Psalm 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

9a I have preached righteousness in the great congregation.

10a I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation.

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

MEMORY VERSE: I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. —Psalm 40:8

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The animal sacrifices offered under the old law system were not sufficient to atone for sin and make the souls of men perfect. For this cause, Jesus came down from heaven and took upon Himself a mortal body, which, in obedience to the will of God, He offered on the cross, that we might be saved and made holy before God.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Psalm 40:6; Hebrews 10:5 “Mine ears hast thou opened;” “A body hast thou prepared me”: two phrases which mean the same; the first being from the Hebrew and the second being from the Greek Septuagint translation. What was translated “ears” in the Hebrew is translated as “body” in the Greek. Adam Clarke believed that in the Hebrew writing of this text there was a mistake caused by a mar in the writing, causing the Hebrew expression to mean “ears.” The translator translating it into Greek detected the corruption and identified the right word as “body.” Be that as it may, it is evident that the inspired writer accepted the Greek translation as authentic. We are safe to thus believe it that way. This is a prophecy of Christ coming into the world to inhabit a human body that would be the sacrifice which accomplished the will of God.

Psalm 40:7; Hebrews 10:7 “Volume”: a roll. Books in olden times were rolls positioned on sticks that permitted such to be read by rolling the fabric from one stick to the other.

Hebrews 10:9 “The first”: the first covenant and worship of the old Mosaic law system. “The second”: the spiritual worship and holiness made possible through the offering of the body of Jesus once and for all.

LESSON BACKGROUND

We will consider for our lesson today the prophecy of Jesus in the 40th Psalm. The entire Psalm can be clearly and easily applied to Jesus, but we especially want to dwell on the thought of Christ coming into the world by inhabiting a human body, which would become the real sacrifice for the sins of mankind. This body was pre-planned and prepared by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. A virgin was to conceive by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit and bring forth a man child (Isaiah 7:14). The eye of God was on the formation of His holy Son from the moment of conception unto the time of His birth. Christ had a mortal body that God designed and prepared to be the supreme sacrifice that He would accept as the ransom price for the redemption of fallen mankind.

The New Testament book of Hebrews is a wonderful and spiritually enlightening treatise on the work and accomplishment of Christ in the flesh as our Redeemer and King. Its glorious truths are very well-worded and inspired by the Holy Spirit. It shows the Lord Jesus fulfilling the prophecies and the end of the old order of the Law, with its sacrifices and ceremonies. It clearly shows the old Levitical priesthood being taken away and the everlasting priesthood of Christ taking its place. In our lesson today, the quotation from Psalm 40 shows Christ coming into the world to accomplish these wonderful benefits for the welfare and salvation of our souls. In the volume of the book—in the Old Testament types, shadows and prophecies—it was foretold and written concerning Him who was to be the Savior of the world.

He came to accomplish the will of God. The will of God was for Him to offer His body without sinful spot to God by means of being cruelly crucified and slain on the cross. It was to be one sacrifice for sins forever, with Christ, after thus offering Himself, taking His place at the right hand of God as the High Priest for the souls of men throughout all ages unto eternity. How we rejoice in this wonderful truth! By it we behold and receive with joy the perfect redemption that brings us victory and holiness of heart and life.

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

DISCUSSION:

  1. For what purpose did Christ come into the world?
  2. Why were the animal sacrifices not desirable to God?
  3. What was the only sacrifice that would really atone for sin?
  4. What was the book that was written of Christ and His work?
  5. What was the “first to be taken away,” and the “second to be established?”

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

It is wonderful that the Holy Spirit inspired David to prophesy of Jesus in the 40th Psalm so accurately. The writer of the book of Hebrews was just as inspired by the Holy Spirit to rightly apply this prophecy to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The old law system had proven to be so full of faults and shortcomings that it was destined to be done away with. It could never make the ones under its rule perfect because it was weak and insufficient to reach the real source of man’s trouble—that which was in the very center of his being—the heart. A much greater sacrifice than the animal offerings of sheep and cattle was needed. Thousands and thousands of animals were slaughtered and offered as sacrifices upon the Israelite altars through the years. It became an empty custom; a form; a creed and a routine that was too often done with shallowness of mind and little or no real spiritual comprehension of what it really meant or that it pointed to anything of greater importance.

The fulfilling of this prophecy was not without violent upheaval and resistance by the Jewish community and leadership. To come right out and declare that the animal sacrifice ceremonies were to be terminated was a reproach and a serious offense in the eyes and ears of the Jewish nation. This was the main reason Jesus was rejected and condemned to death, and also why His followers were so hated and persecuted. Without spiritual inspiration and understanding they saw no need for a change in the law system; neither did they see how the prophetic writings were fulfilled by Christ. The Jewish leaders knew not the wisdom from above. They were covetous, lustful, and full of arrogant pride. They knew not this Nazarene who was, in their estimation, usurping Himself above their religious beliefs. His holy manner and humble bearing was repulsive to them, so their carnal reaction was anger, hatred, and murder. However, to those who were hungry and thirsty for righteousness, the Lord Jesus brought freedom and deliverance from the empty ordinances of the law, and ushered in a new age of spiritual grace and victory.

—Bro. Leslie Busbee

REFLECTIONS

During a recent campmeeting, with the saints in attendance, I was privileged to participate in the service where we follow Jesus’ example of washing each others’ feet and partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The minister described the fellowship and commitment Jesus sought, not only from His disciples, but from those of us that would follow them as the Gospel spread throughout the world and down through history. As the minister continued speaking, equating our regular participation in communion as being similar to the vow renewals often done by couples that have been married for many years, my heart was truly touched and my commitment to my Lord was further confirmed.

Finally, as the congregation sang the closing hymn, “A Little Farther”, I was overcome with gratitude and emotion as the lyrics we were singing described just how far Jesus was willing to go as the one supreme sacrifice bringing salvation to mankind! When the song was completed there was a hushed solemnity over the congregation, and even a few watery eyes and hoarse throats, as those in attendance felt a renewed oneness with their Savior.

Many in the religious world today say that it is impossible to live free from sin, and many are stuck in the cycle of transgressing and then repenting for their transgressions, living in much the same way those under the law lived. Yet, Christ died to provide a greater power than that! Those who live in fellowship with Him, who rely upon His atoning blood and abundant grace, have power to live in obedience to God with the same attitude Jesus had: “Lo, I come…to do Thy will, O God.” This was God’s original intent for man, to live in harmony with Him daily just as He walked with Adam and Eve in the beginning. May we truly cherish the significance of Christ’s sacrifice and all that it provides to us!

—Bro. Fari Matthews