Read: Psalm 90:1-17 Text: v12
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom
Events like individual birthdays or the turning of the new year invariably remind us of the brevity/time
Although young people may reasonably feel that they have many years left upon this earth, yet it is all comparative if it is so
We would not for one moment seek to rob them of their youth
It is part of growing up to enjoy the current set/circumstances
It is part of growing up to anticipate (under God) many happy years ahead – a sense of adventure/excitement
We should not make grannies/granda’s out of young children
But neither should we feel that we should shield ourselves or them from the responsibilities of Scripture
The Bible says that the earth/fullness is the Lord’s
We are exhorted to use this world and not abuse it
So we enjoy with a pure joy what we have at any given moment
But we also remember that time is short – even for the youngest
And so, in order to make the most of what we have – we turn to
texts like ours and we let it influence the way that we think
Please remember: Last thing we want is to arrive at the end of a life
(that like water spilt/ground cannot be re-gathered) and have a whole
load of regrets
Paul came to the end of his life and was able to say:
For I am now ready to be offered, and
the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:4-6)
If we set certain goals early and keep to them, then the earlier we
start the better -or if we come late to these goals, yet let us make
the most of what we have left
The parable of the man employing the labourers at a penny a day shows
that even those who could only offer an hour at the end would not be
neglected – all may come and even at the end
Our text yield us 3 important points in this regard
1) THE GREAT PURPOSE THAT IS TO BE KEPT IN VIEW:
Apply our hearts unto wisdom
A/ I am reminded of a question which Pilate asked Christ:
What is truth?
Doubtless the Roman Governor thought about it in the abstract
If so, we might reply: Truth is a principle
It is that which is straightforward and honest
Does not seek to deceive or mislead but inform and educate
Had he asked: What is wisdom? (again in the abstract) we reply:
Wisdom is knowing what to do with truth
It takes all the proponent parts and makes good use of them
It does not use them foolishly or even wickedly
B/ But Pilate’s question (especially in the circumstances) could have been better worded: Who is truth?
For the One who stood before Him identified Himself not merely as one who is true…but Incarnate Truth Himself
Jesus Christ is not only Incarnate Truth but Incarnate Wisdom
C/ One of His many glorious titles: Christ the Wisdom of God
In Him is hid all the treasures of wisdom/knowledge (Colossians 2:3)
Therefore when we are exhorted to apply our hearts/wisdom:
We are being exhorted to seek Christ
Christ is the Incarnate Wisdom of God
D/ This title is well deserved by the Saviour
[i] We cannot know God outside of Christ
If God had not revealed Himself to us, we would not know Him
We might (as heathens do) have a consciousness of a higher being and begin to worship the moon etc.,
This is not worship that is spirit and in truth (John 4:24)
It is a worship driven by extreme ignorance
But we worship God in truth because the only begotten Son who lay in the bosom of the Father has declared God unto us
We see the knowledge of the glory/God in the face/Jesus Christ
Therefore Christ Himself carries the name: Wisdom/God
[ii] Furthermore, the wisdom of God is seen in His salvation plan
How could God be just and yet the justifier of the ungodly?
Can justice/mercy meet without being/each others expense?
Can grace reign through righteousness?
Must God be either just or merciful but not both?
Answer: God can be just/justifier of the ungodly
But it is not the ungodly who ever remains the rebel
It is the ungodly who believes in Jesus (Romans 4:5)
He believes (more explicitly) in the Jesus of the Cross
There justice got its righteous pound of flesh
There grace climbed upon the throne and pardoned sinners
There is no other way into God’s favourable presence but by the wisdom/God and His sacrifice at the Cross
No one was ever saved without the Cross
No one was ever saved without believing in the Cross
We preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23)
Why? Because the Cross/Christ and the Christ/Cross saves
We dare not preach any other way of salvation
We afford people the civic right to believe what they want
Heretics teaching otherwise are no longer burned and rightly so
But we cannot compromise and accept them as wise people
Their so called wisdom is earthly, sensual and devilish
They are fools to believe the own teaching
We do not doubt their sincerity etc., but we cannot allow that to be considered as wisdom that militates against Christ
It is the way/Cross alone that leads home
E/ So we think of young people (and others) and our message for all is this: Seek Christ and Him alone
Here is wisdom in its fullest part
2) THE GREAT HINDRANCE THAT IS TO BE AVOIDED:
Implied:
A/ Text teaches us that we are in possession of two things
Whatever else we don’t have – we can say “I have these 2 things”
[i] We have a period of time called “our days”
This refers to the time that we spend on this earth
For some, these days are very few indeed (compared/ others)
Some little babies do not make it alive out of the womb
Or if they do, they live just a number of hours, days or weeks
They are laid in little white coffins in little short graves
It is not for us to reason why…
Others live for many years upon this earth
When they die their appointed death, it may be said:
Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. (Job 5:26)
Like Job himself, they die, being old and full of days (42:17)
But the time in between is said to be wholly their own
They are given to us along with our daily (note the designation) bread so that we can live them out
They are mercifully divided up for us for our benefit
We spend part of them at work – part at leisure – part asleep
We are not compelled by outside force to spend them in any particular way – we do what we do willingly
If a man spends these days for God, then he is willing in the day of God’s power (Psalm 110:3) but willing nevertheless
If
a man spends these days for sin and self, he does so willingly, loving
darkness rather than light for his deeds are evil (John 3:19)
The days that he spends/earth are truly his own
[ii] Something else is said to be own: His ignorance
He cries out to be taught – that is the language of ignorance
Total ignorance: Presupposes knowledge is there and can be communicated and that he can grasp and apply it
That is a pretty good start in any one’s book
But it still admits of an ignorance that cannot be tolerated
Therefore the Psalmist cried out that they might be taught
B/ Interesting that this is the cry of Moses the man/God (title)
Moses was responsible for another song carrying these words:
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! (Deuteronomy 32:29)
Very similar idea to our text
It is wisdom to consider how short our days are
It is wisdom to consider that the end will soon be upon us
Our text recognises this wisdom and cries: impart it to us
Spurgeon once observed that to confess that we were wrong yesterday is to confess that we are a little wiser today
To cry out for further teaching must be viewed in a similar way
A man who is ignorant but willing/learn is a million times better off than one who knows maybe a little more but not enough
Not enough to know a little if that little fails to convey what is required of us
C/ Interesting again that it was Moses who so cried
Moses was a very learned man but not in spiritual things
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. (Acts 7:42)
Egypt at this time was a world power
World’s brains gathered around the River Nile
Only to think of the pyramids etc., to see that
Yet its wisdom could not teach Moses what he needed to know
Therefore he cried out to God (and none else) for this knowledge
D/ Furthermore, Moses did not consider himself alone in this need of wisdom
In
case we fail to see that if the great and mighty Moses struggled in
this regard, then so should we, Moses takes the initiative and renders
the petition into the plural
Who are the “we” here?
Answer: The whole human race!
Every living and dying son of Adam’s guilty race
We are all heading to the grave
Each birthday or new year is another milestone
E/ What is the great hindrance to be avoided?
Implied: that we are too careless with our days
Failing to number them, we have lost sight of how few and to maintain the position
Bible knows nothing of a one off type holiness experience
Every single day/Christian lives – we must be crying out to God for spiritual help and guidance
3) THE GREAT MEANS THAT IS TO BE EMPLOYED TO ACHIEVE THIS END AND AVOID THESE HINDRANCES:
Apply our hearts unto wisdom
A/ It is a straight forward command to the unsaved
It is in the same genre as Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
B/ That it is with the whole heart shows that salvation can never be regarded as a light or careless matter
A man who is seeking salvation is therefore most earnest
The seat of his emotions and being is engaged
Truth has laid hold upon his very soul and he is deeply moved
All signs of flippancy are notably missing
I don’t believe that he has necessarily to come trembling/Christ
Not for any preacher to dole out how much repentance is needed i.e. that he must squirm and weep and shriek with fear
The Bible does not give us a measuring gauge for these things
It would seem that Lydia (Acts 16:14) knew none of this
But the vital ingredient is there – the one that matters
The Lord opened her heart (v14)
By this, we understand that it was closed
Closed by sin to the things of God
Previously, it had been hardened by sin
Ultimately unresponsive to the gospel
Yes…she had religion, but not salvation
Once her heart was opened (by Divine Grace) she attended to the things spoken by Paul i.e. applied her heart unto wisdom
C/ None that ever so apply their hearts/wisdom are turned away and therefore how precious they really are
This induces us to live foolishly and without glorifying God
In Isaiah’s day (words repeated by Paul) there was a tendency to desire to live fast and die young:
Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die (Isaiah 22:13)
Therefore (as a twisted form/logic) the idea was to indulge quickly in every form of godlessness and debauchery
One would think: if we are to die tomorrow (or soon) and that since
judgement follows death (Hebrews 9:27) then eating and drinking
(euphemism/debauchery) would be the last thing/do?
Surely such a scenario (which one day will be true: tomorrow/die) should remind us that:
It is time to seek the Lord? (Hosea 10:12)
E/ A word to Christians is never out of place:
Our days are only ours in a limited sense
We already have the realisation that the ungodly seem to miss i.e. that they are to spent to the glory of God
Already referred to Paul’s swan song in 2 Timothy 4:2
Paul didn’t get to sing this song because he wasted those days that God gave him after his conversion
Paul got to sing this song because he learned the lesson that Moses cries out to learn/text and put it into action
Paul did not consider himself to have been a loser in his choice
Neither was Moses when he effectively did what Paul did
By faith Moses, when he was come to
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the
recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the
wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
(Hebrews 11:24-17)
A lot depends on when Moses wrote these words/text
If before the events (Hebrews 11) then we see how these acts of faith flowed from such a prayer as this to God
If after Hebrews 11/events – shows need of constant prayer
Many schools turn away potential pupils
Some demand exorbitant fees and so only the rich can enter
Others set very difficult exams and so only the brainy can enter
Others only offer places to those who are socially acceptable
Many have long waiting lists and dash people’s hopes
Not so this school of Christ
All who are weak and are heavy laden may come to His school
They may learn of Him (Matthew 11:28-29)
Past guilt or present shame keeps none back if they but come
D/ How do we so apply our hearts?
As Romans 10:9-10 (already quoted) show: by faith
The wee woman in the gospel just touched the hem/garment
It wasn’t the cloak that mattered anything
It was eventually taken by a Roman soldier at the crucifixion and is forever lost to the world
It is the One who wore the cloak that had the power
Let the sinner but ask for salvation and it shall be his
Forgiveness and pardon for all his sins
Brought into a state of justification
The stain forever wiped away
A new heart with a new nature imparted
A home in heaven awaiting him
E/ Sinner is so apt to apply himself to other things
He sins with all his heart – so much so that the heart is described as being desperately wicked etc.,
Let him then apply with all his heart to Christ
Not that there is merit in faith or in repentance
But without such there is no application
And without application, there is no salvation
Appeal