Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

Just Thinking Part 1 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-08

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver expounds Psalm 143:5, focusing on the phrase 'I muse on the work of thy hands.' He contrasts musing (deep thinking) with amusement (non-thinking) and explores various works of God's hands: creation, providence, redemption, and judgment. The main emphasis is on the work of God in the death of a sinner. Weaver urges listeners to consider what a sinner discovers immediately after death: an angry God, the terror of remembered sins and lost opportunities, the sovereignty of Christ as judge, and God's eternal contempt. The message serves as a sober warning to the unsaved to seek Christ and an encouragement to believers to warn others.

[John Weaver] Psalm 143 and verse 5. Psalm 143 verse 5. Notice David said, I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I amuse on the work of thy hands. Note the phrase, I amuse on the work of thy hands. Let me begin by saying that this message today is actually going to be in two parts. I only have two points, and I'm only going to be able to cover one point today. So it's going to be absolutely necessary that you hear the second point next week. But the title of the message is Just Thinking. And I think you will see the impact of that just shortly. David said, I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands. Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think. The Hebrew word muse literally means to study, to think, to ponder, to meditate, to concentrate upon and commune upon.

[John Weaver] Most of you know, especially in Greek, and it's true in English as well, that in Greek if you take the alpha, which is equivalent to our letter A, and you put it in front of a word, it negates it. Same way with English. So you take the word muse, and you put the alpha or the A in front of it, and you have to amuse. Thus, when you think about amusement, It means that you do not study, you do not think, you do not ponder, you do not meditate, you do not concentrate. There's usually no deep thinking in amusement parks. I mean, you just sit there and ride or do whatever you want to do and I hope you know that TV is amusement as well. Most of us, if we watch a TV program, we never think. We just sit there and absorb everything that is there without thought, without meditation, without real concentration upon it. David said, I muse on the work of thy hands. That is, I really, genuinely think and meditate upon the work of thy hands.

[John Weaver] When you think about the work of God's hands, one of the first areas that you think about is creation. For very obviously, this world is indeed the work of God's hands. In Psalm 95 and verse 5, the Bible says this, The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. When you get to Psalm 102 and verse 25, the Word of God says, Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. And then of course in Psalm 119 and verse 73, David said, have made me and fashioned me, give me understanding that I may learn by commandments. So here is creation and clearly we could think a lot about creation because it is indeed the work of God's hands. The Bible says in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.

[John Weaver] So very obviously creation is the work of God's hands. But then secondly, providence is also the work of God's hands. It is in God's providence that He marvelously and miraculously supplies all of our needs. We are told that He makes the sun to rise upon the just and the unjust and He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust alike. The Bible tells us in Psalm 37 verse 23 that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord And He delighted in His ways. So that is the providence of God in leading and guiding and directed. Now, I want you, since you're in Psalms, flip back, if you would please, to Psalm 139. And look, if you would please, at verses 9 and 10. Just to show you the providential leadership of God in Psalm 139.

[John Weaver] Notice verse 9, David says this, If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. So God's providence then is that which sustains us, and preserves us, and protects us, and leads us, and supplies all of our needs. If you would turn right back to Psalm 92 and look at verse 4, David says it like this. Psalm 92 and verse 4. He says, for thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work, watch what he says, and I will triumph in the work of thy hands. And of course, the work of God's hands is not only in creation, but in providence as well.

[John Weaver] God is the one that opens doors. God is the one that closes doors. God is the one that gives us victory. God is the one that allows us to succeed. So David said, I will triumph in the work of thy hands. Then thirdly, and I'm certainly not going to try to delineate upon it, but there is the work of God in redemption. Without turning there, if you were to read Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1-14, which by the way is one sentence in the Greek. It is the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. In Ephesians 1 verses 1-14, you have the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. in redemption. So we could sit here and literally all day talk about and meditate upon the work of God's hands in creation, in providence, and also in redemption as well. But I want to just point out a couple of areas and then I'm going to concentrate on one where most of us really never ever think or muse upon.

[John Weaver] Another area that we do not often use upon is the work of God's hand in truth and in judgment. Do you realize that God not only protects His truth, but He also preserves His truth? And He protects and preserves that truth from even wicked generations. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 12, if you would, at verses 6 and 7. Psalm 12, verses 6 and 7. Note carefully what the Word of God says. Psalm 12, beginning there with verse 6. He says, The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the furnace of the earth purified seven times. Now we're talking about God's Word. So look in verse 7. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. That is His words. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. God is going to protect and preserve His Word. He's going to make sure that His truth is conveyed and wicked men are not going to destroy His truth.

[John Weaver] One of my favorite stories is about Voltaire, the noted French infidel. Voltaire said within a hundred years after his death, Christianity and the Bible would be extinct. Within just a few years after his death, the Bible Society purchased his house, set up printing presses, and printed and distributed millions of Bibles from Voltaire's house. Hmm. Very obviously, Voltaire is extinct. I also like Nietzsche. You remember, Nietzsche is the German philosopher that started God is Dead. In fact, he wrote God is Dead after Nietzsche was dead and buried. In fact, it's God is Dead, sign Nietzsche. Someone slipped out to the graveyard and wrote Nietzsche is dead, sign God. Well.

[John Weaver] God's going to protect His word. God's going to preserve His word. If you look in Psalm 111 and verse 7. Psalm 111 and verse 7. Notice if you would what the Bible says. We're still talking about the works of God's hands. Psalm 111 and verse 7. God says this. The works of His hands are verity and judgment. All His commandments are sure. So God certainly acts in providence to preserve and protect his word. And God also reveals his truth in providential judgment as well. Without you turning there, you remember in Romans 1 verses 18 through 20, the Bible speaks about the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. So when we begin to look at what David says, I muse on the work of our hands, we have plenty of areas in which we can muse, in which we can concentrate and think upon.

[John Weaver] But the area that I want to deal with today and the area that I want to deal with next Sunday is an area in which most of us do very little thinking. And it's an area in which we do not really want to approach. Because it concerns death. And the truth of the matter is, we must not only think about our deaths, but we also must think about the deaths of others as well.

[John Weaver] We know that we're going to die. We know that others are going to die. There is no escape from that reality. We're told in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, as it is pointed unto man once to dine, after that the judgment.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to see that scriptures speak very pointedly upon this subject. I want you to turn back in your Bibles. First of all to Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Then we'll go to Job 14. We'll look in Job 7 and verse 1. God is talking about man. And notice what He says in Job 7 and verse 1. A very interesting verse. Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth?

[John Weaver] Are not his days also like the days of a harling? Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? How many of you are going to live forever on this earth? and not going to die. No. Every one of us know that we're going to die. There is an appointed time. God not only appointed the day of our birth, God also appointed the day of our death.

[John Weaver] If you look in Job 14, Job 14, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. Everyone in here can identify with this. Man that is born of woman is few days and full of trouble. Fewness of days and fullness of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

[John Weaver] Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 5, Job 14 verse 5. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Note if you would, His days are determined. The number of His months are with thee. Thou hast appointed His bounds that He cannot pass. So God has said to each of us, just like He said to the sea, hitherto shalt thou come and no further. God has appointed our bounds. He's appointed the day of our death.

[John Weaver] If you would turn right over to Psalm 90, you will see again how the Psalmist addresses this issue, Psalm 90. And notice, if you would please, verses 9 and 10. Psalm 90, verse 9. David says it like this, For all our days are passed away in thy wrath. We spend our years as a tale that is told.

[John Weaver] Now let me just stop there. We spend our years as a tale that is told. Since we had company this weekend, I shared with them a lot of things about our grandchildren when they were little. Can you please tell me why I don't have any little grandchildren anymore? It's a tale that is told. All of our grandchildren are grown. Can you please tell me, just thinking about this, where's the last 47 years gone?

[John Weaver] You see what I'm saying? It's now a tale that is told. It passes so quickly. Watch verse 10. David says this, The days of our years are threescore years and tens. That's 70. And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is there strength in labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away. So the average life span now is 70. If we make it to 80, usually, It's trouble and sorrow.

[John Weaver] I have not seen too many 80-year-olds out playing softball and baseball and basketball and acting like spring chickens. You see what I'm saying? And you begin to complain of bursitis and arthritis and every ache and pain imaginable. In fact, I've discovered muscles in the last few years that I never even knew that I had. And the only reason I discovered them is they're sore. They hurt. And I knew that they're there now. But I'm just simply saying, he said, our life is simply gone so quickly and it's over with. It's like a tale that is told.

[John Weaver] And the truth is this, death comes to everyone sooner or later. And it doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor. It doesn't matter if you're ignorant or intellectual. It doesn't matter if you're young or old. It doesn't matter if you're a king or a peasant. Death comes to all.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you two things. The scripture teaches that sometimes death comes along to us as a peeping tom. Everybody knows what a peeping tom is. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 9. A peeping tom, of course, is someone who will slip up on your house slowly and steathily and then look in your windows and hoping to see probably you undressed or something like that. He's a peeping Tom. He doesn't come quickly. He doesn't make a lot of noise.

[John Weaver] He just slips up on you. Well, notice what the Bible says in Jeremiah 9. I think it's Jeremiah 9. I may have the wrong passage here. I'm looking at Jeremiah 9. and I've got 31, but it's 21, that's why. Jeremiah 9 verse 21, For death is come up into our windows, and has entered into our palaces to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets. Notice he said that death has come up into our windows, like a peeping tom, just kind of slipping up on you, looking in. But if you'll look in your Bibles, To the book of Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 1. Proverbs 29 and verse 1. Hopefully many of you can quote this verse. Proverbs 29 verse 1. Here's what the scripture says.

[John Weaver] He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Now on the one hand, he talks about death slipping up on you steathily and slowly. On the other hand, he talks about death coming suddenly and quickly and violently. Well, let me tell you something. It really doesn't matter if death creeps up on you or if death comes quickly, you're still dead. Death is absolutely sure.

[John Weaver] Now, there's one particular work that we need to muse upon and think upon And that's what I want to focus upon today. And this is the thought, this is the area that most of us really never ever consider. It is when God, in His providence, comes for one in death. In Psalm 66 verse 9, don't turn there, but the Bible says, talking about God, who holdeth our soul in life.

[John Weaver] He suffereth not our feet to be moved. It is God who holds our soul in life. In Psalm 31, in verse 15, David said this, My times are in thy hand. So now think about this. God holds our soul in life and our times are in God's hand. Since very obviously our soul is in God's hand and our times are in God's hand, that means it is God that not only determines when we're born, that is also God who determines when we die.

[John Weaver] That's why the scripture said in Job 14, which we read earlier, His days are determined, thou supported His bounds that He may not pass. His days are determined, the number of His months are with Thee. Thou supported His bounds that He cannot pass. If you would turn back in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 49, let me just show you this from scripture. I'll make the statement, but I want you to see it for yourself.

[John Weaver] There is not anyone that can redeem himself from death. No man. Notice if you would, Psalm 49 verse 6. He's talking about the wicked particularly and especially the wealthy wicked. He says they trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches. None of them can by any means redeem his brother. nor give to God a ransom for him." Wow. Ted Kennedy and all of his money could not buy one more day of life. He could not even buy another second of life.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. What I want us to focus on today is not just the fact that it is God who comes for us providentially in death. Here is a thought that I want to reach very deeply into your soul. And that is this. I want you to think for a little while on what we discover immediately after we die. I have two points.

[John Weaver] One I'm going to cover this week, one next week. The one this week is I want you to consider the death of the sinner. Next week, I want you to consider the death of the saint. Let me tell you how this message got started. Someone told me a joke about Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy has been dead now about six months. And what the individual said to me is this, I've got good news concerning Senator Ted Kennedy.

[John Weaver] And my response is, well, what is it? And the person responded, he's now been sober for six months. Well, Ted Kennedy was known for his drunkenness, his adultery, his whoremongering, his extreme liberalism.

[John Weaver] Now, I was told this, I do not know this for a fact, but in his biography that he had been writing, he was listing all of his illicit relationships, and the family kind of overruled, especially after he's dead, and that's being taken out. But Ted Kennedy was basically against any and everything that was biblical, holy, righteous and just.

[John Weaver] Now what caused me to think in this area was that joke. Because I went just a little further and I could not help but think. What was Ted Kennedy's reaction? His response when all of a sudden he was thrust into the presence of a holy God whom he had violated and sinned against and cursed and mocked. What was his response when he had to face instantaneously and immediately the sovereign judge of all the earth?

[John Weaver] Have you ever thought about those who die without Christ? What do they discover? You remember in Luke chapter 12, don't turn there, but in Luke chapter 12, our Lord tells us about the rich farmer. And the rich farmer said, what am I going to do? I have many goods laid up for many years. I know what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns. I will build bigger barns. And then I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many years.

[John Weaver] Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But in Luke 12, in verse 20, our Lord said to him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. And then whose will all these things be which you have laid up? In other words, God called the man a fool because he had made himself wealthy in this world. but was not wealthy toward God, he had taken great pains to become wealthy, but had not taken any pains to become godly. What in the world went through that man's mind when he died and faced God?

[John Weaver] So what will a sinner find when he dies? Think about this. How will he face the God that he ridiculed, denied, disobeyed, and rebelled against? I don't want to be flippant in this message today. You know, there's a lot of things that you could say and just point by point by point, but you know, there are two basic things that he's going to discover immediately. Number one is that God is. That is a basic presupposition in Scripture. Nowhere in the Bible does God ever try to prove the existence of God. It just simply begins, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. The first basic presupposition is that God is. The second basic presupposition is that God has spoken. He's going to find, first of all, that God is. He's going to find, secondly, that God has spoken, that His Word is absolutely true. And the third thing He's going to find instantaneously is that He is in an eternity of trouble and suffering and turmoil. without me enlarging upon any of those things in great deal.

[John Weaver] And let me tell you, the message today is not meant to be exhaustive. There's no way in the world I can be exhaustive. But I want to just share with you some of the thoughts that I had when I thought of men and women who died unconverted. What in the world will they instantaneously, and immediately face. Here's the first thing. Upon the death of a sinner, he will face an angry God. Psalm 7 and verse 11 says this, that God is angry with the wicked every day. Death does not change the anger of God. Death does not change the nature of God. God is still angry with the wicked. The sinner will find, because of his sins, he will be facing the righteous anger of God, and he will have no standing before God, and he will have no one to plead his case.

[John Weaver] He will melt away, in one sense of the word, like a snail before the fire. In Psalm 76 and verse 7, the Bible says this concerning God, Thou, even Thou, art to be feared, and who may stand in Thy presence once Thou art angry? Who may stand in Thy presence once Thou art angry? I want you to go to the book of Nahum, Minor Prophet. I want you to see what the Bible says. The book of Nahum. Jonah, Micah, Nahum. Look in Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. Nahum chapter 1 verses 2 and 3. We'll get another verse in just a moment. Look in verse 2.

[John Weaver] The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. Nahum 1 verse 3 is where I'm reading. Nahum 1 verse 3. I probably said 2, but it's verse 3. Nahum 1 verse 3. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds of the dust of his feet. Go back to verse 2.

[John Weaver] I should have read it first. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries. He reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all equip the wicked. Now, notice if you would, God is furious. That right there would be enough to scare the living daylights out of me, to know that I had to face an absolutely holy, righteous, furious God. And God will not at all acquit the wicked.

[John Weaver] Skip down to verse 6. Here it is again. Who can stand before His indignation, and who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him. Can you imagine What a shock it is to a sinner to discover that he must face a righteous, angry, absolutely furious, sovereign and holy God. You know what he's going to discover? He's going to discover that God is not some senile old man in a rocking chair in heaven who watched him and winked at his sins very leniently. and kind of smiled at his sins in rebellion. He's going to find that God is not like that at all. And the anger of God is going to fill him with absolute terror. How do I know that? Psalm 73 verse 19.

[John Weaver] Let me just quote it for you. How are they brought in desolation as in a moment? They are utterly consumed with terrors. utterly consumed with terrors. Please note that. They shall be utterly consumed with terrors. Job 18 verse 11 says this. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side. And finally, in Job 18 and verse 14, his confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. God to the sinner. will be the absolute king of terrors. Not just death. Death will just usher him into the presence of that righteous and holy God.

[John Weaver] Now, you've got to ask yourself this question. What kind of terrors will consume the sinner? Well, first of all, I believe there are the terrors of his sins. I want you to think. In Luke 16, you remember the rich man that died, and he said to Abraham concerning Lazarus, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue for he is tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to the rich man, Son, remember. Remember. Remember. I think, based upon the word of God, that the sinner is going to understand that God will not at all acquit the wicked. And one of the terrors that is going to strike eternal fear in the hearts of the unsaved is they will remember in stinging and striking detail every sin that they ever committed. They will understand the awfulness of it, the wickedness of it. They will understand the justice of their punishment. And I believe that in great striking detail, every one of those stings those sins will sting their conscience through eternity.

[John Weaver] You know what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 56? Listen. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. The sting of death is sin. What makes sin so painful for the unsaved? It's stinging them like a scorpion because of their sins and their wickedness. And the horror of dying unsaved is the sting of sin. And all of those sins that the sinner has forgotten, all of a sudden shall flood his soul and flood his mind with a thousand stinging stings like a thousand scorpions smiting him every second. They will understand that each and every sin merits eternal punishment. And the sinner will have thousands upon thousands of sins to sting and torment his conscience. You know, David prayed in Psalm 25 and verse 7. In his prayer to God, he says, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Now David said, Lord, I sinned. I sure don't remember the sins of my youth. What the sinner is going to discover is this. Not only does he remember his sins, but God remembers them as well.

[John Weaver] If you look in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 10. Jeremiah 14 and verse 10. Look what God says to the people. Jeremiah 14 verse 10. Thus saith the Lord unto this people, they have loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them, He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins. You know, one of the promises to the righteous is He will remember our sins and wickedness no more. But now to the wicked, God says He remembers their sins. Can you imagine, just for one minute, can you think, can you muse upon this, just for one minute, what it must be like for the sinner to stand before a righteous, holy, angry, furious God when he remembers his sins in details, and he knows that God knows every one of those sins in details, and he understands what God understands, that his sins merit eternal punishment.

[John Weaver] And upon a sinner's death, he instantaneously is thrust in the presence of God, and he understands this. Second, let me emphasize, I believe there is the terror of just remembering. Not just remembering the sins. If you will remember, in Mark 9 verse 44, Mark 9 verse 46, and Mark 9 verse 48, Our Lord says this three times, talking about those who die, He says this,"...where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

[John Weaver] Now, you can look up just about any commentator that you want, and each one of them will tell you that the word worm there will refer to man's conscience. We forget about the word conscience. Let me just explain it before I give you a quote. The Greek word for conscience is syun adasis. Syun is a preposition which means with, adasis means to know. So your conscience is that which you know with. Look at the English word conscience. Con is a preposition which means with, science to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. And so when our Lord is talking about this, where the worm dieth not, He's talking about the conscience not dying. Here's what John Gill, the Baptist commentator, said on these verses. By their worm is meant their conscience.

[John Weaver] For as a worm that is continually gnawing upon the entrails of a man gives him exquisite pain, so the consciences of sinners will be continually flying in their faces bringing their sins to remembrance, accusing them, upbraiding them with them, aggravating them, tormenting them for them, filling them with dreadful anguish and misery, with twinging remorses, and severe reflections, and which will never have an end. This will be always the case.

[John Weaver] Conscience will be ever distressing, wracking, and torturing them. It will never cease, nor cease doing this office. The conscience then is that part of man that remembers. And the conscience can remember things other than just sins. Now watch. Can you think with me just for a moment of the absolute horror that will pervade the mind of the sinner when all of a sudden he remembers every sermon he's ever heard, every scripture that was ever read, every prayer that was ever prayed. Any friend or neighbor or family who besought him to come to Christ, what must it be like to stand before a righteous, holy, furious God, remembering every one of your sins in detail. and then remembering every sermon, every Bible verse, every prayer in exquisite detail where you were pleaded with and begged with to repent and turn to Christ, and all of a sudden you realize now all of those opportunities you scoffed at, you laughed at, you refused to seek God in repentance and faith, you refused to beg Christ for forgiveness, you refused to ask Him for His gifts, and now you stand there eternally condemned with the thought, what an absolute fool I was.

[John Weaver] Can you imagine the horror of remembering? Hearing the mother's prayers. Hearing the father's instructions. I want to show you something else. Turn in your Bibles, Luke 14. Look in Luke chapter 14. Can you imagine, not just remembering the sins and the opportunities, but can you imagine how the conscience will convict and condemn the sinner when he was just too busy? And I'm going to say too busy with even lawful things. Can you imagine what it must be like for the sinner who died extremely wealthy in this world's goods, but yet died unsaved?

[John Weaver] I was told about a multi-millionaire who died And as one of the pallbearers was helping him to the grave, he turned to another pallbearer and asked, how much did he leave? To which the other pallbearer said, he left it all. I want you to look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 14 and verse 16. Let's begin there. Luke 14 verse 16. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper and bade many. And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse.

[John Weaver] The first said unto him, I bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. I pray thee have me excused. Another said, I bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I married a wife, therefore I cannot come.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, is it unlawful to buy property? No. And by the way, how many of you are going to buy a property sight unseen? Nobody. This guy said, I bought property and I must need to go see it. Another said, I bought oxen and I must need to go prove them. How many are going to buy oxen without knowing what kind of condition they're in before you buy them?

[John Weaver] You've got to be a fool. But the point I'm trying to make Buying property is not unlawful. Buying oxen is not unlawful. Getting married is certainly not unlawful. What these people were doing was this, they were using lawful things unlawfully. They were using lawful activities to avoid obeying God. I don't have time. I'm too busy. There's not enough hours in the day. And what he's doing is using lawful responsibilities unlawfully, and he's using them to his destruction. Can you imagine the horror that must go through the mind of an individual who not only remembers his sins and remembers his lost opportunities, but at the same time remembers how he spent his life on lawful things and using them unlawfully, then he's just too busy to seek the Lord. You know about terror?

[John Weaver] I believe he will be absolutely terrified. There's a third area. That is the terror of fully and finally recognizing the sovereignty of Christ. I want you to turn to John 5 and Philippians chapter 2, and I want you to listen before I read these passages. We're going to John 5 first, and then we'll go to Philippians chapter 2 secondly.

[John Weaver] Every one of us have heard messages all of our lives on the tenderness of Christ. On Christ the Lamb of God. Christ the Good Shepherd. Christ the Great Physician. Christ the Lily of the Valleys. What must it be like for a sinner who's heard these messages about the tenderness of Christ and Christ the Lamb of God all of a sudden thrust into his presence and he finds that the Lamb of God is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and that baby that he thought of as Christ is now the enthroned, sovereign God Who is His judge?

[John Weaver] You know why sinners love Christmas? Not just because of money. Who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a baby? We want to keep Christ. in the cradle. We want to keep Christ in the manger. Christ is not in a cradle. He's not in a manger. Christ is not on a cross. He is the enthroned, resurrected, sovereign God of heaven and earth. And when sinners die, they will not face a baby. They will not face a lamb. They'll face a lion.

[John Weaver] In John 5, Verse 22, watch carefully. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Why? That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father that is in Him. The Father judgeth no man. He's committed all judgment to the Son. Why? That all men may honor the Son as the sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth, even as they honor the Father. If you look in Philippians 2, beginning there in verse 9, I'm not talking about the humiliation of Christ now, I'm talking about His exaltation. Look in Philippians 2 in verse 9, the Bible says, wherefore, Philippians 2 verse 9, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

[John Weaver] Every sinner will bow before the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ and confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods, and that they should have loved Him and should have worshipped Him and should have honored Him. They did not. It will not save them. It will be to their condemnation. But yet they will still acknowledge and confess. Can you imagine what it must be like? The terror that will fill their souls when they must bow before the One they despised and rejected and hated. and they recognize now He is their Judge and their Sovereign. I want one last thing to share with you about what a sinner will find immediately upon his death. He will only find an angry God. He will only find terrors He can only find the sovereignty of Christ. But he will also find an angry God and one that despises Him and holds Him in the utmost contempt.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. I'm going to tell you, this passage should be enough to make any sinner think. Look in Psalm 73. I don't have time to go through this entire Psalm, but it's the Psalm of Asap. If you will look in Psalm 73 verse 20, Asap says this, As a dream when one awakeneth, So, O LORD, when Thou awakenest that is in judgment, Thou shalt despise their image."

[John Weaver] Now listen, the Hebrew word for despise means to scorn. It means to treat as despicable. It means to treat as vile and worthless. It means to have contempt for and to despise.

[John Weaver] Now listen, John Gill said upon this verse, Thou shalt despise their image, the image of the earthly man, of sin and of Satan, which is upon both their souls and bodies, which will both be destroyed in hell, or their riches and honor, the vain show in which they have walked, their outward pomp and splendor, which was only a show and an outward appearance, and no solidity in substance, and which will not be esteemed in the great day of account, but despised The wicked will awake to arise to everlasting shame and contempt. Now here's what Psalm 73 and verse 20 is teaching us. That when God awakes a judgment, those who have despised God all of their lives will be despised by God.

[John Weaver] You're talking about lex talionis. You're talking about the law of retribution. You're talking about the punishment fitting the crime. The crime of those who despise the sovereign God of heaven and earth will be punished with God's eternal detestation and despisement of them. Think, before their deaths, God caused His sun to shine upon them. He gave them fruitful seasons. He gave them rain in due season. He showered them with every physical and material blessing.

[John Weaver] He supplied all their needs, yet they rejected Him, they refused Him, they ignored Him, they mocked Him, they despised Him. They continued to despise His riches even though He forbore with them. Let me show you. Turn to Romans chapter 2. Here it is in black and white. Romans chapter 2. Notice verses 4 through 6. All God did to sinners was good. Notice Romans 2. beginning there with verse 4,"...or despises thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, watch, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who

[John Weaver] will render to every man according to his deeds." Now look at verse 4,"...or despises thou the riches of his goodness." God gave them life. God gave them blessings. God gave them everything. And what did they do? They despised Him. And when they despised Him, He did not instantly smite them down. What did He do? He forbore with them. He gave them longer. He gave them more blessings. And when they despised His forbearance, what did they do then?

[John Weaver] His longsuffering came into play. He still did not smite them down, but He continued to bless them.

[John Weaver] Finally, All they're doing is treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath and the righteous revelation of God. And what is God going to do? God is going to righteously repay them, reward them according to their sins.

[John Weaver] Now, think with me just for a moment. Please listen. Because the Bible said, When thou awakenest, O God, thou shalt despise their image. Let's suppose, just for a moment, Let's suppose there are no pains or sufferings in judgment and condemnation. Let's suppose there is no fire, there is no brimstone, there is no hell. Let's suppose there is no sting of conscience, there is no remembrance of sin, there is no remembrance of opportunities. Let's say that nothing happens to the sinner except God eternally despises them.

[John Weaver] To think that a sinner would be eternally hated, abhorred, scorned, despised, treated violently, contemptuously, and worthlessly by a holy, righteous, glorious, sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth is more than we can even conceive. You must remember God's infinity. That means God has no limits. You cannot bind God. You must remember God's omnipotence. That is, God is all-powerful. That means this, that God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless. His omnipotence means that it's all-powerful. His eternity means it'll endure forever.

[John Weaver] Only God can despise the perfect despisement. Only God can hate with a perfect hatred. How much hatred, how much despisement, how much contempt could a wicked, vile, sinful worm endure. And yet he'll face it for eternity. You must also remember that God is immutable. He does not change. And so God will throughout eternity cast His disapproval, His contempt, His despisement upon the head and the heads of those who despised Him and His Son. If there were no pains in hell, if there was no hell, if there was nothing else, to be despised by God is a punishment far greater than any mortal can bear.

[John Weaver] Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. One of the greatest ploys of sin and Satan is to keep us so busy that we either do not think or do not have time to think. Any normal, rational person knows that he must die. And he must be prepared to die. No one is prepared to live until he is prepared to die. since we do not know the time of our death nor the means of our death.

[John Weaver] The wise thing is to prepare to meet our Maker. In Amos 4 and verse 12, God said to Israel, Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. And let me tell you something, dear friend, the truth is this, you will meet God whether you are prepared or not. Everyone will meet Him, whether we're prepared or not.

[John Weaver] The second application is this, I believe we should use this message as an encouragement to be witnesses to warn our family and our friends. Most of us never have thought and meditated upon what it's like to die without Christ. If you were to read Luke 16, don't turn there. But it was the man who was in hell, who lifted up his eyes being in torment, said, Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren, for I have five brethren, and warn them, lest they come to this place of torment. It's interesting that those who are already lost and dead and in hell are very missionary minded. But you know what Abraham said? If one went from the dead, they would not believe. You say, oh, come on. Well, Christ came from the dead and people still do not believe. But he went on and said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

[John Weaver] God has raised His Son from the dead and seated Him in His own right hand. He's preserved and protected His Word. If you will not hear His Word, you too will die lost. And when you die, you will discover that God is, and the Bible is the Word of God, and that you will face an angry God full of terror in your conscience. You will remember every sin. You will remember every opportunity. It will strike terror continually through you. And on top of everything else, you will be eternally despised by God.

[John Weaver] What is it sinners understand? immediately after their death. They understand they're lost. They're lost. They're lost. And they're in for an eternity of pain and suffering. That means if you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ as He's fully and freely offered in the Gospel. David said, I muse, I meditate, I think on the work of thy hands and one of God's works His judgment and His providence as He comes for sinners and saints in death. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. O God, awaken us. There are some here, Lord, who may be lost. Some hearing my voice who are lost, we know not the day nor the hour of our death, but we know one thing, we must die and we must meet God. And we ask you, Father, to give us grace to warn our friends and our family and to encourage them to seek repentance and faith as the free gifts of God and salvation as it's only found in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] In Thy name we ask and pray, Amen.

Just Thinking Part 1 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	SSmMb_A0tQ0
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 171: Just Thinking — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	76

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Call to Muse

Weaver introduces Psalm 143:5 and the concept of 'musing' as deep thinking, contrasting it with amusement. He notes the message will be in two parts, covering only the first point today.

Psalm 143 and verse 5. Psalm 143 verse 5. Notice David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 143:5

"I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands."

Note the phrase,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 143:5

"I muse on the work of thy hands."

Let me begin by saying that this message today is actually going to be in two parts. I only have two points, and I'm only going to be able to cover one point today. So it's going to be absolutely necessary that you hear the second point next week. But the title of the message is "Just Thinking." And I think you will see the impact of that just shortly. David said, "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands." Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think. The Hebrew word "muse" literally means to study, to think, to ponder, to meditate, to concentrate upon and commune upon.

The Works of God's Hands: Creation, Providence, Redemption

Weaver briefly surveys the works of God's hands in creation, providence, and redemption, citing various Psalms and Ephesians 1.

When you think about the work of God's hands, one of the first areas that you think about is creation. For very obviously, this world is indeed the work of God's hands. In Psalm 95 and verse 5, the Bible says this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 95:5

"The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land."

When you get to Psalm 102 and verse 25, the Word of God says, "Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands." And then of course in Psalm 119 and verse 73, David said, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." So here is creation, and clearly we could think a lot about creation because it is indeed the work of God's hands. The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

So very obviously creation is the work of God's hands. But then secondly, providence is also the work of God's hands. It is in God's providence that He marvelously and miraculously supplies all of our needs. We are told that He makes the sun to rise upon the just and the unjust and He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust alike. The Bible tells us in Psalm 37 verse 23 that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." So that is the providence of God in leading and guiding and directing. Now, I want you, since you're in Psalms, flip back, if you would please, to Psalm 139. And look, if you would please, at verses 9 and 10. Just to show you the providential leadership of God in Psalm 139.

Notice verse 9, David says this, "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." So God's providence then is that which sustains us, and preserves us, and protects us, and leads us, and supplies all of our needs. If you would turn right back to Psalm 92 and look at verse 4, David says it like this. Psalm 92 and verse 4. He says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 92:4

"For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands."

And of course, the work of God's hands is not only in creation, but in providence as well. God is the one that opens doors. God is the one that closes doors. God is the one that gives us victory. God is the one that allows us to succeed. So David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 92:4

"I will triumph in the works of thy hands."

Then thirdly, and I'm certainly not going to try to delineate upon it, but there is the work of God in redemption. Without turning there, if you were to read Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1-14, which by the way is one sentence in the Greek. It is the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. In Ephesians 1 verses 1-14, you have the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in redemption. So we could sit here and literally all day talk about and meditate upon the work of God's hands in creation, in providence, and also in redemption as well. But I want to just point out a couple of areas and then I'm going to concentrate on one where most of us really never ever think or muse upon.

God's Work in Truth and Judgment

God preserves His Word and executes judgment. Examples include Voltaire and Nietzsche, and references to Psalm 12:6-7 and Romans 1:18-20.

Another area that we do not often muse upon is the work of God's hand in truth and in judgment. Do you realize that God not only protects His truth, but He also preserves His truth? And He protects and preserves that truth from even wicked generations. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 12, if you would, at verses 6 and 7. Psalm 12, verses 6 and 7. Note carefully what the Word of God says. Psalm 12, beginning there with verse 6. He says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

Now we're talking about God's Word. So look in verse 7.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

That is His words.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

God is going to protect and preserve His Word. He's going to make sure that His truth is conveyed and wicked men are not going to destroy His truth.

One of my favorite stories is about Voltaire, the noted French infidel. Voltaire said within a hundred years after his death, Christianity and the Bible would be extinct. Within just a few years after his death, the Bible Society purchased his house, set up printing presses, and printed and distributed millions of Bibles from Voltaire's house. Hmm. Very obviously, Voltaire is extinct. I also like Nietzsche. You remember, Nietzsche is the German philosopher that started "God is Dead." In fact, he wrote "God is Dead" after Nietzsche was dead and buried. In fact, it's "God is Dead" — signed, Nietzsche. Someone slipped out to the graveyard and wrote "Nietzsche is dead" — signed, God. Well.

God's going to protect His word. God's going to preserve His word. If you look in Psalm 111 and verse 7. Psalm 111 and verse 7. Notice if you would what the Bible says. We're still talking about the works of God's hands. Psalm 111 and verse 7. God says this.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 111:7

"The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure."

So God certainly acts in providence to preserve and protect his word. And God also reveals his truth in providential judgment as well. Without you turning there, you remember in Romans 1 verses 18 through 20, the Bible speaks about the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. So when we begin to look at what David says, "I muse on the work of thy hands," we have plenty of areas in which we can muse, in which we can concentrate and think upon.

The Certainty of Death

Weaver asserts that death is appointed for all, citing Job 7:1, Job 14:1-5, Psalm 90:9-10, and Hebrews 9:27. Death may come stealthily or suddenly.

But the area that I want to deal with today and the area that I want to deal with next Sunday is an area in which most of us do very little thinking. And it's an area in which we do not really want to approach. Because it concerns death. And the truth of the matter is, we must not only think about our deaths, but we also must think about the deaths of others as well. We know that we're going to die. We know that others are going to die. There is no escape from that reality. We're told in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

Now I want you to see that scriptures speak very pointedly upon this subject. I want you to turn back in your Bibles. First of all to Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Then we'll go to Job 14. We'll look in Job 7 and verse 1. God is talking about man. And notice what He says in Job 7 and verse 1. A very interesting verse.

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?"

"Are not his days also like the days of an hireling?" Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? How many of you are going to live forever on this earth and not going to die? No. Every one of us know that we're going to die. There is an appointed time. God not only appointed the day of our birth, God also appointed the day of our death. If you look in Job 14, Job 14, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. Everyone in here can identify with this.

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?" "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one."

Now look at verse 5, Job 14 verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

Note if you would,

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"His days are determined. The number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

So God has said to each of us, just like He said to the sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further." God has appointed our bounds. He's appointed the day of our death. If you would turn right over to Psalm 90, you will see again how the Psalmist addresses this issue, Psalm 90. And notice, if you would please, verses 9 and 10. Psalm 90, verse 9. David says it like this, "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told."

Now let me just stop there. "We spend our years as a tale that is told." Since we had company this weekend, I shared with them a lot of things about our grandchildren when they were little. Can you please tell me why I don't have any little grandchildren anymore? It's a tale that is told. All of our grandchildren are grown. Can you please tell me, just thinking about this, where's the last 47 years gone? You see what I'm saying? It's now a tale that is told. It passes so quickly. Watch verse 10. David says this, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." So the average life span now is 70. If we make it to 80, usually, it's trouble and sorrow.

I have not seen too many 80-year-olds out playing softball and baseball and basketball and acting like spring chickens. You see what I'm saying? And you begin to complain of bursitis and arthritis and every ache and pain imaginable. In fact, I've discovered muscles in the last few years that I never even knew that I had. And the only reason I discovered them is they're sore. They hurt. And I knew that they're there now. But I'm just simply saying, he said, our life is simply gone so quickly and it's over with. It's like a tale that is told.

And the truth is this, death comes to everyone sooner or later. And it doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor. It doesn't matter if you're ignorant or intellectual. It doesn't matter if you're young or old. It doesn't matter if you're a king or a peasant. Death comes to all.

Now, I want to show you two things. The scripture teaches that sometimes death comes along to us as a peeping tom. Everybody knows what a peeping tom is. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 9. A peeping tom, of course, is someone who will slip up on your house slowly and stealthily and then look in your windows and hoping to see probably you undressed or something like that. He's a peeping Tom. He doesn't come quickly. He doesn't make a lot of noise.

He just slips up on you. Well, notice what the Bible says in Jeremiah 9. I think it's Jeremiah 9. I may have the wrong passage here. I'm looking at Jeremiah 9, and I've got 31, but it's 21, that's why. Jeremiah 9 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 9:21

"For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets."

Notice he said that death has come up into our windows, like a peeping tom, just kind of slipping up on you, looking in. But if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 1. Proverbs 29 and verse 1. Hopefully many of you can quote this verse. Proverbs 29 verse 1. Here's what the scripture says.

"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Now on the one hand, he talks about death slipping up on you stealthily and slowly. On the other hand, he talks about death coming suddenly and quickly and violently. Well, let me tell you something. It really doesn't matter if death creeps up on you or if death comes quickly, you're still dead. Death is absolutely sure.

God's Sovereignty in Death

God holds our soul in life and determines our days. No one can redeem himself from death (Psalm 49:6-7). Weaver introduces the focus: what happens immediately after a sinner dies.

Now, there's one particular work that we need to muse upon and think upon. And that's what I want to focus upon today. And this is the thought, this is the area that most of us really never ever consider. It is when God, in His providence, comes for one in death. In Psalm 66 verse 9, don't turn there, but the Bible says, talking about God,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 66:9

"Which holdeth our soul in life." "And suffereth not our feet to be moved."

It is God who holds our soul in life. In Psalm 31, in verse 15, David said this, "My times are in thy hand." So now think about this. God holds our soul in life and our times are in God's hand. Since very obviously our soul is in God's hand and our times are in God's hand, that means it is God that not only determines when we're born, that is also God who determines when we die.

That's why the scripture said in Job 14, which we read earlier, "His days are determined, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. If you would turn back in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 49, let me just show you this from scripture. I'll make the statement, but I want you to see it for yourself.

There is not anyone that can redeem himself from death. No man. Notice if you would, Psalm 49 verse 6. He's talking about the wicked particularly and especially the wealthy wicked. He says, "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Wow. Ted Kennedy and all of his money could not buy one more day of life. He could not even buy another second of life.

Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. What I want us to focus on today is not just the fact that it is God who comes for us providentially in death. Here is a thought that I want to reach very deeply into your soul. And that is this. I want you to think for a little while on what we discover immediately after we die. I have two points. One I'm going to cover this week, one next week. The one this week is I want you to consider the death of the sinner. Next week, I want you to consider the death of the saint. Let me tell you how this message got started. Someone told me a joke about Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy has been dead now about six months. And what the individual said to me is this, "I've got good news concerning Senator Ted Kennedy."

The Sinner's Discovery: An Angry God

Upon death, the sinner faces an angry, furious God who will not acquit the wicked (Nahum 1:2-3, 6). This fills the sinner with terror (Psalm 73:19).

And let me tell you, the message today is not meant to be exhaustive. There's no way in the world I can be exhaustive. But I want to just share with you some of the thoughts that I had when I thought of men and women who died unconverted. What in the world will they instantaneously and immediately face? Here's the first thing. Upon the death of a sinner, he will face an angry God. Psalm 7 and verse 11 says this, that "God is angry with the wicked every day." Death does not change the anger of God. Death does not change the nature of God. God is still angry with the wicked. The sinner will find, because of his sins, he will be facing the righteous anger of God, and he will have no standing before God, and he will have no one to plead his case.

He will melt away, in one sense of the word, like a snail before the fire. In Psalm 76 and verse 7, the Bible says this concerning God, "Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?" Who may stand in thy presence once thou art angry? I want you to go to the book of Nahum, Minor Prophet. I want you to see what the Bible says. The book of Nahum. Jonah, Micah, Nahum. Look in Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. Nahum chapter 1 verses 2 and 3. We'll get another verse in just a moment. Look in verse 2.

"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." Nahum 1 verse 3 is where I'm reading. Nahum 1 verse 3. I probably said 2, but it's verse 3. Nahum 1 verse 3. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." Go back to verse 2. I should have read it first. "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." Now, notice if you would, God is furious. That right there would be enough to scare the living daylights out of me, to know that I had to face an absolutely holy, righteous, furious God. And God will not at all acquit the wicked.

Skip down to verse 6. Here it is again. "Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him." Can you imagine what a shock it is to a sinner to discover that he must face a righteous, angry, absolutely furious, sovereign and holy God. You know what he's going to discover? He's going to discover that God is not some senile old man in a rocking chair in heaven who watched him and winked at his sins very leniently and kind of smiled at his sins in rebellion. He's going to find that God is not like that at all. And the anger of God is going to fill him with absolute terror. How do I know that? Psalm 73 verse 19.

Let me just quote it for you. "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." Utterly consumed with terrors. Please note that. They shall be utterly consumed with terrors. Job 18 verse 11 says this, "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side." And finally, in Job 18 and verse 14, "His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors." God to the sinner will be the absolute king of terrors. Not just death. Death will just usher him into the presence of that righteous and holy God.

The Terrors of Remembrance

The sinner will remember every sin in detail (Luke 16:25, 1 Corinthians 15:56) and every lost opportunity, including sermons, prayers, and lawful things used as excuses (Luke 14:16-20).

Now, you've got to ask yourself this question. What kind of terrors will consume the sinner? Well, first of all, I believe there are the terrors of his sins. I want you to think. In Luke 16, you remember the rich man that died, and he said to Abraham concerning Lazarus, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue; for he is tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to the rich man, "Son, remember." Remember. Remember. I think, based upon the word of God, that the sinner is going to understand that God will not at all acquit the wicked. And one of the terrors that is going to strike eternal fear in the hearts of the unsaved is they will remember in stinging and striking detail every sin that they ever committed. They will understand the awfulness of it, the wickedness of it. They will understand the justice of their punishment. And I believe that in great striking detail, every one of those sins will sting their conscience through eternity.

You know what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 56? Listen. "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." The sting of death is sin. What makes sin so painful for the unsaved? It's stinging them like a scorpion because of their sins and their wickedness. And the horror of dying unsaved is the sting of sin. And all of those sins that the sinner has forgotten, all of a sudden shall flood his soul and flood his mind with a thousand stinging stings like a thousand scorpions smiting him every second. They will understand that each and every sin merits eternal punishment. And the sinner will have thousands upon thousands of sins to sting and torment his conscience. You know, David prayed in Psalm 25 and verse 7. In his prayer to God, he says, "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions." Now David said, "Lord, I sinned. I sure don't remember the sins of my youth." What the sinner is going to discover is this. Not only does he remember his sins, but God remembers them as well.

If you look in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 10. Jeremiah 14 and verse 10. Look what God says to the people. Jeremiah 14 verse 10. "Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins." You know, one of the promises to the righteous is He will remember our sins and wickedness no more. But now to the wicked, God says He remembers their sins. Can you imagine, just for one minute, can you think, can you muse upon this, just for one minute, what it must be like for the sinner to stand before a righteous, holy, angry, furious God when he remembers his sins in details, and he knows that God knows every one of those sins in details, and he understands what God understands, that his sins merit eternal punishment.

And upon a sinner's death, he instantaneously is thrust in the presence of God, and he understands this. Second, let me emphasize, I believe there is the terror of just remembering. Not just remembering the sins. If you will remember, in Mark 9 verse 44, Mark 9 verse 46, and Mark 9 verse 48, our Lord says this three times, talking about those who die, He says this, "...where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

Now, you can look up just about any commentator that you want, and each one of them will tell you that the word "worm" there will refer to man's conscience. We forget about the word conscience. Let me just explain it before I give you a quote. The Greek word for conscience is "suneidēsis." "Sun" is a preposition which means "with," "eidēsis" means "to know." So your conscience is that which you know with. Look at the English word conscience. "Con" is a preposition which means "with," "science" to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. And so when our Lord is talking about this, "where the worm dieth not," He's talking about the conscience not dying. Here's what John Gill, the Baptist commentator, said on these verses. "By their worm is meant their conscience."

"For as a worm that is continually gnawing upon the entrails of a man gives him exquisite pain, so the consciences of sinners will be continually flying in their faces, bringing their sins to remembrance, accusing them, upbraiding them with them, aggravating them, tormenting them for them, filling them with dreadful anguish and misery, with twinging remorses, and severe reflections, and which will never have an end. This will be always the case." "Conscience will be ever distressing, wracking, and torturing them. It will never cease, nor cease doing this office." The conscience then is that part of man that remembers. And the conscience can remember things other than just sins. Now watch. Can you think with me just for a moment of the absolute horror that will pervade the mind of the sinner when all of a sudden he remembers every sermon he's ever heard, every scripture that was ever read, every prayer that was ever prayed. Any friend or neighbor or family who besought him to come to Christ, what must it be like to stand before a righteous, holy, furious God, remembering every one of your sins in detail, and then remembering every sermon, every Bible verse, every prayer in exquisite detail where you were pleaded with and begged with to repent and turn to Christ, and all of a sudden you realize now all of those opportunities you scoffed at, you laughed at, you refused to seek God in repentance and faith, you refused to beg Christ for forgiveness, you refused to ask Him for His gifts, and now you stand there eternally condemned with the thought, "What an absolute fool I was."

Can you imagine the horror of remembering? Hearing the mother's prayers. Hearing the father's instructions. I want to show you something else. Turn in your Bibles, Luke 14. Look in Luke chapter 14. Can you imagine, not just remembering the sins and the opportunities, but can you imagine how the conscience will convict and condemn the sinner when he was just too busy? And I'm going to say too busy with even lawful things. Can you imagine what it must be like for the sinner who died extremely wealthy in this world's goods, but yet died unsaved?

I was told about a multi-millionaire who died. And as one of the pallbearers was helping him to the grave, he turned to another pallbearer and asked, "How much did he leave?" To which the other pallbearer said, "He left it all." I want you to look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 14 and verse 16. Let's begin there. Luke 14 verse 16. "Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse." "The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."

Now, let me ask you, is it unlawful to buy property? No. And by the way, how many of you are going to buy a property sight unseen? Nobody. This guy said, "I bought property and I must needs go see it." Another said, "I bought oxen and I must needs go prove them." How many are going to buy oxen without knowing what kind of condition they're in before you buy them? You've got to be a fool. But the point I'm trying to make: Buying property is not unlawful. Buying oxen is not unlawful. Getting married is certainly not unlawful. What these people were doing was this, they were using lawful things unlawfully. They were using lawful activities to avoid obeying God. "I don't have time. I'm too busy. There's not enough hours in the day." And what he's doing is using lawful responsibilities unlawfully, and he's using them to his destruction. Can you imagine the horror that must go through the mind of an individual who not only remembers his sins and remembers his lost opportunities, but at the same time remembers how he spent his life on lawful things and using them unlawfully, then he's just too busy to seek the Lord. You know about terror?

The Terror of Christ's Sovereignty

Sinners will face Christ not as a baby or lamb, but as the sovereign judge (John 5:22, Philippians 2:9-11). They will bow and confess His lordship to their condemnation.

I believe he will be absolutely terrified. There's a third area. That is the terror of fully and finally recognizing the sovereignty of Christ. I want you to turn to John 5 and Philippians chapter 2, and I want you to listen before I read these passages. We're going to John 5 first, and then we'll go to Philippians chapter 2 secondly.

Every one of us have heard messages all of our lives on the tenderness of Christ. On Christ the Lamb of God. Christ the Good Shepherd. Christ the Great Physician. Christ the Lily of the Valleys. What must it be like for a sinner who's heard these messages about the tenderness of Christ and Christ the Lamb of God all of a sudden thrust into his presence and he finds that the Lamb of God is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and that baby that he thought of as Christ is now the enthroned, sovereign God who is His judge? You know why sinners love Christmas? Not just because of money. Who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a baby? We want to keep Christ in the cradle. We want to keep Christ in the manger. Christ is not in a cradle. He's not in a manger. Christ is not on a cross. He is the enthroned, resurrected, sovereign God of heaven and earth. And when sinners die, they will not face a baby. They will not face a lamb. They'll face a lion.

In John 5, verse 22, watch carefully. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." The Father judgeth no man. He's committed all judgment to the Son. Why? That all men may honor the Son as the sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth, even as they honor the Father. If you look in Philippians 2, beginning there in verse 9, I'm not talking about the humiliation of Christ now, I'm talking about His exaltation. Look in Philippians 2 in verse 9, the Bible says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Every sinner will bow before the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ and confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods, and that they should have loved Him and should have worshipped Him and should have honored Him. They did not. It will not save them. It will be to their condemnation. But yet they will still acknowledge and confess. Can you imagine what it must be like? The terror that will fill their souls when they must bow before the One they despised and rejected and hated, and they recognize now He is their Judge and their Sovereign. I want one last thing to share with you about what a sinner will find immediately upon his death. He will only find an angry God. He will only find terrors. He can only find the sovereignty of Christ. But he will also find an angry God and one that despises Him and holds Him in the utmost contempt.

God's Eternal Contempt

Psalm 73:20 teaches that God will despise the wicked. Even without physical torment, being eternally despised by an infinite, omnipotent, immutable God is a punishment beyond comprehension.

Look in your Bibles to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. I'm going to tell you, this passage should be enough to make any sinner think. Look in Psalm 73. I don't have time to go through this entire Psalm, but it's the Psalm of Asaph. If you will look in Psalm 73 verse 20, Asaph says this, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."

Now listen, the Hebrew word for "despise" means to scorn. It means to treat as despicable. It means to treat as vile and worthless. It means to have contempt for and to despise.

Now listen, John Gill said upon this verse, "Thou shalt despise their image, the image of the earthly man, of sin and of Satan, which is upon both their souls and bodies, which will both be destroyed in hell, or their riches and honour, the vain show in which they have walked, their outward pomp and splendour, which was only a show and an outward appearance, and no solidity in substance, and which will not be esteemed in the great day of account, but despised. The wicked will awake to arise to everlasting shame and contempt." Now here's what Psalm 73 and verse 20 is teaching us. That when God awakes in judgment, those who have despised God all of their lives will be despised by God. You're talking about lex talionis. You're talking about the law of retribution. You're talking about the punishment fitting the crime. The crime of those who despise the sovereign God of heaven and earth will be punished with God's eternal detestation and despisement of them. Think, before their deaths, God caused His sun to shine upon them. He gave them fruitful seasons. He gave them rain in due season. He showered them with every physical and material blessing.

He supplied all their needs, yet they rejected Him, they refused Him, they ignored Him, they mocked Him, they despised Him. They continued to despise His riches even though He forbore with them. Let me show you. Turn to Romans chapter 2. Here it is in black and white. Romans chapter 2. Notice verses 4 through 6. All God did to sinners was good. Notice Romans 2, beginning there with verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds."

Now look at verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness." God gave them life. God gave them blessings. God gave them everything. And what did they do? They despised Him. And when they despised Him, He did not instantly smite them down. What did He do? He forbore with them. He gave them longer. He gave them more blessings. And when they despised His forbearance, what did they do then?

His longsuffering came into play. He still did not smite them down, but He continued to bless them. Finally, all they're doing is treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath and the righteous revelation of God. And what is God going to do? God is going to righteously repay them, reward them according to their sins.

Now, think with me just for a moment. Please listen. Because the Bible said, "When thou awakest, O God, thou shalt despise their image." Let's suppose, just for a moment, let's suppose there are no pains or sufferings in judgment and condemnation. Let's suppose there is no fire, there is no brimstone, there is no hell. Let's suppose there is no sting of conscience, there is no remembrance of sin, there is no remembrance of opportunities. Let's say that nothing happens to the sinner except God eternally despises them.

To think that a sinner would be eternally hated, abhorred, scorned, despised, treated violently, contemptuously, and worthlessly by a holy, righteous, glorious, sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth is more than we can even conceive. You must remember God's infinity. That means God has no limits. You cannot bind God. You must remember God's omnipotence. That is, God is all-powerful. That means this, that God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless. His omnipotence means that it's all-powerful. His eternity means it'll endure forever.

Only God can despise with perfect despisement. Only God can hate with a perfect hatred. How much hatred, how much despisement, how much contempt could a wicked, vile, sinful worm endure? And yet he'll face it for eternity. You must also remember that God is immutable. He does not change. And so God will throughout eternity cast His disapproval, His contempt, His despisement upon the head and the heads of those who despised Him and His Son. If there were no pains in hell, if there was no hell, if there was nothing else, to be despised by God is a punishment far greater than any mortal can bear.

Applications: Prepare to Meet God and Warn Others

Weaver urges preparation for death (Amos 4:12) and encourages believers to warn family and friends, as the rich man in Luke 16 desired. The unsaved must seek Christ.

Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. One of the greatest ploys of sin and Satan is to keep us so busy that we either do not think or do not have time to think. Any normal, rational person knows that he must die. And he must be prepared to die. No one is prepared to live until he is prepared to die. Since we do not know the time of our death nor the means of our death.

The wise thing is to prepare to meet our Maker. In Amos 4 and verse 12, God said to Israel, "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." And let me tell you something, dear friend, the truth is this, you will meet God whether you are prepared or not. Everyone will meet Him, whether we're prepared or not. The second application is this, I believe we should use this message as an encouragement to be witnesses to warn our family and our friends. Most of us never have thought and meditated upon what it's like to die without Christ. If you were to read Luke 16, don't turn there. But it was the man who was in hell, who lifted up his eyes being in torment, said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren, for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." It's interesting that those who are already lost and dead and in hell are very missionary minded. But you know what Abraham said? "If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." And he said, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." You say, "Oh, come on." Well, Christ came from the dead and people still do not believe. But he went on and said, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."

God has raised His Son from the dead and seated Him in His own right hand. He's preserved and protected His Word. If you will not hear His Word, you too will die lost. And when you die, you will discover that God is, and the Bible is the Word of God, and that you will face an angry God full of terror in your conscience. You will remember every sin. You will remember every opportunity. It will strike terror continually through you. And on top of everything else, you will be eternally despised by God.

What is it sinners understand immediately after their death? They understand they're lost. They're lost. They're lost. And they're in for an eternity of pain and suffering. That means if you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ as He's fully and freely offered in the Gospel. David said, "I muse, I meditate, I think on the work of thy hands" and one of God's works is His judgment and His providence as He comes for sinners and saints in death. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. O God, awaken us. There are some here, Lord, who may be lost. Some hearing my voice who are lost, we know not the day nor the hour of our death, but we know one thing, we must die and we must meet God. And we ask you, Father, to give us grace to warn our friends and our family and to encourage them to seek repentance and faith as the free gifts of God and salvation as it's only found in Jesus Christ.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Importance of Deep Thinking (Musing)

Summary: Weaver contrasts musing (meditative thinking) with amusement (mindless entertainment), urging believers to think deeply about God's works, especially death.

Evidence: David said, 'I muse on the work of thy hands.' ... Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think.

The Certainty and Sovereignty of Death

Summary: Death is appointed by God for every person; our days are determined and cannot be extended by human effort.

Evidence: Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? ... His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

The Anger of God Toward Sinners

Summary: God is angry with the wicked every day, and death ushers the sinner into the presence of a furious, holy God who will not acquit the guilty.

Evidence: God is angry with the wicked every day. ... God is furious. ... Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?

The Terror of Remembrance After Death

Summary: The lost will remember every sin and every missed opportunity for salvation, causing eternal torment of conscience.

Evidence: Son, remember. ... The sting of death is sin. ... They will remember in stinging and striking detail every sin that they ever committed.

Christ as Sovereign Judge

Summary: Sinners will encounter Christ not as a gentle lamb but as the exalted, sovereign judge to whom every knee must bow.

Evidence: The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. ... Every sinner will bow before the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ and confess that He is King of kings.

God's Eternal Contempt for the Wicked

Summary: God will despise the wicked, treating them with scorn and contempt for eternity, a punishment intensified by His infinite attributes.

Evidence: When thou awakest, O God, thou shalt despise their image. ... God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless.

The Urgency of Preparation and Witness

Summary: Since death is certain and its consequences eternal, the unsaved must prepare to meet God, and believers must warn others.

Evidence: Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. ... We should use this message as an encouragement to be witnesses to warn our family and our friends.

Key Arguments

Musing vs. Amusement

Summary: True thinking (musing) is neglected in favor of amusement, which requires no deep thought. This applies especially to considering death.

Evidence: When you think about amusement, it means that you do not study, you do not think, you do not ponder, you do not meditate, you do not concentrate.

God's Sovereignty Over Life and Death

Summary: God alone determines the length of our days; no wealth or power can redeem a person from death.

Evidence: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. ... His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee.

The Sinner Faces an Angry God

Summary: Death does not change God's disposition toward the wicked; He remains angry and will not acquit them.

Evidence: God is angry with the wicked every day. ... The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.

Conscience as the Undying Worm

Summary: The 'worm that dieth not' refers to the conscience, which will eternally torment sinners with remembrance of sins and opportunities.

Evidence: By their worm is meant their conscience. ... Conscience will be ever distressing, wracking, and torturing them. It will never cease.

Lawful Things Used as Excuses

Summary: Many sinners use lawful activities (property, work, family) as excuses to avoid seeking God, leading to eternal regret.

Evidence: Buying property is not unlawful. Buying oxen is not unlawful. Getting married is certainly not unlawful. What these people were doing was this, they were using lawful things unlawfully.

Christ's Exaltation as Judge

Summary: The same Jesus presented as a tender lamb is now the exalted judge; sinners will bow before Him in terror.

Evidence: Christ is not in a cradle. He's not in a manger. Christ is not on a cross. He is the enthroned, resurrected, sovereign God of heaven and earth.

The Infinite Weight of God's Contempt

Summary: Even without physical torment, being eternally despised by an infinite, omnipotent, immutable God is an unbearable punishment.

Evidence: Only God can despise with perfect despisement. Only God can hate with a perfect hatred. ... God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless.

The Necessity of Repentance and Faith

Summary: The only escape from this fate is to seek Christ in repentance and faith, receiving salvation as a free gift.

Evidence: If you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ as He's fully and freely offered in the Gospel.

Scripture References

Psalm 143:5

Context: Introduction of the sermon's theme: David muses on God's works.

Psalm 95:5

Context: The sea and dry land are the work of God's hands in creation.

Psalm 102:25

Context: The heavens are the work of God's hands.

Psalm 119:73

Context: God's hands made and fashioned us.

John 1:1-3

Context: All things were made by Christ.

Psalm 37:23

Context: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, showing providence.

Psalm 139:9-10

Context: God's hand leads and holds us, even in remote places.

Psalm 92:4

Context: David triumphs in the works of God's hands.

Ephesians 1:1-14

Context: The work of the Trinity in redemption.

Psalm 12:6-7

Context: God preserves His pure words from wicked generations.

Psalm 111:7

Context: The works of God's hands are verity and judgment.

Romans 1:18-20

Context: God's wrath is revealed against ungodliness; truth is held in unrighteousness.

Hebrews 9:27

Context: It is appointed unto men once to die, then judgment.

Job 7:1

Context: There is an appointed time for man on earth.

Job 14:1-5

Context: Man's days are determined; his bounds are appointed by God.

Psalm 90:9-10

Context: Our years pass quickly; lifespan is 70 or 80 years.

Jeremiah 9:21

Context: Death comes up into our windows like a peeping tom.

Proverbs 29:1

Context: He who hardens his neck will be suddenly destroyed.

Psalm 66:9

Context: God holds our soul in life.

Psalm 31:15

Context: My times are in thy hand.

Historical References

Voltaire

Context: French infidel who predicted Christianity's extinction; his house later became a Bible distribution center.

Nietzsche

Context: German philosopher who wrote 'God is Dead'; anecdote about his gravestone.

Ted Kennedy

Context: Recently deceased U.S. Senator known for liberalism, drunkenness, and adultery; used as an example of a sinner facing death.

Important Quotes

I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands.

Significance: The foundational verse for the sermon, introducing the theme of deep thinking about God's works.

Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think.

Significance: Highlights the contrast between musing and amusement, a key point in the introduction.

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

Significance: Emphasizes the certainty of death as ordained by God.

His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

Significance: Key verse on God's sovereignty over the length of life.

God is angry with the wicked every day.

Significance: Establishes the ongoing anger of God toward sinners, which continues after death.

The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.

Significance: Reinforces that God will not overlook sin; judgment is certain.

Son, remember.

Significance: From Luke 16, used to illustrate the torment of memory in hell.

When thou awakest, O God, thou shalt despise their image.

Significance: The climax of the sermon: God's eternal contempt for the wicked.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to 'muse' on the works of God's hands, and how can we cultivate this practice in our daily lives?

Context: Weaver contrasts musing with amusement and emphasizes deep thinking about God's works.

How does the certainty of death and God's sovereignty over it affect the way we live?

Context: Weaver cites Job 14 and Psalm 90 to show that our days are determined.

Why is the anger of God a terrifying reality for the unrepentant sinner?

Context: Weaver describes God as furious and unwilling to acquit the wicked, citing Nahum 1.

In what ways does the conscience act as a 'worm that dieth not' for the lost?

Context: Weaver explains that the conscience will eternally remind sinners of their sins and missed opportunities.

How can lawful activities become excuses for avoiding God, and how can we guard against this?

Context: Weaver uses Luke 14:16-20 to show that buying property, oxen, and marriage were used as excuses.

What does it mean that Christ is both the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah, and how should this shape our view of judgment?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that sinners will face Christ as sovereign judge, not as a baby in a manger.

How does the concept of God's eternal contempt for the wicked intensify the horror of hell?

Context: Weaver expounds Psalm 73:20, explaining that God's despisement is infinite and eternal.

What practical steps can we take to warn our unsaved family and friends about the reality of death and judgment?

Context: Weaver applies the message by urging believers to be witnesses, referencing Luke 16.

Applications

Cultivate Deep Thinking About Death

Summary: Believers should intentionally muse on the reality of death and what follows, rather than being distracted by amusement.

Evidence: One of the greatest ploys of sin and Satan is to keep us so busy that we either do not think or do not have time to think.

Prepare to Meet God

Summary: Since death is certain and its timing unknown, everyone must prepare to meet God through repentance and faith in Christ.

Evidence: Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. ... You will meet God whether you are prepared or not.

Warn the Lost

Summary: Believers should use the sobering truths about the sinner's death to urgently warn family and friends.

Evidence: We should use this message as an encouragement to be witnesses to warn our family and our friends.

Seek Christ Without Delay

Summary: The unsaved must seek Christ immediately, asking God for repentance and faith, and embracing the gospel.

Evidence: If you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:22:03Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:02:23Z

Clean Transcript

Just Thinking Part 1 of 2

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

Psalm 143 and verse 5. Psalm 143 verse 5. Notice David said, "I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands." Note the phrase, "I muse on the work of thy hands." Let me begin by saying that this message today is actually going to be in two parts. I only have two points, and I'm only going to be able to cover one point today. So it's going to be absolutely necessary that you hear the second point next week. But the title of the message is "Just Thinking." And I think you will see the impact of that just shortly. David said, "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands." Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think. The Hebrew word "muse" literally means to study, to think, to ponder, to meditate, to concentrate upon and commune upon.
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Most of you know, especially in Greek, and it's true in English as well, that in Greek if you take the alpha, which is equivalent to our letter A, and you put it in front of a word, it negates it. Same way with English. So you take the word "muse," and you put the alpha or the A in front of it, and you have "amuse." Thus, when you think about amusement, it means that you do not study, you do not think, you do not ponder, you do not meditate, you do not concentrate. There's usually no deep thinking in amusement parks. I mean, you just sit there and ride or do whatever you want to do. And I hope you know that TV is amusement as well. Most of us, if we watch a TV program, we never think. We just sit there and absorb everything that is there without thought, without meditation, without real concentration upon it. David said, "I muse on the work of thy hands." That is, I really, genuinely think and meditate upon the work of thy hands.
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When you think about the work of God's hands, one of the first areas that you think about is creation. For very obviously, this world is indeed the work of God's hands. In Psalm 95 and verse 5, the Bible says this, "The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land." When you get to Psalm 102 and verse 25, the Word of God says, "Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands." And then of course in Psalm 119 and verse 73, David said, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." So here is creation, and clearly we could think a lot about creation because it is indeed the work of God's hands. The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
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So very obviously creation is the work of God's hands. But then secondly, providence is also the work of God's hands. It is in God's providence that He marvelously and miraculously supplies all of our needs. We are told that He makes the sun to rise upon the just and the unjust and He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust alike. The Bible tells us in Psalm 37 verse 23 that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." So that is the providence of God in leading and guiding and directing. Now, I want you, since you're in Psalms, flip back, if you would please, to Psalm 139. And look, if you would please, at verses 9 and 10. Just to show you the providential leadership of God in Psalm 139.
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Notice verse 9, David says this, "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." So God's providence then is that which sustains us, and preserves us, and protects us, and leads us, and supplies all of our needs. If you would turn right back to Psalm 92 and look at verse 4, David says it like this. Psalm 92 and verse 4. He says, "For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands." And of course, the work of God's hands is not only in creation, but in providence as well.
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God is the one that opens doors. God is the one that closes doors. God is the one that gives us victory. God is the one that allows us to succeed. So David said, "I will triumph in the works of thy hands." Then thirdly, and I'm certainly not going to try to delineate upon it, but there is the work of God in redemption. Without turning there, if you were to read Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1-14, which by the way is one sentence in the Greek. It is the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. In Ephesians 1 verses 1-14, you have the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in redemption. So we could sit here and literally all day talk about and meditate upon the work of God's hands in creation, in providence, and also in redemption as well. But I want to just point out a couple of areas and then I'm going to concentrate on one where most of us really never ever think or muse upon.
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Another area that we do not often muse upon is the work of God's hand in truth and in judgment. Do you realize that God not only protects His truth, but He also preserves His truth? And He protects and preserves that truth from even wicked generations. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 12, if you would, at verses 6 and 7. Psalm 12, verses 6 and 7. Note carefully what the Word of God says. Psalm 12, beginning there with verse 6. He says, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Now we're talking about God's Word. So look in verse 7. "Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." That is His words. "Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." God is going to protect and preserve His Word. He's going to make sure that His truth is conveyed and wicked men are not going to destroy His truth.
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One of my favorite stories is about Voltaire, the noted French infidel. Voltaire said within a hundred years after his death, Christianity and the Bible would be extinct. Within just a few years after his death, the Bible Society purchased his house, set up printing presses, and printed and distributed millions of Bibles from Voltaire's house. Hmm. Very obviously, Voltaire is extinct. I also like Nietzsche. You remember, Nietzsche is the German philosopher that started "God is Dead." In fact, he wrote "God is Dead" after Nietzsche was dead and buried. In fact, it's "God is Dead" — signed, Nietzsche. Someone slipped out to the graveyard and wrote "Nietzsche is dead" — signed, God. Well.
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God's going to protect His word. God's going to preserve His word. If you look in Psalm 111 and verse 7. Psalm 111 and verse 7. Notice if you would what the Bible says. We're still talking about the works of God's hands. Psalm 111 and verse 7. God says this. "The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure." So God certainly acts in providence to preserve and protect his word. And God also reveals his truth in providential judgment as well. Without you turning there, you remember in Romans 1 verses 18 through 20, the Bible speaks about the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. So when we begin to look at what David says, "I muse on the work of thy hands," we have plenty of areas in which we can muse, in which we can concentrate and think upon.
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But the area that I want to deal with today and the area that I want to deal with next Sunday is an area in which most of us do very little thinking. And it's an area in which we do not really want to approach. Because it concerns death. And the truth of the matter is, we must not only think about our deaths, but we also must think about the deaths of others as well.
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We know that we're going to die. We know that others are going to die. There is no escape from that reality. We're told in Hebrews 9 in verse 27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
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Now I want you to see that scriptures speak very pointedly upon this subject. I want you to turn back in your Bibles. First of all to Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Job chapter 7 and verse 1. Then we'll go to Job 14. We'll look in Job 7 and verse 1. God is talking about man. And notice what He says in Job 7 and verse 1. A very interesting verse. "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?"
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"Are not his days also like the days of an hireling?" Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? How many of you are going to live forever on this earth and not going to die? No. Every one of us know that we're going to die. There is an appointed time. God not only appointed the day of our birth, God also appointed the day of our death.
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If you look in Job 14, Job 14, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. Everyone in here can identify with this. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?"
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"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one."
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Now look at verse 5, Job 14 verse 5. "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Note if you would, "His days are determined. The number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." So God has said to each of us, just like He said to the sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further." God has appointed our bounds. He's appointed the day of our death.
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If you would turn right over to Psalm 90, you will see again how the Psalmist addresses this issue, Psalm 90. And notice, if you would please, verses 9 and 10. Psalm 90, verse 9. David says it like this, "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told."
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Now let me just stop there. "We spend our years as a tale that is told." Since we had company this weekend, I shared with them a lot of things about our grandchildren when they were little. Can you please tell me why I don't have any little grandchildren anymore? It's a tale that is told. All of our grandchildren are grown. Can you please tell me, just thinking about this, where's the last 47 years gone?
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You see what I'm saying? It's now a tale that is told. It passes so quickly. Watch verse 10. David says this, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." So the average life span now is 70. If we make it to 80, usually, it's trouble and sorrow.
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I have not seen too many 80-year-olds out playing softball and baseball and basketball and acting like spring chickens. You see what I'm saying? And you begin to complain of bursitis and arthritis and every ache and pain imaginable. In fact, I've discovered muscles in the last few years that I never even knew that I had. And the only reason I discovered them is they're sore. They hurt. And I knew that they're there now. But I'm just simply saying, he said, our life is simply gone so quickly and it's over with. It's like a tale that is told.
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And the truth is this, death comes to everyone sooner or later. And it doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor. It doesn't matter if you're ignorant or intellectual. It doesn't matter if you're young or old. It doesn't matter if you're a king or a peasant. Death comes to all.
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Now, I want to show you two things. The scripture teaches that sometimes death comes along to us as a peeping tom. Everybody knows what a peeping tom is. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 9. A peeping tom, of course, is someone who will slip up on your house slowly and stealthily and then look in your windows and hoping to see probably you undressed or something like that. He's a peeping Tom. He doesn't come quickly. He doesn't make a lot of noise.
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He just slips up on you. Well, notice what the Bible says in Jeremiah 9. I think it's Jeremiah 9. I may have the wrong passage here. I'm looking at Jeremiah 9, and I've got 31, but it's 21, that's why. Jeremiah 9 verse 21, "For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets." Notice he said that death has come up into our windows, like a peeping tom, just kind of slipping up on you, looking in. But if you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 1. Proverbs 29 and verse 1. Hopefully many of you can quote this verse. Proverbs 29 verse 1. Here's what the scripture says.
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"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Now on the one hand, he talks about death slipping up on you stealthily and slowly. On the other hand, he talks about death coming suddenly and quickly and violently. Well, let me tell you something. It really doesn't matter if death creeps up on you or if death comes quickly, you're still dead. Death is absolutely sure.
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Now, there's one particular work that we need to muse upon and think upon. And that's what I want to focus upon today. And this is the thought, this is the area that most of us really never ever consider. It is when God, in His providence, comes for one in death. In Psalm 66 verse 9, don't turn there, but the Bible says, talking about God, "Which holdeth our soul in life."
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"And suffereth not our feet to be moved." It is God who holds our soul in life. In Psalm 31, in verse 15, David said this, "My times are in thy hand." So now think about this. God holds our soul in life and our times are in God's hand. Since very obviously our soul is in God's hand and our times are in God's hand, that means it is God that not only determines when we're born, that is also God who determines when we die.
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That's why the scripture said in Job 14, which we read earlier, "His days are determined, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. If you would turn back in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 49, let me just show you this from scripture. I'll make the statement, but I want you to see it for yourself.
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There is not anyone that can redeem himself from death. No man. Notice if you would, Psalm 49 verse 6. He's talking about the wicked particularly and especially the wealthy wicked. He says, "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." Wow. Ted Kennedy and all of his money could not buy one more day of life. He could not even buy another second of life.
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Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. What I want us to focus on today is not just the fact that it is God who comes for us providentially in death. Here is a thought that I want to reach very deeply into your soul. And that is this. I want you to think for a little while on what we discover immediately after we die. I have two points.
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One I'm going to cover this week, one next week. The one this week is I want you to consider the death of the sinner. Next week, I want you to consider the death of the saint. Let me tell you how this message got started. Someone told me a joke about Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy has been dead now about six months. And what the individual said to me is this, "I've got good news concerning Senator Ted Kennedy."
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And my response is, "Well, what is it?" And the person responded, "He's now been sober for six months." Well, Ted Kennedy was known for his drunkenness, his adultery, his whoremongering, his extreme liberalism.
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Now, I was told this, I do not know this for a fact, but in his biography that he had been writing, he was listing all of his illicit relationships, and the family kind of overruled, especially after he's dead, and that's being taken out. But Ted Kennedy was basically against any and everything that was biblical, holy, righteous and just.
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Now what caused me to think in this area was that joke. Because I went just a little further and I could not help but think. What was Ted Kennedy's reaction? His response when all of a sudden he was thrust into the presence of a holy God whom he had violated and sinned against and cursed and mocked. What was his response when he had to face instantaneously and immediately the sovereign judge of all the earth?
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Have you ever thought about those who die without Christ? What do they discover? You remember in Luke chapter 12, don't turn there, but in Luke chapter 12, our Lord tells us about the rich farmer. And the rich farmer said, "What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?" And he said, "This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."
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But in Luke 12, in verse 20, our Lord said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" In other words, God called the man a fool because he had made himself wealthy in this world, but was not wealthy toward God. He had taken great pains to become wealthy, but had not taken any pains to become godly. What in the world went through that man's mind when he died and faced God?
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So what will a sinner find when he dies? Think about this. How will he face the God that he ridiculed, denied, disobeyed, and rebelled against? I don't want to be flippant in this message today. You know, there's a lot of things that you could say and just point by point by point, but you know, there are two basic things that he's going to discover immediately. Number one is that God is. That is a basic presupposition in Scripture. Nowhere in the Bible does God ever try to prove the existence of God. It just simply begins, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The first basic presupposition is that God is. The second basic presupposition is that God has spoken. He's going to find, first of all, that God is. He's going to find, secondly, that God has spoken, that His Word is absolutely true. And the third thing He's going to find instantaneously is that He is in an eternity of trouble and suffering and turmoil. Without me enlarging upon any of those things in great deal.
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And let me tell you, the message today is not meant to be exhaustive. There's no way in the world I can be exhaustive. But I want to just share with you some of the thoughts that I had when I thought of men and women who died unconverted. What in the world will they instantaneously and immediately face? Here's the first thing. Upon the death of a sinner, he will face an angry God. Psalm 7 and verse 11 says this, that "God is angry with the wicked every day." Death does not change the anger of God. Death does not change the nature of God. God is still angry with the wicked. The sinner will find, because of his sins, he will be facing the righteous anger of God, and he will have no standing before God, and he will have no one to plead his case.
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He will melt away, in one sense of the word, like a snail before the fire. In Psalm 76 and verse 7, the Bible says this concerning God, "Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?" Who may stand in thy presence once thou art angry? I want you to go to the book of Nahum, Minor Prophet. I want you to see what the Bible says. The book of Nahum. Jonah, Micah, Nahum. Look in Nahum chapter 1 at verses 2 and 3. Nahum chapter 1 verses 2 and 3. We'll get another verse in just a moment. Look in verse 2.
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"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." Nahum 1 verse 3 is where I'm reading. Nahum 1 verse 3. I probably said 2, but it's verse 3. Nahum 1 verse 3. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet." Go back to verse 2.
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I should have read it first. "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." Now, notice if you would, God is furious. That right there would be enough to scare the living daylights out of me, to know that I had to face an absolutely holy, righteous, furious God. And God will not at all acquit the wicked.
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Skip down to verse 6. Here it is again. "Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him." Can you imagine what a shock it is to a sinner to discover that he must face a righteous, angry, absolutely furious, sovereign and holy God. You know what he's going to discover? He's going to discover that God is not some senile old man in a rocking chair in heaven who watched him and winked at his sins very leniently and kind of smiled at his sins in rebellion. He's going to find that God is not like that at all. And the anger of God is going to fill him with absolute terror. How do I know that? Psalm 73 verse 19.
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Let me just quote it for you. "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." Utterly consumed with terrors. Please note that. They shall be utterly consumed with terrors. Job 18 verse 11 says this, "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side." And finally, in Job 18 and verse 14, "His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors." God to the sinner will be the absolute king of terrors. Not just death. Death will just usher him into the presence of that righteous and holy God.
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Now, you've got to ask yourself this question. What kind of terrors will consume the sinner? Well, first of all, I believe there are the terrors of his sins. I want you to think. In Luke 16, you remember the rich man that died, and he said to Abraham concerning Lazarus, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue; for he is tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to the rich man, "Son, remember." Remember. Remember. I think, based upon the word of God, that the sinner is going to understand that God will not at all acquit the wicked. And one of the terrors that is going to strike eternal fear in the hearts of the unsaved is they will remember in stinging and striking detail every sin that they ever committed. They will understand the awfulness of it, the wickedness of it. They will understand the justice of their punishment. And I believe that in great striking detail, every one of those sins will sting their conscience through eternity.
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You know what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 56? Listen. "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." The sting of death is sin. What makes sin so painful for the unsaved? It's stinging them like a scorpion because of their sins and their wickedness. And the horror of dying unsaved is the sting of sin. And all of those sins that the sinner has forgotten, all of a sudden shall flood his soul and flood his mind with a thousand stinging stings like a thousand scorpions smiting him every second. They will understand that each and every sin merits eternal punishment. And the sinner will have thousands upon thousands of sins to sting and torment his conscience. You know, David prayed in Psalm 25 and verse 7. In his prayer to God, he says, "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions." Now David said, "Lord, I sinned. I sure don't remember the sins of my youth." What the sinner is going to discover is this. Not only does he remember his sins, but God remembers them as well.
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If you look in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 10. Jeremiah 14 and verse 10. Look what God says to the people. Jeremiah 14 verse 10. "Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins." You know, one of the promises to the righteous is He will remember our sins and wickedness no more. But now to the wicked, God says He remembers their sins. Can you imagine, just for one minute, can you think, can you muse upon this, just for one minute, what it must be like for the sinner to stand before a righteous, holy, angry, furious God when he remembers his sins in details, and he knows that God knows every one of those sins in details, and he understands what God understands, that his sins merit eternal punishment.
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And upon a sinner's death, he instantaneously is thrust in the presence of God, and he understands this. Second, let me emphasize, I believe there is the terror of just remembering. Not just remembering the sins. If you will remember, in Mark 9 verse 44, Mark 9 verse 46, and Mark 9 verse 48, our Lord says this three times, talking about those who die, He says this, "...where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
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Now, you can look up just about any commentator that you want, and each one of them will tell you that the word "worm" there will refer to man's conscience. We forget about the word conscience. Let me just explain it before I give you a quote. The Greek word for conscience is "suneidēsis." "Sun" is a preposition which means "with," "eidēsis" means "to know." So your conscience is that which you know with. Look at the English word conscience. "Con" is a preposition which means "with," "science" to know. Your conscience is that which you know with. And so when our Lord is talking about this, "where the worm dieth not," He's talking about the conscience not dying. Here's what John Gill, the Baptist commentator, said on these verses. "By their worm is meant their conscience."
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"For as a worm that is continually gnawing upon the entrails of a man gives him exquisite pain, so the consciences of sinners will be continually flying in their faces, bringing their sins to remembrance, accusing them, upbraiding them with them, aggravating them, tormenting them for them, filling them with dreadful anguish and misery, with twinging remorses, and severe reflections, and which will never have an end. This will be always the case."
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"Conscience will be ever distressing, wracking, and torturing them. It will never cease, nor cease doing this office." The conscience then is that part of man that remembers. And the conscience can remember things other than just sins. Now watch. Can you think with me just for a moment of the absolute horror that will pervade the mind of the sinner when all of a sudden he remembers every sermon he's ever heard, every scripture that was ever read, every prayer that was ever prayed. Any friend or neighbor or family who besought him to come to Christ, what must it be like to stand before a righteous, holy, furious God, remembering every one of your sins in detail, and then remembering every sermon, every Bible verse, every prayer in exquisite detail where you were pleaded with and begged with to repent and turn to Christ, and all of a sudden you realize now all of those opportunities you scoffed at, you laughed at, you refused to seek God in repentance and faith, you refused to beg Christ for forgiveness, you refused to ask Him for His gifts, and now you stand there eternally condemned with the thought, "What an absolute fool I was."
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Can you imagine the horror of remembering? Hearing the mother's prayers. Hearing the father's instructions. I want to show you something else. Turn in your Bibles, Luke 14. Look in Luke chapter 14. Can you imagine, not just remembering the sins and the opportunities, but can you imagine how the conscience will convict and condemn the sinner when he was just too busy? And I'm going to say too busy with even lawful things. Can you imagine what it must be like for the sinner who died extremely wealthy in this world's goods, but yet died unsaved?
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I was told about a multi-millionaire who died. And as one of the pallbearers was helping him to the grave, he turned to another pallbearer and asked, "How much did he leave?" To which the other pallbearer said, "He left it all." I want you to look in your Bibles to Luke chapter 14 and verse 16. Let's begin there. Luke 14 verse 16. "Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse."
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"The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come."
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Now, let me ask you, is it unlawful to buy property? No. And by the way, how many of you are going to buy a property sight unseen? Nobody. This guy said, "I bought property and I must needs go see it." Another said, "I bought oxen and I must needs go prove them." How many are going to buy oxen without knowing what kind of condition they're in before you buy them?
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You've got to be a fool. But the point I'm trying to make: Buying property is not unlawful. Buying oxen is not unlawful. Getting married is certainly not unlawful. What these people were doing was this, they were using lawful things unlawfully. They were using lawful activities to avoid obeying God. "I don't have time. I'm too busy. There's not enough hours in the day." And what he's doing is using lawful responsibilities unlawfully, and he's using them to his destruction. Can you imagine the horror that must go through the mind of an individual who not only remembers his sins and remembers his lost opportunities, but at the same time remembers how he spent his life on lawful things and using them unlawfully, then he's just too busy to seek the Lord. You know about terror?
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I believe he will be absolutely terrified. There's a third area. That is the terror of fully and finally recognizing the sovereignty of Christ. I want you to turn to John 5 and Philippians chapter 2, and I want you to listen before I read these passages. We're going to John 5 first, and then we'll go to Philippians chapter 2 secondly.
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Every one of us have heard messages all of our lives on the tenderness of Christ. On Christ the Lamb of God. Christ the Good Shepherd. Christ the Great Physician. Christ the Lily of the Valleys. What must it be like for a sinner who's heard these messages about the tenderness of Christ and Christ the Lamb of God all of a sudden thrust into his presence and he finds that the Lamb of God is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and that baby that he thought of as Christ is now the enthroned, sovereign God who is His judge?
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You know why sinners love Christmas? Not just because of money. Who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a baby? We want to keep Christ in the cradle. We want to keep Christ in the manger. Christ is not in a cradle. He's not in a manger. Christ is not on a cross. He is the enthroned, resurrected, sovereign God of heaven and earth. And when sinners die, they will not face a baby. They will not face a lamb. They'll face a lion.
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In John 5, verse 22, watch carefully. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." The Father judgeth no man. He's committed all judgment to the Son. Why? That all men may honor the Son as the sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth, even as they honor the Father. If you look in Philippians 2, beginning there in verse 9, I'm not talking about the humiliation of Christ now, I'm talking about His exaltation. Look in Philippians 2 in verse 9, the Bible says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
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Every sinner will bow before the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ and confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods, and that they should have loved Him and should have worshipped Him and should have honored Him. They did not. It will not save them. It will be to their condemnation. But yet they will still acknowledge and confess. Can you imagine what it must be like? The terror that will fill their souls when they must bow before the One they despised and rejected and hated, and they recognize now He is their Judge and their Sovereign. I want one last thing to share with you about what a sinner will find immediately upon his death. He will only find an angry God. He will only find terrors. He can only find the sovereignty of Christ. But he will also find an angry God and one that despises Him and holds Him in the utmost contempt.
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Look in your Bibles to Psalm 73. Psalm 73. I'm going to tell you, this passage should be enough to make any sinner think. Look in Psalm 73. I don't have time to go through this entire Psalm, but it's the Psalm of Asaph. If you will look in Psalm 73 verse 20, Asaph says this, "As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image."
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Now listen, the Hebrew word for "despise" means to scorn. It means to treat as despicable. It means to treat as vile and worthless. It means to have contempt for and to despise.
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Now listen, John Gill said upon this verse, "Thou shalt despise their image, the image of the earthly man, of sin and of Satan, which is upon both their souls and bodies, which will both be destroyed in hell, or their riches and honour, the vain show in which they have walked, their outward pomp and splendour, which was only a show and an outward appearance, and no solidity in substance, and which will not be esteemed in the great day of account, but despised. The wicked will awake to arise to everlasting shame and contempt." Now here's what Psalm 73 and verse 20 is teaching us. That when God awakes in judgment, those who have despised God all of their lives will be despised by God.
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You're talking about lex talionis. You're talking about the law of retribution. You're talking about the punishment fitting the crime. The crime of those who despise the sovereign God of heaven and earth will be punished with God's eternal detestation and despisement of them. Think, before their deaths, God caused His sun to shine upon them. He gave them fruitful seasons. He gave them rain in due season. He showered them with every physical and material blessing.
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He supplied all their needs, yet they rejected Him, they refused Him, they ignored Him, they mocked Him, they despised Him. They continued to despise His riches even though He forbore with them. Let me show you. Turn to Romans chapter 2. Here it is in black and white. Romans chapter 2. Notice verses 4 through 6. All God did to sinners was good. Notice Romans 2, beginning there with verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds."
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Now look at verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness." God gave them life. God gave them blessings. God gave them everything. And what did they do? They despised Him. And when they despised Him, He did not instantly smite them down. What did He do? He forbore with them. He gave them longer. He gave them more blessings. And when they despised His forbearance, what did they do then?
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His longsuffering came into play. He still did not smite them down, but He continued to bless them.
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Finally, all they're doing is treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath and the righteous revelation of God. And what is God going to do? God is going to righteously repay them, reward them according to their sins.
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Now, think with me just for a moment. Please listen. Because the Bible said, "When thou awakest, O God, thou shalt despise their image." Let's suppose, just for a moment, let's suppose there are no pains or sufferings in judgment and condemnation. Let's suppose there is no fire, there is no brimstone, there is no hell. Let's suppose there is no sting of conscience, there is no remembrance of sin, there is no remembrance of opportunities. Let's say that nothing happens to the sinner except God eternally despises them.
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To think that a sinner would be eternally hated, abhorred, scorned, despised, treated violently, contemptuously, and worthlessly by a holy, righteous, glorious, sovereign, majestic God of heaven and earth is more than we can even conceive. You must remember God's infinity. That means God has no limits. You cannot bind God. You must remember God's omnipotence. That is, God is all-powerful. That means this, that God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless. His omnipotence means that it's all-powerful. His eternity means it'll endure forever.
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Only God can despise with perfect despisement. Only God can hate with a perfect hatred. How much hatred, how much despisement, how much contempt could a wicked, vile, sinful worm endure? And yet he'll face it for eternity. You must also remember that God is immutable. He does not change. And so God will throughout eternity cast His disapproval, His contempt, His despisement upon the head and the heads of those who despised Him and His Son. If there were no pains in hell, if there was no hell, if there was nothing else, to be despised by God is a punishment far greater than any mortal can bear.
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Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. One of the greatest ploys of sin and Satan is to keep us so busy that we either do not think or do not have time to think. Any normal, rational person knows that he must die. And he must be prepared to die. No one is prepared to live until he is prepared to die. Since we do not know the time of our death nor the means of our death.
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The wise thing is to prepare to meet our Maker. In Amos 4 and verse 12, God said to Israel, "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." And let me tell you something, dear friend, the truth is this, you will meet God whether you are prepared or not. Everyone will meet Him, whether we're prepared or not.
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The second application is this, I believe we should use this message as an encouragement to be witnesses to warn our family and our friends. Most of us never have thought and meditated upon what it's like to die without Christ. If you were to read Luke 16, don't turn there. But it was the man who was in hell, who lifted up his eyes being in torment, said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren, for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." It's interesting that those who are already lost and dead and in hell are very missionary minded. But you know what Abraham said? "If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." And he said, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." You say, "Oh, come on." Well, Christ came from the dead and people still do not believe. But he went on and said, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."
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God has raised His Son from the dead and seated Him in His own right hand. He's preserved and protected His Word. If you will not hear His Word, you too will die lost. And when you die, you will discover that God is, and the Bible is the Word of God, and that you will face an angry God full of terror in your conscience. You will remember every sin. You will remember every opportunity. It will strike terror continually through you. And on top of everything else, you will be eternally despised by God.
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What is it sinners understand immediately after their death? They understand they're lost. They're lost. They're lost. And they're in for an eternity of pain and suffering. That means if you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ as He's fully and freely offered in the Gospel. David said, "I muse, I meditate, I think on the work of thy hands" and one of God's works is His judgment and His providence as He comes for sinners and saints in death. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your grace and Your mercy and Your help. O God, awaken us. There are some here, Lord, who may be lost. Some hearing my voice who are lost, we know not the day nor the hour of our death, but we know one thing, we must die and we must meet God. And we ask you, Father, to give us grace to warn our friends and our family and to encourage them to seek repentance and faith as the free gifts of God and salvation as it's only found in Jesus Christ.
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In Thy name we ask and pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:22:03Z

Just Thinking Part 1 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver expounds Psalm 143:5, focusing on the phrase 'I muse on the work of thy hands.' He contrasts musing (deep thinking) with amusement (non-thinking) and explores various works of God's hands: creation, providence, redemption, and judgment. The main emphasis is on the work of God in the death of a sinner. Weaver urges listeners to consider what a sinner discovers immediately after death: an angry God, the terror of remembered sins and lost opportunities, the sovereignty of Christ as judge, and God's eternal contempt. The message serves as a sober warning to the unsaved to seek Christ and an encouragement to believers to warn others.

Introduction: The Call to Muse

Weaver introduces Psalm 143:5 and the concept of 'musing' as deep thinking, contrasting it with amusement. He notes the message will be in two parts, covering only the first point today.

Psalm 143 and verse 5. Psalm 143 verse 5. Notice David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 143:5

"I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands."

Note the phrase,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 143:5

"I muse on the work of thy hands."

The Works of God's Hands: Creation, Providence, Redemption

Weaver briefly surveys the works of God's hands in creation, providence, and redemption, citing various Psalms and Ephesians 1.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 95:5

"The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 92:4

"For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 92:4

"I will triumph in the works of thy hands."

God's Work in Truth and Judgment

God preserves His Word and executes judgment. Examples include Voltaire and Nietzsche, and references to Psalm 12:6-7 and Romans 1:18-20.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

Now we're talking about God's Word. So look in verse 7.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

That is His words.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 12:6-7

"Thou shalt keep them, O Lord. Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."

God is going to protect and preserve His Word. He's going to make sure that His truth is conveyed and wicked men are not going to destroy His truth.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 111:7

"The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure."

The Certainty of Death

Weaver asserts that death is appointed for all, citing Job 7:1, Job 14:1-5, Psalm 90:9-10, and Hebrews 9:27. Death may come stealthily or suddenly.

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?"

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?" "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one."

Now look at verse 5, Job 14 verse 5.

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

Note if you would,

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"His days are determined. The number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 9:21

"For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets."

God's Sovereignty in Death

God holds our soul in life and determines our days. No one can redeem himself from death (Psalm 49:6-7). Weaver introduces the focus: what happens immediately after a sinner dies.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 66:9

"Which holdeth our soul in life." "And suffereth not our feet to be moved."

The Sinner's Discovery: An Angry God

Upon death, the sinner faces an angry, furious God who will not acquit the wicked (Nahum 1:2-3, 6). This fills the sinner with terror (Psalm 73:19).

The Terrors of Remembrance

The sinner will remember every sin in detail (Luke 16:25, 1 Corinthians 15:56) and every lost opportunity, including sermons, prayers, and lawful things used as excuses (Luke 14:16-20).

The Terror of Christ's Sovereignty

Sinners will face Christ not as a baby or lamb, but as the sovereign judge (John 5:22, Philippians 2:9-11). They will bow and confess His lordship to their condemnation.

God's Eternal Contempt

Psalm 73:20 teaches that God will despise the wicked. Even without physical torment, being eternally despised by an infinite, omnipotent, immutable God is a punishment beyond comprehension.

Now listen, the Hebrew word for "despise" means to scorn. It means to treat as despicable. It means to treat as vile and worthless. It means to have contempt for and to despise.

Applications: Prepare to Meet God and Warn Others

Weaver urges preparation for death (Amos 4:12) and encourages believers to warn family and friends, as the rich man in Luke 16 desired. The unsaved must seek Christ.

Just Thinking Part 1 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	SSmMb_A0tQ0
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 171: Just Thinking — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	76

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Call to Muse: Weaver introduces Psalm 143:5 and the concept of 'musing' as deep thinking, contrasting it with amusement. He notes the message will be in two parts, covering only the first point today.
The Works of God's Hands: Creation, Providence, Redemption: Weaver briefly surveys the works of God's hands in creation, providence, and redemption, citing various Psalms and Ephesians 1.
God's Work in Truth and Judgment: God preserves His Word and executes judgment. Examples include Voltaire and Nietzsche, and references to Psalm 12:6-7 and Romans 1:18-20.
The Certainty of Death: Weaver asserts that death is appointed for all, citing Job 7:1, Job 14:1-5, Psalm 90:9-10, and Hebrews 9:27. Death may come stealthily or suddenly.
God's Sovereignty in Death: God holds our soul in life and determines our days. No one can redeem himself from death (Psalm 49:6-7). Weaver introduces the focus: what happens immediately after a sinner dies.
The Sinner's Discovery: An Angry God: Upon death, the sinner faces an angry, furious God who will not acquit the wicked (Nahum 1:2-3, 6). This fills the sinner with terror (Psalm 73:19).
The Terrors of Remembrance: The sinner will remember every sin in detail (Luke 16:25, 1 Corinthians 15:56) and every lost opportunity, including sermons, prayers, and lawful things used as excuses (Luke 14:16-20).
The Terror of Christ's Sovereignty: Sinners will face Christ not as a baby or lamb, but as the sovereign judge (John 5:22, Philippians 2:9-11). They will bow and confess His lordship to their condemnation.
God's Eternal Contempt: Psalm 73:20 teaches that God will despise the wicked. Even without physical torment, being eternally despised by an infinite, omnipotent, immutable God is a punishment beyond comprehension.
Applications: Prepare to Meet God and Warn Others: Weaver urges preparation for death (Amos 4:12) and encourages believers to warn family and friends, as the rich man in Luke 16 desired. The unsaved must seek Christ.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Musing vs. Amusement

True thinking (musing) is neglected in favor of amusement, which requires no deep thought. This applies especially to considering death.

When you think about amusement, it means that you do not study, you do not think, you do not ponder, you do not meditate, you do not concentrate.

God's Sovereignty Over Life and Death

God alone determines the length of our days; no wealth or power can redeem a person from death.

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. ... His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee.

The Sinner Faces an Angry God

Death does not change God's disposition toward the wicked; He remains angry and will not acquit them.

God is angry with the wicked every day. ... The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.

Conscience as the Undying Worm

The 'worm that dieth not' refers to the conscience, which will eternally torment sinners with remembrance of sins and opportunities.

By their worm is meant their conscience. ... Conscience will be ever distressing, wracking, and torturing them. It will never cease.

Lawful Things Used as Excuses

Many sinners use lawful activities (property, work, family) as excuses to avoid seeking God, leading to eternal regret.

Buying property is not unlawful. Buying oxen is not unlawful. Getting married is certainly not unlawful. What these people were doing was this, they were using lawful things unlawfully.

Christ's Exaltation as Judge

The same Jesus presented as a tender lamb is now the exalted judge; sinners will bow before Him in terror.

Christ is not in a cradle. He's not in a manger. Christ is not on a cross. He is the enthroned, resurrected, sovereign God of heaven and earth.

The Infinite Weight of God's Contempt

Even without physical torment, being eternally despised by an infinite, omnipotent, immutable God is an unbearable punishment.

Only God can despise with perfect despisement. Only God can hate with a perfect hatred. ... God's hatred, God's contempt, God's despisement for the lost is limitless.

The Necessity of Repentance and Faith

The only escape from this fate is to seek Christ in repentance and faith, receiving salvation as a free gift.

If you're unsaved, you better seek Christ. You better ask God to give you repentance and faith and turn from your sins and embrace Jesus Christ as He's fully and freely offered in the Gospel.

Scripture References

Psalm 143:5: Introduction of the sermon's theme: David muses on God's works.
Psalm 95:5: The sea and dry land are the work of God's hands in creation.
Psalm 102:25: The heavens are the work of God's hands.
Psalm 119:73: God's hands made and fashioned us.
John 1:1-3: All things were made by Christ.
Psalm 37:23: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, showing providence.
Psalm 139:9-10: God's hand leads and holds us, even in remote places.
Psalm 92:4: David triumphs in the works of God's hands.
Ephesians 1:1-14: The work of the Trinity in redemption.
Psalm 12:6-7: God preserves His pure words from wicked generations.
Psalm 111:7: The works of God's hands are verity and judgment.
Romans 1:18-20: God's wrath is revealed against ungodliness; truth is held in unrighteousness.
Hebrews 9:27: It is appointed unto men once to die, then judgment.
Job 7:1: There is an appointed time for man on earth.
Job 14:1-5: Man's days are determined; his bounds are appointed by God.
Psalm 90:9-10: Our years pass quickly; lifespan is 70 or 80 years.
Jeremiah 9:21: Death comes up into our windows like a peeping tom.
Proverbs 29:1: He who hardens his neck will be suddenly destroyed.
Psalm 66:9: God holds our soul in life.
Psalm 31:15: My times are in thy hand.

Historical References

Voltaire: French infidel who predicted Christianity's extinction; his house later became a Bible distribution center.
Nietzsche: German philosopher who wrote 'God is Dead'; anecdote about his gravestone.
Ted Kennedy: Recently deceased U.S. Senator known for liberalism, drunkenness, and adultery; used as an example of a sinner facing death.

Important Quotes

I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands.

The foundational verse for the sermon, introducing the theme of deep thinking about God's works.

Thinking is something that most folks do very little. In fact, we'd much rather be amused than to think.

Highlights the contrast between musing and amusement, a key point in the introduction.

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

Emphasizes the certainty of death as ordained by God.

His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

Key verse on God's sovereignty over the length of life.

God is angry with the wicked every day.

Establishes the ongoing anger of God toward sinners, which continues after death.

The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.

Reinforces that God will not overlook sin; judgment is certain.

Son, remember.

From Luke 16, used to illustrate the torment of memory in hell.

When thou awakest, O God, thou shalt despise their image.

The climax of the sermon: God's eternal contempt for the wicked.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to 'muse' on the works of God's hands, and how can we cultivate this practice in our daily lives?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts musing with amusement and emphasizes deep thinking about God's works.

[Question]

How does the certainty of death and God's sovereignty over it affect the way we live?

[Context]

Weaver cites Job 14 and Psalm 90 to show that our days are determined.

[Question]

Why is the anger of God a terrifying reality for the unrepentant sinner?

[Context]

Weaver describes God as furious and unwilling to acquit the wicked, citing Nahum 1.

[Question]

In what ways does the conscience act as a 'worm that dieth not' for the lost?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the conscience will eternally remind sinners of their sins and missed opportunities.

[Question]

How can lawful activities become excuses for avoiding God, and how can we guard against this?

[Context]

Weaver uses Luke 14:16-20 to show that buying property, oxen, and marriage were used as excuses.

[Question]

What does it mean that Christ is both the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah, and how should this shape our view of judgment?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that sinners will face Christ as sovereign judge, not as a baby in a manger.

[Question]

How does the concept of God's eternal contempt for the wicked intensify the horror of hell?

[Context]

Weaver expounds Psalm 73:20, explaining that God's despisement is infinite and eternal.

[Question]

What practical steps can we take to warn our unsaved family and friends about the reality of death and judgment?

[Context]

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to be witnesses, referencing Luke 16.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:02:23Z