God Rules!

Psalm 33:6-17, 20-22
Related Sunday School Lesson Family Bible Series, November 14

When I was growing up, my parents did many things I declared I would never do. Most of those things were in the area of discipline. And my parents stayed in that area a lot!

As children will usually do, I would receive my punishment while quietly whispering to myself that I would never spank my children. I vowed I would let them jump on the bed, run with scissors in their hands, and go swimming immediately after lunch with reckless disregard of the sacred "30-minute" rule. My kids would be able to stay up all night on a school night, go to any movie of their choice, and choose their own friends without my interference.

Most importantly, the one thing my parents did that I promised I would never do was to say, "Because I said so." They would say that with some degree of regularity and it would always irritate me. My immaturity caused me to live in a spirit of rebellion against that simple declaration of authority, "Because I said so." The rebellion I demonstrated as a child is displayed in the spiritual lives of many Bible-believing Christians.

For years we have talked about the Bible as the "inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God." I agree with those descriptions but allow me to add a few more words to the list of adjectives: sufficient and authoritative. Friend, it does little good to have a perfect Bible if we do not use it as our sole standard for faith and practice. Like little children, our own spiritual immaturity can cause us to defy the plain truth of "thus saith the Lord."

In this week's lesson, we investigate what creation can teach us about submitting to God. As the psalmist begins to extol the power, preeminence, and purity of God's Word, he needs look no further than the beauty of creation. Based on selected verses of our text, the inspired poet sees at least 4 reasons to live in submission to the Word of God.

It is Scriptural, verses 6-7

Some may think this is circular reasoning but let's admit it. We all come to the Bible with certain presuppositions. Based on a life of study and experience, I firmly believe the Scriptures to be God's Word. And the holy writings declare of themselves (Psalm 119:9-11, 2 Timothy 3:16) that they will teach us how to live pure lives for God.

When the psalmist sees creation, he thinks of the inspired writings of Moses. If the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the stars with His Word then it stands to reason I should obey Him.

The same Divine breath that spoke creation into being has been distilled as the Word of God.

It is Sensible, verse 8

When the psalmist contemplates the vast creation and the power behind it all, he reasons that all the peoples of the earth should stand in awe and reverential fear. If the God who made everything we see has told us what to do, the wisest thing for us to do is to obey.

The Bible teaches that the atheist is a fool (Psalm 53:1). The bigger fool, perhaps, is the man who claims belief in God but then lives like the Creator does not exist.

It is Sufficient, verse 9

Here the psalmist states that God's power and position over creation were sufficient reasons to do as He says do. When God gave the word, the elements obeyed and snapped to attention, aligning themselves in their Divinely established order. The hydrogen atoms did not raise a voice of protest and the earth did not refuse to come into being. When the child of God hears the Word of God today, he should respond with equal obedience.

Years ago, a popular bumper sticker read, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." As cute as that slogan may have been, it is patently unbiblical. God's word is sufficient to settle the matter whether I believe it or not.

It is Sanctifying, verses 13-15

The psalmist believes that the Lord is now watching over him. At times the thought of an omnipresent creator is comforting. At other times it is convicting. During times of grief it is a blessing to know that the Maker of Heaven and Earth is observing my every footstep. During times of sin and straying, however, that same awareness brings conviction and repentance.

After the 6th day of creation, we know that God rested from His labors. But what is He doing now? Is He still resting? I do not pretend to know all the answers to that question. But I do understand one thing. If God can speak the sun, moon, and stars into existence, then His view is not hindered by darkness or by doors.

The Sovereign Lord of Creation is watching our every move. That thought should bring a holy mixture of peace and purity.

There were a few occasions as a child in which I did not think "because I said so" was a good enough reason. My father had a painful way of reminding me that it was! In my loving boyhood home, when Daddy said it, that settled it. The only acceptable response was obedience. As I grew into manhood, my unwilling obedience matured into grateful submission and then into loving respect.

This week let's observe creation from a Biblical perspective and may it remind us to walk in subjection to God's revealed word. Let's learn a good lesson from the earth itself and submit to the authority of creation's God simply because He said so!