1 Kings

[0:00] The End The End The End

[1:30] The End The End Trusting the Lord may help us, let us turn to the first book of Kings, chapter 8, verses 41, 42 and 43.

[2:22] The first book of Kings, chapter 8, verses 41, 42 and 43.

[3:02] We shall come and pray toward this house. Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for, that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have builded is called by thy name.

[3:35] Now it is especially the first phrase in the 41st verse. Moreover, concerning a stranger.

[3:48] Moreover, concerning a stranger. It was impossible to leave out the remaining verses of those that we read together.

[4:06] But my mind and spirit has been led particularly to these words concerning a stranger.

[4:21] And I want to just refer for a few moments to some of those things that we read together in the 56th chapter of Isaiah.

[4:37] Neither let the eunuch say, And I want to give them the things that we read together in the Bible.

[5:37] Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and take hold of my covenant. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.

[5:55] Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar. For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

[6:08] The Lord which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

[6:22] I want to notice first of all, the Lord's faithfulness. We read in the epistle to the Corinthians in the first chapter and the ninth verse, God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[6:53] And I feel that it is most important, before we come immediately to the individual mentioned here, the stranger, that we meditate a little upon God's faithfulness.

[7:17] God is faithful to himself.

[7:27] God is faithful to himself, and how important that is. Dear friends, whatever we read, and are taught concerning the Almighty, of his attributes, and to begin to enumerate them, is really beyond us.

[8:03] But if we mention just a few, his holiness, his righteousness, his justice, his mercy, his grace, his wisdom, his compassion, his love, but in everything that we read, and every experience of the Lord's people, will, will, and must prove, that he is faithful to himself.

[8:51] We read, God, who cannot lie. And we read, those words that he has spoken, I will not alter, the thing that is gone out of my mouth.

[9:07] We live in a day, of change and decay. We live in a day, when man's word, means nothing for the most part.

[9:25] And no matter how much we, love and feel, for someone, though we may make promises, with every intention, of fulfilling them, we are finite, mortal, feeble creatures.

[9:50] And it may be outside, our ability, when the time requires it, for us to fulfill, the thing that we have promised. But it cannot be so, with the Lord.

[10:00] He is infinite, He is eternal, He is almighty. And there is nothing, hid from Him. Dear friend, how many things, we have to prove, from day to day, that we haven't known this, and we haven't known that, and we haven't understood.

[10:21] But none of these things, are applicable, unto our God. God is faithful. And He is faithful to Himself, to every attribute, of the Godhead.

[10:43] He is faithful to, every decree, that He has made. He is faithful to, every word, every promise.

[10:59] There is no shadow, of turning with Him. And when we, are engaged in, the things that concern, our never dying souls, there can be, nothing more important, to us, to be afforded, a view, of that glory, that pertaineth, unto Him, as the faithful God, faithful unto Himself, to every attribute, to every decree, to every word.

[11:39] And then when we, read of the covenant, that He has made, and we were reminded, in the chapters, that we read, I will make, an everlasting covenant, with you.

[11:56] Oh dear friend, consider, the greatness then, of that word, that is spoken, by God, who is faithful, unto Himself, to every attribute, to every word, unto His covenant.

[12:13] One of the hymn writers, begins the hymn, How firm, a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith, in His excellent word.

[12:27] What more can He say, than to you, He has said, ye who unto Jesus, for refuge have fled. There are many, countless, evidences, of God's faithfulness, throughout the whole, of the scripture.

[12:48] And if we begin, in the book of Genesis, in the garden, when, Adam and Eve, had fallen, and the Lord, called them to account, and the Lord, pronounced the curse, because of sin, He, there, sets before, Adam, and all his progeny, a hope, that the seed, of the woman, shall bruise, the serpent's head, and he, shall bruise, his heel.

[13:24] I wonder, how many of us, have, that hope, set before us. Not in the mind, not in the intellect, but having respect, unto a faithful God, and that first, recorded word, of promise, for His people, to lay hold, upon it, to trust it, to look, for its fulfillment.

[14:01] And as we go through, the whole of the Old Testament, and we come, to the last chapter, there, the same, precious promise, is reiterated, and confirmed, the faithfulness, of God, unto every attribute, of the Godhead, unto His every word, and decree, to every purpose, and unto you, that fear my name, shall a son of righteousness, arise, with healing, in His wings.

[14:46] All those, whose records, are left, in God's word, they do, testify, to that faithfulness, but God is faithful, not only, to Himself, and to His every decree, but He is also, faithful to His Son.

[15:15] the Lord gave unto Christ, the Lord gave unto Christ, a people, and it is written, concerning, him, and that people, he shall see, the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, and God is faithful, unto His decree, unto Himself, unto His Son, but dear friend, in all these things, surely, we must see, that as the fount of, all, the purposes of God, issue forth, from His love, then He must be faithful, to His love, does He not speak, in one place,

[16:18] I have loved thee, with an everlasting love, and with loving kindness, have I drawn thee, and are those words, spoken unto the angels, on the contrary, they are spoken, to those who, in the epistles, are declared to be, you who were, sometime alienated, and enemies, in your mind, by wicked works, yet, now, hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh, through death, behold, the faithfulness of God, unto Himself, unto His, every decree, unto His Son, unto His love, and I trust, that, as we come, to, consider these words, concerning a stranger, we might be helped, to see, and be encouraged, by the faithfulness, of God, in, every matter, in every circumstance, to, every word, that He has spoken, we, are all familiar, with,

[17:57] Ruth, and the history, of Ruth, and we have, there, in that record, surely, the Lord's, dealings, with a stranger, and each of us, by nature, is even as, Ruth, I wonder, whether, we truly, know, by the Lord's, teaching, what it is, to be an alien, she was an alien, from the commonwealth, of Israel, the apostle, in, that epistle, to the Corinthians, says, you who, were sometime, alienated, if a man, comes to, dwell amongst us, in our country, and he is the subject, of another, government, or king, or authority, being born, there, brought up, under that culture, he comes, and dwells, in the midst, of us, and he is an alien, for he is subject, to, another, government, and to another, rule, but the apostle, says unto us, that, we are not only aliens, but we are, alienated, which is a very, different matter, that man, that comes, to dwell amongst us, is still a subject, of his own country, except, he be, naturalized, and if, there were, war, between, his country, and our country, he would be, expected, to fight, for the country, to which he now, owes his allegiance, and in fighting, against, his, former, sovereign, and, country, he is then, alienated, from his own people, do you, and I, feel the alienation, that is upon, everyone, that has sinned, against a holy God, have we been, brought and taught, to know, that we fight, against him, who made us, who blessed us, and our alienation, is not only, there, but, the apostle says, and enemies, in your mind, by wicked works, an active, enmity, not a passive one, not something, that is quiet, and subdued, but that which is active, and raised up, engaged in warfare, against, the holy God, and this is, what we each are, by nature, but we are not only, alienated, by, those wicked works, enemies, in our mind, we are, alienated, in, will, will, we may have been, much favored, in our upbringing, and perhaps, have, not gone into, the gross, outward sins, that many seek after, but dear friend, can you, say that, your will, is occupied, only, fully, and, perfectly, to love, the Lord, for thou, shall love, the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and we have, not such a will, we are, alienated, from the will of God, and we are, alienated, in, this way, as well,

[22:52] God, made us, in, his own image, you read Genesis, and are familiar, with that, which is written there, let us make man, in our image, but it is written, concerning you, and me, and every one, of Adam's, progeny, Adam begat a son, after his own, likeness, and he was, a fallen creature, he was, an alienated, creature, he was, a cursed creature, and we were, born in, that image, with, that likeness, so, when we see, the Lord's, dealings, with those, that are, alienated, and enemies, in their, mind, by wicked works, are they, not strangers, unto him, are they, not far off,

[24:06] I know, we, perhaps, have, often heard, people, speak, of, what it is, to be as far, from God, as sheep, can run, and dear friend, have we ever, been there, ourselves, and to know, what it means, to feel, the alienation, that exists, and to know, that it is that, which we have, sought after, and chosen, rather, than the things, that pertain, unto God, well, there is a word, for the strangers, the Lord, has spoken, concerning, a stranger, and the example, and the experience, of Ruth, is, set before us, and I want to, refer to, one or two things, concerning,

[25:13] Ruth, and those things, that, she was brought, to know, when she returned, with, Naomi, to Bethlehem, she wasn't, content, merely, to, sit, she had heard, the word, of the Lord, in a strange land, a far off land, but it would, please, almighty God, so, to cause, that word, to enter in, I believe, we see, in, that very thought, the faithfulness, of God, God, because, he says, concerning, his children, all, my children, shall be taught, of the Lord, and I'm sure, we, realize, that, it's one thing, to be taught, either, by our parents, or, our Sunday school, teachers, or, by, reading, and studying, the things, that, pertain unto God, but, oh, how different, it is, when the Lord, applies the word, with power, when he opens, the heart, to receive, and to believe it, and how, shall we know, that the Lord, hath wrought, these things, in us, well, if we look to Ruth, we see her, far off, a stranger, of a different culture, under a different sovereignty, but the, entering in, of that word, of that almighty word, was effectual, to separate her, from that sovereignty, from that culture, to seek unto him, who is the Lord,

[27:30] God of Israel, God of Israel, God of Israel, God of Israel, now that it was not, a light matter, with her, consider how, she speaks, to Naomi, when Naomi, entreated her, to return, entreat me, not to leave thee, her heart, her heart, her heart's, her heart's, her heart's, affections, were concerned, in this matter, it wasn't, merely duty, it wasn't, merely, a concern, for Naomi, my, for she goes on, and she says, thy God, shall be my God, and what a difference, that makes, when she came, to Bethlehem, she came, to prove, the things, that she had heard, and I believe, we see in, those things, the faithfulness, of the Lord, for the Lord says,

[28:30] I will gather them, and here we see, the faithfulness, to his word, to his covenant, to himself, to his love, and to his son, and when Ruth, came to Bethlehem, she said, to Naomi, let me now, go to the field, to glean, let me prove, what I've heard, I wonder, how many of us, with all, the head knowledge, that we have, of the things, of God, and the promises, of God, and the provisions, of God, have been, caused to rise up, and to leave, everything else, behind, to go after, and to seek after, to prove, to prove, the things, that God, hath done, hath promised, hath commanded, hath provided,

[29:33] Ruth's hope, was fixed, upon, the decree, that the Lord, had given unto his people, concerning, the gathering in, of the harvest, in that, fruitful land, unto which, he had brought them, and given unto them, their inheritance, inheritance, and it was, on this decree, that she went forth, it was upon, this decree, that she hoped, and she went forth, seeking, to prove, the provision, that God, had made, the truth, that, I'm sure, that, there must be, in every, living soul's experience, a time, when they come to this, they must prove, that which, God, has spoken, and it constitutes, their hope, and they seek after, the personal, experience of it,

[30:47] I wonder, why, one says, give me Christ, or else I die, save that it was, necessary, that he prove, all of those things, that are, provided, in him, by the father's, covenant love, and mercy, it was evidently, his hope, it was his, desire, and he cried, and sought after it, now there was, a diligence in Ruth, she, was not, careless, or indifferent, in any respect, she was diligent, from morning, till night, when we look, at ourselves, dear friend, are you and I, diligently, seeking, morning, till night, to glean, in the field, of the word, to lay hold, upon that, which God, hath provided, to live upon it, to know, the blessedness, of it, when Ruth, came to, that field, and went, to begin, to glean, and she asked, permission, we see, a humility, in her, and when Boaz, came, see how, he speaks, unto her, for when, she came, into the field, she had no right, to be there, as far, as she could, see, and understand, because, she asked, permission, and the permission, was granted, but when Boaz, came, he speaks, unto her, and immediately, he gives, her those things, that she, most stands, in need of, he gives, her a right, to be there, he commands, her, attendance, there, and her, steadfastness, there,

[33:08] I believe, that when, the Lord, gathers, his, children, brings, the strangers, near, he, speaks, unto them, in such, a way, that, he, confirms, unto them, that, which he, hath, provided, by his, decree, and, thereby, makes them, a partaker, of it, he gives, them a right, what is it, that Boaz, said, go not, to glean, in another field, neither, go from hence, but, abide here, fast, by, my maidens, let thine eyes, beyond the field, that they do reap, and go thou after them, have I not charged, the young men, that they shall not, touch thee, and when thou art, to thirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that, which the young men, have drawn, you see, he is revealed, to be, not only, a provider, but he is revealed, to be her protector, he has charged, the young men, thou shalt not, touch her, you know, there are times, when, the Lord's people, feel to be, in such places, and such straits, and such dangers, they need, the Lord, to be revealed, unto them, as a refuge, as a hiding place, as a shelter, as a defender, and God, is faithful,

[35:01] I wonder, how many times, in the book of Psalms, we read the testimony, concerning the Lord, and his dealings, with his people, the Lord is my rock, oh dear friend, is he our rock, as he revealed himself, and made himself, to be our refuge, and our defense, well, when, Ruth, is so, spoken to, by Boaz, she can only marvel, at the grace, that hath been shown unto her, it's a wonderful thing, when the Lord, in his faithfulness, causes his children, to see, that gracious hand, that is upon them, that is over them, that is about them, and we read, how that, there is a confirming, that the very things, that she felt, in her heart, are really, and truly so, for, does not,

[36:19] Baraz, say, the Lord, recompense thy work, and the full reward, be given thee, of the Lord God, of Israel, under whose wings, thou art come to trust, you see, sometimes, there are those circumstances, and Satan's, so prompt, to come, to suggest, well, it's because of this, and it's because of that, and the reason, in the heart, of the one, who is, so exercised, and so tried, they want, to be, among, his people, to be, under, his government, to be, the subject, of his providing, to shelter, under, his wing, and here, the very thing, is confirmed, unto them, under whose wings, thou art come, to trust, the Lord, has promised, the Savior, to, comfort, and be with, his children, continually,

[37:32] I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, and God is faithful, and by, these means, he brings, he draws, he gathers, the stranger, and I see, that the time, already is gone, but I want, to come to this, these many, encouragements, that were, afforded, unto, Ruth, the stranger, from Moab, brought her, ultimately, by reason, of the things, that she had, proved herself, to come, and to lay down, at Boaz's feet, and say, spread therefore, thy skirt, over thine handmaid, dear friend, is this the desire, of your heart, and my heart, that the Lord, would spread, his skirt, over us, that he would, cover us, that he would, make us, his own, how needful, were all those, encouragements, in the way, and yet, through what, strange circumstances,

[38:40] Ruth had to pass, widowhood, poverty, the long journey, from Moab, to Bethlehem, but God, is faithful, and when he, puts forth his hand, concerning the stranger, there is a, perfection, and an excellence, in all that he does, for he is true, to himself, he is true, to his covenant, he is true, unto his son, he is true, unto his love, may he, add his blessing, Amen.

[39:17] Let us conclude, this afternoon's service, by singing hymn, 556, to the tune, Carnile 17.

[39:37] 556, 556, the Lord proclaims his name, and sinners hear his voice, His mercy ever stands the same, and we are in him, rejoice.

[40:12] Hymn 556, Hymn 556, Hymn 556, the Lord proclaims his name, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, He is trwr бр showing by the child's spirits, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, and sinners hear his voice, even happiness come, Amen.

[41:36] Amen. Amen.

[42:36] Amen. Amen.

[43:36] Amen. Amen.

[44:08] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. The moneys placed in the boxes today will be for the pastor.

[44:26] Amen. May the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and evermore.

[44:46] Amen. The tree will be served in the chapel shortly, and all are welcome.