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Psalms: Book Four (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPsalm 95 presents a powerful call to worship and obedience, emphasizing the vast difference between God and humanity. It begins with an appeal to recognize and proclaim the sovereignty and greatness of our God, who surpasses all comparison as our Rock and our salvation. He is the Creator of all things, far exceeding anything we could ever achieve or imagine, making Him worthy of worship, praise, and obedience on the Sabbath, during our conversion, and in the Millennium. His changeless nature, law, and way demand that He remain the central focus of our lives, especially on the Sabbath day, where we are to stop doing our own things and start doing His. The psalm highlights three distinct days: the Sabbath day, the individual's day of salvation, and the day of God's reign in the Millennium. It speaks to different groups, warning against repeating the failures of the children of Israel who perished in the wilderness by not using their day properly. God urges us to turn to Him today, to avoid hardening our hearts as in the rebellion, and not to take for granted the immense privilege of being chosen as His sheep in His pasture. We are under the care of the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who will lead us where He desires, ensuring we could not be in better hands. Yet, Psalm 95 also carries a stern warning. God declares that those who refuse to hear His voice and obey will not enter His rest, as He swore in His wrath that the rebellious shall not join Him. This underscores the need to respond to the Shepherd, to follow through on the great privilege of being His sheep, and to be vigilant in following Him into His rest. The irony of entering God's rest lies in its nature as a time of ceaseless work, but it is a different kind of work—putting away our own endeavors to take up His, ceasing our things to start doing His things, which constitutes the true rest of God.
Psalms 90-100
Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. RitenbaughPsalms 90-100 are prophetic, having a definite time progression, especially referencing the time frame between the Feast of Trumpets to the Last Great Day.
God's Rest and the Millennium
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Millennium or God's rest will be an exceedingly busy time, a time when all of humanity will be converted, a time everybody will be on the same trek.
The Sabbath: Rest
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Sabbath is an antidote to the weariness we experience. It recalls God's pausing after completing His physical creation, focusing on the spiritual creation.
The Fourth Commandment (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFocusing on material and temporal things undermines faith. The Sabbath is holy time, created for building faith, energizing our minds for fellowship with God.
The 'Rest' of Hebrews 4
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIf we patiently endure, trusting in God's faithfulness to bring us to completion, there will be a time when we will attain the rest we desperately yearn for.
Hebrews (Part Five)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe ancient Israelites resisted the gospel, refusing to mix it with actual obedience. What they heard never became a part of their lives; Egypt never left them.
The Commandments (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughIn our hectic culture, we commit far too little time to God, depriving ourselves of the Holy Spirit and attenuating the faith required to draw close to God.
Hebrews (Part Four)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughWe must emulate Christ, who learned through suffering, preparing Himself for His role as High Priest. Giving in alienates us from the fellowship with God.