Rebellion against the Most High – Psalm 107:11

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to six previous sermons:
                Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20    
                The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32    
                The Most High Uttereth His Voice - 2 Samuel 22:14    
                Sing Praise to the Name of the Lord Most High - Psalm 7:17    
                Dwelling in the Secret Place of the Most High - Psalm 91:1    
                The Years of the Right Hand of the Most High - Psalm 77:10    

Psalm 107:10-12 reads, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.”

The Lord our God is the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth.  As the most high God, He does indeed involve Himself in the affairs of this world and in the midst of our lives.  Yea, as the most high God, He is mighty to deliver, merciful to bless, mindful to help, majestic in sovereignty, marvelous in faithfulness, magnified through judgment, and Most High for ever.  The Lord our God, as the most high God, is worthy to be praised and honored above all.  He is worthy to be praised and honored for His righteousness, for His protection, for His almighty power, for His eternal sovereignty, and for His faithful lovingkindness.  Yea, because the Lord our God is the most high God of heaven and earth, we who are His people have the responsibility to walk daily in fellowship with Him, place the trust of our hearts in Him, set the love of our hearts upon Him, call in need through prayer upon Him, order our lives in righteousness before Him, and offer our praise and thanksgiving unto Him.  Yet what of those who refuse to walk aright before the Lord our God, the most high God?  What of those who rebel against the Most High?

The Character of those who rebel against the Most High

Psalm 73:3-12 speaks of those who rebel against the Most High, saying, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.  They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.  Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.  Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.  They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.  They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.  Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.  And they say, How doth God know?  And is there knowledge in the most High?  Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are proud in their spirit and scoffers of God’s judgment. 

Again Psalm 78:17 speaks of God’s own people Israel who rebelled against the Most High, saying, “And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.”  Concerning their character Psalm 78:8-11 states, “And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.  The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; and forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are unfaithful in heart priority, disobedient to God’s Word, and unmindful of God’s faithfulness.  Furthermore, concerning their character Psalm 78:18-22 state, “And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.  Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?  Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also?  Can he provide flesh for his people?  Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are selfish in their desires and doubtful of God’s provision.  Finally, concerning their character Psalm 78:56-58 states, “Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: but turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.  For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are idolaters of worldly things.  (Let us remember the truth of Colossians 3:5 that covetousness is idolatry; for the covetous individual chooses, loves, and serves the things of this world rather than the Lord his God.)

Yet again Psalm 50:7 speaks of God’s own people who rebelled against the Most High, saying, “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.”  Then in Psalm 50:16-21 the rebuke continues, saying, “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?  Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are ungodly in their behavior, corrupt in their speech, and backbiters against their brethren.

And yet again Hosea 7:13-16 speaks of God’s own people Israel who rebelled against the Most High, saying, “Woe unto them!  For they have fled from me: destruction unto them!  Because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.  And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.  Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.  They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.”  Furthermore, Hosea 11:7 speaks of them, saying, “And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.”  Herein we learn that those who rebel against the Most High are unrepentant of their sinfulness. 

 This is the character of those who rebel against the Most High – proud in their spirit, scoffers of God’s judgment, unfaithful in heart priority, disobedient to God’s Word, unmindful of God’s faithfulness, selfish in their desires, doubtful of God’s provision, idolaters of worldly things, ungodly in their behavior, corrupt in their speech, backbiters against their brethren, and unrepentant of their sinfulness.

The Chastening upon those who rebel against the Most High

Psalm 78:21-22 states concerning the rebellion of God’s own people, “Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.”  Again Psalm 78:30-33 states, “They were not estranged from their lust.  But while their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.  For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.  Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.”  Yet again Psalm 78:58-62 states, “For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.  When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: so that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; and delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.  He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.”  And yet again Psalm 107:10-12 states concerning those who rebel against the Most High, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.”  Finally, Hosea 7:13 states concerning the rebellion of God’s own people, “Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.”

The Charge unto those who rebel against the Most High

Psalm 50:21-23 presents the following charge to those who are rebellion against the Most High, saying, “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.  Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”  Those who are in rebellion must consider that the Lord our God, the most high God, will indeed judge them for their rebellion.  Considering this, they must be brought to conviction and repentance of their sinful rebellion.  Then having come to conviction and repentance, they must order their lives aright in their daily walk before the Lord.

Posted in Weekly Sermon, Psalms, Rebellion against God, Judgment of Our Lord, Repentance of Sin

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