Sermon Tone Analysis

March 5, 2012

By John Barnett

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The first observation a student studying God's Word would make in Psalm 32 is that:* David is so thankful for his sin being forgiven*, that he uses four different Hebrew words to describe the depths God had to go to accomplish his forgiveness in just the first two verses.

Note those with me as we open to Psalm 32:

Psalm 32:1-2 /"Blessed is he whose transgression is* forgiven*, Whose sin is *covered*.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the *Lord does not impute* iniquity, And* in whose spirit there is no deceit*."/

NKJV

That is one happy man to declare the amazing depth of his forgiveness in every way possible.

But that same careful student of the Word would make a second equally powerful observation that:* sin is such an offense to God* that He has to use 15 different words in the Hebrew Old Testament just to describe the horribly dreadful depths of sins deadly power.

Here in David’s song we find the four primary Old Testament words for sin introduced and explained.

Which leads us to first consider the:

*THE MANY FACES OF SIN*

When David stole his neighbor Uriah’s little ewe lamb for his already overflowing banqueting table he defied the rules God had laid down.

David now sees his life as God saw him.

God was displeased with David because of these four areas of his life.

*First, sin means: Resisting or defying God’s rule*

Psalm 32:1-2 /"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit"/.

NKJV

The word in Psalm 32:1 is transgression, the Hebrew peshah, which means: 'going away', 'departure', “passing over a boundary, doing what is prohibited”, or 'rebellion' against God and His authority.

This word pictures a person who intentionally rebels against the authority and boundaries God has set up for them.

*So, Forgiveness means having Our SINS PULLED OFF.*

Our transgressions as we saw last time are so heavy that they must be pulled off of us or we will smother beneath their weight.

“Forgiven” means literally to have our sin lifted off.

The Hebrew word is nasah, “borne away by a substitutionary sacrifice.

As Pilgrim’s crushing load finally drops from his back at the cross and tumbles down into the empty tomb, so we rejoice that all of our sins are nailed to Christ’s Cross, and we bear them no more.

We are being crushed by any sins we keep around.

They suffocate, smother and squish the very life of our soul.

But there is a Redeemer who can set us free.

And to his only hope, David fled.

God cleansed David’s sin that smothers: now they were forgiven so David sings: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven”.

Next we see that the second facet of sin is described by God as:

*Second, sin means:Falling short of perfection or missing God's mark*

Psalm 32:1-2/" Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose *sin is covered*.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit."/

NKJV

In Psalm 32:1 the word “sin” is the Hebrew chattath, and has the same meaning as hamartia in Greek: 'coming short' or 'falling short' as in an arrow falling short of the target, or hitting around but not in the bull’s eye.

The target is God's law and sin is missing the mark on the target.

This is a picture of failing to measure up to God's Divine Law.

The chataah, must be covered, kasah, hidden from the sight.

It is odious and abominable, and must be put out of sight.

In commenting on that phrase: “whose sin is covered” the great Baptist pastor Spurgeon said, “Covered by God, as the ark was covered by the mercy-seat, as Noah was covered from the flood, as the Egyptians were covered by the depths of the sea.

What a cover must that be which hides away forever from the sight of the all-seeing God all the filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit!”

*So secondly, Forgiveness means We are SHEILDED FROM WRATH:*

“Covered” speaks of the strong imagery in the events of the Day of Atonement.

On that day the High priest took the blood of an animal and sprinkled it onto the mercy seat.

Above the mercy seat was the presence of God portrayed by the outstretched arms of the cherubim.

Beneath the lid of the ark were the stone tablets portraying God's divine law.

In essence, the blood stood between a holy God and the sinners who broke His law, averting His wrath.

David cried for joy when the wrath of God was turned away from him.

So our sins are covered away by the blood of Jesus shed for us!

God cleansed David’s sin that soiled his life: now they were removed from sight by the cleansing blood.

Then David goes on to say a second reality is now his—all of his just punishment has been graciously removed from him and he no longer faces God’s wrath.

*Second, Forgiveness means We are SHEILDED FROM WRATH:*

v. 1b “…whose sin is covered”.

Look at that little word “covered” which is the Hebrew word kawsaw.

This word shouts the strong imagery in the events of the Day of Atonement.

For most of us we need to be reminded of all that God asked His people to do on that solemn day of remembering the dreadful power of sin.

Open with me to Leviticus 16 and see the incredible detail of this special day.

Here is a summary:

On that day the High priest took the blood of an animal and sprinkled it onto the mercy seat.

Above the mercy seat was the presence of God portrayed by the outstretched arms of the cherubim.

Beneath the lid of the ark were the tablets portraying God's divine law.

In essence, the blood stood between a holy God and the sinners who broke His law, averting His wrath.

Now back to Psalm 32:1-2.

David cried for joy when the wrath of God was turned away from him, and the load of sins were led away from him.

Both of these pointed to:

*CHRIST IS OUR SCAPEGOAT*

One of the most gripping pictures of Christ's death for us is when Jesus in John 19:16 was “led away” to be crucified.

For all who know the events of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, it was eerily similar.

Jesus was being treated, by Pilate and the Sandhedrin, in ways so close to how the scapegoat was treated by the High Priest in Leviticus 16.

On Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement, the High Priest took an innocent goat, laid both of his hands on its head, confessed the sins of the nation over it so that when it was led away, the sins of the nation would be carried away by it.

A series of men then led the goat from one point to another, each man taking the goat bearing the sin, further away from the Temple and deeper into the wilderness.

At the last stop the goat was sent away for good, often pushed over a cliff or left so far into the desert that it would not survive.

The idea was that the sins would be borne away never to return.

At the day of the crucifixion when Jesus was brought to the Council of the Jews they declared that He was guilty.

Then Jesus was sent to Pilate where He was given a Cross to bear that pictured our sins.

The Scriptures tell us that God “made Him who knew no sin” to become our sin (II Cor.

5:21); and also say that God “laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

As Jesus walked to the place of execution, carrying our sin upon Himself, He was acting out the events of the Day of Atonement.

*Placing our Hands on Christ*

Salvation is when we go from saying that He died for sin to confessing that: He bore away MY sin, took MY place, paid the price of MY debt, and forever freed ME from the punishment I forever deserved.

When we see that Cross on Christ's back it is represents my load of sin now laid upon Him.

But for those who wish to be assured of salvation, how can we guide them?

Simply by this:

• Have you come to Christ and by faith, placed your hands on His head and confessed over Him all your sins?

• Have you told Him that you trust that He alone can bear them away?

If so then salvation is yours!

Christ's sacrifice once and for all (Hebrews 10:12 “by one sacrifice forever”) bears ours sins, all of them, and the record and the penalty due for them: forever away!

Leviticus 16 describes the rituals of the Day of Atonement, when the sins of Israel were forgiven by being “carried away” This is how the process was carried out as prescribed by God.

At daybreak the High Priest was washed and robed in a very special outfit that was only worn on this one day in the whole year.

First the linen undergarments white and to his feet, all woven in one piece for him.

Then over that came the Robe of dark blue that was fringed all around the bottom edge with tassels of blue, purple, and scarlet tied in the shapes of pomegranates and alternated with tiny golden bells.

The Ephod as described by God was worn over this robe and consisted of linen woven with scarlet, purple, and gold.

The shoulders each had an onyx stone engraved with six of the tribes, and fastened one on each side.

A breastplate was fastened on the front having twelve stones all precious and each engraved with the name of a tribe.

The High Priest walked with the people represented on his shoulders carried, and over his heart cared for and loved.

Next the High Priest donned a tall Mitre or headpiece made of linen with a gold plate attached by a dark blue ribbon.

The golden plate was inscribed with the words directly over his forehead: Holiness to the Lord—a constant reminder to him and to all of us that our minds are the habitation of God and must be kept clean as His dwelling place.

Once ready and dressed the solemn events unfolded.