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Senior Sunday School 4 : Psalms Book 3 : Psalm 78 : 4th June 2023

Text: Psalm 78
4 June 2023

SSS 4 4 June 2023
Book 3
Psalms 73-89

Text: Psalm 78 II

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,
Turned back in the day of battle.

10 They did not keep the covenant of God;
They refused to walk in His law,

11 And forgot His works
And His wonders that He had shown them.

12 Marvellous things He did in the sight of their fathers,
In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,
And all the night with a light of fire.

15 He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.

16 He also brought streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.

Psalm 78:9-16

The possible historical context of the following text:

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,
Turned back in the day of battle.

10 They did not keep the covenant of God;
They refused to walk in His law,

11 And forgot His works
And His wonders that He had shown them.

Psalm 78:9-11

1. The children of Ephraim

a) Ephraim was one of the leading tribes of Israel
b) It became a symbolic name of Israel (Cf. Book of Hosea)

2. “Being armed and carrying bows,
Turned back in the day of battle.”

a) A puzzling phrase
b) The possible historical setting
i) In the time of Joshua
ii) He was from the tribe of Judah 1 Chronicles 7:27
c) Joshua led in the conquest of Canaan

3. God’s command to Israel

1“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,

2 a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’

3 Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.

Deuteronomy 9:1-3

a) To cross over the Jordan
b) To dispossess nations great and mightier than yourself
c) Cities great and fortified up to heaven
d) God will help Israel conquer the land of Canaan

4. Turned Back from battle

27 However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. 28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites [g]under tribute, but did not completely drive them out.
29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites dwelt among them, and were put under tribute.
31 Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 So the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.
33 Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but they dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.

Judges 1:27-33

a) The tribes did not obey the LORD
b) They did not drive out the Canaanites
c) “They turned back from battle”

5. God’s rebuke of Israel

1Then the Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. 2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ” 4 So it was, when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept.

Judges 2:1-4

a) God’s leading was ignored
b) Israel disobeyed
c) The Canaanites would be thorns and a snare from here on

6. The marvellous works of God were forgotten!

12 Marvellous things He did in the sight of their fathers,
In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.

14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,
And all the night with a light of fire.

15 He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.

16 He also brought streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.

Psalm 78:12-16

a) The plagues on Egypt were not meant to be forgotten Psalm 78:12
b) The crossing of the Red Sea Psalm 78:13
c) The LORD’s leading by a Clous in the Day
and a Pillar of Fire in the Night Psalm 78:14
d) Abundance of water Psalm 78:15-16

RELEVANCE TODAY

1. God’s redemptive Power

2. His Protection

3. His Provision

4. His Presence

5. His Precepts are to be understood and obeyed