Noble but a Beast (Psalm 49:12- 20)

Noble but a Beast (Psalm 49:12- 20)

 

12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish

13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve sayings. Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

 

Intro)

 

1.  Psalm 49:12 from today's scripture tells us, "12Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish," and again in verse 20, "20Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish."

 

This Psalm tells us a man of wealth, nobility, or honor can also be like "the beasts that perish." This is a vital lesson for us all. It is telling us that even the most wealthiest and revered people are no better than beasts destined for death if they do not have God. We are God's most precious creations; we were created in by Him in His image.

 

We can, and should, live our lives focused on our connection with God, yet many people seek and chase after material wealth instead. These are the people who are noble in the eyes of the world, but will ultimately face eternal death; their lives will become no better than that of an animal.

 

When we see someone to extremely odd or horrendous things, we say that they are "no better than an animal." We describe terrible people as being "inhuman." We never tell animals to "act like animals" when they do horrific things, because it is expected of them. We describe people who do horrific things as "inhuman" because to be human and a person means to act and live like one with boundaries, a conscious, and consideration.

 

2. The Bible tells us that God gave His most precious creations, humans, reign over all things on Earth. But when these precious humans sinned, we fell to living like animals, and we no longer reign over everything but destroy everything on Earth. The world is turning into a planet of pollution and disaster.

 

Animals have no true sense of reasoning or rationality. They act on their instincts and desires, not because they can inherently decipher good and bad. Humans may have fallen to the ranks of beasts, but they still possess their reasoning and intellect.

 

They are able to differentiate between good and bad; they can establish what one can and can not do. Hence, we possess the ability and opportunity to learn, realize, research, and spread what we know and journey in a better directions. Today we will take a look at what it means to live "like a person."

 

Body)

 

A.) People Like Beasts

 

1. Often times the people who should be most noble lead lives most like animals. They end up losing something valuable over something trivial. They ignore what's truly important and cling to things that are superficial and they fail to recognize their foolishness.

 

2. one example is the people who work hard to make money, but neglect their own bodies and health. They work hard, all day, every weekend, even on holidays. They place work before getting proper food or sleep because they are so focused on making money. Then one day it all takes a toll on their bodies and they become severely ill. All the time they spent on getting rich was futile because they did not take care of their own selves.

 

3. When I was a pastor in Seoul I visited a man in a hospital in his late forties. This man had been a heavy drinker since he was young. His drinking became so bad that he was eventually diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. But rather than learn his lesson, when he saw that treatment was making him better, he went right back to his excessive drinking.

 

When his body inevitably started failing him again, he was diagnosed to be in the final stages of liver cancer. The man died one month after I visited him. Of course, he accepted Christ and died a believer, but it is still tragic that he left behind his young wife and a son in elementary school all because he valued alcohol more than his own health.

 

4. Even animals know what they should and should not eat. Cows eat grass but they don't eat any old type of grass; they eat what is good for them. Yet humans, creatures with intellect and reasoning, insist on consuming things that hurt and eventually kill us. We know smoking is bad, and yet we choose to do it.

 

We know drugs are bad and yet we allow ourselves to indulge. So many people commit crimes and hide from the police because they know what they are doing is wrong. These are the people who are noble and wealthy but are no better than beasts.

 

5.These "beasts" also live as if they are going to live forever. Psalm 49:9 says, "9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption." Those who act as if they are exempt from death are those who live like animals. Verse 6 also says, "6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;" are humans that are like animals. These people think their wealth will remain with them forever.

 

Verse 11 adds, "11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names."

 

These people know their houses and other material possessions are fleeting, but they make themselves believe it will last forever and become greedy. But verse 10 clearly tells us what happens to our money, land, and homes: "10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others."

 

6. Verses 7and 8 mention the words "ransom" and "redemption." In these verses, "ransom" means to offer a gift in gratitude for forgiveness. "Redemption" refers to the payment made for redeeming one's life. The Israelites would pay a "temple fee" of half a shekel every time they entered.

 

We are told that those who are like beasts have a redemption that is too high to ever be paid. Verse 8 says, "8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—" It is saying no amount of money in the world can pay for salvation and entrance into heaven. The Bible clearly tells us that the way into heaven is through faith in God and sacrifice in the Old Testament, and only through Jesus' blood in the New Testament.

 

No material wealth can pay for the forgiveness of our sins. only the blood Jesus shed on the cross can do that. No one else has died in our place to cleanse us of our sins. The people who do not know and reject this truth are those are noble, but beasts.

 

B) The Fate of People Like Beasts

 

1. What does the Bible tell us about the fate of such people? Verse 14 says, "like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling."

 

The "grave" mentioned here is referring to Hell. Their ultimate destination is Hell. Those who life like animals will leave behind all of their wealth, glamor, and glory once they die and they will be greeted with nothing but eternal pain in Hell.

 

C) God's Blessings for His Followers

 

We are told in verse 15, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah." God will not retrieve us from the grave after we are thrown into it; He will save us from the power of the grave, Hell, all together. once someone has entered Hell, there is no way of saving them.

 

But God saves us from facing that fate completely. God saves us from Satan's power. God Himself will redeem us; this is His Spiritual will and law. Material wealth, reputation, or honor have no merit in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

2. Ecclesiastes 3:21 describes the different between a beast and a human as such: "21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"

 

An animal has no spirit of God, and so it dies into the earth. But a human spirit has God's spirit with it, and so on the day of judgment it will rise into Heaven and receive judgment before God.

 

3. Verse 16-19 of today's scripture tells us to not worry when we see "beasts" live richer, nobler, and more honorable lives than us. " 16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. 18Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. 19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light."

 

We can live our lives greedy and slaving away to get rich, but at death's door none of that matters.

 

4. Jesus also says in Luke 12: 19-20, "19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’"

 

Jesus himself tells us that the ones who are like animals will die and live eternity in the fires of Hell and suffer forever. It is a terrifying truth we must not forget.

 

The wise King Solomon laments in Ecclesiastes 1:2-4, "2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever."

 

Later, in chapter 12 verses 12-14, Solomon states his final encouragement and advice: "12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

 

 

All wise men and women say that people are noble. This is not something that is just stated in the Bible. Therefore, we, as noble people, must not like beasts and animals. Do not live your life focused on wealth or honor for none of it will matter when you stand before the gates of Heaven. Do not be lazy; serve the Lord diligently. Give God your time, money, and sweat for the salvation of spirits and eternal life in Heaven.

 

Con)

 

A finally, let us take a look at 1 Timothy 2:4, "4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." If anyone here today does not yet believe in God, accept Jesus as your savior today. Live your life as a truly noble person.

 

 

100717. IK SUN AHN