Not So Secret Sin

Psalms 90:8 — Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Introduction

• Psalm 90 was written by Moses. "A Prayer of Moses, the man of God"

Deut. 33:1 — And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

• It is (possibly?) the oldest of the 150 Psalms.
• v.10 Said to be the Inpiration for Abraham Lincolon's Gettysburg Address "Fourscoure and Seven Year Ago"
• (All these lived much longer than the 70-80 years) Joshua 110; Moses120; Miriam 130; Aaron 123; Caleb 85;

Exposition

Psalm 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

1. Thou [God]

In the midst of the Psalm on the Eternity of God and the contrasted limits of man, the Psalmist declares what is SECRET to man is OPEN before God.

• God is not a man ... (Nu 23:19)
• Who Sees All (read verses below)

2. Our Iniquities

• OUR: Ownership, confession!
• Fault, Mischief, Perversity
• Sin is a Problem

Eph 5:11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.

3. Our Secret Sins

• to veil from sight, to conceal
• SECRET SINS: Those committed in darkness and privacy
  • Unknown to others, still know to God
  • Secret, Hidden (attempts to CONCEAL)

Daniel 9:13 — As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

4. Has Set our Iniquities before Thee, .... in the Light of thy Countenance (for judgment)

• "has SET our iniquities before thee" -- record kept

• God's Purpose is Justice

Ecclesiastes 12:14 — For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

God Sees All - "Not so Secret"

Jeremiah 16:17 — For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

Hebrews 4:13 — Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Job 28:24 — For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

Job 34:21 — For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

Proverbs 5:21 — For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

Psalm 139:13-16 — For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

2 Chronicles 16:19 — For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

Genesis 16:13 — And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Examples

Pr 28:13 — He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

• we still try

Achan's Not So Secret Sin

• saw people dieing and decided to wait it out.

Jos 7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Adam and Eve's Not So Secret Sin

• Only Gods favor mattters here (Who else was there left to please?)

Genesis 3:8 — And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

David's Not So Secret Sin

• schemes., managing appearances.

2Sa 11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

2 Samuel 11:6 — And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

2 Samuel 11:9 — But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

2 Samuel 11:14 — And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

Ananias and Sapphira's No So Secret Sin

• Tell part pf tbe story and represent it as the whole

Acts 5:1-4 — But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Eli, Hophni and Phineas

• make excuses, ive tried, its out of my control,, rely on the shield of ones position and influence

• Sin in Leadership, Abuse of Power to obtain special favor or enforce undue influence

• Why didn't somebody say something?

1 Samuel 4:11 — And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

Ezra

• We have a tendancy to want to conceal things as a matter of SELF DEFENSE, but our ONLY defence with God is the CROSS.

Ezr 9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.

3 When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.

4 Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening offering.

5 At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God;

6 and I said, my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up to the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

8 Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

9 For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

10 Now, our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments,

11 which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness:

12 now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.

13 After all that is come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant,

14 shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? would not you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?

15 Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.

A Levite, 2 Fathers, and the City of Gibean Judges 19

TIMELINE

• v. 1 a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him "a wife a concubine" out of Bethlehemjudah.

• v. 2 They had contentions; she ceased to love him, her affections were alienated from him; and she left his house, and went home to her father

• v. 3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again,... he [her father] rejoiced to meet him

• v. 4-9 Tarrying at the Father-in-law's house [All is not well, though the father-in-law desparately wants it to be.] - The Father-in-Law fights for his daugher with futile delays.

  • RETAINS (fasten upon) him 3 days,
  • man rises early 4th day to leave but FIL "eat something before you go"
  • 4th day afternoon, Enjoy yourself, don't rush out
  • man rises to leave and father in law urged [peck at stubbornly] him to stay another night
  • morning of the 5th day the FIL says stay unitl the afternoon (avoid the heat of the day,)
  • man starts to leave the 5th day and FIL "the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night"

• v.10 Leaves in Evening Time (NOT ONE MORE NIGHT, at a time travelers normally stop for the day, its a dangrous time, much lurks in the dark)

• v.11,12 Servants suggests a stop at Jebus (Jerusalem, partly conquered by the tribe of Judah, but won't be entrily conquered until the time of David). but the Levite declines describing it as a city of strangers and not of Israel.

• v. 13-15 The man decides on the city of Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin. No Public Inn available and requiring the pure hospitality of someone

• v.16-21 An Old man returning from his fields, "Only lodge not in the street" (an ominous warning, this is not a safeplace at night)

• v.22 Sons of Belial - Of Beast and Devil (Sodomites) - come pounding on the house door making their demands.

• v.23,24 The Host begs these demons turn aside and as HIs guests were under the protectio n of household he offers these animals his own daughter. (Perhaps hoping as they knew his daughter and that they were Sodomites that maybe should would fair better.) HE IS BARGAINING WITH DEVILS. (Same bargain as made by Lot in Genesis 19 but no Angel of God present to intervene.) -- INCOMPREHENSIBLE

• v.25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took [seize by violence] his concubine ... she did not willfully go, ABUSED HER ALL NIGHT

ADAM CLARKE: "The woman would not go out to them; but her graceless husband forced her to go, in order that he might save his own body. He could have but little love for her, and this was the cause of their separation before."

• v.26,27 After her long night of abuse, She had strength to reach the door, but not to knock for admittance: when she reached the door she fell down dead! ... her hands were upon the threshold.

• v.28 "Get Up" but she cannot respond. He takes her home, cuts her into 12 pieces

It was a custom among the ancient Highlanders in Scotland, when one clan wished to call all the rest to avenge its wrongs, to take a wooden cross, dip it in blood, and send it by a special messenger through all the clans. This was called the fire cross, because at sight of it each clan lighted a fire or beacon, which gave notice to all the adjoining clans that a general rising was immediately to take place.

Jg 19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.

SOME LESSONS:

• The error of guiding philophy of the people in this book is no more obvious than in this account: Jg 17:6 & 21:25 - ...every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

• The blessing of Government vs. Anarchy

• What is a SAFE PLACE? Jebus, Gibeah?

  • Gibeah had a SECRET SIN. "whatever you do, do not sleep in the street"

• Sin is an ugly thing. Sin is never right. God's way is always best.

• Sin is Selfishness.

• Do we See the Sin? The Whole thing was WRONG FROM THE BEGINNING:

  • Father letting his daughter go despite his reservations
  • The men of Gibeah who wished to abuse the the Levite;
  • the old man who wished to save his guest at the expense of his own daughter
  • the Levite who wished to save his body at the expense of life of his wife;

• When we bargain with evil, we will always be at a disadvantage. "HOLD NO QUARTER" for the devil.

• Why doesen't somebody say something? Cry aloud against sin, "See something, say something" (Whistleblower)

Calling Out Sin

Eph 5:11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.

1 Timothy 5:17-22 — 1Ti 5:17 ¶ Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Ezekiel 3:17-19 — Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

2 Timothy 4:2 — Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Revelation 3:19 — As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

1 Corinthians 4:14 — I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

Luke 24:47 — And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.