God Sustains His Creation

MEMORY VERSE: “He left not himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” —Acts 14:17

PSALM 104:27-30

TO A large degree this lesson is one of thanksgiving for the creative works of God. Verses 1-3 read: “Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariots: who walketh upon the wings of the wind.”

This is poetic language, and it reminds us some of the questions which God asked Job as to what he knew about creation: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”—Job 38:4-7

Psalm 104:4 is quoted in the New Testament and applied to the holy angels. “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” (Heb. 1:7) In verse 14 of this chapter we read again concerning these angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Thus, while the 104th Psalm reveals the goodness of the Creator in providing temporal blessings for his people through the control of his creative works, we are also reminded here that so far as the footstep followers of the Master are concerned he cares for them along spiritual lines also.

Verse 5 of the lesson declares that the Lord “laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.” Here the Lord would have us know that the home which he provided for his human creatures was to be permanent. Isaiah confirms this.

Verse 6 reads, “Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.” This reminds us of the questions which God asked Job: “Who shut up the sea with doors, when it break forth, as if it issued out of the womb? When I made the clouds the garment thereof, and thick clouds a swaddlingband for it; and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and hitherto shall thy proud waves be stayed?”—Job 38:8-11

Verses 29 and 30 are significant in connection with God’s interest in his human creatures: “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”

For God to cause his face to shine upon one means that that one is favored, and to hide his face means that his favor is withdrawn. When God’s favor is withdrawn life cannot continue. The psalmist wrote, “In his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”—Ps. 30:5

The long nighttime of sin and death has been a difficult experience for the human race; but in the morning of the new day of Messiah’s kingdom he will shed forth his spirit upon all flesh. This will result in even the dead being restored to life. The lesson states it: “Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”—vs. 30

In the verse preceding our memory verse we read that in “times past” God “suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.” But this does not mean that these nations were without any opportunity to know something about God if they wanted to, for the mighty works of God in creation and his provisions for the human race were a continual testimony to those who were seeking to know and serve him.

QUESTIONS

What is one of the main themes of this lesson?

Has God throughout the centuries been controlling the affairs of the nations?

Who among mankind really appreciates God’s blessings?

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