A Society of Death

“Now therefore hearken unto me, oh ye children, for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my doors. For who so findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinnth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:32-35)

I want to bring a message today which I’ve entitled a society of death.

“But he that sinnth against me wrongeth his own soul. All that hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:36)
Now look at verse 36. again.

“and as it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.” (Heb. 9:26)

I have heard many as well as I have used the verse myself at a funeral quoting Hebrews 9 and verse 26.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17)

Look what God told Adam. Here were the words that God gave Adam and Eve.

“in dying thou shalt die.” (Gen. 3)

So when God then pronounced the death penalty upon Adam in Genesis chapter 3, he literally said this.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Rom. 8:18)

The Apostle Paul writes.

“For the earnest expectation of the creature or creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:19)

So look what he says in verse 19.

“For the creature or the creation was made subject to vanity. That is, it was placed under the curse. Genesis 3. Not willingly, but by reason of him who had subjected the saint in hope. Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groanth and travaleth in pain together until now.” (Rom. 8:20-22)

Now why is the creation waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God? Here’s why. That is, it was placed under the curse. Genesis 3. Now he says this creation groans waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Why? Because when we are set at liberty, that is when our Lord returns and gives us full gracious and glorious liberty in and of himself then creation itself will be freed from the curse of sin.

“But who so findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord, but he that sinnth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:35-36)

What did our Lord say? All man can do apart from Jesus Christ, all man can do apart from the word of God is produce a society of death.

“For who so findth me findeth life and shall obtain favor of the Lord, but he that sinnth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:35-36)

Now look at what our text says in Proverbs chapter 8. He says very closely in verse 35 and very clearly. Now our text tells us that there is a battle and it is a constant battle between between life and favor and judgment and death.

“The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way. Before his works of old, I was set up.” (Prov. 8:22)

For instance, verse 22, this of course speaks of Jesus Christ and his mediatorship. That is the mediatorship of Jesus Christ.

“I was set up from everlasting from the beginning orever the earth was. When there was no depths, I was brought forth. When there was no fountains abounding water before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. While as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the earth.” (Prov. 8:23-26)

What he is saying is this. Before the world began, Jesus Christ was he not only was as God, but he was also set up to be the God man, the mediator, the gobetween between God the Father and you and I.

“When he prepared the heavens, I was there. When he set a compass upon the face of the depth, when he established the clouds above, when he strengthened the fountains of the deeps, when he gave to the seen his decree that the water should not pass his commandment when he appointed the foundation of the earth. Then I was by him as one brought up with him. I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” (Prov. 8:27-30)

Notice if you would verse 27. So here’s a perfect picture of Jesus Christ.

“Now therefore hearken unto me, he says, you children, for blessed are they that keep my ways, hear my instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my door. Why? For whosoever findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But the opposite is, but he that sinnth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death.” (Prov. 8:32-36)

Now therefore hearken unto me, he says, you children. So we have Christ personified as wisdom speaking.

“But of him that is of God the Father, but of him that is God the Father. Are you in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us what? Wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30)

Well, look what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30.

“in whom, we’re talking about Jesus Christ, in whom are he all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3)

Look there. if you would please, Colossians 2 and verse three. Once again, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men. Why? For all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12)

Listen to what he said in Romans 5 and verse 12. Let me just quote it. When did all sin? Well, we all sinned in Adam.

“So he God drove out the man and placed in the east of the garden of Eden cherubim with a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Gen. 3:24)

After Adam and Eve sinned, you look in Genesis 3 and verse 24 and you read these words. What did God do to Adam? He drove him out of the garden.

“Take heed to thyself lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whether thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee. But you shall destroy their altar. break their images and cut down their groves. For thou shalt worship no other god. For the Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go ah whoring after their gods, and do sacrificing their gods, and call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice, and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go ahoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.” (Ex. 34:12-16)

Now skip down to verse 12. What did God say? Tear down their altars, throw down everything.

“When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whether thou goest to possess it, and has cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, the Gegosites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Parizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou. And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt what? Smite them and utterly destroy them. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy in them, neither shalt thou make marriages with them. Thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take thy son, for they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods. So will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. But Thus shall you deal with them? You shall destroy their altars and break down their images and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire.” (Deut. 7:1-5)

I’m just showing you what God’s attitude is toward false religions. Deuteronomy 7, notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse one.

“For thou a holy people of the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God has chosen them to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Deut. 7:6)
Why?.

“These are the statutes and judgments which you shall observe to do in the land which the Lord thy God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it all the days that you live upon the earth. You shall utterly destroy all the places where in the nations which you shall possess. Serve their gods upon the high mountains, upon the hills, and under every green tree. And you shall overthrow their altars and break their pillars and burn their groves with fire. And you shall hew down the graven images of their gods and destroy the names of them out of that place.” (Deut. 12:1-3)

Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 12. Deuteronomy 12 verse one.

“And the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Boim and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt and have brought you into the land which I swear to your father. s and I said, “I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land. You shall throw down their altars, but you have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this?”” (Judg. 2:1-2)

Look in the book of Judges chapter 2 and notice if you would please verses 1 and two. Of course the children of Israel disobeyed and they were judged.

“And the king of Israel said, “Alas, that the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them to the hand of Moab.”” (2 Ki. 3:10)
I want you to see Elisha’s attitude.

“But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a prophet of the Lord that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Here is Elisha, the son of Sha Sheaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel, who is the son of Ahab now, the king of Israel And Jehoshaphat the king and the king of Edom went down to him.” (2 Ki. 3:11-12)
But Jehoshaphat said.

“And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay, for the Lord hath called these three kings together, deliver them in the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, as the Lord of hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.” (2 Ki. 3:13-14)

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel. He said the king of Israel, if it wasn’t for Jehoshaphat, I wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire. That’s what he said.

“why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread” (Matt. 15:2)

They the Pharisees came to our Lord and they said.

“why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition” (Matt. 15:3)
But he answered and said unto them. Christ said, “Why is it with your tradition you transgress the word of God?”.

“And he called the multitudes and said unto them, hear and understand, not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth the man.” (Matt. 15:10-11)

He gives them several illustrations. Verse 10.

“Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?” (Matt. 15:12)
Then came his disciples, and said unto him. You’ve upset the religious leaders of the day, Christ?.

“Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, those shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:13-14)

But he answered and said, “Here’s good South Georgia interpretation.” Tough stuff. Well, he didn’t really say that, but here’s what he said.

“And unto the angel of the church of Sardis, write these things said he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know thou works that thou hast a name that livest, but thou art dead.” (Rev. 3:1)

You know what our Lord told the church of Sardis in Revelation 3 and verse one. Listen carefully. Our Lord said, “You’ve got a name that you’re alive, but you’re dead.” They died theologically.

“Kiss the son, lest he be angry with thee and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little.” (Ps. 2:12)

Psalm two is a psalm written to the civil rulers. And when you get to verse 12, the word of God says to the civil rulers. That is, they better make up to him, lest they perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little.

“Go into the land and all the fountains of water and all the brooks per adventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.” (1 Ki. 18:5)

Look what King Ahab said, he’s giving word to Oadiah. Well, isn’t that mighty sweet of Ahab? I want you to note something. Ahab was concerned for the life of his beasts, but he was not concerned for the life of Ahab of Nabboth and his family.

“As the Lord liveth, as the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal and a barrel and a little oil and a cruise. Behold, I’m gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat and die.” (1 Ki. 17:12)

Here’s the widow woman.

“The princes of Judah, so we’re talking about civil rulers. The princes of Judah were like them that removed the bound. Therefore, says God, I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.” (Hos. 5:10)
Here’s why governments go down the road of tyranny. What does it mean when it says the princes of Judah, Judah were like them that remove the bound. They were like them that removed the boundaries. In other words, they did not like the limitations that God placed upon them.

“Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Ps. 2:1)

God asked. And the word vain means useless, foolish.

“The kings of the earth set themselves elves and the rulers of the g the rulers take counsel together against the Lord’s saying against his anointed saying let us break their bands of sunder and cast away their courts from us.” (Ps. 2:2-3)
Now look. In other words, we don’t like to be limited by God. We do not like all these limitations that he’s placed upon government. In order to be our own God, we must throw off the shackles that he’s placed upon us.

“be wise now therefore oh ye kings. Be instructed you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with tremol. and kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those that put their trust in him.” (Ps. 2:10-12)

The admonition is well look in verse 11. In fact, verse 10. No government can become tyrannical as long as it obeys Jesus Christ.

“Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by a law?” (Ps. 94:20)
Look at this question. Now look, shall the throne, so we’re talking about government, we’re talking about civil government. So here’s the question. Shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with God when that wicked civil government frames mischief by law. Let me explain it. You’ve got to understand that mischief in the Bible is another word for sin. Shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with God when that wicked civil government makes sin legal?.

“Because you have said, we have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us. For we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.” (Is. 28:15)

Don’t turn there, but let me just read to you Isaiah 28 and verse 15. God says. What did those leaders think? Ah, we shall escape because we made lies our refuge.

“Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.” (Hos. 13:9)

Do you know what God told Israel in Hosea 13 and verse 9? Israel had rejected God, you remember, had built the two golden calves. stand in Bethl. God said this.