need to get downright specific, or as we say, down to the nitty gritty? Well, I want you to hold Psalm 106 and turn in your Bibles to 1 John 1 and look at verse 9. Here's a verse that practically everyone can quote, or at least you should be able to quote it. And so many people quote this verse and they never, ever understand it. In 1 John 1-9, the Word of God says this, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now look at that. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The problem is most people do not know what the word confess actually means. Let me ask you a question.

[John Weaver] Suppose I went to Tony. and stuck my hand in his pocket and stole $100 bill from him. And I said, Lord, I just stole $100 bill from Tony. Lord, please forgive me. And then they go over to Doc and I stick my hand in his pocket and get $100 bill from him and say, oh, Lord, I got another one from from Doc. Please, Lord, forgive me for this.

[John Weaver] And then I make my way up here to Dr. Brissett. The Lord, is that confessing? And the answer is very clearly no. What is involved in confession of sin? Let me tell you what the Greek word is in 1 John 1 9. It is the word homo legeo. Homo means one in the same. That's where we get our word homogenized male homosexual. The word lego means I say so homo legeo literally means this. I say the same thing that God says. Or I take the same attitude that God takes.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to this illustration. Suppose then I go back to Tony. I stick my hand in his pocket and I steal a hundred dollar bill. And then I understand that what I've done is wicked and wrong and vile. And so I come to God and I say, Lord, I have stolen. I'm confessing this sin, it is wicked, it is vile, it is wrong. Well, if I genuinely confess that sin, what do I do? I go back to Tony and I make restitution and I ask his forgiveness. And then, since I'm taking now the same attitude that God takes towards sin, and since I'm now saying the same thing that God says about sin, that it's wicked, that it's wrong, that it's ungodly, that it deserves punishment and God's wrath upon it, Did I change my mind concerning that sin? I repent of it. And I don't perform that sin anymore.

[John Weaver] See, real, genuine confession involves specification. It involves repentance. How in the world can you repent of something if you just say, well, I sinned? What are you going to repent of? Being a sinner? You can't repent of being a sinner. You are a sinner. You have to repent of specific sins. So repentance then is involved in confession. Now let me say it another way. Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin. Now what does the Bible say?

[John Weaver] in Proverbs 28 in verse 13. Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy. Did you hear that? Whosoever confesseth and what? Forsaketh. So real genuine confession involves forsaking. So in order to confess our sins, then we must not just say, Lord, we have sinned. We must get specific in order that we might turn from them, change our minds about them, and certainly forsake them.

[John Weaver] Now, as you go back to Psalm 106, that is exactly what the psalmist begins to do in verse 7. And that's the very first sin that he deals with specifically in this psalm. So let's read Psalm 106 and verse 7. The psalmist said our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt, They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

[John Weaver] Now there are actually two sins that are involved in verse seven. I put them in two simple terms in order that you might grasp them more quickly. The two sins are ignorance. And in gratitude, look at it. Our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt. That's ignorance. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies. That's ingratitude. I want you to see that these twin sins always go together.

[John Weaver] Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful? When you're ignorant, what has been done for you? So ignorance and ingratitude always go together.

[John Weaver] Now, the Word of God has a great deal to say about ignorance, and I'm not just going to take the scriptures and run you through them and show you what the Bible says about ignorance. I'm going to develop some things, but let me just very quickly give you an overall view of ignorance from the biblical perspective. First of all, let me state that according to the Bible, there are sins of ignorance as well as sins of presumption. There are sins that you and I commit every day that we do not willingly and purposefully and deliberately do.

[John Weaver] We do them because we're ignorant of God's law. And if you were to study Leviticus chapter 4 and 5 and Numbers chapter 15, you'll find that God has made provision for those individuals who sinned ignorantly and unawares. And so when you and I are ignorant of scripture, when we're ignorant of God's law, many times we're guilty of any specific ignorant sins. And the only way that will stop us from committing those sins is to understand and to know the law of God. So there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the word of God teaches that the ungodly are separated from God through ignorance. Do you remember Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18? The Bible there says specifically that the unbelievers are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. Let's be honest. An unbeliever does not know who God is. He does not know the truth of God or the principles of God. He's absolutely, totally ignorant. And thus in 1 Peter 1 in verse 14, we're admonished that we're not to be ignorant.

[John Weaver] We are to know. So first of all, there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the ungodly are an alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. And thirdly, seven times. The Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter admonish us not to be ignorant. For instance, and we're not going to turn there, but if you were to look at Romans 11 in verse 25, 1st Corinthians 10 verse 1, 1st Corinthians 12 verse 1, 2nd Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians 2.11, 1 Thessalonians 4.13, and 2 Peter 3 in verse 8, you'll find language like this. Brethren, be ignorant of this one thing. Or brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant of this very thing. The Apostle Paul is saying, look, there's some things that are so important, you had better not be ignorant of these. So, seven times then, the Apostle Paul and Peter admonish us not to be ignorant of certain doctrines. And then, fourthly, the Scripture teaches that there are some individuals that are willingly ignorant. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3, verse 5, talking about those who scoff at the return of Jesus Christ, Peter says, for this they are willingly ignorant.

[John Weaver] In other words, there are some people who not only do not know the truth. They don't ever want to know the truth. They are willingly ignorant, and it's for these people that the Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 in verse 48. Him that is ignorant. Let him be ignorant still. I told Dr Brissie outside earlier. There's some people you just can't help. And that's exactly what the Apostle Paul said. Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still. A man who will not receive the truth. A man who will not listen to the truth. There's nothing you can do for him.

[John Weaver] Except leave him in his ignorance. It's kind of like what our Lord said in Matthew 15. When he got through speaking, the disciples came to him and said, knowest thou not that the Pharisees were offended at thy saying? And our Lord said, let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall in the ditch." So what did our Lord say? Let them alone. Let them stay in their ignorance. Let them stay in their blindness.

[John Weaver] And they'll die in their iniquity. Because some people are willingly ignorant.

[John Weaver] Now the Bible says in Psalm 106 and verse 7, watch this carefully, Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. Now the word wonders there refers then to his miracles, to his mighty works, to all of his marvelous acts. You remember all of the plagues that God put upon the Egyptians and how he delivered the Israelites, but they did not understand all of this. Now let's look at this word understanding. He said in verse seven, our fathers understood not.

[John Weaver] Now, in order to grasp the word understand, we're going to leave the negative off just for a moment. I'm going to tell you what the word understand is in the Hebrew and what it means without the negative. The Hebrew word is sakal, and without the negative, it relates to an intelligent knowledge of the reason. You know why something has happened. Not only that, but it means that one considers and one pays attention to something. So in order to understand something you've got to consider, you've got to pay attention.

[John Weaver] Now, whole Psalm 106 would look first of all in Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 verse 12, the Bible says, The righteous man wisely considered the house of the wicked, but God overthrew the wicked for their wickedness. Now, what does the wise man do? He wisely pays attention. He wisely considers. He wisely knows the reason why the wicked's house is overthrown. Look in your Bibles, go back if you would to the book of Ezra Ezra Nehemiah Ezra chapter 8 and verse 13.

[John Weaver] You'll see the same word. For understanding translated here, Ezra 8 and verse 13. The Word of God says this. Ezra 8. Put down verse 13. 13, but that's not the correct verse. Let me look at verse 31. Might have transposed it. This deals with the reading of the law of God. Well, skip down to verse 16. The Bible says, and he names them. He says that they were men of understanding. But when he read the law of God, let me see if I could find the verse that's not the verse that I wanted, but anyhow, the verse basically says that they paid attention that they gave diligent consideration to the reading of the law of God. Now watch this.

[John Weaver] The word soft cow then means to understand the reason for something. It means to pay attention. It means to give understanding, but more than that, it means this. It also means to have insight. For instance, turning your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter one and verse three, you'll see why the Proverbs were written by the way. Proverbs chapter one verse three. Here is why the book of Proverbs were written. He says in verse 2 to know wisdom and instruction to perceive the words of understanding verse 3 to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity. So there is a perception in the word understanding. Then if you would turn over to Jeremiah chapter 9, Jeremiah chapter 9 and look at verse 23.

[John Weaver] And here the word is translated just a little differently, but it's the same word. Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 23. Look what the Lord says. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this. that he understand it. I know with me. That I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, righteousness in the earth. Or in these things, I delight, said the Lord. Now God says, if you're going to glory, you glory in this, that you understand and know me. So the word understand here Does not mean that you comprehend God totally, but it does mean that you perceive him, that you have insight into his being and into his nature, which we get from the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to go back to Psalm 106. Let's put this together. Let's see what the sins of our fathers were. The sin of ignorance, he says, our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt. What does that mean, man? It means that they did not consider. It means they did not pay attention to. It means they did not perceive. It means they did not have insight into. And it means that they had no idea of the reason for why God did what he did in Egypt. Hmm. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 32 and look how God characterized the father's Deuteronomy 32, beginning there with verse 28. Deuteronomy 32, notice verse 28. Deuteronomy 32, verse 28, look what God says about our fathers, look what he says about the nation. My goodness, Deuteronomy 32 verse 28, for they are a nation void of counsel.

[John Weaver] Neither is there any understanding in them. And then God says, oh, that they were wise, that they would understood this, that they would consider their latter in. God says they're absolutely void of counsel. They have no understanding. And God said I would, that they would understand, that they would listen, that they would pay attention unto. But they simply do not. So our fathers then, that he's speaking of in Psalm 106 and verse 7, did not understand why God wrought those miracles in the land of Egypt. They did not understand the judgments that he inflicted upon the Egyptians.

[John Weaver] They had seen them with their eyes, They heard them with their ears. They were there. They knew the results of them. But although they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears, they did not have a heart. They did not have an understanding to perceive and grasp what was really happening. They did not see that here was the one true and the living God, the almighty God manifesting himself in power and in grace in delivering them from the hand of the enemy.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something. We tend to criticize the Old Testament saints. I have done it. You have done it. We read things in the scripture that are so obviously wrong and so patently wicked. We say, well, if we had been there, we wouldn't have done that. But you know, the truth is we do exactly the same thing that they do. I'm going to show you before I develop this point that there was the same exact problem in the New Testament.

[John Weaver] In relationship to our Lord's own disciples, if you would turn in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Mark, chapter nine. Mark, chapter nine. And let's begin reading there with verse 31. Watch carefully, Mark 9 verse 31. Mark 9 verse 31, for he taught his disciples. Now, wait a minute. He did not leave them in the dark. He taught his disciples and said unto them, the son of man is delivered in the hands of men and they shall kill him.

[John Weaver] and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask. Take understood, didn't understand that Christ was going to physically die. And be raised again. They understood not that he said, and of course. They were afraid to ask him. Look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 beginning there with verse 43. Luke 9 verse 43.

[John Weaver] And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, but while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, let these things sink down into your ears for the Son of Man shall be delivered in the hands of men. But they understood not this saying. And it was hint from them that they perceived it not. And they feared to ask him of that same look in Luke chapter 18 verse 34 Luke 18 verse 34.

[John Weaver] Here the scripture just says this. They understood none of these things. And this saying was hid from them. Neither knew they the things which were spoken. Now, can you imagine? As loving. And as kind as Jesus Christ was. And as able a teacher as he was and as a willing teacher that he was. Why would his disciples be afraid to ask him something they did not understand?

[John Weaver] Let me pose another question to you. Why is it? There are things that we don't understand. That we're afraid to research. And to find out or even pray about. And to ask God for wisdom concerning them. There are a number of things I met people all along. Who were just simply afraid to know the truth. If you will turn in your Bible to John chapter 10. Look what the scripture says, John 10 and verse 6 and our Lord is telling the parable that he is the Good Shepherd.

[John Weaver] He giveth his life for his sheep. Look at what the Bible says in verse 6. This parable spake Jesus unto them. Well, they understood not the things They understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. I mean, here our Lord is talking about a shepherd and a sheep. And here were people that lived around shepherds and lived around sheep. And he gave a parable, and yet they did not understand it. Look in John chapter 18, beginning with verse 15. John 18, verse 15. John 18, verse 15.

[John Weaver] Here's an example, and Simon Peter followed Jesus. So did another disciple. That disciple was known of high priest and went with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other cycle, which was known by a priest and spaken her. They kept the door and brought Peter in. And of course, Peter was the one who's saying Lord, I'm never going to deny you. I'm willing to die with you. Did Peter understand? No, what Peter end up doing, denying the Lord exactly like Christ told him he would now go back in your Bibles to Matthew 15. Matthew 15.

[John Weaver] Notice if you would please verses 15 and 16. Matthew 15 verses 15 and 16. Look what our Lord said. Then answered Peter and said unto him declared us this parable. Jesus said. Are you also yet without understanding? Now. Let's go back to Psalm 106. We're in verse 7. I'm dealing with the twin sins of ignorance and ingratitude. I've shown you where Scripture says our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt. Not only did the Old Testament saints not understand the wonders of our Lord in Egypt, even the New Testament saints did not understand some of the teaching of the Lord. Now, the same problem that existed in the Old Testament that existed in the New Testament still exists today.

[John Weaver] Let me ask a simple question. How many of us understand God's mighty acts, God's mighty miracles, God's wondrous power? Well, that's too broad of a question. Let me be a little more specific. How many of us understand what God did in Egypt? I mean, listen. We can criticize our forefathers for not understanding when they were there. But we've got all these thousands of years of history and a completed revelation, and most of us still don't understand what God did in Egypt.

[John Weaver] Do we even know why there were ten plagues? Why were those plagues like they were? You see, what most people do not realize is this, that Egypt was a polytheistic nation, that is, they had many gods. And each one of those plagues, each plague was directed at a specific false god. Why did Pharaoh's son die? Because Pharaoh was worshipped as a god. and to show the people that he was not a God, he could not even save the life of his own son, much less the firstborn of all the other nations. But the firstborn of Israel lived. Why? Because God's the one true and living God, and he's able to save and deliver. The truth is, most of us do not even understand the specifics of the deliverance of Egypt after thousands of years and a complete and total revelation.

[John Weaver] Let me ask another question. How many of us understand what God did in our own personal salvation?

[John Weaver] Now, I told you that ignorance and ingratitude go together. How can you be grateful for what God has done for you if you don't even understand what he's done for you? I want you to turn to passages I can quote them, but I want you to see them. I want you to turn first of all to Colossians chapter one and then secondly to Ephesians chapter one, because I've asked you. What is God done for you in your own personal salvation, in your own personal deliverance? Look in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1 and let's begin reading there with verse 12.

[John Weaver] Now the Apostle Paul writes, giving thanks unto the Father. Now let me just stop there. Why should we thank God, the father, why should we praise him? Why should we magnify him? What has he done for us? The Apostle Paul is going to tell us simply one great thing that he's done right here. He says, giving thanks unto the father who has made us meet or suitable to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints and like. By the way, that's one thing right there. God made us suitable.

[John Weaver] To partake of his glory. And look in verse 13. Here is the way that he did that who have delivered us from the power of darkness and have translated us in the kingdom of his dear son. Do you realize that in our salvation, God took us out of the kingdom of darkness, or the kingdom of Satan, and he's translated us, he carried us, he placed us, he put us into the kingdom of his own dear son. Do you realize in salvation there's a change of kingdoms, there's a change of ownership, there's a change of rulership, And the Apostle says, giving thanks unto God who's done this great thing for us.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something else. Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one. I'm just trying to emphasize and highlight the greatness of our salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. In fact, if you'll begin looking at verse 16, the Apostle Paul is praying for these Ephesian Christians. And he says that he ceases not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Now he begins to delineate some specific prayer requests that he gives for these Ephesians. He says in verse 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him. That's one request. Here's another request in verse 18.

[John Weaver] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Now look what he says that you may know what is the hope of his calling. And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance and Saints. Now he's praying that these Ephesian Saints will know what God has done for them when he saved them. Now watch verse 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe? According to the working of his mighty power, watch verse 20, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

[John Weaver] Now, I don't know if you put together verses 19 and 20 yet, but let me put them together for you. Here's one of Paul's prayer requests for the saints. that we might know, that we might perceive, that we might understand, verse 19, what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe, now watch, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him in His own right

[John Weaver] hand in the heavenly places. Let me spell this out for you. Do you realize The exact same power that it took to raise Jesus Christ from the dead was the exact same power that God exerted in saving us. The power of God in salvation is equal to the power of God in Christ's resurrection. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 19, that you might know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us word who believe and that mighty power is according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places. Now.

[John Weaver] The question that I ask is this. How can we criticize the Old Testament Saints for not understanding what God did for them in Egypt, in one sense of the word, when we don't even understand what God has done for us in Christ? And we have a full, completed revelation in front of us.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand, our problem is not insufficient data. We have the completed revelation of God. Our problem is not just simply human limitation. It is true we are limited, humanly speaking. But it's not really our human limitations that's the problem. The problem is this. We are just like the Old Testament saints. We are so caught up in our lives, so caught up in our work, so caught up in our families, and so caught up in our sins that we don't have time to pay attention. We don't have time to consider. We don't have time to think. In other words, it's really a matter of priorities.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you bluntly. God and his work doesn't count too much for us. You say, now, Brother Weaver, I'm a Christian. Well, why don't we understand it? I quoted this earlier. I want you to turn back there. Look to Psalm 111. I use this in the very first message on this series and introduction, but I want you to see Psalm 111 and verse 2. Psalm 111 verse 2. If we really, truly. Appreciate what God has done. Let's emulate this verse. Look what it says. Psalm 111 verse 2.

[John Weaver] The works of the Lord are great. sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."

[John Weaver] Now, why is it we really don't understand? Because we have it sorted out. And why is it we have it sorted out? Because we really don't have any pleasure in the works of God. You follow me? If we have pleasure in the works of God, we will seek out those works and seek to understand them. So, our ignorance is due to our own sin and rebellion and lack of consideration for God at his work.

[John Weaver] I want you to go back to Psalm 107. I told you Psalm 107. Psalm 106 verse 7 Psalm 106 verse 7 contains twin sins. The first sin. Is the sin of ignorance.

[John Weaver] The second sin is the sin of ingratitude. He says our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt. That's ignorance. They remembered not the multitude of my mercies. That's ingratitude.

[John Weaver] Now let me put it to you plainly. Failure to consider. Always leads to failure to remembrance. Or to remember ignorance and ingratitude Go hand in hand.

[John Weaver] Now let me call your attention to one word in verse 7. The psalmist says our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies. Now it is true. That we tend to forget occasional things. But how can we forget a multitude? So God didn't do just simply one thing for our fathers. He did a multitude of things. And they didn't remember the multitude of his mercies. God remembered them. But they did not remember him.

[John Weaver] and in gratitude enter into the very nature of iniquity at all stages. Some of you will probably experience what I'm about to will have experienced what I'm about to tell you. If you have not, you probably will. But those of you who have experienced it can identify with it. Is it not grievous? to continue to give and give and give to arrogant, presumptuous, ungrateful individuals. I'm talking about individuals who take everything for granted.

[John Weaver] Who never think of the love and the sacrifice behind the gifts. And once they receive those gifts, they easily and quickly discard them or waste them or misuse them. Now, my question is. What is your attitude toward an individual like that? Many individuals have children like that. Mates like that. family members like that. How do you respond to someone who is so absolutely ungrateful? It is exceedingly grievous to us when we give and when we give and when we do everything that we can to those whom we love and they profess to love us. But in reality, what they do is they take everything we give them and turn and use it against us and rebel against us and seek to attack and destroy us.

[John Weaver] I don't know about you. But I know what I would do. I'd say. Young man or young woman. If you think you're getting another penny from me, you're mistaken. I'd cut them off so quickly, it'd make their head swim. Would you not do the same? You might persevere a little longer, but sooner or later, you're going to come to the point, I'm not willing to help that individual any longer.

[John Weaver] It doesn't do any good. I'm wasting my time. I'm wasting my breath. I'm wasting my resources.

[John Weaver] Now, the reason I said that is this. You take that same attitude of ungratefulness and wastefulness and multiply it by infinity. And that's what we've done to our heavenly father. We've taken and taken and taken and taken and taken and taken. And presumed. Upon his mercy. And we have been so ungrateful that we expect God to bless us. Whether we're obedient or not, whether we're holy or not, we expect God to continue. I want to show you how ignorant and ungrateful the fathers were whom God brought out of Egypt.

[John Weaver] Look back in your Bible. Exodus chapter 14. Exodus chapter 14. And let's begin reading there in verse 10. Exodus 14 verse 10. Now about you. But this is exceedingly grievous to me. Exodus 14 verse 10.

[John Weaver] Now remember, God has brought the children of Israel out. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, remember there's wilderness on one side, the sea in front of them, desert on the other side, Pharaoh's coming up hard behind them. When Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and behold, the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in this wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in this wilderness." Can you believe that? Did you hear what they were saying?

[John Weaver] We had rather be slaves And we'd rather be in bondage and be in our sin and iniquity than be out here having trust in God. Why? The only reason you brought us out here, Moses, was to kill us. They not only did not understand, they were absolutely ungrateful that God had even brought them out of Egypt. In fact, look in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Psalm 78 and verse 42. Psalm 78 verse 42. Here it is specified. Watch this Psalm 78 verse 42. Enlisting their sins in this psalm, the psalmist says they remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. Not only ignorant, but totally ungrateful.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. As you turn back to Psalm 106. Here's my question. What was the result? Of their ignorance and ingratitude, God work. What? Affect. Did their ignorance and ingratitude have upon God? You know what we forget many times? We forget that our sins affect God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain that just for a moment. You see, God has an intrinsic and essential glory. And God has an external and outward glory. It is true that nothing affects God's essential and inherent glory. God is God, and God is perfectly satisfied and content in and of himself. He needs no one. He needs nothing. Our sin and rebellion, our goodness and our obedience, none of that can affect God's essential glory at all.

[John Weaver] Let me show you this. Look in your Bibles of Psalm 16. Do you realize when I explain this to you, do you realize even the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ added nothing to God the Father? Because God the Father is already perfect. Since he is perfect, nothing can be added to him nor taken from him. Now look in verse 1 of Psalm 16. Look what the psalmist says. And this is the psalm of the Messiah. In verse 1, preserve me, O God, for in thee do I trust. O my soul, now here's what the Messiah says, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord. And look what the Messiah says, my goodness extendeth not unto thee. So everything that Christ did did not enhance God, the father's essential and inherent glory. God is God. What? Who did? Our Lord's obedience effect will look at verse two again, he said, Oh, my soul, thou has said unto the Lord, my Lord, my good is extended not to thee, but to the saints that are in the earth.

[John Weaver] and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. So our Lord's goodness did not do one thing for God the Father, but it did do something for us. Now watch this carefully. I want you to understand that. Although God has an essential and inherent glory that nothing can be added to it or taken from it, he also has an external glory, an outward glory, and that glory is affected either by our obedience or disobedience. In fact, if you look in your Bibles to Isaiah 43, notice this complaint that God makes. Isaiah 43, and note if you would please, verse 24. Isaiah 43, verse 24. Look what God says concerning the people.

[John Weaver] Thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with that fat of thy sacrifices. Here's what the people had done, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. How can we make God serve with our sins? Because we are his people. And when we are wicked, when we are disobedient, when we are wrong, it is a reflection upon God's external and outward glory.

[John Weaver] Remember, I told you last week, Scripture says no man lives to himself and no man dies to himself. Our sins always affect others, and if we are children of God, they also affect God himself. He said that has made me to serve with thy sins.

[John Weaver] Now go back to Psalm 106 and look at verse seven and let me answer this question for you. Here's my question. How did the sins of ignorance and ingratitude affect God in his external and outward glory? Here's how. Verse seven, our fathers understood not by wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of my mercies, but provoke him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. You know what our sins? Due to God. They provoke him. Now the word provoke here is the word Mara in the Hebrew. It means to make bitter or unpleasant or to provoke. How do our sins provoke God? What does it mean to provoke God?

[John Weaver] Well, let me just show you three or four scriptures very quickly, and the best way to explain this word is to show you the other passages in the Bible where this same word is used. So turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 7. Here's the same Hebrew word Mara, which is translated provoke. In Psalm 106 verse 7 here it is in Jeremiah chapter 7 and notice if you would please verse 18 Jeremiah 7 verse 18. The children gather wood in the father's Kindle the fire and the women need their dough to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven and if we're out drink offerings unto other gods that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger set the Lord? What is it to provoke God is to provoke him to anger is to stir him up. Look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 17. Jeremiah 11 verse 17. For the Lord of hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee for the evil of the house of Judah, the house of Israel, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

[John Weaver] Our sins Provoke God anger looking Jeremiah 25 beginning there with verse 6 Jeremiah 25 verse 6. God told the people and go not after other gods to serve them and to worship them and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands and I will do you no hurt. Cause it if you don't provoke me, I won't chastise you. Verse 7, Yet you have not heard on me, said the Lord, that you might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. One other passage, Jeremiah 32. Look in Jeremiah 32 and verse 29.

[John Weaver] He says it like this. and the Calvins that fight against this city shall come and set fire on this city and burn it with the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incense and avail and poured out drink offerings unto other gods to provoke me to anger for the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth for the children of Israel have only provoke me to anger with the work of their hands of the Lord. For this city hath been as to me a provocation of mine anger, and of my fury from the day that they built it, even this day, that I should remove it far from my face, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger. Now watch, they, their kings, and their priests, and their princes, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." What's God saying? God said, you've ticked me off.

[John Weaver] Literally. You provoke me to anger.

[John Weaver] Now, there are many other passages, but these are sufficient to show you. That our ignorance. And our ingratitude affects God. And this is the thing that is absolutely phenomenal. When we begin to realize that ignorance and ingratitude provokes God, as long as we continue to remain ignorant. and remain ungrateful, we are seeking to purposefully to stir him up against us. Why in the world would we want to provoke him against us purposefully and deliberately?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn back to Psalm 106. And I want you to think of something Before I read the rest of this passage. Here's what I want you to think about. I want you to think about your sins. Your rebellion, your wickedness. I don't care if it's 40 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years. I don't care if it's yesterday. I don't care if it's this morning. I want you to think about your wickedness. Remember what your sins do to God. They provoke him.

[John Weaver] And you would think that when these people were so ignorant and so ungrateful that they murmured against Moses and said, it had been better had we died in Egypt, we could have stayed there and served the Egyptians. I mean, why did you bring us down here to die? You would have thought that God would have been so provoked and so incensed that he would have instantly cut them off, just smote them right there. When you stop and think of the sins that you committed. Why did God not kill you way back then? Why does God continue to let us live now? I want you to watch this even though God was provoked. Look at verse 8. Nevertheless.

[John Weaver] He saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, and the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left.

[John Weaver] Now I'll tell you what. Verse 8 says, nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake. Their salvation, are you listening to me? Their salvation was not due to their goodness, but to God's grace. Not to their merits, but to God's mercy. The same truth is revealed in the New Testament. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2. And I want you to understand that the nevertheless of Psalm 106 and verse 8 is equivalent to the phrase but God in Ephesians 2 and verse 4. Let me show you. Look at Ephesians 2 and verse 1.

[John Weaver] And you have be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. dead and trespasses and sins. What was our lifestyle? Where in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children's disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation or conduct in times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, watch it, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, For His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace you are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ." They deserved death. Nevertheless, He saved them for His name's sake. We deserve death. Nevertheless, He saved us. for His namesake. Do you realize everything we are, everything we have, we owe to God?

[John Weaver] The Apostle Paul put it very bluntly. He said, I am what I am. Help me out by the grace of God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you one last thing or make some applications. Go back to Psalm 107. And look, if you would please, at verse 12. This is an amazing verse. Everyone knows the story how the children of Israel were being oppressed by Pharaoh and his army, and God opened the sea and the children of Israel went across on dry ground. And when the Egyptians say to do so, God brought the waters back on and they drown. Everyone knows that. But look at verse 12.

[John Weaver] Then believe they his words, they sang his song or they sang his praise. Then believe they his words.

[John Weaver] Now look at the word then. Then believe they his words. When did they believe? When they saw. What were they doing? Living by sight. What is the Apostle Paul saying? 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 7. For we walk by faith. And not by sight.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to see our Lord's commentary. Look in John Chapter 20. John Chapter 20. And let's begin reading there with verse 25 John 20 verse 25. John 20 verse 25. You remember. Our Lord has shown himself to his disciples, but Thomas was not there at the first meeting. Verse 25. The other disciples, therefore, said unto him that is to Thomas. We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were were within and Thomas with them.

[John Weaver] Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands. Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas, of course, didn't do it. He fell on his face, and Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Look what Jesus said. Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

[John Weaver] We're to live by faith, and not by sight. We don't need to see the miracles to believe in God. We believe in Him, and the miracles come every day.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make several applications. The first one is this. Listen carefully. The greater the blessings. The greater the culpability. For our ignorance and ingratitude. The word culpability means to censure or deserve blame. Or to be punished, so the greater our blessings. The more blameworthy, the more we deserve censure and punishment for our ignorance and. When I was studying this week for this message. You know, I just thought. Lord.

[John Weaver] Look at Christ that you've given for me. Look at the word of God. Look at the ministry. Look at the presence of the Holy Spirit. Look at my wife. My family. Health. Protection. Prosperity. Providence. Look how you've taken care. Look at the air that you give me to breathe. You see what I'm saying, folks, we take everything for granted. I try every morning when I wake up before I move out of that bed. Thank God for his protection during the night. Thank you for the rest and the sleep. Thank you for his tender mercies and compassions that he's given just to preserve me during the night. And I'm going to tell you something, folks.

[John Weaver] There may not be any millionaires in this assembly. But the truth is, none of us have gone hungry. And all of us have clothes. We have health. We have family. We have friends. And that's more than enough to be grateful for. The second application is this. The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever. Did you know that most of those that God brought out of Egypt, guess what he did?

[John Weaver] He killed them in the wilderness. They didn't believe. You remember Luke chapter 16, our Lord told about the rich man who died and went to hell and hell lifted up his eyes. He saw Lazarus, a beggar who also died in Abraham's bosom. And he cried, he said, Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue for I'm tormented in this flame. And Abraham said, son, remember in your life you were comfortable and Lazarus was tormented.

[John Weaver] Now he's taken care of and you're being tormented. And what did the old rich man say? He said, we'll send Lazarus. That he may warn my five brethren. Unless they come to this place of torment. And Abraham said they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

[John Weaver] Now, he said, but Father Abraham, but if one returned from the dead, they will believe. And Abraham said, Though one return from the dead, they would not believe. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Let me tell you something, folks. If the word of God is insufficient for you, no miracle on earth will give you faith just by your observing it. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Third application is this.

[John Weaver] It is indeed a spiritual exercise. To take the time. To count your blessings. And learn to be grateful. and thankful to God for each and every blessing. You know, I really genuinely believe, especially in light of this message, it would be good that today, or at least sometime this week, we set aside 15, 20, 30 minutes and just sit down and tell the Lord what we're thankful to Him for, for everything that He's done for us. This is spiritual exercise.

[John Weaver] And then lastly, we've got to remember. That whatever God does for us. He does for his name's sake. He does for Christ's sake. He doesn't do it because we deserve it. When you come to the Lord and say, now, Lord, I've done this for you, you do this for me. That's hogwash, folks. Because if God didn't give you breath, you couldn't even breathe. If he didn't give you strength, you couldn't move. Everything that God does for us, he does because of his grace and his mercy.

[John Weaver] And let's make up our minds that we're not going to be ignorant or ungrateful. Instead, let's show ourselves approved workmen that needed not to be ashamed. rightly dividing the word of truth. Let's pray. Father, we are thankful today for Jesus Christ for his grace and for his mercy. And Lord, we have to confess the fact. Had we been so ignorant? And we've been so ungrateful. And we've taken the for granted so many, many times. We presumed upon your mercy, even the breath that we breathe. And Lord, make us grateful and thankful unto Thee. Make us recognize Thy tender mercies and compassions and Your great faithfulness to us. We commit our works unto Thee, ask You to establish our thoughts, and ask for Your continued grace and mercy. In Christ's name, Amen.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 3 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11309208166
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-05-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	102

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Beginning with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-12

"Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O, visit me with Thy salvation, that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance."

"We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies, but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-12

"And the waters covered their enemies, and there was not one of them left. Then, believing his words, they sang his song."

Or they sang his praise, which would be they sang his psalm or they sang his praise. Now, let me just tell you that this series is entitled "The Hallelujah of Confession." And once again, the reason why is because this is the first hallelujah psalm. It begins with "Praise ye the Lord," which is Hallelujah. There are a number of Hallelujah Psalms in the Bible, and the reason it's called "The Hallelujah of Confession" is because this psalm is full of confession, confession of sin.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the first five verses of Psalm 106, summarizing the four reasons to praise the Lord: His goodness and mercy, His mighty acts, His blessings on the obedient, and the psalmist's desire for personal deliverance.

Now, by way of introduction, let me just remind you in verses one through five, I gave you four reasons why the psalmist invited us to praise the Lord. The first one is found in the first verse, and that is because of his goodness and his mercy that endures forever. The second one is found in verse 2: "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?" So here are the marvelous works of God, and the truth of the matter is they are so great, the psalmist said, we cannot give God all the praise and the glory that's due unto his name. The third reason he invites us to praise the Lord is found in verse 3: it is because of his blessings upon the obedient. "Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doeth righteousness at all times." And the fourth reason we dealt with is found in verses four and five, where the psalmist wanted to be delivered personally from an ungodly situation that he might ultimately see the success of God's law, of God's kingdom, and of God's grace toward his nation. And of course, we dealt with that in detail in the first message.

General vs. Specific Confession

Weaver explains that verse 6 is a general confession, while verses 7-46 specify sins. He emphasizes that true confession requires naming specific sins, not just admitting to being a sinner.

And then secondly, in verse six, "We have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly." I told you in verse six, here was a general confession. And last week, I just dealt mainly with the first phrase: "We have sinned with our fathers." I showed you how we have sinned with our fathers. We have sinned with them seminally in the fact that we were in their loins when they committed their sins. We have sinned with them imputatively, that is, many times their sins were imputed to us as Adam's sin was imputed to us. I told you this is known as generational sins in the Bible. We went to Exodus 34 where God says he visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. And then we sin in them representatively, how that our fathers represent their families and their offspring. Fourthly, we've sinned in them nationally, and I dealt with the bond that exists between the people of a nation and showed you that from Scripture. And then fifthly, we have sinned in them actually.

That is, we've actually committed the same sins that they committed. Now, to prove that, the psalmist is going to begin specifying the sins beginning with verse 7. So remember now, verse 6 is a generalization, but when you come to verse 7 through verse 46, there is a specification of the sins. Now let me begin by saying this: it is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins. You see, everyone is willing to admit, "Well, yeah, I'm a sinner. Well, yeah, I've done some bad things. Well, yeah, I've done wrong." But when you start trying to nail that individual down and say, "Well, tell me specifically about your sins," all of a sudden we don't want to talk about specifics. And so the psalmist is saying it's not only necessary to admit the fact that we are sinners, but it's also necessary to confess before the Lord our specific sins as well.

The Meaning of Confession

Using 1 John 1:9, Weaver defines confession (homologeo) as saying the same thing God says about sin, which involves repentance and forsaking the sin, citing Proverbs 28:13.

Now let me ask and answer this question for you. Why is it do we need to specify and delineate our sins before the Lord? Why do we need to get downright specific, or as we say, down to the nitty gritty? Well, I want you to hold Psalm 106 and turn in your Bibles to 1 John 1 and look at verse 9. Here's a verse that practically everyone can quote, or at least you should be able to quote it. And so many people quote this verse and they never, ever understand it. In 1 John 1:9, the Word of God says this:

Scripture Reading — 1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Now look at that.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The problem is most people do not know what the word "confess" actually means. Let me ask you a question.

Suppose I went to Tony and stuck my hand in his pocket and stole a $100 bill from him. And I said, "Lord, I just stole a $100 bill from Tony. Lord, please forgive me." And then I go over to Doc and I stick my hand in his pocket and get a $100 bill from him and say, "Oh, Lord, I got another one from Doc. Please, Lord, forgive me for this." And then I make my way up here to Dr. Brissett. The Lord, is that confessing? And the answer is very clearly no. What is involved in confession of sin? Let me tell you what the Greek word is in 1 John 1:9. It is the word homologeo. Homo means "one and the same." That's where we get our word homogenized, homosexual. The word lego means "I say." So homologeo literally means this: I say the same thing that God says. Or I take the same attitude that God takes.

Now, let's go back to this illustration. Suppose then I go back to Tony. I stick my hand in his pocket and I steal a hundred dollar bill. And then I understand that what I've done is wicked and wrong and vile. And so I come to God and I say, "Lord, I have stolen. I'm confessing this sin, it is wicked, it is vile, it is wrong." Well, if I genuinely confess that sin, what do I do? I go back to Tony and I make restitution and I ask his forgiveness. And then, since I'm taking now the same attitude that God takes towards sin, and since I'm now saying the same thing that God says about sin—that it's wicked, that it's wrong, that it's ungodly, that it deserves punishment and God's wrath upon it—did I change my mind concerning that sin? I repent of it. And I don't perform that sin anymore.

See, real, genuine confession involves specification. It involves repentance. How in the world can you repent of something if you just say, "Well, I sinned"? What are you going to repent of? Being a sinner? You can't repent of being a sinner. You are a sinner. You have to repent of specific sins. So repentance then is involved in confession. Now let me say it another way. Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin. Now what does the Bible say?

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:13

in Proverbs 28 in verse 13: "Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy." Did you hear that? "Whosoever confesseth and" what? "Forsaketh." So real genuine confession involves forsaking. So in order to confess our sins, then we must not just say, "Lord, we have sinned." We must get specific in order that we might turn from them, change our minds about them, and certainly forsake them.

Now, as you go back to Psalm 106, that is exactly what the psalmist begins to do in verse 7. And that's the very first sin that he deals with specifically in this psalm. So let's read Psalm 106 and verse 7. The psalmist said: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea."

The Twin Sins of Ignorance and Ingratitude

Weaver identifies the two sins in verse 7: ignorance ('understood not thy wonders') and ingratitude ('remembered not the multitude of thy mercies'), and explains they always go together.

Now there are actually two sins that are involved in verse seven. I put them in two simple terms in order that you might grasp them more quickly. The two sins are ignorance and ingratitude. Look at it: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." That's ignorance. "They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." That's ingratitude. I want you to see that these twin sins always go together. Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you? So ignorance and ingratitude always go together.

Biblical Teaching on Ignorance

Weaver outlines four biblical points on ignorance: sins of ignorance, alienation of the ungodly through ignorance, apostolic admonitions not to be ignorant, and willful ignorance.

We do them because we're ignorant of God's law. And if you were to study Leviticus chapter 4 and 5 and Numbers chapter 15, you'll find that God has made provision for those individuals who sinned ignorantly and unawares. And so when you and I are ignorant of scripture, when we're ignorant of God's law, many times we're guilty of many specific ignorant sins. And the only way that will stop us from committing those sins is to understand and to know the law of God. So there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the word of God teaches that the ungodly are separated from God through ignorance. Do you remember Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18? The Bible there says specifically that the unbelievers are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. Let's be honest. An unbeliever does not know who God is. He does not know the truth of God or the principles of God. He's absolutely, totally ignorant. And thus in 1 Peter 1 in verse 14, we're admonished that we're not to be ignorant.

We are to know. So first of all, there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the ungodly are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. And thirdly, seven times the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter admonish us not to be ignorant. For instance, and we're not going to turn there, but if you were to look at Romans 11 in verse 25, 1 Corinthians 10 verse 1, 1 Corinthians 12 verse 1, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, and 2 Peter 3 in verse 8, you'll find language like this: "Brethren, be not ignorant of this one thing." Or "Brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant of this very thing." The Apostle Paul is saying, look, there's some things that are so important, you had better not be ignorant of these. So, seven times then, the Apostle Paul and Peter admonish us not to be ignorant of certain doctrines. And then, fourthly, the Scripture teaches that there are some individuals that are willingly ignorant. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3, verse 5, talking about those who scoff at the return of Jesus Christ, Peter says, "For this they are willingly ignorant."

In other words, there are some people who not only do not know the truth, they don't ever want to know the truth. They are willingly ignorant, and it's for these people that the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 in verse 38: "Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still." I told Dr. Brissett outside earlier, there's some people you just can't help. And that's exactly what the Apostle Paul said: "Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still." A man who will not receive the truth, a man who will not listen to the truth, there's nothing you can do for him. Except leave him in his ignorance. It's kind of like what our Lord said in Matthew 15. When he got through speaking, the disciples came to him and said, "Knowest thou not that the Pharisees were offended at thy saying?" And our Lord said, "Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall in the ditch." So what did our Lord say? Let them alone. Let them stay in their ignorance. Let them stay in their blindness.

And they'll die in their iniquity. Because some people are willingly ignorant.

The Meaning of 'Understood'

Weaver examines the Hebrew word sakal, showing it means to consider, pay attention, perceive, and have insight. The Israelites failed to grasp the reason for God's wonders.

Now, in order to grasp the word "understand," we're going to leave the negative off just for a moment. I'm going to tell you what the word "understand" is in the Hebrew and what it means without the negative. The Hebrew word is sakal, and without the negative, it relates to an intelligent knowledge of the reason. You know why something has happened. Not only that, but it means that one considers and one pays attention to something. So in order to understand something you've got to consider, you've got to pay attention.

Now, hold Psalm 106 and look first of all in Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 verse 12, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:12

"The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked, but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness."

Now, what does the wise man do? He wisely pays attention. He wisely considers. He wisely knows the reason why the wicked's house is overthrown. Look in your Bibles, go back if you would to the book of Ezra, Ezra Nehemiah, Ezra chapter 8 and verse 13.

You'll see the same word for understanding translated here. Ezra 8 and verse 13. The Word of God says this. Ezra 8... put down verse 13. 13, but that's not the correct verse. Let me look at verse 31. Might have transposed it. This deals with the reading of the law of God. Well, skip down to verse 16. The Bible says, and he names them. He says that they were men of understanding. But when he read the law of God, let me see if I could find the verse—that's not the verse that I wanted, but anyhow, the verse basically says that they paid attention, that they gave diligent consideration to the reading of the law of God. Now watch this.

The word sakal then means to understand the reason for something. It means to pay attention. It means to give understanding, but more than that, it means this: it also means to have insight. For instance, turning your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter one and verse three, you'll see why the Proverbs were written, by the way. Proverbs chapter one verse three. Here is why the book of Proverbs were written. He says in verse 2: "To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding." Verse 3:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:3

"To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity."

So there is a perception in the word understanding. Then if you would turn over to Jeremiah chapter 9, Jeremiah chapter 9 and look at verse 23.

New Testament Parallels of Ignorance

Weaver shows that even Jesus' disciples often failed to understand His teachings, demonstrating that the same problem of ignorance persists in the New Testament.

In relationship to our Lord's own disciples, if you would turn in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Mark, chapter nine. Mark, chapter nine. And let's begin reading there with verse 31. Watch carefully, Mark 9 verse 31. Mark 9 verse 31:

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"For he taught his disciples."

Now, wait a minute. He did not leave them in the dark. He taught his disciples and said unto them,

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him." "And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask."

They understood not that Christ was going to physically die and be raised again. They understood not that he said, and of course, they were afraid to ask him. Look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 beginning there with verse 43. Luke 9 verse 43.

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, but while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 'Let these things sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men.' But they understood not this saying. And it was hid from them that they perceived it not. And they feared to ask him of that saying."

Look in Luke chapter 18 verse 34. Luke 18 verse 34.

Here the scripture just says this: "They understood none of these things. And this saying was hid from them. Neither knew they the things which were spoken." Now, can you imagine? As loving and as kind as Jesus Christ was, and as able a teacher as he was, and as a willing teacher that he was, why would his disciples be afraid to ask him something they did not understand? Let me pose another question to you. Why is it there are things that we don't understand that we're afraid to research and to find out or even pray about and to ask God for wisdom concerning them? There are a number of things—I meet people all along who were just simply afraid to know the truth. If you will turn in your Bible to John chapter 10. Look what the scripture says, John 10 and verse 6, and our Lord is telling the parable that he is the Good Shepherd.

"He giveth his life for his sheep." Look at what the Bible says in verse 6:

Scripture Reading — John 10:6

"This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."

I mean, here our Lord is talking about a shepherd and a sheep. And here were people that lived around shepherds and lived around sheep. And he gave a parable, and yet they did not understand it. Look in John chapter 18, beginning with verse 15. John 18, verse 15. John 18, verse 15.

Here's an example: "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest and went with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought Peter in." And of course, Peter was the one who's saying, "Lord, I'm never going to deny you. I'm willing to die with you." Did Peter understand? No, what did Peter end up doing? Denying the Lord exactly like Christ told him he would. Now go back in your Bibles to Matthew 15. Matthew 15.

Notice if you would please verses 15 and 16. Matthew 15 verses 15 and 16. Look what our Lord said:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:15-16

"Then answered Peter and said unto him, 'Declare unto us this parable.' Jesus said, 'Are you also yet without understanding?'"

Now, let's go back to Psalm 106. We're in verse 7. I'm dealing with the twin sins of ignorance and ingratitude. I've shown you where Scripture says our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. Not only did the Old Testament saints not understand the wonders of our Lord in Egypt, even the New Testament saints did not understand some of the teaching of the Lord. Now, the same problem that existed in the Old Testament that existed in the New Testament still exists today.

Modern Ignorance of God's Works

Weaver challenges the congregation that they often do not understand God's works in salvation, citing Colossians 1:12-13 and Ephesians 1:18-20 to show the greatness of salvation.

Let me ask a simple question. How many of us understand God's mighty acts, God's mighty miracles, God's wondrous power? Well, that's too broad of a question. Let me be a little more specific. How many of us understand what God did in Egypt? I mean, listen. We can criticize our forefathers for not understanding when they were there. But we've got all these thousands of years of history and a completed revelation, and most of us still don't understand what God did in Egypt.

Do we even know why there were ten plagues? Why were those plagues like they were? You see, what most people do not realize is this, that Egypt was a polytheistic nation, that is, they had many gods. And each one of those plagues, each plague was directed at a specific false god. Why did Pharaoh's son die? Because Pharaoh was worshipped as a god. And to show the people that he was not a god, he could not even save the life of his own son, much less the firstborn of all the other nations. But the firstborn of Israel lived. Why? Because God's the one true and living God, and he's able to save and deliver. The truth is, most of us do not even understand the specifics of the deliverance of Egypt after thousands of years and a complete and total revelation.

Let me ask another question. How many of us understand what God did in our own personal salvation? Now, I told you that ignorance and ingratitude go together. How can you be grateful for what God has done for you if you don't even understand what he's done for you? I want you to turn to passages—I can quote them, but I want you to see them. I want you to turn first of all to Colossians chapter one and then secondly to Ephesians chapter one, because I've asked you: What has God done for you in your own personal salvation, in your own personal deliverance? Look in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1 and let's begin reading there with verse 12.

Now the Apostle Paul writes, "Giving thanks unto the Father." Now let me just stop there. Why should we thank God the Father? Why should we praise him? Why should we magnify him? What has he done for us? The Apostle Paul is going to tell us simply one great thing that he's done right here. He says, "Giving thanks unto the Father who has made us meet" or suitable "to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." By the way, that's one thing right there. God made us suitable.

To partake of his glory. And look in verse 13. Here is the way that he did that: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Do you realize that in our salvation, God took us out of the kingdom of darkness, or the kingdom of Satan, and he's translated us, he carried us, he placed us, he put us into the kingdom of his own dear Son. Do you realize in salvation there's a change of kingdoms, there's a change of ownership, there's a change of rulership? And the Apostle says, "Giving thanks unto God who's done this great thing for us."

Now, let me show you something else. Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one. I'm just trying to emphasize and highlight the greatness of our salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. In fact, if you'll begin looking at verse 16, the Apostle Paul is praying for these Ephesian Christians. And he says that he ceases not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Now he begins to delineate some specific prayer requests that he gives for these Ephesians. He says in verse 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That's one request. Here's another request in verse 18.

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened." Now look what he says: "That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Now he's praying that these Ephesian saints will know what God has done for them when he saved them. Now watch verse 19: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," watch verse 20, "which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." Now, I don't know if you put together verses 19 and 20 yet, but let me put them together for you. Here's one of Paul's prayer requests for the saints: that we might know, that we might perceive, that we might understand, verse 19, "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe," now watch, "according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."

Let me spell this out for you. Do you realize the exact same power that it took to raise Jesus Christ from the dead was the exact same power that God exerted in saving us? The power of God in salvation is equal to the power of God in Christ's resurrection. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 19: "that you might know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe," and that mighty power is "according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places." Now.

The Sin of Ingratitude

Weaver explains that failure to consider leads to failure to remember. He illustrates the grievousness of ingratitude and applies it to how we treat God.

The second sin is the sin of ingratitude. He says, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." That's ignorance. "They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." That's ingratitude. Now let me put it to you plainly. Failure to consider always leads to failure to remembrance, or to remember. Ignorance and ingratitude go hand in hand.

Now let me call your attention to one word in verse 7. The psalmist says, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." Now it is true that we tend to forget occasional things. But how can we forget a multitude? So God didn't do just simply one thing for our fathers. He did a multitude of things. And they didn't remember the multitude of his mercies. God remembered them. But they did not remember him.

And ingratitude enters into the very nature of iniquity at all stages. Some of you will probably experience what I'm about to—will have experienced what I'm about to tell you. If you have not, you probably will. But those of you who have experienced it can identify with it. Is it not grievous to continue to give and give and give to arrogant, presumptuous, ungrateful individuals? I'm talking about individuals who take everything for granted. Who never think of the love and the sacrifice behind the gifts. And once they receive those gifts, they easily and quickly discard them or waste them or misuse them. Now, my question is: What is your attitude toward an individual like that? Many individuals have children like that. Mates like that. Family members like that. How do you respond to someone who is so absolutely ungrateful? It is exceedingly grievous to us when we give and when we give and when we do everything that we can to those whom we love and they profess to love us. But in reality, what they do is they take everything we give them and turn and use it against us and rebel against us and seek to attack and destroy us.

I don't know about you. But I know what I would do. I'd say, "Young man or young woman, if you think you're getting another penny from me, you're mistaken." I'd cut them off so quickly, it'd make their head swim. Would you not do the same? You might persevere a little longer, but sooner or later, you're going to come to the point, "I'm not willing to help that individual any longer." It doesn't do any good. I'm wasting my time. I'm wasting my breath. I'm wasting my resources.

Now, the reason I said that is this. You take that same attitude of ungratefulness and wastefulness and multiply it by infinity. And that's what we've done to our heavenly Father. We've taken and taken and taken and taken and taken and taken. And presumed upon his mercy. And we have been so ungrateful that we expect God to bless us whether we're obedient or not, whether we're holy or not, we expect God to continue. I want to show you how ignorant and ungrateful the fathers were whom God brought out of Egypt.

The Result: Provoking God

Weaver shows that ignorance and ingratitude provoke God to anger, using multiple passages from Jeremiah to define 'provoke' as stirring God to anger.

Now, let me explain that just for a moment. You see, God has an intrinsic and essential glory. And God has an external and outward glory. It is true that nothing affects God's essential and inherent glory. God is God, and God is perfectly satisfied and content in and of himself. He needs no one. He needs nothing. Our sin and rebellion, our goodness and our obedience, none of that can affect God's essential glory at all.

Let me show you this. Look in your Bibles at Psalm 16. Do you realize when I explain this to you, do you realize even the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ added nothing to God the Father? Because God the Father is already perfect. Since he is perfect, nothing can be added to him nor taken from him. Now look in verse 1 of Psalm 16. Look what the psalmist says. And this is the psalm of the Messiah. In verse 1, "Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I trust. O my soul," now here's what the Messiah says, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord." And look what the Messiah says, "My goodness extendeth not unto thee." So everything that Christ did did not enhance God the Father's essential and inherent glory. God is God. What did our Lord's obedience affect? Look at verse 2 again, he said, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the saints that are in the earth."

"And to the excellent in whom is all my delight." So our Lord's goodness did not do one thing for God the Father, but it did do something for us. Now watch this carefully. I want you to understand that although God has an essential and inherent glory that nothing can be added to it or taken from it, he also has an external glory, an outward glory, and that glory is affected either by our obedience or disobedience. In fact, if you look in your Bibles to Isaiah 43, notice this complaint that God makes. Isaiah 43, and note if you would please, verse 24. Isaiah 43, verse 24. Look what God says concerning the people.

"Thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices." Here's what the people had done: "But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities." How can we make God serve with our sins? Because we are his people. And when we are wicked, when we are disobedient, when we are wrong, it is a reflection upon God's external and outward glory. Remember, I told you last week, Scripture says no man lives to himself and no man dies to himself. Our sins always affect others, and if we are children of God, they also affect God himself. He said, "Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins."

Now go back to Psalm 106 and look at verse seven and let me answer this question for you. Here's my question: How did the sins of ignorance and ingratitude affect God in his external and outward glory? Here's how. Verse seven: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea." You know what our sins do to God? They provoke him. Now the word "provoke" here is the word marah in the Hebrew. It means to make bitter or unpleasant or to provoke. How do our sins provoke God? What does it mean to provoke God?

Well, let me just show you three or four scriptures very quickly, and the best way to explain this word is to show you the other passages in the Bible where this same word is used. So turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 7. Here's the same Hebrew word marah, which is translated "provoke." In Psalm 106 verse 7, here it is in Jeremiah chapter 7 and notice if you would please verse 18. Jeremiah 7 verse 18: "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord." What is it to provoke God? It is to provoke him to anger, is to stir him up. Look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 17. Jeremiah 11 verse 17: "For the Lord of hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Judah, the house of Israel, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal."

Our sins provoke God to anger. Look at Jeremiah 25 beginning there with verse 6. Jeremiah 25 verse 6. God told the people: "And go not after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands, and I will do you no hurt." Cause if you don't provoke me, I won't chastise you. Verse 7: "Yet you have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord, that you might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt." One other passage, Jeremiah 32. Look in Jeremiah 32 and verse 29. He says it like this: "And the Chaldeans that fight against this city shall come and set fire on this city and burn it with the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger. For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth. For the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord. For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day, that I should remove it far from my face, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger." Now watch: "They, their kings, and their priests, and their princes, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." What's God saying? God said, "You've ticked me off."

Literally. You provoke me to anger.

Nevertheless, God Saved Them

Despite their provocation, God saved Israel for His name's sake (verse 8). Weaver parallels this with Ephesians 2:4 ('But God'), emphasizing salvation by grace.

And you would think that when these people were so ignorant and so ungrateful that they murmured against Moses and said, "It had been better had we died in Egypt, we could have stayed there and served the Egyptians. I mean, why did you bring us down here to die?" You would have thought that God would have been so provoked and so incensed that he would have instantly cut them off, just smote them right there. When you stop and think of the sins that you committed. Why did God not kill you way back then? Why does God continue to let us live now? I want you to watch this: even though God was provoked, look at verse 8. "Nevertheless."

"He saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, and the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left."

Now I'll tell you what. Verse 8 says, "Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake." Their salvation, are you listening to me? Their salvation was not due to their goodness, but to God's grace. Not to their merits, but to God's mercy. The same truth is revealed in the New Testament. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2. And I want you to understand that the "nevertheless" of Psalm 106 and verse 8 is equivalent to the phrase "but God" in Ephesians 2 and verse 4. Let me show you. Look at Ephesians 2 and verse 1.

"And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." Dead in trespasses and sins. What was our lifestyle? "Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation" or conduct "in times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind," watch it, "and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace you are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ." They deserved death. Nevertheless, He saved them for His name's sake. We deserve death. Nevertheless, He saved us for His name's sake. Do you realize everything we are, everything we have, we owe to God?

The Apostle Paul put it very bluntly. He said, "I am what I am." Help me out: "by the grace of God."

Applications

Weaver gives four applications: greater blessings bring greater culpability; miracles won't convince unbelievers; count your blessings; and God acts for His name's sake.

Now, let me make several applications. The first one is this. Listen carefully. The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude. The word culpability means to censure or deserve blame, or to be punished. So the greater our blessings, the more blameworthy, the more we deserve censure and punishment for our ignorance and ingratitude. When I was studying this week for this message, you know, I just thought, "Lord."

Look at Christ that you've given for me. Look at the word of God. Look at the ministry. Look at the presence of the Holy Spirit. Look at my wife. My family. Health. Protection. Prosperity. Providence. Look how you've taken care. Look at the air that you give me to breathe. You see what I'm saying, folks, we take everything for granted. I try every morning when I wake up before I move out of that bed to thank God for his protection during the night. Thank you for the rest and the sleep. Thank you for his tender mercies and compassions that he's given just to preserve me during the night. And I'm going to tell you something, folks.

There may not be any millionaires in this assembly. But the truth is, none of us have gone hungry. And all of us have clothes. We have health. We have family. We have friends. And that's more than enough to be grateful for. The second application is this. The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever. Did you know that most of those that God brought out of Egypt, guess what he did?

He killed them in the wilderness. They didn't believe. You remember Luke chapter 16, our Lord told about the rich man who died and went to hell and in hell lifted up his eyes. He saw Lazarus, a beggar who also died, in Abraham's bosom. And he cried, he said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I'm tormented in this flame." And Abraham said, "Son, remember in your life you were comfortable and Lazarus was tormented."

Now he's taken care of and you're being tormented. And what did the old rich man say? He said, "Well, send Lazarus that he may warn my five brethren, lest they come to this place of torment." And Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them."

Now, he said, "But Father Abraham, but if one returned from the dead, they will believe." And Abraham said, "Though one return from the dead, they would not believe. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them." Let me tell you something, folks. If the word of God is insufficient for you, no miracle on earth will give you faith just by your observing it. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Third application is this.

It is indeed a spiritual exercise to take the time to count your blessings and learn to be grateful and thankful to God for each and every blessing. You know, I really genuinely believe, especially in light of this message, it would be good that today, or at least sometime this week, we set aside 15, 20, 30 minutes and just sit down and tell the Lord what we're thankful to Him for, for everything that He's done for us. This is spiritual exercise. And then lastly, we've got to remember that whatever God does for us, He does for His name's sake. He does for Christ's sake. He doesn't do it because we deserve it. When you come to the Lord and say, "Now, Lord, I've done this for you, you do this for me." That's hogwash, folks. Because if God didn't give you breath, you couldn't even breathe. If he didn't give you strength, you couldn't move. Everything that God does for us, he does because of his grace and his mercy.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Specific Confession of Sin

Summary: True confession requires naming specific sins, not just a general admission of sinfulness, and involves repentance and forsaking those sins.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins.' He cites 1 John 1:9 and Proverbs 28:13.

Ignorance of God's Works

Summary: The Israelites failed to understand the reason and significance of God's wonders in Egypt, a sin that persists among believers today regarding God's works in salvation.

Evidence: Weaver explains the Hebrew word sakal and states, 'Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt... they did not consider... they did not pay attention.' He applies this to modern ignorance of salvation's greatness.

Ingratitude for God's Mercies

Summary: Forgetting God's many mercies is a grievous sin that provokes God, and it stems from a failure to consider and appreciate His blessings.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies... How can we forget a multitude?' He illustrates with the ungrateful person and applies it to our treatment of God.

God's Grace Despite Provocation

Summary: Even when God's people provoke Him to anger through ignorance and ingratitude, He saves them for His name's sake, demonstrating His grace and mercy.

Evidence: Weaver points to verse 8: 'Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake,' and parallels it with Ephesians 2:4, 'But God, who is rich in mercy.'

Living by Faith, Not Sight

Summary: The Israelites believed only after seeing the miracle, but believers are called to walk by faith, trusting God's Word without requiring visible signs.

Evidence: Weaver notes verse 12: 'Then believed they his words,' and contrasts it with 2 Corinthians 5:7 and John 20:29, 'Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.'

Key Arguments

Confession Requires Specificity and Repentance

Summary: Weaver argues that biblical confession (homologeo) means agreeing with God about the sinfulness of specific acts, leading to repentance and forsaking the sin, not just a vague admission.

Evidence: He defines homologeo as 'I say the same thing that God says' and states, 'Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin.'

Ignorance and Ingratitude Are Inseparable

Summary: Weaver contends that it is impossible to be grateful for what one does not understand; thus, ignorance of God's works inevitably leads to ingratitude.

Evidence: He says, 'Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you? So ignorance and ingratitude always go together.'

Greater Blessings Increase Culpability

Summary: Weaver argues that the more blessings one receives from God, the more blameworthy one is for failing to understand and be grateful for them.

Evidence: He states, 'The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude.' He lists personal blessings like Christ, Scripture, family, and health.

Miracles Cannot Produce Saving Faith

Summary: Weaver argues that witnessing miracles does not convince unbelievers; only the Word of God is sufficient to produce faith, as seen in the Israelites and the rich man and Lazarus.

Evidence: He says, 'The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever,' and cites Luke 16:31: 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.'

Salvation Is Entirely by Grace

Summary: Weaver argues that God saves His people not because of their merit but for His own name's sake, paralleling Psalm 106:8 with Ephesians 2:4-5.

Evidence: He says, 'Their salvation was not due to their goodness, but to God's grace. Not to their merits, but to God's mercy.' He quotes Ephesians 2:4-5: 'But God, who is rich in mercy... even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:1-12

Context: The main text of the sermon, read at the beginning. Weaver focuses on verse 7 regarding ignorance and ingratitude.

1 John 1:9

Context: Used to explain the meaning of confession (homologeo) as agreeing with God about sin.

Proverbs 28:13

Context: Cited to show that confession involves forsaking sin: 'Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy.'

Ephesians 4:18

Context: Referenced to show that unbelievers are alienated from God through ignorance.

1 Peter 1:14

Context: Mentioned as an admonition not to be ignorant.

2 Peter 3:5

Context: Cited to illustrate willful ignorance among scoffers.

1 Corinthians 14:38

Context: Quoted to show that some are to be left in their ignorance: 'Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still.'

Matthew 15:14

Context: Referenced to illustrate leaving the willfully ignorant alone: 'Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.'

Proverbs 21:12

Context: Used to define 'understand' (sakal) as wisely considering.

Proverbs 1:3

Context: Cited to show that understanding involves perception and insight.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Context: Used to show that understanding God means perceiving His nature and character.

Deuteronomy 32:28-29

Context: Quoted to characterize the fathers as a nation void of understanding.

Mark 9:31-32

Context: Shows the disciples' failure to understand Jesus' teaching about His death and resurrection.

Luke 9:43-45

Context: Another instance of the disciples not understanding Jesus' words.

Luke 18:34

Context: States the disciples understood none of these things.

John 10:6

Context: The people did not understand Jesus' parable of the Good Shepherd.

Matthew 15:15-16

Context: Jesus questions Peter's lack of understanding.

Colossians 1:12-13

Context: Used to illustrate the greatness of salvation: delivered from darkness and translated into Christ's kingdom.

Ephesians 1:16-20

Context: Paul's prayer that believers understand the power of God in salvation, equal to the power that raised Christ.

Psalm 111:2

Context: Cited to show that those who delight in God's works will seek them out.

Historical References

The Exodus and the Plagues of Egypt

Context: Weaver references the ten plagues as directed against specific Egyptian gods, and the parting of the Red Sea as the context for Israel's ignorance and ingratitude.

Egyptian Polytheism

Context: Weaver explains that each plague was directed at a specific false god of Egypt, and Pharaoh's son died because Pharaoh was worshipped as a god.

Important Quotes

It is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins.

Significance: Highlights the sermon's emphasis on specific confession rather than general admission of sin.

Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin.

Significance: Defines the core meaning of confession as involving both acknowledgment and forsaking of sin.

Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you?

Significance: Succinctly states the inseparable link between ignorance and ingratitude.

The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude.

Significance: A key application that ties the magnitude of God's blessings to the seriousness of failing to appreciate them.

The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever.

Significance: Emphasizes that miracles alone cannot produce saving faith; only God's Word can.

Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake.

Significance: The pivotal verse showing God's grace despite provocation, central to the sermon's message.

Then believed they his words, they sang his song.

Significance: Highlights the Israelites' sight-based faith, contrasted with the call to walk by faith.

Discussion Questions

Why is it easier to admit we are sinners in general than to confess specific sins? What specific sins might we be avoiding?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that true confession requires specificity, not just a general admission.

How does the biblical definition of confession (homologeo) challenge common understandings of confessing sin?

Context: Weaver explains that confession means saying the same thing God says about sin, involving repentance and forsaking.

In what areas of our lives might we be ignorant of God's works, and how does that lead to ingratitude?

Context: Weaver links ignorance and ingratitude, asking how we can be grateful for what we don't understand.

Why do you think the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus about things they didn't understand? Do we have similar fears?

Context: Weaver notes the disciples' fear to ask, and asks why we might be afraid to seek understanding.

How can we cultivate a habit of 'counting our blessings' to combat ingratitude?

Context: Weaver suggests setting aside time to thank God for specific blessings as a spiritual exercise.

What does it mean that our sins 'provoke' God? How should this affect our view of sin?

Context: Weaver explains that ignorance and ingratitude provoke God to anger, using multiple Jeremiah passages.

How does the truth that God saves us 'for his name's sake' impact our sense of entitlement or pride?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that salvation is entirely by grace, not based on our merit.

In what ways do we, like the Israelites, tend to believe only after seeing rather than walking by faith?

Context: Weaver contrasts the Israelites' sight-based belief with the call to live by faith in 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Applications

Practice Specific Confession

Summary: Instead of general admissions of sin, believers should confess specific sins to God, agreeing with His view of them and turning from them.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins.'

Seek to Understand God's Works

Summary: Believers should diligently study Scripture to understand God's mighty acts, especially in salvation, to avoid ignorance and foster gratitude.

Evidence: Weaver challenges, 'How many of us understand what God did in our own personal salvation?' and points to Ephesians 1:18-20.

Cultivate Gratitude by Counting Blessings

Summary: Set aside time to specifically thank God for His blessings, recognizing that ingratitude provokes Him.

Evidence: Weaver suggests, 'It would be good that today, or at least sometime this week, we set aside 15, 20, 30 minutes and just sit down and tell the Lord what we're thankful to Him for.'

Live by Faith, Not by Sight

Summary: Trust God's Word without requiring visible signs, unlike the Israelites who believed only after seeing the miracle.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts verse 12 with 2 Corinthians 5:7: 'For we walk by faith, and not by sight.'

Recognize Salvation Is by Grace

Summary: Acknowledge that everything God does for us is for His name's sake, not because we deserve it, fostering humility.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Whatever God does for us, He does for His name's sake. He does for Christ's sake. He doesn't do it because we deserve it.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:16:51Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:13:47Z

Clean Transcript

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 3 of 16

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

Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Beginning with verse 1: "Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O, visit me with Thy salvation, that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance."
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"We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies, but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy."
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"And the waters covered their enemies, and there was not one of them left. Then, believing his words, they sang his song." Or they sang his praise, which would be they sang his psalm or they sang his praise.
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Now, let me just tell you that this series is entitled "The Hallelujah of Confession." And once again, the reason why is because this is the first hallelujah psalm. It begins with "Praise ye the Lord," which is Hallelujah. There are a number of Hallelujah Psalms in the Bible, and the reason it's called "The Hallelujah of Confession" is because this psalm is full of confession, confession of sin.
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Now, by way of introduction, let me just remind you in verses one through five, I gave you four reasons why the psalmist invited us to praise the Lord. The first one is found in the first verse, and that is because of his goodness and his mercy that endures forever. The second one is found in verse 2: "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?" So here are the marvelous works of God, and the truth of the matter is they are so great, the psalmist said, we cannot give God all the praise and the glory that's due unto his name. The third reason he invites us to praise the Lord is found in verse 3: it is because of his blessings upon the obedient.
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"Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doeth righteousness at all times." And the fourth reason we dealt with is found in verses four and five, where the psalmist wanted to be delivered personally from an ungodly situation that he might ultimately see the success of God's law, of God's kingdom, and of God's grace toward his nation. And of course, we dealt with that in detail in the first message.
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And then secondly, in verse six, "We have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly." I told you in verse six, here was a general confession. And last week, I just dealt mainly with the first phrase: "We have sinned with our fathers." I showed you how we have sinned with our fathers. We have sinned with them seminally in the fact that we were in their loins when they committed their sins. We have sinned with them imputatively, that is, many times their sins were imputed to us as Adam's sin was imputed to us. I told you this is known as generational sins in the Bible. We went to Exodus 34 where God says he visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him. And then we sin in them representatively, how that our fathers represent their families and their offspring. Fourthly, we've sinned in them nationally, and I dealt with the bond that exists between the people of a nation and showed you that from Scripture. And then fifthly, we have sinned in them actually.
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That is, we've actually committed the same sins that they committed. Now, to prove that, the psalmist is going to begin specifying the sins beginning with verse 7. So remember now, verse 6 is a generalization, but when you come to verse 7 through verse 46, there is a specification of the sins.
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Now let me begin by saying this: it is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins. You see, everyone is willing to admit, "Well, yeah, I'm a sinner. Well, yeah, I've done some bad things. Well, yeah, I've done wrong." But when you start trying to nail that individual down and say, "Well, tell me specifically about your sins," all of a sudden we don't want to talk about specifics. And so the psalmist is saying it's not only necessary to admit the fact that we are sinners, but it's also necessary to confess before the Lord our specific sins as well.
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Now let me ask and answer this question for you. Why is it do we need to specify and delineate our sins before the Lord? Why do we need to get downright specific, or as we say, down to the nitty gritty? Well, I want you to hold Psalm 106 and turn in your Bibles to 1 John 1 and look at verse 9. Here's a verse that practically everyone can quote, or at least you should be able to quote it. And so many people quote this verse and they never, ever understand it. In 1 John 1:9, the Word of God says this: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Now look at that. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The problem is most people do not know what the word "confess" actually means. Let me ask you a question.
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Suppose I went to Tony and stuck my hand in his pocket and stole a $100 bill from him. And I said, "Lord, I just stole a $100 bill from Tony. Lord, please forgive me." And then I go over to Doc and I stick my hand in his pocket and get a $100 bill from him and say, "Oh, Lord, I got another one from Doc. Please, Lord, forgive me for this."
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And then I make my way up here to Dr. Brissett. The Lord, is that confessing? And the answer is very clearly no. What is involved in confession of sin? Let me tell you what the Greek word is in 1 John 1:9. It is the word homologeo. Homo means "one and the same." That's where we get our word homogenized, homosexual. The word lego means "I say." So homologeo literally means this: I say the same thing that God says. Or I take the same attitude that God takes.
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Now, let's go back to this illustration. Suppose then I go back to Tony. I stick my hand in his pocket and I steal a hundred dollar bill. And then I understand that what I've done is wicked and wrong and vile. And so I come to God and I say, "Lord, I have stolen. I'm confessing this sin, it is wicked, it is vile, it is wrong." Well, if I genuinely confess that sin, what do I do? I go back to Tony and I make restitution and I ask his forgiveness. And then, since I'm taking now the same attitude that God takes towards sin, and since I'm now saying the same thing that God says about sin—that it's wicked, that it's wrong, that it's ungodly, that it deserves punishment and God's wrath upon it—did I change my mind concerning that sin? I repent of it. And I don't perform that sin anymore.
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See, real, genuine confession involves specification. It involves repentance. How in the world can you repent of something if you just say, "Well, I sinned"? What are you going to repent of? Being a sinner? You can't repent of being a sinner. You are a sinner. You have to repent of specific sins. So repentance then is involved in confession. Now let me say it another way. Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin. Now what does the Bible say?
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in Proverbs 28 in verse 13: "Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy." Did you hear that? "Whosoever confesseth and" what? "Forsaketh." So real genuine confession involves forsaking. So in order to confess our sins, then we must not just say, "Lord, we have sinned." We must get specific in order that we might turn from them, change our minds about them, and certainly forsake them.
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Now, as you go back to Psalm 106, that is exactly what the psalmist begins to do in verse 7. And that's the very first sin that he deals with specifically in this psalm. So let's read Psalm 106 and verse 7. The psalmist said: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea."
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Now there are actually two sins that are involved in verse seven. I put them in two simple terms in order that you might grasp them more quickly. The two sins are ignorance and ingratitude. Look at it: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." That's ignorance. "They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." That's ingratitude. I want you to see that these twin sins always go together.
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Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you? So ignorance and ingratitude always go together.
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Now, the Word of God has a great deal to say about ignorance, and I'm not just going to take the scriptures and run you through them and show you what the Bible says about ignorance. I'm going to develop some things, but let me just very quickly give you an overall view of ignorance from the biblical perspective. First of all, let me state that according to the Bible, there are sins of ignorance as well as sins of presumption. There are sins that you and I commit every day that we do not willingly and purposefully and deliberately do.
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We do them because we're ignorant of God's law. And if you were to study Leviticus chapter 4 and 5 and Numbers chapter 15, you'll find that God has made provision for those individuals who sinned ignorantly and unawares. And so when you and I are ignorant of scripture, when we're ignorant of God's law, many times we're guilty of many specific ignorant sins. And the only way that will stop us from committing those sins is to understand and to know the law of God. So there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the word of God teaches that the ungodly are separated from God through ignorance. Do you remember Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18? The Bible there says specifically that the unbelievers are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. Let's be honest. An unbeliever does not know who God is. He does not know the truth of God or the principles of God. He's absolutely, totally ignorant. And thus in 1 Peter 1 in verse 14, we're admonished that we're not to be ignorant.
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We are to know. So first of all, there are sins of ignorance. Secondly, the ungodly are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. And thirdly, seven times the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter admonish us not to be ignorant. For instance, and we're not going to turn there, but if you were to look at Romans 11 in verse 25, 1 Corinthians 10 verse 1, 1 Corinthians 12 verse 1, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, and 2 Peter 3 in verse 8, you'll find language like this: "Brethren, be not ignorant of this one thing." Or "Brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant of this very thing." The Apostle Paul is saying, look, there's some things that are so important, you had better not be ignorant of these. So, seven times then, the Apostle Paul and Peter admonish us not to be ignorant of certain doctrines. And then, fourthly, the Scripture teaches that there are some individuals that are willingly ignorant. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3, verse 5, talking about those who scoff at the return of Jesus Christ, Peter says, "For this they are willingly ignorant."
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In other words, there are some people who not only do not know the truth, they don't ever want to know the truth. They are willingly ignorant, and it's for these people that the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 in verse 38: "Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still." I told Dr. Brissett outside earlier, there's some people you just can't help. And that's exactly what the Apostle Paul said: "Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still." A man who will not receive the truth, a man who will not listen to the truth, there's nothing you can do for him.
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Except leave him in his ignorance. It's kind of like what our Lord said in Matthew 15. When he got through speaking, the disciples came to him and said, "Knowest thou not that the Pharisees were offended at thy saying?" And our Lord said, "Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall in the ditch." So what did our Lord say? Let them alone. Let them stay in their ignorance. Let them stay in their blindness.
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And they'll die in their iniquity. Because some people are willingly ignorant.
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Now the Bible says in Psalm 106 and verse 7, watch this carefully, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." Now the word "wonders" there refers then to his miracles, to his mighty works, to all of his marvelous acts. You remember all of the plagues that God put upon the Egyptians and how he delivered the Israelites, but they did not understand all of this. Now let's look at this word "understanding." He said in verse seven, "Our fathers understood not."
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Now, in order to grasp the word "understand," we're going to leave the negative off just for a moment. I'm going to tell you what the word "understand" is in the Hebrew and what it means without the negative. The Hebrew word is sakal, and without the negative, it relates to an intelligent knowledge of the reason. You know why something has happened. Not only that, but it means that one considers and one pays attention to something. So in order to understand something you've got to consider, you've got to pay attention.
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Now, hold Psalm 106 and look first of all in Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 verse 12, the Bible says, "The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked, but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness." Now, what does the wise man do? He wisely pays attention. He wisely considers. He wisely knows the reason why the wicked's house is overthrown. Look in your Bibles, go back if you would to the book of Ezra, Ezra Nehemiah, Ezra chapter 8 and verse 13.
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You'll see the same word for understanding translated here. Ezra 8 and verse 13. The Word of God says this. Ezra 8... put down verse 13. 13, but that's not the correct verse. Let me look at verse 31. Might have transposed it. This deals with the reading of the law of God. Well, skip down to verse 16. The Bible says, and he names them. He says that they were men of understanding. But when he read the law of God, let me see if I could find the verse—that's not the verse that I wanted, but anyhow, the verse basically says that they paid attention, that they gave diligent consideration to the reading of the law of God. Now watch this.
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The word sakal then means to understand the reason for something. It means to pay attention. It means to give understanding, but more than that, it means this: it also means to have insight. For instance, turning your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter one and verse three, you'll see why the Proverbs were written, by the way. Proverbs chapter one verse three. Here is why the book of Proverbs were written. He says in verse 2: "To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding." Verse 3: "To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity." So there is a perception in the word understanding. Then if you would turn over to Jeremiah chapter 9, Jeremiah chapter 9 and look at verse 23.
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And here the word is translated just a little differently, but it's the same word. Jeremiah chapter 9 and verse 23. Look what the Lord says: "Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me. That I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Now God says, if you're going to glory, you glory in this, that you understand and know me. So the word "understand" here does not mean that you comprehend God totally, but it does mean that you perceive him, that you have insight into his being and into his nature, which we get from the Word of God.
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Now I want you to go back to Psalm 106. Let's put this together. Let's see what the sins of our fathers were. The sin of ignorance, he says, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." What does that mean, man? It means that they did not consider. It means they did not pay attention to. It means they did not perceive. It means they did not have insight into. And it means that they had no idea of the reason for why God did what he did in Egypt. Hmm. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 32 and look how God characterized the fathers. Deuteronomy 32, beginning there with verse 28. Deuteronomy 32, notice verse 28. Deuteronomy 32, verse 28, look what God says about our fathers, look what he says about the nation. My goodness, Deuteronomy 32 verse 28: "For they are a nation void of counsel."
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"Neither is there any understanding in them." And then God says, "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" God says they're absolutely void of counsel. They have no understanding. And God said, "I would that they would understand, that they would listen, that they would pay attention unto." But they simply do not. So our fathers then, that he's speaking of in Psalm 106 and verse 7, did not understand why God wrought those miracles in the land of Egypt. They did not understand the judgments that he inflicted upon the Egyptians.
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They had seen them with their eyes, they heard them with their ears. They were there. They knew the results of them. But although they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears, they did not have a heart. They did not have an understanding to perceive and grasp what was really happening. They did not see that here was the one true and the living God, the almighty God manifesting himself in power and in grace in delivering them from the hand of the enemy.
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Now let me tell you something. We tend to criticize the Old Testament saints. I have done it. You have done it. We read things in the scripture that are so obviously wrong and so patently wicked. We say, "Well, if we had been there, we wouldn't have done that." But you know, the truth is we do exactly the same thing that they do. I'm going to show you before I develop this point that there was the same exact problem in the New Testament.
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In relationship to our Lord's own disciples, if you would turn in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Mark, chapter nine. Mark, chapter nine. And let's begin reading there with verse 31. Watch carefully, Mark 9 verse 31. Mark 9 verse 31: "For he taught his disciples." Now, wait a minute. He did not leave them in the dark. He taught his disciples and said unto them, "The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him."
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"And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask." They understood not that Christ was going to physically die and be raised again. They understood not that he said, and of course, they were afraid to ask him. Look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 beginning there with verse 43. Luke 9 verse 43.
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"And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, but while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 'Let these things sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men.' But they understood not this saying. And it was hid from them that they perceived it not. And they feared to ask him of that saying." Look in Luke chapter 18 verse 34. Luke 18 verse 34.
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Here the scripture just says this: "They understood none of these things. And this saying was hid from them. Neither knew they the things which were spoken." Now, can you imagine? As loving and as kind as Jesus Christ was, and as able a teacher as he was, and as a willing teacher that he was, why would his disciples be afraid to ask him something they did not understand?
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Let me pose another question to you. Why is it there are things that we don't understand that we're afraid to research and to find out or even pray about and to ask God for wisdom concerning them? There are a number of things—I meet people all along who were just simply afraid to know the truth. If you will turn in your Bible to John chapter 10. Look what the scripture says, John 10 and verse 6, and our Lord is telling the parable that he is the Good Shepherd.
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"He giveth his life for his sheep." Look at what the Bible says in verse 6: "This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them." I mean, here our Lord is talking about a shepherd and a sheep. And here were people that lived around shepherds and lived around sheep. And he gave a parable, and yet they did not understand it. Look in John chapter 18, beginning with verse 15. John 18, verse 15. John 18, verse 15.
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Here's an example: "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest and went with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought Peter in." And of course, Peter was the one who's saying, "Lord, I'm never going to deny you. I'm willing to die with you." Did Peter understand? No, what did Peter end up doing? Denying the Lord exactly like Christ told him he would. Now go back in your Bibles to Matthew 15. Matthew 15.
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Notice if you would please verses 15 and 16. Matthew 15 verses 15 and 16. Look what our Lord said: "Then answered Peter and said unto him, 'Declare unto us this parable.' Jesus said, 'Are you also yet without understanding?'" Now, let's go back to Psalm 106. We're in verse 7. I'm dealing with the twin sins of ignorance and ingratitude. I've shown you where Scripture says our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. Not only did the Old Testament saints not understand the wonders of our Lord in Egypt, even the New Testament saints did not understand some of the teaching of the Lord. Now, the same problem that existed in the Old Testament that existed in the New Testament still exists today.
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Let me ask a simple question. How many of us understand God's mighty acts, God's mighty miracles, God's wondrous power? Well, that's too broad of a question. Let me be a little more specific. How many of us understand what God did in Egypt? I mean, listen. We can criticize our forefathers for not understanding when they were there. But we've got all these thousands of years of history and a completed revelation, and most of us still don't understand what God did in Egypt.
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Do we even know why there were ten plagues? Why were those plagues like they were? You see, what most people do not realize is this, that Egypt was a polytheistic nation, that is, they had many gods. And each one of those plagues, each plague was directed at a specific false god. Why did Pharaoh's son die? Because Pharaoh was worshipped as a god. And to show the people that he was not a god, he could not even save the life of his own son, much less the firstborn of all the other nations. But the firstborn of Israel lived. Why? Because God's the one true and living God, and he's able to save and deliver. The truth is, most of us do not even understand the specifics of the deliverance of Egypt after thousands of years and a complete and total revelation.
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Let me ask another question. How many of us understand what God did in our own personal salvation?
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Now, I told you that ignorance and ingratitude go together. How can you be grateful for what God has done for you if you don't even understand what he's done for you? I want you to turn to passages—I can quote them, but I want you to see them. I want you to turn first of all to Colossians chapter one and then secondly to Ephesians chapter one, because I've asked you: What has God done for you in your own personal salvation, in your own personal deliverance? Look in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1 and let's begin reading there with verse 12.
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Now the Apostle Paul writes, "Giving thanks unto the Father." Now let me just stop there. Why should we thank God the Father? Why should we praise him? Why should we magnify him? What has he done for us? The Apostle Paul is going to tell us simply one great thing that he's done right here. He says, "Giving thanks unto the Father who has made us meet" or suitable "to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." By the way, that's one thing right there. God made us suitable.
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To partake of his glory. And look in verse 13. Here is the way that he did that: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Do you realize that in our salvation, God took us out of the kingdom of darkness, or the kingdom of Satan, and he's translated us, he carried us, he placed us, he put us into the kingdom of his own dear Son. Do you realize in salvation there's a change of kingdoms, there's a change of ownership, there's a change of rulership? And the Apostle says, "Giving thanks unto God who's done this great thing for us."
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Now, let me show you something else. Look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one. I'm just trying to emphasize and highlight the greatness of our salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. In fact, if you'll begin looking at verse 16, the Apostle Paul is praying for these Ephesian Christians. And he says that he ceases not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Now he begins to delineate some specific prayer requests that he gives for these Ephesians. He says in verse 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That's one request. Here's another request in verse 18.
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"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened." Now look what he says: "That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Now he's praying that these Ephesian saints will know what God has done for them when he saved them. Now watch verse 19: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," watch verse 20, "which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."
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Now, I don't know if you put together verses 19 and 20 yet, but let me put them together for you. Here's one of Paul's prayer requests for the saints: that we might know, that we might perceive, that we might understand, verse 19, "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe," now watch, "according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places."
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Let me spell this out for you. Do you realize the exact same power that it took to raise Jesus Christ from the dead was the exact same power that God exerted in saving us? The power of God in salvation is equal to the power of God in Christ's resurrection. That's what he said. Look at it in verse 19: "that you might know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe," and that mighty power is "according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places." Now.
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The question that I ask is this: How can we criticize the Old Testament saints for not understanding what God did for them in Egypt, in one sense of the word, when we don't even understand what God has done for us in Christ? And we have a full, completed revelation in front of us.
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Now, I want you to understand, our problem is not insufficient data. We have the completed revelation of God. Our problem is not just simply human limitation. It is true we are limited, humanly speaking. But it's not really our human limitations that's the problem. The problem is this: We are just like the Old Testament saints. We are so caught up in our lives, so caught up in our work, so caught up in our families, and so caught up in our sins that we don't have time to pay attention. We don't have time to consider. We don't have time to think. In other words, it's really a matter of priorities.
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Let me put it to you bluntly. God and his work doesn't count too much for us. You say, "Now, Brother Weaver, I'm a Christian." Well, why don't we understand it? I quoted this earlier. I want you to turn back there. Look to Psalm 111. I use this in the very first message on this series and introduction, but I want you to see Psalm 111 and verse 2. Psalm 111 verse 2. If we really, truly appreciate what God has done, let's emulate this verse. Look what it says. Psalm 111 verse 2.
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"The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."
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Now, why is it we really don't understand? Because we haven't sought it out. And why is it we haven't sought it out? Because we really don't have any pleasure in the works of God. You follow me? If we have pleasure in the works of God, we will seek out those works and seek to understand them. So, our ignorance is due to our own sin and rebellion and lack of consideration for God and his work.
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I want you to go back to Psalm 106. I told you Psalm 106 verse 7. Psalm 106 verse 7 contains twin sins. The first sin is the sin of ignorance.
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The second sin is the sin of ingratitude. He says, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt." That's ignorance. "They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." That's ingratitude.
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Now let me put it to you plainly. Failure to consider always leads to failure to remembrance, or to remember. Ignorance and ingratitude go hand in hand.
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Now let me call your attention to one word in verse 7. The psalmist says, "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies." Now it is true that we tend to forget occasional things. But how can we forget a multitude? So God didn't do just simply one thing for our fathers. He did a multitude of things. And they didn't remember the multitude of his mercies. God remembered them. But they did not remember him.
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And ingratitude enters into the very nature of iniquity at all stages. Some of you will probably experience what I'm about to—will have experienced what I'm about to tell you. If you have not, you probably will. But those of you who have experienced it can identify with it. Is it not grievous to continue to give and give and give to arrogant, presumptuous, ungrateful individuals? I'm talking about individuals who take everything for granted.
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Who never think of the love and the sacrifice behind the gifts. And once they receive those gifts, they easily and quickly discard them or waste them or misuse them. Now, my question is: What is your attitude toward an individual like that? Many individuals have children like that. Mates like that. Family members like that. How do you respond to someone who is so absolutely ungrateful? It is exceedingly grievous to us when we give and when we give and when we do everything that we can to those whom we love and they profess to love us. But in reality, what they do is they take everything we give them and turn and use it against us and rebel against us and seek to attack and destroy us.
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I don't know about you. But I know what I would do. I'd say, "Young man or young woman, if you think you're getting another penny from me, you're mistaken." I'd cut them off so quickly, it'd make their head swim. Would you not do the same? You might persevere a little longer, but sooner or later, you're going to come to the point, "I'm not willing to help that individual any longer."
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It doesn't do any good. I'm wasting my time. I'm wasting my breath. I'm wasting my resources.
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Now, the reason I said that is this. You take that same attitude of ungratefulness and wastefulness and multiply it by infinity. And that's what we've done to our heavenly Father. We've taken and taken and taken and taken and taken and taken. And presumed upon his mercy. And we have been so ungrateful that we expect God to bless us whether we're obedient or not, whether we're holy or not, we expect God to continue. I want to show you how ignorant and ungrateful the fathers were whom God brought out of Egypt.
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Look back in your Bible. Exodus chapter 14. Exodus chapter 14. And let's begin reading there in verse 10. Exodus 14 verse 10. Now about you. But this is exceedingly grievous to me. Exodus 14 verse 10.
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Now remember, God has brought the children of Israel out. "And when Pharaoh drew nigh," remember there's wilderness on one side, the sea in front of them, desert on the other side, Pharaoh's coming up hard behind them. "When Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and behold, the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And they said to Moses, 'Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in this wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in this wilderness.'" Can you believe that? Did you hear what they were saying?
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We had rather be slaves and we'd rather be in bondage and be in our sin and iniquity than be out here having trust in God. Why? The only reason you brought us out here, Moses, was to kill us. They not only did not understand, they were absolutely ungrateful that God had even brought them out of Egypt. In fact, look in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Psalm 78 and verse 42. Psalm 78 verse 42. Here it is specified. Watch this Psalm 78 verse 42. Enlisting their sins in this psalm, the psalmist says, "They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy." Not only ignorant, but totally ungrateful.
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Now let me ask you a question. As you turn back to Psalm 106. Here's my question. What was the result of their ignorance and ingratitude? What effect did their ignorance and ingratitude have upon God? You know what we forget many times? We forget that our sins affect God.
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Now, let me explain that just for a moment. You see, God has an intrinsic and essential glory. And God has an external and outward glory. It is true that nothing affects God's essential and inherent glory. God is God, and God is perfectly satisfied and content in and of himself. He needs no one. He needs nothing. Our sin and rebellion, our goodness and our obedience, none of that can affect God's essential glory at all.
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Let me show you this. Look in your Bibles at Psalm 16. Do you realize when I explain this to you, do you realize even the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ added nothing to God the Father? Because God the Father is already perfect. Since he is perfect, nothing can be added to him nor taken from him. Now look in verse 1 of Psalm 16. Look what the psalmist says. And this is the psalm of the Messiah. In verse 1, "Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I trust. O my soul," now here's what the Messiah says, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord." And look what the Messiah says, "My goodness extendeth not unto thee." So everything that Christ did did not enhance God the Father's essential and inherent glory. God is God. What did our Lord's obedience affect? Look at verse 2 again, he said, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the saints that are in the earth."
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"And to the excellent in whom is all my delight." So our Lord's goodness did not do one thing for God the Father, but it did do something for us. Now watch this carefully. I want you to understand that although God has an essential and inherent glory that nothing can be added to it or taken from it, he also has an external glory, an outward glory, and that glory is affected either by our obedience or disobedience. In fact, if you look in your Bibles to Isaiah 43, notice this complaint that God makes. Isaiah 43, and note if you would please, verse 24. Isaiah 43, verse 24. Look what God says concerning the people.
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"Thou hast brought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices." Here's what the people had done: "But thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities." How can we make God serve with our sins? Because we are his people. And when we are wicked, when we are disobedient, when we are wrong, it is a reflection upon God's external and outward glory.
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Remember, I told you last week, Scripture says no man lives to himself and no man dies to himself. Our sins always affect others, and if we are children of God, they also affect God himself. He said, "Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins."
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Now go back to Psalm 106 and look at verse seven and let me answer this question for you. Here's my question: How did the sins of ignorance and ingratitude affect God in his external and outward glory? Here's how. Verse seven: "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea." You know what our sins do to God? They provoke him. Now the word "provoke" here is the word marah in the Hebrew. It means to make bitter or unpleasant or to provoke. How do our sins provoke God? What does it mean to provoke God?
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Well, let me just show you three or four scriptures very quickly, and the best way to explain this word is to show you the other passages in the Bible where this same word is used. So turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 7. Here's the same Hebrew word marah, which is translated "provoke." In Psalm 106 verse 7, here it is in Jeremiah chapter 7 and notice if you would please verse 18. Jeremiah 7 verse 18: "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord." What is it to provoke God? It is to provoke him to anger, is to stir him up. Look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 17. Jeremiah 11 verse 17: "For the Lord of hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Judah, the house of Israel, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal."
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Our sins provoke God to anger. Look at Jeremiah 25 beginning there with verse 6. Jeremiah 25 verse 6. God told the people: "And go not after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands, and I will do you no hurt." Cause if you don't provoke me, I won't chastise you. Verse 7: "Yet you have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord, that you might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt." One other passage, Jeremiah 32. Look in Jeremiah 32 and verse 29.
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He says it like this: "And the Chaldeans that fight against this city shall come and set fire on this city and burn it with the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger. For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth. For the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord. For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day, that I should remove it far from my face, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger." Now watch: "They, their kings, and their priests, and their princes, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." What's God saying? God said, "You've ticked me off."
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Literally. You provoke me to anger.
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Now, there are many other passages, but these are sufficient to show you that our ignorance and our ingratitude affects God. And this is the thing that is absolutely phenomenal. When we begin to realize that ignorance and ingratitude provokes God, as long as we continue to remain ignorant and remain ungrateful, we are seeking to purposefully to stir him up against us. Why in the world would we want to provoke him against us purposefully and deliberately?
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Now, I want you to turn back to Psalm 106. And I want you to think of something before I read the rest of this passage. Here's what I want you to think about. I want you to think about your sins. Your rebellion, your wickedness. I don't care if it's 40 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years. I don't care if it's yesterday. I don't care if it's this morning. I want you to think about your wickedness. Remember what your sins do to God. They provoke him.
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And you would think that when these people were so ignorant and so ungrateful that they murmured against Moses and said, "It had been better had we died in Egypt, we could have stayed there and served the Egyptians. I mean, why did you bring us down here to die?" You would have thought that God would have been so provoked and so incensed that he would have instantly cut them off, just smote them right there. When you stop and think of the sins that you committed. Why did God not kill you way back then? Why does God continue to let us live now? I want you to watch this: even though God was provoked, look at verse 8. "Nevertheless."
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"He saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, and the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left."
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Now I'll tell you what. Verse 8 says, "Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake." Their salvation, are you listening to me? Their salvation was not due to their goodness, but to God's grace. Not to their merits, but to God's mercy. The same truth is revealed in the New Testament. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2. And I want you to understand that the "nevertheless" of Psalm 106 and verse 8 is equivalent to the phrase "but God" in Ephesians 2 and verse 4. Let me show you. Look at Ephesians 2 and verse 1.
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"And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." Dead in trespasses and sins. What was our lifestyle? "Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation" or conduct "in times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind," watch it, "and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace you are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ." They deserved death. Nevertheless, He saved them for His name's sake. We deserve death. Nevertheless, He saved us for His name's sake. Do you realize everything we are, everything we have, we owe to God?
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The Apostle Paul put it very bluntly. He said, "I am what I am." Help me out: "by the grace of God."
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Now, let me show you one last thing or make some applications. Go back to Psalm 106. And look, if you would please, at verse 12. This is an amazing verse. Everyone knows the story how the children of Israel were being oppressed by Pharaoh and his army, and God opened the sea and the children of Israel went across on dry ground. And when the Egyptians sought to do so, God brought the waters back on and they drowned. Everyone knows that. But look at verse 12.
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"Then believed they his words, they sang his song" or "they sang his praise." "Then believed they his words."
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Now look at the word "then." "Then believed they his words." When did they believe? When they saw. What were they doing? Living by sight. What is the Apostle Paul saying? 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 7: "For we walk by faith, and not by sight."
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Now I want you to see our Lord's commentary. Look in John Chapter 20. John Chapter 20. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. John 20 verse 25. John 20 verse 25. You remember, our Lord has shown himself to his disciples, but Thomas was not there at the first meeting. Verse 25: "The other disciples, therefore, said unto him"—that is to Thomas—"We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within and Thomas with them."
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"Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands. Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing." Thomas, of course, didn't do it. He fell on his face, and Thomas answered and said unto him, "My Lord and my God." Look what Jesus said. "Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
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We're to live by faith, and not by sight. We don't need to see the miracles to believe in God. We believe in Him, and the miracles come every day.
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Now, let me make several applications. The first one is this. Listen carefully. The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude. The word culpability means to censure or deserve blame, or to be punished. So the greater our blessings, the more blameworthy, the more we deserve censure and punishment for our ignorance and ingratitude. When I was studying this week for this message, you know, I just thought, "Lord."
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Look at Christ that you've given for me. Look at the word of God. Look at the ministry. Look at the presence of the Holy Spirit. Look at my wife. My family. Health. Protection. Prosperity. Providence. Look how you've taken care. Look at the air that you give me to breathe. You see what I'm saying, folks, we take everything for granted. I try every morning when I wake up before I move out of that bed to thank God for his protection during the night. Thank you for the rest and the sleep. Thank you for his tender mercies and compassions that he's given just to preserve me during the night. And I'm going to tell you something, folks.
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There may not be any millionaires in this assembly. But the truth is, none of us have gone hungry. And all of us have clothes. We have health. We have family. We have friends. And that's more than enough to be grateful for. The second application is this. The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever. Did you know that most of those that God brought out of Egypt, guess what he did?
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He killed them in the wilderness. They didn't believe. You remember Luke chapter 16, our Lord told about the rich man who died and went to hell and in hell lifted up his eyes. He saw Lazarus, a beggar who also died, in Abraham's bosom. And he cried, he said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I'm tormented in this flame." And Abraham said, "Son, remember in your life you were comfortable and Lazarus was tormented."
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Now he's taken care of and you're being tormented. And what did the old rich man say? He said, "Well, send Lazarus that he may warn my five brethren, lest they come to this place of torment." And Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them."
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Now, he said, "But Father Abraham, but if one returned from the dead, they will believe." And Abraham said, "Though one return from the dead, they would not believe. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them." Let me tell you something, folks. If the word of God is insufficient for you, no miracle on earth will give you faith just by your observing it. They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. Third application is this.
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It is indeed a spiritual exercise to take the time to count your blessings and learn to be grateful and thankful to God for each and every blessing. You know, I really genuinely believe, especially in light of this message, it would be good that today, or at least sometime this week, we set aside 15, 20, 30 minutes and just sit down and tell the Lord what we're thankful to Him for, for everything that He's done for us. This is spiritual exercise.
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And then lastly, we've got to remember that whatever God does for us, He does for His name's sake. He does for Christ's sake. He doesn't do it because we deserve it. When you come to the Lord and say, "Now, Lord, I've done this for you, you do this for me." That's hogwash, folks. Because if God didn't give you breath, you couldn't even breathe. If he didn't give you strength, you couldn't move. Everything that God does for us, he does because of his grace and his mercy.
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And let's make up our minds that we're not going to be ignorant or ungrateful. Instead, let's show ourselves approved workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Let's pray. Father, we are thankful today for Jesus Christ, for his grace and for his mercy. And Lord, we have to confess the fact that we have been so ignorant and we've been so ungrateful. And we've taken Thee for granted so many, many times. We presumed upon your mercy, even the breath that we breathe. And Lord, make us grateful and thankful unto Thee. Make us recognize Thy tender mercies and compassions and Your great faithfulness to us. We commit our works unto Thee, ask You to establish our thoughts, and ask for Your continued grace and mercy. In Christ's name, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:16:51Z

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 3 of 16

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on Psalm 106, focusing on verse 7. He identifies the twin sins of ignorance and ingratitude as the first specific sins confessed by the psalmist. Weaver explains that true confession requires specificity and repentance, not just a general admission of sin. He demonstrates how the Israelites failed to understand God's wonders in Egypt and forgot His many mercies, provoking God to anger. Despite their rebellion, God saved them for His name's sake. The sermon concludes with applications urging believers to count their blessings, live by faith, and recognize that all God does is by grace.

Opening

Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Psalm 106, verses 1-12. Beginning with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-12

"Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that Thou bearest unto Thy people. O, visit me with Thy salvation, that I may see the good of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-12

"And the waters covered their enemies, and there was not one of them left. Then, believing his words, they sang his song."

Introduction and Review

General vs. Specific Confession

Weaver explains that verse 6 is a general confession, while verses 7-46 specify sins. He emphasizes that true confession requires naming specific sins, not just admitting to being a sinner.

The Meaning of Confession

Using 1 John 1:9, Weaver defines confession (homologeo) as saying the same thing God says about sin, which involves repentance and forsaking the sin, citing Proverbs 28:13.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Now look at that.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 1:9

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The problem is most people do not know what the word "confess" actually means. Let me ask you a question.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:13

in Proverbs 28 in verse 13: "Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy." Did you hear that? "Whosoever confesseth and" what? "Forsaketh." So real genuine confession involves forsaking. So in order to confess our sins, then we must not just say, "Lord, we have sinned." We must get specific in order that we might turn from them, change our minds about them, and certainly forsake them.

The Twin Sins of Ignorance and Ingratitude

Weaver identifies the two sins in verse 7: ignorance ('understood not thy wonders') and ingratitude ('remembered not the multitude of thy mercies'), and explains they always go together.

Biblical Teaching on Ignorance

Weaver outlines four biblical points on ignorance: sins of ignorance, alienation of the ungodly through ignorance, apostolic admonitions not to be ignorant, and willful ignorance.

And they'll die in their iniquity. Because some people are willingly ignorant.

The Meaning of 'Understood'

Weaver examines the Hebrew word sakal, showing it means to consider, pay attention, perceive, and have insight. The Israelites failed to grasp the reason for God's wonders.

Now, hold Psalm 106 and look first of all in Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 and verse 12. Proverbs 21 verse 12, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:12

"The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked, but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:3

"To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity."

So there is a perception in the word understanding. Then if you would turn over to Jeremiah chapter 9, Jeremiah chapter 9 and look at verse 23.

New Testament Parallels of Ignorance

Weaver shows that even Jesus' disciples often failed to understand His teachings, demonstrating that the same problem of ignorance persists in the New Testament.

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"For he taught his disciples."

Now, wait a minute. He did not leave them in the dark. He taught his disciples and said unto them,

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him." "And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask."

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:31-32

"And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, but while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 'Let these things sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men.' But they understood not this saying. And it was hid from them that they perceived it not. And they feared to ask him of that saying."

Look in Luke chapter 18 verse 34. Luke 18 verse 34.

"He giveth his life for his sheep." Look at what the Bible says in verse 6:

Scripture Reading — John 10:6

"This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."

Notice if you would please verses 15 and 16. Matthew 15 verses 15 and 16. Look what our Lord said:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:15-16

"Then answered Peter and said unto him, 'Declare unto us this parable.' Jesus said, 'Are you also yet without understanding?'"

Modern Ignorance of God's Works

Weaver challenges the congregation that they often do not understand God's works in salvation, citing Colossians 1:12-13 and Ephesians 1:18-20 to show the greatness of salvation.

The Sin of Ingratitude

Weaver explains that failure to consider leads to failure to remember. He illustrates the grievousness of ingratitude and applies it to how we treat God.

The Result: Provoking God

Weaver shows that ignorance and ingratitude provoke God to anger, using multiple passages from Jeremiah to define 'provoke' as stirring God to anger.

Literally. You provoke me to anger.

Nevertheless, God Saved Them

Despite their provocation, God saved Israel for His name's sake (verse 8). Weaver parallels this with Ephesians 2:4 ('But God'), emphasizing salvation by grace.

The Apostle Paul put it very bluntly. He said, "I am what I am." Help me out: "by the grace of God."

Applications

Weaver gives four applications: greater blessings bring greater culpability; miracles won't convince unbelievers; count your blessings; and God acts for His name's sake.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 3 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11309208166
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-05-21
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	102

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the first five verses of Psalm 106, summarizing the four reasons to praise the Lord: His goodness and mercy, His mighty acts, His blessings on the obedient, and the psalmist's desire for personal deliverance.
General vs. Specific Confession: Weaver explains that verse 6 is a general confession, while verses 7-46 specify sins. He emphasizes that true confession requires naming specific sins, not just admitting to being a sinner.
The Meaning of Confession: Using 1 John 1:9, Weaver defines confession (homologeo) as saying the same thing God says about sin, which involves repentance and forsaking the sin, citing Proverbs 28:13.
The Twin Sins of Ignorance and Ingratitude: Weaver identifies the two sins in verse 7: ignorance ('understood not thy wonders') and ingratitude ('remembered not the multitude of thy mercies'), and explains they always go together.
Biblical Teaching on Ignorance: Weaver outlines four biblical points on ignorance: sins of ignorance, alienation of the ungodly through ignorance, apostolic admonitions not to be ignorant, and willful ignorance.
The Meaning of 'Understood': Weaver examines the Hebrew word sakal, showing it means to consider, pay attention, perceive, and have insight. The Israelites failed to grasp the reason for God's wonders.
New Testament Parallels of Ignorance: Weaver shows that even Jesus' disciples often failed to understand His teachings, demonstrating that the same problem of ignorance persists in the New Testament.
Modern Ignorance of God's Works: Weaver challenges the congregation that they often do not understand God's works in salvation, citing Colossians 1:12-13 and Ephesians 1:18-20 to show the greatness of salvation.
The Sin of Ingratitude: Weaver explains that failure to consider leads to failure to remember. He illustrates the grievousness of ingratitude and applies it to how we treat God.
The Result: Provoking God: Weaver shows that ignorance and ingratitude provoke God to anger, using multiple passages from Jeremiah to define 'provoke' as stirring God to anger.
Nevertheless, God Saved Them: Despite their provocation, God saved Israel for His name's sake (verse 8). Weaver parallels this with Ephesians 2:4 ('But God'), emphasizing salvation by grace.
Applications: Weaver gives four applications: greater blessings bring greater culpability; miracles won't convince unbelievers; count your blessings; and God acts for His name's sake.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Confession Requires Specificity and Repentance

Weaver argues that biblical confession (homologeo) means agreeing with God about the sinfulness of specific acts, leading to repentance and forsaking the sin, not just a vague admission.

He defines homologeo as 'I say the same thing that God says' and states, 'Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin.'

Ignorance and Ingratitude Are Inseparable

Weaver contends that it is impossible to be grateful for what one does not understand; thus, ignorance of God's works inevitably leads to ingratitude.

He says, 'Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you? So ignorance and ingratitude always go together.'

Greater Blessings Increase Culpability

Weaver argues that the more blessings one receives from God, the more blameworthy one is for failing to understand and be grateful for them.

He states, 'The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude.' He lists personal blessings like Christ, Scripture, family, and health.

Miracles Cannot Produce Saving Faith

Weaver argues that witnessing miracles does not convince unbelievers; only the Word of God is sufficient to produce faith, as seen in the Israelites and the rich man and Lazarus.

He says, 'The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever,' and cites Luke 16:31: 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.'

Salvation Is Entirely by Grace

Weaver argues that God saves His people not because of their merit but for His own name's sake, paralleling Psalm 106:8 with Ephesians 2:4-5.

He says, 'Their salvation was not due to their goodness, but to God's grace. Not to their merits, but to God's mercy.' He quotes Ephesians 2:4-5: 'But God, who is rich in mercy... even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:1-12: The main text of the sermon, read at the beginning. Weaver focuses on verse 7 regarding ignorance and ingratitude.
1 John 1:9: Used to explain the meaning of confession (homologeo) as agreeing with God about sin.
Proverbs 28:13: Cited to show that confession involves forsaking sin: 'Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy.'
Ephesians 4:18: Referenced to show that unbelievers are alienated from God through ignorance.
1 Peter 1:14: Mentioned as an admonition not to be ignorant.
2 Peter 3:5: Cited to illustrate willful ignorance among scoffers.
1 Corinthians 14:38: Quoted to show that some are to be left in their ignorance: 'Him that is ignorant, let him be ignorant still.'
Matthew 15:14: Referenced to illustrate leaving the willfully ignorant alone: 'Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.'
Proverbs 21:12: Used to define 'understand' (sakal) as wisely considering.
Proverbs 1:3: Cited to show that understanding involves perception and insight.
Jeremiah 9:23-24: Used to show that understanding God means perceiving His nature and character.
Deuteronomy 32:28-29: Quoted to characterize the fathers as a nation void of understanding.
Mark 9:31-32: Shows the disciples' failure to understand Jesus' teaching about His death and resurrection.
Luke 9:43-45: Another instance of the disciples not understanding Jesus' words.
Luke 18:34: States the disciples understood none of these things.
John 10:6: The people did not understand Jesus' parable of the Good Shepherd.
Matthew 15:15-16: Jesus questions Peter's lack of understanding.
Colossians 1:12-13: Used to illustrate the greatness of salvation: delivered from darkness and translated into Christ's kingdom.
Ephesians 1:16-20: Paul's prayer that believers understand the power of God in salvation, equal to the power that raised Christ.
Psalm 111:2: Cited to show that those who delight in God's works will seek them out.

Historical References

The Exodus and the Plagues of Egypt: Weaver references the ten plagues as directed against specific Egyptian gods, and the parting of the Red Sea as the context for Israel's ignorance and ingratitude.
Egyptian Polytheism: Weaver explains that each plague was directed at a specific false god of Egypt, and Pharaoh's son died because Pharaoh was worshipped as a god.

Important Quotes

It is one thing to acknowledge that we have sinned. It is quite another thing to confess and acknowledge specific and individual sins.

Highlights the sermon's emphasis on specific confession rather than general admission of sin.

Real, genuine, true, biblical confession involves repentance. And repentance means not only that you acknowledge your sin, but you forsake your sin.

Defines the core meaning of confession as involving both acknowledgment and forsaking of sin.

Do you realize it is impossible to be grateful when you're ignorant of what has been done for you?

Succinctly states the inseparable link between ignorance and ingratitude.

The greater the blessings, the greater the culpability for our ignorance and ingratitude.

A key application that ties the magnitude of God's blessings to the seriousness of failing to appreciate them.

The wonders of God, the miracles of God, the mighty acts of God will never convince an unbeliever.

Emphasizes that miracles alone cannot produce saving faith; only God's Word can.

Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake.

The pivotal verse showing God's grace despite provocation, central to the sermon's message.

Then believed they his words, they sang his song.

Highlights the Israelites' sight-based faith, contrasted with the call to walk by faith.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why is it easier to admit we are sinners in general than to confess specific sins? What specific sins might we be avoiding?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that true confession requires specificity, not just a general admission.

[Question]

How does the biblical definition of confession (homologeo) challenge common understandings of confessing sin?

[Context]

Weaver explains that confession means saying the same thing God says about sin, involving repentance and forsaking.

[Question]

In what areas of our lives might we be ignorant of God's works, and how does that lead to ingratitude?

[Context]

Weaver links ignorance and ingratitude, asking how we can be grateful for what we don't understand.

[Question]

Why do you think the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus about things they didn't understand? Do we have similar fears?

[Context]

Weaver notes the disciples' fear to ask, and asks why we might be afraid to seek understanding.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a habit of 'counting our blessings' to combat ingratitude?

[Context]

Weaver suggests setting aside time to thank God for specific blessings as a spiritual exercise.

[Question]

What does it mean that our sins 'provoke' God? How should this affect our view of sin?

[Context]

Weaver explains that ignorance and ingratitude provoke God to anger, using multiple Jeremiah passages.

[Question]

How does the truth that God saves us 'for his name's sake' impact our sense of entitlement or pride?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that salvation is entirely by grace, not based on our merit.

[Question]

In what ways do we, like the Israelites, tend to believe only after seeing rather than walking by faith?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the Israelites' sight-based belief with the call to live by faith in 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Applications

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