April 14, 2023 -- Psalm 14:1-2 -- The Psalm Series: The knowability of the LORD

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

To the choirmaster. Of David.

1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    there is none who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

Psalm 14:1-2 ESV

There is a very familiar atheist verbal sleight of hand which purports to give the reason people cannot know God. The atheist says imagine there is an elephant standing still and four blind men are there and one touches the trunk and another the tusk and so on. Each one based on the little bit it perceives does not interpret the whole to be an elephant because they only poorly sense a part of it. Here is the problem with that analogy.

First, it assumes the one telling the story knows it is an elephant. So the one telling this has a position of knowing more than the listener could.

Second it does not allow for the four men to communicate with one another and learn there is, in fact, an elephant standing right there.

Finally, the elephant cannot speak. In sharp contrast God does speak. He says, “I am God!”

Look at this Psalm. The LORD is inviting men and women to seek after Him. His creation declares His goodness. His Word is given so that blind men can hear and know Him. He has opened heaven and given His Son Jesus Christ, Who is the clearest communication of the Father’s love and “is the radiance of the glory of God” (Hebrews 1:3).

The atheist is willfully foolish; willfully denying the evidence of God’s nearness and denying the evidence of the creation, the Word and Jesus. Having determined there is no God, the atheist acts like a fool and his deed are wicked. The greatest wickedness is to live as if the God you know exists does not exist. No wonder there is great judgment that will fall on the man or woman who foolishly refuses to see Him and worship Him.

Our Father in heaven let Your Name be greatly revered in all the earth. You have declared Your splendor in the vast beauty of creation. By Your Spirit You spoke to prophets so that Your revelation has been made known. Mighty God of Glory, You have most clearly spoken through Jesus Christ, the heir of all things and the radiance of the Father's glory. Spirit of God, work mightily in us and through all of us who believe so that the Name of Jesus will be made known to all our circle of family and friends and ultimately to every part of the world. Increase our zeal to seek after You and know You so that we can worship You, triune God, in spirit and in truth. This we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

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