It is called “anthropomorphism.” Basically, it is a way of explaining an infinite being in finite terms. Better stated for this Lesson today … a way of describing our ineffable GOD to lowly human beings like us!

How else can one rectify Jesus’ Statement that “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) with other depictions of God in the Bible” Like the “Hand of the Lord” (Exodus 9:3), for example? Or the “Feet of the Lord” (Nahum 1:3)?

A Spirit has no hands or feet!

The answer … the Bible writers are following the Holy Spirit Word for Word as He uses various anthropomorphism to teach us about God the Father!

Now please understand … Jesus (God the Son) DOES have Hands and Feet! He being God made flesh! The whole Point of the Incarnation!

Now, finally … today’s Text Verse!

Psalm 123:1 … “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”  

“Looking unto Jesus,” Paul expressed it!

Yes, we are to be that occupied with our great God!

Jesus did this when He was on earth. Particularly as He prayed … “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father …” See John 17:1 for the Whole Verse.

But now … here’s the anthropomorphism.

The invisible God (Colossians 1:15) … with “Eyes!” Proverbs 15:3 … “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

I love this sterling example … “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8

Deuteronomy 13:18, blunt but powerful … “Do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.”

This is classic … “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.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

Add this one … “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” Psalm 34:15

Now the New Testament, 1 Peter 3:12 … “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

I am to look unto Him, into His Eyes!

And … this is important … as I look to Him in submission and obedience … He promises: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8

God “guiding” me (the verb means “giving counsel, advice, purpose”) with His (singular) EYE!”

The Point of this Lesson … as I look to His Eyes (in communion and adoration and worship) … He in turn guides me with His Eye!

Anthropomorphism or not … I love that Thought!

(I cannot see His Glance, His Field of Vision, or receive His Guidance … unless I am first-of-all looking into His Eyes!)

Wow!

Let me go clean my glasses!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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There is no doubt that in the Old Testament God legislated that His people (the Israelites) go to the “House of the Lord” with regularity. Deuteronomy 16:16 enumerates those occasions … “Three times in a year shall ALL thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty.” (At Passover in the Spring, Pentecost in the Summer and Tabernacles in the Fall. And the “place” is Jerusalem.)

What about the New Testament people of God, the Church? This might need a multi-layered answer.

“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16, Jesus went to Temple (somewhat parallel to Church) regularly! “As His custom was!” If the Son of God went to Church, and I am to follow “in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21), then of course I am to go to Church!

Hebrews 10:25 helps here. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,” Paul writes under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit! When God’s people assemble … I am to be there! (Whether they “assemble” once or twice or even three or four times a week!)

Even the example shown in 1 Corinthians 16:2 says a lot about Church attendance! “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Give” to the offering that is received “every Sunday” (which is the “first day” of the week) … can’t give to an offering if you are not there, present in Church every single week!

So, no doubt precedent exists for a child of God to go to Church!

(Of course, we Americans are spoiled, or used to be anyway, with the many choices of Church we might attend, all of them being Bible preaching stations! Folks are now telling me that is changing rapidly! Areas in our Country no longer have a decent place to worship God. One might, in those situations have to improvise.)

But still … back to the Lesson title … “requirement” or “privilege” … Church attendance?

Psalm 122:1 answers that for me. “I was GLAD when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” David counted it a “joy” to go to God’s House! Twice that Hebrew verb “was glad” is translated “to be merry” in our King James Bibles! (Here not “Merry Christmas,” but “merry” Church attendance!)

And if David was that joyful … I suspect I should be as well!

Hey folks … Sunday’s coming!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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We have lived to see the day that even saying “Merry CHRIST-mas” is not allowed in some areas of public life!

So-called pluralism (a denial of the first two of the Ten Commandments) has spiritually damaged America in countless ways.

God speaking to Israel, with this same standard once applying to our Country … “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.” Deuteronomy 6:14

Deuteronomy 11:16 too … “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.”

So, now we are being stripped of anything CHRISTIAN in the (once) Land of the Free and Hoem of the Brave!

Well, for me and my house … “WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!”

We will still believe that JESUS is God’s Son and the Cornerstone for every facet of life.

God to Joseph about Mary’s Baby … “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

That’s the TRUTH!

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 … Not just to those few shepherds either, but to us all!

Hallelujah … “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“No other gods!”

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These Two Nouns (one Proper and one common) seem to have very little affinity. God … and sleep!

In fact, does God ever sleep?

Psalm 121:4 immediately answers that question. “Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

God does not sleep!

I love this Truth, this Bible Concept! Not only does our Lord watch over Israel (His people in the Old Testament) without slumber … He also watches over us Christians (His people in the New Testament) without sleep!

Yes, that verb “keepeth” is “shamar” in Hebrew and means “to guard, to preserve!”

Wow!

When I rest in bed tonight, say at 4:00 AM, God in Heaven is alert, overseeing his resting child!

That thought brings me peace!

Friend, next time you’re awake in the wee hours … ponder your Heavenly Father Who also is wide awake! Keeping you in His Sight!

Then Psalm 127:2 tells me something else quite precious about God and sleep. Read it with me: “It is vain for you to rise up early; for so He giveth His beloved sleep.” His “beloved,” we surely qualify as sincere Christians, saved by God’s Grace!

God, Who never sleeps … gives us sleep!

And what a blessing that kind of sleep really is!

He never sleeps … so I can sleep.

Thank You, Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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For several months I have been deriving my Lesson Thoughts here on the Website from the Book of Psalms. I suspect that some of you have discerned that fact.

Today Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible) should be our Text that’s up for discussion.

Note the first word in the Chapter please, “Blessed!”

The first verse … “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” Psalm 119:1, where the “Law of the Lord” means the Word of God, the whole Bible. The modifier “blessed” is “esher” or “asher” in Hebrew, also meaning “happy” in God’s Eyes! My point here … THE SCRIPTURE CONTRIBUES TO A CHRISTIAN’S HAPPINESS! (1st John 1:4 proves this point as well … “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.Then I wondered to myself, “What other Psalms begin with that glorious word, “blessed?”

Here’s what I found, and surprisingly few at that …

Psalm 1 … “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Here is the blessedness (happiness) of being really godly! Separate from sinners! Clean and pure in one’s living!

Psalm 32 … “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Which certainly speaks for itself … the sinful man who has learned to confess and forsake his wrongs … he is indeed blessed, happy in the Lord!

Next in line … Psalm 41 begins … “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.” Now we are considering the happy “generous man!” He helps the poor among his neighbors. Strangers too, according to the Old Testament (and Jesus).

Then Psalm 128 … “Blessed is everyone that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.” The reverent (describing the man or woman who truly “fears” the Lord) Believer who continues to walk in God’s Ways, obediently and consistently, faithfully! Yes, he or she would be happy! Worshipping one’s way to happiness, blessedness!

Last of all, Psalm 144 … “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” The happy warrior, Christian soldier who fights (and conquers) evil and Satan day by day! Taught his martial skills by the Lord Himself!

What a list … the separated man (Psalm 1), the forgiven man (Psalm 32), the unselfish man (Psalm 41), the Bible-centered man (Psalm 119), the God-fearing man (Psalm 128), and the “whole-armour” equipped man (Psalm 144)!

Worth studying further!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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