TREASURES OF THE DEEP: The Unreachable Holiness of God Week 3 PROPS: 10 Commandments in Frame; hammer; String/Yarn; Flash-A-Card (Moses)

TWO WEEKS AGO: THE DEEP WISDOM OF GOD – WEEK 1 Romans 11:33 O the depth (profound) of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable (unexplored) are his judgments (decisions), and his ways (roads; paths) past finding out (untraceable; not tracked out)! [SLIDE 2]

The Wisdom of Man vs. The Wisdom of God [SLIDE 3] Solomon’s Wisdom ended in Vanity & Jesus’ Wisdom ends in Eternal Life [SLIDE 3] Riches, Works, Success/Fame, Pleasure, Possessions, Wisdom Conclusion: Solomon was looking for FULFILLMENT in LIFE on this EARTH…ANY FULFILLMENT THAT WE FIND ON THIS EARTH WILL BE TEMPORARY…VANITY! Jesus lived his life totally committed to fulfilling the WILL of His Father…therefore, he lived His life with ETERNAL LIFE as the focus! This may seem like foolishness in this life, but, in light of DEATH & ETERNITY, it is the WISDOM of GOD! LAST WEEK: THE PERSISTENT LOVE OF GOD – WEEK 2 Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD, which is IN Christ Jesus our Lord. [SLIDE 5] • “separate” - chōrizō (kho-rid'-zo) to place room between, that is, part; reflexively to go away o Matthew 19:6b ...What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. • MANY THINGS may TRY to separate us from God’s LOVE, but IT CAN’T! If we are IN Jesus Christ, GOD LOVES US! MAN’S HEART OF SIN; THE NEED TO REPENT – turn away from sin and turn to GOD [SLIDE 6] GOD’S HEART OF LOVE & HIS PERSISTENCE [SLIDE 7] DEFINITION OF PERSISTENCE [SLIDE 8] WHY DID GOD ALLOW…? [SLIDE 9] GOD’S PERSISTENT LOVE [SLIDE 10] GOD’S PERSISTENT LOVE LED TO REPENTANCE [SLIDE 11] IT IS GOD’S PERSISTENT LOVE THAT THE BOOK OF JONAH IS RECORDED FOR US! [SLIDE 12] REPENT: TURN AWAY FROM SIN “persistent” - continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition THIS WEEK: THE UNREACHABLE HOLINESS OF GOD – WEEK 3 Psalm 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. [SLIDE 13]

HOLINESS: COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM SIN [SLIDE 14] The Ten Commandments show us how we can’t be holy. CAN YOU REACH GOD’S HOLINESS? YES or NO

THE UNREACHABLE HOLINESS of GOD [SLIDE 15]

The Lord Our God Is Holy Psalm 99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble (quiver with emotion): he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved (quake). • :1a The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength... • Psalm 97:1a The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice… • :10a Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth… • “One of the most joyous utterances which ever leaped from mortal lip.” ~Treasury • NOTE: Cherubims are amazing, but HE is the center of attention Psalm 99:2-3 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. (3) Let them praise (use the hand) thy great and terrible (fear; revere) name; for it is holy. • NOTE: His Position! He is HIGH – on the mountain (Zion) and over ALL the people (v.2) • “holy” qâdôsh (kaw-doshe') sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary [from to be clean] o His name is HOLY! Jehovah – Self-Existent One – always Present…Present in the past; Present in the future o “holy” – completely separate from sin o “holy” – set apart ▪ Pots; slop jar; dishes for special occasions; Psalm 99:4-5 The king's strength also loveth judgment (verdict); thou dost establish equity (even; straight), thou executest judgment and righteousness (right) in Jacob. (5) Exalt (to be high; same as high in v.2) ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. • God is the undisputed KING – His decision stands AND it is RIGHT • “at his footstool” – our proper position in light of his Position and Holiness o Remember the words of John the Baptist:”…whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose” John 1:27b • HE IS HOLY – set apart from all others; no respect of persons – the richest and the poorest must both bow down before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (“and He shall reign forever and ever”) Psalm 99:6-8 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. (7) He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. (8) Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions (actions; deeds). • The LORD is a PERSONAL God – He talked to them; He answered them; He forgave them; He judged them o Just like any good, just father would do for a child Psalm 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. • How do we EXALT Him? By Bowing to Him • How do we WORSHIP Him? “worship” means prostrate • WHY? Because He is SEPARATE from ALL OTHERS; He is CLEAN, RIGHT and the LORD GOD REIGNETH from ETERNITY PAST through ETERNITY FUTURE!

CONTEXT: The children of Israel were rescued from slavery in Egypt and God had done so with mighty miracles and wonders – water to blood, darkness, locusts, flies, lice, frogs, hail, disease on cattle, firstborn, and finally opening the Red Sea for the children of Israel and closing it on the Egyptians READ Exodus 19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. • Now they were before Mt. Sinai and Moses goes up to talk to God (v.3) [SLIDE 16] Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; (4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. (5) Now therefore, IF ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my , THEN ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. • God gives this message to the children of Israel: o YE HAVE SEEN… (v.4) [SLIDE 17] o Now IF YE will OBEY and KEEP my COVENANT… (v.5) [SLIDE 18] ▪ Illustrate “covenant” – Shake hands on a deal o THEN YE shall be: [SLIDE 19] ▪ MY “PECULIAR TREASURE” ABOVE ALL OTHERS ▪ A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS (who serve Him and come before Him with offerings and come before His presence) (v.6) ▪ A HOLY NATION (His people – not Americans, not Jews, but God’s people) Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. • The children of Israel answer: o ALL THAT THE LORD HATH SPOKEN WE WILL DO.(v.8)[SLIDE 20]

MOSES GOES UP TO MEET WITH GOD on the top of MOUNT SINAI and God gives Moses the 10 COMMANDMENTS: [#1] Our REVERENCE of GOD (1) Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Our VIEW of GOD (2) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, … Our COMMUNICATION about GOD (3) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; Our TIME with GOD (4) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. God’s ORDER of AUTHORITY (5) Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. GOD gives LIFE (6) Thou shalt not kill. GOD ordained MARRIAGE (7) Thou shalt not commit adultery. GOD provides our NEEDS (8) Thou shalt not steal. GOD is TRUTH (9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. GOD gives us what is GOOD FOR US (10) Thou shalt not covet…

• FORTY DAYS & FORTY NIGHTS (5 weeks & 5 days), Moses is up on the mountain; THEN… READ Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. [SLIDE 21] • 40 DAYS was TOO LONG to keep a COVENANT with the LORD Exo 32:2-6 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. (3) And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. (4) And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods (#1), O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (5) And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. (#2 & #3) (6) And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. • Aaron tells them to give him their jewelry and he will make a new god for them, and he makes a GOLDEN CALF (Commandment #1 & #2 are broken!) [SLIDE 22] • The people say: THIS is the god that brought us out of Egypt, and Aaron declares A FEAST to the BEAST, but he says it’s a FEAST to the LORD! (Commandment #3 is broken) The Truth is those Israelites probably had already broken all of those commandments, AND when MOSES saw the people’s sin after being in the presence of a HOLY God for 5 weeks, he threw down the commandments and broke the tablets with God’s own handwriting. o REMEMBER what the Children of Israel told GOD BEFORE MOSES went up the mountain: ALL THAT THE LORD HATH SPOKEN WE WILL DO. (Exodus 19:8) [SLIDE 23]

You’ve broken them too. Who has ever disobeyed their parents? You’ve BROKEN God’s law so that you can never acquire HOLINESS on your own merit.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS UNREACHABLE FOR MAN! [SLIDE 24] IF WE CAN’T REACH GOD’S HOLINESS, HOW CAN WE EVER COME TO HIM? • LISTEN TO Romans 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. o WE CAN’T REACH HIM, BUT HE CAN REACH US! [SLIDE 25] Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. • Mat 22:35-40 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. • The cross – Vertical to God; Horizontal to Other o Utter OBEDIENCE to GOD in submitting Himself to a cruel DEATH o An UNDYING LOVE for MAN in LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE • JESUS CHRIST is REACHING DOWN WITH MERCY AND GRACE TO SAVE ANY WHO WILL CALL ON HIM AND TRUST HIM!

WORDS FROM THE WORD – The Unreachable Holiness of God HANDOUT Romans 11:33 – The Deep Wisdom of God – Romans 8:39 – The Persistent Love of God –

Psalm 99:1 –

“The LORD reigneth” –

Psalm 99:2-3 –

“holy” –

Psalm 99:4-5 –

“at his footstool” –

Psalm 99:6-8 –

Psalm 99:9 –

Exodus 19: 1 –

Exodus 19:3-6 –

Exodus 19:8 –

Our ______of GOD (1) Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Our ______of GOD (2) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, … Our ______about GOD (3) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; Our ______with GOD (4) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. God’s ______of ______(5) Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. GOD gives ______(6) Thou shalt not kill. GOD ordained ______(7) Thou shalt not commit adultery. GOD provides our ______(8) Thou shalt not steal. GOD is ______(9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. GOD gives us ______(10) Thou shalt not covet…

Exodus 32:1 –

Exodus 32:2-6 –

Romans 10:21 – Matthew 22:35-40 –