REFORMED CHURCH BELLVILLE: SUNDAY 7 MARCH 2004: MORNING SERVICE

REFORMED CHURCH BELLVILLE: SUNDAY 7 MARCH 2004: MORNING SERVICE

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Beloved grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, through the mighty working of God the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Psalm of praise: 31: 1+13
Confession of faith (Apostles Creed)
Law
Psalm: 25:3
Prayer
Psalm: 30:7
Scripture: Deuteronomy 3
Text: Deuteronomy 3:25

"Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan – that fine hill country and Lebanon."

It concerns prayer and the future. We sometimes pray so sincerely and then it appears to us that nothing happens. The truth is that our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us and He hears our prayers in such a way that we receive the good from His hand.

We consider the following issues:

1.   After his sin Moses still prays.
2.   The Lord's reaction to Moses' prayer.
3.   Yet the Lord heard Moses' prayer.

1.   After his sin Moses still prays

In the passage we read together, Moses is praying. He starts his prayer with praise: "O, Sovereign Lord".

He prays to the Lord as Creator and Divine ruler of his fate and also as God of the Covenant – that is the meaning of God's Names.
Thereafter he praises God's Greatness by asking what God there is in heaven or earth who can do such mighty deeds as the Lord.

When Moses prayed: "… you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand" he undoubtedly thought of the times they were on the verge of death from thirst in the desert and the Lord gave them water.

Moses doubtlessly remembered clearly the occasion on which the Lord commanded him to speak to the rock upon which the Lord would let water flow from it for the people and their cattle to drink. (Numbers 20:7)
But Moses then went to the rock and struck it twice with his staff instead of speaking to it. (Numbers 20:11)
This event was the reason for his prayer.
Because on that occasion he was disobedient and acted wrongly the Lord denied Moses entry into Canaan. (Numbers 20:12)

After this Moses arrives at what he wishes to ask for:

The Lord must please permit him to enter Canaan. He so dearly wishes to enter this beautiful land, it was for this that he fetched the people from Egypt.
Moses dearly wished to enter the good land as in it he would see the finishing touch to his work.
One may say that with it Moses would also see the finishing touch of the Lord's work.

Moses was well aware of his own sin.

He knew that because of his disobedience to the Lord he was denied entry into the land of Canaan.
Therefore he prays fervently that God must be merciful to him and allow him to cross the Jordan.

Let us look at the attitude shown in Moses' prayer:

He has no ulterior motive – he prays sincerely.
He does not ask to lead the people into the promised land, because he knows that Joshua is to do so.
He only wants to see the land.

2. The Lord's reaction to Moses' prayer

The Lord was angered by this prayer.

Wrathfully the Lord refuses his prayer.
It means that the Lord did not accede to the request as prayed for and did not grant him the favour of entering Canaan.
The Lord commands him to speak no more of it.

If we were to stop here, it would appear that God did not hear Moses' prayer. But this is not so.

The Lord shows him the utmost grace.
The Lord tells him to go to the top of Mount Pisgah.
The Lord will show him Canaan.

The Lord's grace is so encompassing – He gave Moses extraordinary vision so that he could see all of Canaan.
The Lord tells Moses to look west, north, south and east. He will see all of Palestine.

That was probably the Lord's intention when He said to Moses "That is enough". It is more than enough for Moses to see from the top of Pisgah all the land. It could also mean – My grace is sufficient for you.

These words of the Lord show that in the Lord's mercy there is no place for judgment.

Moses asked to be allowed to enter the land – this was refused.
Although Moses' prayer was not answered as asked by him, the Lord showed him more grace so that he could see more than just the vague outlines of the land.
He could see the whole land as it extended before him.
This alone was a complete answer to his prayer.

With this the Lord also showed Moses that He had forgiven him his disobedience.

But what about our own prayers? We pray so often when in need. Is this not perhaps a defect in our faith in that we pray only (and especially) when we are in need and in trouble?

It is such a well known malpractice that we even have a proverb "nood leer bid" (literally: Necessity teaches to pray).
Can we expect the Father only to give and to forgive?
Yet the Bible in this passage clearly shows the grace of our Heavenly Father – even if our prayers often are ungrateful prayers in which we only demand the Lord does hear them!

Moses' prayer was also imperfect.

He does not pray the Lord to forgive him the particular sin (his disobedience).
He only asks to be allowed to enter Canaan.
Often in our prayers it appears as if we expect the Lord to close His eyes to our trespasses.

There are prayers which the Lord does not hear.

The Lord does not answer prayers which are counter to His Counsel, no matter how great our need.
Jesus Christ once prayed that the cup of the cross be taken from Him. (Matthew 26:39)
His need was so great that His sweat was like drops of blood.
It was a sincere prayer.
But God purposefully did not answer that prayer because Jesus Christ had to empty the cup of His death on the cross so that we did not have to do so.
Jesus' prayer was not answered so that our prayers would have the right to be answered.
Through His death on the cross we acquired access to God's throne of grace – also by our prayers.

Even after the Ascension we still have the aid and guidance of God in our prayers because the Holy spirit was sent to us because of His death on the cross.

It is the function of the Holy Spirit to teach us who are elected to pray.
When we pray it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the boldness to kneel in prayer before our Heavenly Father.

3. Yet the Lord answered Moses' prayer

Moses' prayer was fully answered! As from the day Moses prayed until the day he died he never entered Canaan. But eventually we do find Moses in Palestine – on the mountain of transfiguration.

We read in Matthew 17 that Jesus and three of his disciples ascended a high mountain and then we read

"Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus". (Matthew 17:3)

On that occasion Moses and Elijah were messengers sent by the Father to His Son Jesus to strengthen Him before His death.

On that occasion Moses' prayer was answered completely although it was after his death he was alive in the land of Canaan.
So there are many prayers that we say which are answered only much later.
In our day there is such a prayer waiting to be answered, namely the prayer of the souls underneath the altar. (Revelations 6:9)
These are the people who on earth were killed because of their faith in the Lord Jesus and held onto His word.
They pray in heaven "How long, Sovereign Lord?" They pray that the Lord may avenge their blood on earth.
The Lord answers them that they must wait because there are many people on earth who are to die because of His Name.
Only when their number is complete will He answer their prayer for vengeance.

Today the Lord enriched us with the preaching of His Word and with His blessing that is given before and after each service.

He again assured us of the forgiveness of our sins and all the bounty of the cross.
He also assured us that we may pray with boldness and know that our prayers are heard.

We have much to pray for.

Firstly we must thank the Lord for His grace that today we could in a special way have communion with Him in two services of public worship and be assured by Him of the forgiveness of our sins.
And we should thank Him for his caring for our congregation over the years. We should also pray for His blessing us in future.
We must pray for His Second Coming.
We must pray that the Kingdom of God may come in its perfection and final fulfillment – so that the Lord Jesus may come to collect His believers on earth.
Like Moses we must pray that we may enter into the Lord's promises – in our case that we may be on the new earth and live there with the Holiness of God.

You must remember that Jesus' death on the cross preaches judgment and grace.

Grace as we have experienced it over the past years and again at the table of Holy Communion.
And judgment over those who trample underfoot His love and defy His demand that we worship Him as God.

Be warned and go into life with the grace of the Lord Jesus with you.

Worship the Lord in truth and sincerity.
Live in such a way that your vision is not limited to the here and now of this life.
Let us direct our aim at the Lord's glory and at the life hereafter that is coming. Let us continually pray to the Lord that we enter His peace.

Amen

Closing prayer
Closing Hymn: 28B

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift His countenance on you and give you peace.

Amen

Dr MJ du Plessis, Reformed Church Bellville.
7 March 2004
Scripture NIV