Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 3 January, 2021
“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
fear before him, all the earth” (Ps. 96:9)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 31
I. The Idea of the Keys
II. The Key of Preaching
III. The Key of Church Discipline
Psalms: 103:1-7; 145:7-14
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The Lamb, Babylon and the Sickles (6)
The Son of Man and His Sickle [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Revelation 14
Text: Revelation 14:14-16
I. The Reaping Imagery
II. The Eschatological Reality
Psalms: 25:1-7; 1:1-6
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider
Herman Hoeksema on Lord’s Day 31: “Never do we find in all the word of God that the gospel is offered or that it presents the promise of God as a well-meant offer of salvation to all who hear the preaching of the gospel. If the promise of God were for all men, distinctive preaching of the gospel would be impossible. There would be an opening of the kingdom of heaven but no shutting of that kingdom. Nor is preaching of the gospel as a key of the kingdom of heaven possible when it is conceived of as God’s well-meant offer to all who hear. The preaching as a well-meant offer presents the door of the kingdom of heaven as always standing wide open” (Eating and Drinking Christ, p. 184).
Leon Morris on Revelation 14:15: “Is ripe (exēranthē) points to the drying off of plants when crop is fully ripe. The time for the intervention of him who bore the sickle is not chosen arbitrarily. He puts in the sickle at exactly the right moment. Persecuted believers may know that if God’s intervention is delayed this is only because it is not yet the right moment to reap. Reaping is certain as soon as the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Catechism classes:
Monday, 5:45 PM: Eleanora, Hannah, Jorja, Penelope & Somaya (Beginners OT)
Monday, 6:30 PM: Angelica, Bradley, Josh, Samuel & Taylor (Seniors OT)
Monday, 7:15 PM: Alex, Jacob & Nathan (Essentials)
Tuesday, 12:30 PM: James, Jason & Sebastian (Juniors OT)
Tuesday Bible study at 11 AM will meet at church to study I John in our consideration of regeneration in connection with assurance.
Belgic Confession Class meets this Wednesday at 7:45 PM to to continue our discussion of the “last days” (Art. 37).
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled, “All Things Are Yours” (I Cor. 3:21-23).
The Council meets on Monday, 11 January, at 8 PM at the church.
Offerings: General Fund: £847. Donations: £200 (England), £25 (England).
Translation Additions: 2 Hungarian, 1 Korean and 1 Spanish.
Dear congregation, We thank you for your cards, words of encouragement and especially your prayers for us throughout this past year. The Lord in His sovereign love has brought all of us through a year of change and uncertainty, and we confess that “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-23). As we begin this new year, be assured of our love and prayers for you. May our heavenly Father strengthen and build us up together in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour in the days ahead. Pastor & Mary
Fleeing David’s Troubles Increase
Brian D. Dykstra
II Samuel 16
David, and some of those faithful to him, have fled Jerusalem. While passing the outskirts of the city, Ziba meets David. He has brought some much-needed supplies for David’s company. Ziba was the chief servant of Mephibosheth, the lame son of David’s beloved friend, Jonathan. David, in faithfulness to the oath he made with Jonathan, has cared for Mephibosheth, allowing him to eat at the king’s table. When David asks Ziba why Mephibosheth is not with him, Ziba claims Mephibosheth believes the kingdom of Israel will now become his, since he is part of what was the royal line of Saul. David gives Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s property to punish Mephibosheth’s ingratitude and treachery.
Ziba is well acquainted with Mephibosheth’s possessions, being the man in charge of it all. One can understand his covetousness since the holdings of Mephibosheth, who had been part of a royal family, were extensive. The question is, Why did David believe Ziba? How could Mephibosheth serve as Israel’s king? The world of David’s time was not handicap accessible. How could he expect to carry out his responsibilities? David now faces life-threatening opposition and many who should be faithful to him have turned against him, all of which causes David to believe every traitorous report. He has found Mephibosheth guilty without giving him the chance to plead for himself.
Next, we meet Shimei, another member of Saul’s family. He has come to curse David. Shimei is convinced that David’s cause is lost. Had Shimei thought David had any way of keeping the throne and returning to Jerusalem in triumph, Shimei would not have dared to curse David. He knew the consequences of his cursing. Shimei serves as a picture of those who hate Christ and His kingdom. The world sees no way for Christ to establish His kingdom. The wicked feel confident they will overthrow the Lord’s chosen One, so they feel free to show their contempt for anything which has to do with God. Shimei accuses David of ascending Israel’s throne by killing Saul’s family, calling David a “bloody man,” the blood being that of Saul. David wrote several psalms, especially Psalm 7, which prove he knew about such accusations and asserts his innocence of the charge.
Abishai, one of David’s nephews and an important man in David’s army, offers to end Shimei’s cursing by cutting off his head. Abishai is not exaggerating. One permissive word from David is all it would take for Abishai to be off on a task which it seems would give him pleasure. David rebukes him. David will patiently endure the curses, knowing it is God’s will for him. God hears the unjust curses and David believes God will requite him good.
We face the tribulation of the world’s scorn. We don’t often hear the cursing of the wicked directed against us personally but we are well aware of what the world thinks about God. We might feel tempted to strike back. Remember, tribulation works patience, not revenge (Rom. 5:3). Society has come to expect Muslims to react to slights against them with violence but that is not the response of faith. David serves as an example. Christ also endured the abuse of the wicked as part of the way of suffering.
We now turn our attention to events in Jerusalem. Hushai, David’s friend, greets Absalom saying, “God save the king!” Hushai would serve David by giving Absalom bad advice, which would yet sound good to Absalom, to counter the advice given by Ahithophel. Much has been written about Hushai’s speeches and his dealings with Absalom. Careful reading of Hushai’s words shows a double meaning. Hushai could say, “God save the king!” to Absalom, while referring to David. He also speaks of serving the man whom God has chosen. Absalom would take that to be himself, while Hushai refers to David. David expresses the truth about the deceitful tongue in Psalm 120. A deceitful tongue will experience God’s judgment. David does not need to rely on Hushai’s deceitful tongue as though God needs our help. David properly countered Ahithophel’s good counsel when he prayed for God to turn his counsel to foolishness.
Absalom, now in the palace, asks Ahithophel for advice. “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God,” says Scripture. If one wanted good advice, one could do no better than to go to Ahithophel. Please, notice the use of the word, “good.” The adjective used was not “godly.” The advice was good from the point of view of enabling one to achieve earthly goals and desires. It is not advice which would lead to dwelling in God’s holy hill. It’s the difference between having the goal of living in an earthly palace and living with God in His temple.
David had left ten concubines behind to care for the palace. Ahithophel tells Absalom to commit adultery with these women. “All Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father,” is the stated goal of such an act. When a man took one of the king’s concubines for himself, it was a public announcement that the man claimed the throne for himself. Absalom would make this claim ten times over. All Israel understood that such actions meant there was no possibility of reconciliation between David and Absalom. This struggle for the throne must now end in death.
School children are shocked by this and ask many questions. They wonder about the women. Were they willing or afraid? They wonder about Absalom’s feelings toward these women. Did he like them or was he attracted to them to some degree? Absalom, being the self-absorbed man he was, had no affection for these women. He would only use them to show his utter contempt for his father. He did not care for them in the least.
Absalom did so publicly. A tent was pitched on the top of the house. There must have been a crowd gathered near the palace. It’s not often citizens could witness a new king moving into the palace. They would wonder about the tent on the roof. Their curiosity is aroused. Absalom could live in the comfort of a palace! Why live in a tent on the palace roof? Then they would see Absalom, the man many of them desired. They saw him in the company of one of David’s concubines, whom they perhaps recognized. What expression did she wear on her face? Absalom took her into the tent and reappeared later. He did this multiple times. Little imagination is required to know what Absalom was doing. Such was the character of the man many preferred against the man after God’s own heart. Scripture does not record any outcry from anyone there. God had said that David took a man’s wife privately but someone would take his wives publicly. Here God fulfils His word.
All these troubles are the result of David’s sin with Bathsheba. How David suffered! David would remember Nathan’s words to him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin.” That is the gospel. David had his sins and they were serious. We do too. Be thankful our sins are washed away in the blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of David.
