Two Blessings—One Promise

There are two blessings in the Bible that God talks about that blessing and then the promise that He makes. That promise is very unique and it has a lot of meaning; it has a lot of depth.

Today we're going to read those two blessings and we're going to study about those two blessings:

• what they are
• what we have to do
• what God wants us to do

Also, the promise and the depth of this promise in particular that God has for all of us!

It is an amazing thing, it's very deep and it's very important that we understand  these blessings, that we take action based on these blessings, and then that we meditate on those promises and that we are filled with the hope of God because that's what God wants us to know.

• He wants us to know Him
• He wants us to know who He is

The first of these blessings is in Jer. 17 where we're going to see the first of these blessings and we're going to see the promise after that.

Jeremiah 17:7: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose hope is the LORD." It's very interesting how it says:

• who trusts in the Lord, we have to trust in God
• whose Hope is the Lord

It's not the hope is in the Lord, no, the Hope is the Lord Himself. And we're going to see why. It tells us that the promise is the blessing!

• IF we're trusting in the Lord
• IF our hope is in the Lord

We're going to read  a couple of other Scriptures about:

• How do we do this?
• How does God wants us to do this
  • to trust in the Lord
  • to hope in the Lord

But first we're going to read the promise that comes along with this blessing.

Verse 8: "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters; it sends out its roots by the river, and it shall not fear when the heat comes, but its foliage shall be green; and he is not worried in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit."

It is very important that we pause here and that we understand this promise, because he says that the one who trusts in the Lord and whose Hope is the Lord Himself will be like this tree planted by the waters, and it sends out the roots by the river.

Basically, it's always having water. It's always having that water that helps the roots to grow and the tree to grow. And the foliage shall be green. Why? Because there's moisture, there's this river and the waters we know the symbology, the symbolism of the water as a symbol of the Holy Spirit!

We're going to see that. But that's why it is. We have to trust in the Lord and we have to put our hope in the Lord. knowing that He Himself is our Hope.

IF we're doing that, IF we're connected to God and receiving constantly of the Holy Spirit, that's why He makes this analogy of the tree.

It says that the roots are by the river and it's not fearing when the heat comes, because water is flowing and it's always providing that moisture and those nutrients right next to the river.

Then it says it's not worried in the year of drought; we know that we are coming into some very dark times right now in this nation and around the world. But:

• IF we are doing these things
• IF we're trusting in the Lord
• IF our hope is the Lord

We are not to worry in the year of drought, when everything seems to be falling apart around us! It says, nor will it cease from yielding fruit. We're going to read more things about fruit. But:

• How do we do this?
• In what way are we to trust God?
• How do we make sure that our Hope is the Lord, the Lord Himself?

When we know God, when we have a close relationship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ through Jesus Christ, through the Word of God.

Prov. 3—here it tells us how we are to trust in the Lord, how He wants us to trust Him. And as the Father speaking to us,

Proverbs 3:1: My son, do not forget My Law…"

God is talking to us. We understand that this might have been something that David wrote to Solomon, his son. But in reality, God the Father is speaking to us, calling us His son!

The first thing he tells us is to not forget His Law!

Verse 5—He's telling us specifically about this blessing that we read in Jeremiah. He says:

Verse 5: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart…"

• Are there parts of your heart that are not necessarily trusting in the Lord?
• Are we putting our trust in ourselves?
• Are we putting our trust in things?

It's always good to be prepared, but:

• IF our trust is in our preparation
• IF our trust is in ourselves

or

• IF our trust is in someone else

That is going to come up short unless it is the Lord! Our trust has to be the Lord Himself! It has to be with all of our heart.

"…and lean not to your own understanding" (v5).

That's why we always have to come back to God and ask Him every day in prayer:

• show me your ways
• teach me
• correct me in kindness, in love
• show me the things that You want me to learn

We have to not lean in our own understanding!

Right there in Jeremiah—and it's a memory Scripture—it says that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked!

• we cannot rely on our own heart
• we cannot rely on our own understanding

Verse 6: "In all your ways acknowledge Him…" Why? Because:

• IF we are trusting in the Lord with all our heart
• IF He Himself is our Hope

THEN we will acknowledge Him in all of our ways!

And IF we do that, there's another promise here:

"…and He shall direct your paths" (v 6).

When we stop and meditate on the Lord Himself, trusting in the Lord, and the Lord being our Hope, IF we do these things:

• trust Him with all of our heart
• acknowledge Him in all of our ways

He will direct our path!

Verse 7: "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil."

So there are things that we have to do to go along with this trust. How are we going to trust in the Lord with all our heart:

• IF we don't know Him
• IF  we don't know the promises that He has made to us
• IF  we don't know and understand and believe that He is good and that He wants the best for us

But once we know Him, or we start to know Him—because that process never really ends the rest of our lives—and understand Him:

• THEN we can acknowledge Him in all our ways
• THEN we can start to see with more clarity

The more wisdom that God gives us, the more we can see that our own hearts deceive us, and that trusting on our own is a curse! That's what it says in Jer. 17, as well, right before that blessing that we read about trusting in the Lord.

But it goes hand-in-hand with this, because we trust in the Lord with all our heart, lean not to our own understanding, acknowledge Him so that he can direct our paths. Even WHEN He directs our paths, THEN we have to follow. We have to not be wise in our own eyes! We are to:

• fear the Lord
• remember the Lord
• always be in contact with Him
• depart from evil

Verse 8: "It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones."

And when we think about these blessings, when we think about being like this tree that is on the side of the river, that its foliage will be green and will not be fearful in the year of drought, and it will never cease giving fruit, this is a wonderful promise, and so are these other promises:

• the promise that He will direct our paths
• the promise that He will give us help to our navel and marrow to our bones
  • IF we do these things
  • IF we trust in the Lord with all our heart

But as we read in that promise of being like a tree that is by the side of the river that is always green, there's another element and we touched on it briefly before.

But let's go to John 7 to read more about this because it is that water, that stream of water, that river that He was talking about is what He's talking about. Let's go there to read about this, because He uses this in the promise itself so that we can then know and understand the things that are written in the New Testament as well, because the Word of God is one and it all comes together. The Truth is in the entire Bible, in the Old Testament, as well as the New. It is the same God and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! And that's why all these things come together in that promise; that is a wonderful promise.

John 7:37: "Now, in the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and called out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.'"

And He's talking about thirst and He's talking about the tree. We read about the tree in the year of drought.
 
"…If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (vs 37-38).

But look at the depth of this. It's not only being like a tree that is right next to the river, it is out of Himself.

Then He clarifies in v 39 and John understood these things:

Verse 39: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, which those who believed in Him would soon receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified."

But it is an amazing thing to know. This is how we can prove that the water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. That's why when we read that promise, this shall be like a tree that is always green and always yielding fruit.

That's the promise, and that's the reason, because it's right next to the river. That river is symbolic of the Holy Spirit that we're being nourished by God Himself. We're trusting Him and He is He is our Hope; He Himself is our Hope. That is the first blessing and the promise.

Now let's go to Psa. 1, because we're going to see something amazing: how much we have the same promise. I know that this is probably a memory Psalm for many of us. We know what it says.

I would like for us to consider the things that it says in Jeremiah about the blessing, and then the things that it says in the Psalms about the blessing. Then how the promise is very, very similar.

Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful." Why does He say these three things?

• "…walk in the counsel of the wicked…." implies that it's action; it's doing what the wicked say to do. The counsel of the wicked is doing evil. That's the first step to stop doing evil.
• "…nor stand in the way of sinners…"—don't even stand in that way. Don't associate with these kind of people with the sinners. Don't associate with them.
• "…nor sit in the seat of the scornful"—because sometimes that happens. Sometimes we can sit in the seat of the scornful because they're scorning; they're mocking at others and they're criticizing others. The one that is making a mockery of others and is scorning others.

And it's sitting! Sometimes we can tend to do that if we are judging others. As in the seat of judgment, as though we have a right to be doing this. And that's what is talking about "the seat of the scornful."

So, it's not "walking in the counsel of the wicked" or "stand in the way of sinners," like association. Even if it's passive, even if you're just there. How many people have even gone to jail because it's wrong place, wrong time or hanging out with the wrong crowd?

This is important that we take this into account. It's not only not doing the action, but not being with those who are doing that action. Also, not "sit in the seed of the scornful" in the Church. That's probably a big danger, as well.

Why? Because God has blessed us with so many blessings that sometimes we can tend to start pointing the finger at others and seeing the fault in others!

When nobody has appointed us as judges of other people. We are to judge righteous judgments, but only the action. We judge righteous judgment of the matter, not the person! "not to sit in the seat of the scornful."

But the blessing isn't only the one that does all of this, but the other part is:

Verse 2: "But His delight is in the Law of the LORD; and in His Law does he meditate day and night."

That is a full time job to meditate on the Law of the Lord day and night! Ask yourself:

• How often do I meditate on the Law of the Lord?
• How much do I delight in the Law of the Lord?
• How much do I know the law of the Lord to meditate on it?

We're talking about all the Laws, because there are Laws in the Old Testament, but there's also Laws in the New Testament, like:

• love your neighbor as yourself
• love your enemies
• bless those who curse you

it was the Lord Who spoke them

• those are commandments
• those are laws

just as much as are the Ten Commandments and all the other laws and commandments of God!

IF we do this, here's a promise and we are going to see how these come together.

• WHEN we are trusting in the Lord
• WHEN He is our Hope
• THEN we see that there are things that we have to do:
  • we have to know that Law
  • we have to delight ourselves in that Law
  • we have to meditate on it day and night

because that's the way that God is going to instruct us.

The promise is in v 3, which is very similar to what we read in Jer. 17.

Verse 3: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water…"—the Holy Spirit never failing! God always being there for us

"…that brings forth its fruit in its season…" (v 3).

Now, it's a little different. The other says never ceasing to yield fruit! This one saying it's fruit in its season! There are seasons. Not all trees have fruits in all the seasons, but it says:

"…that brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper" (v 3). Why? Because:

• "…his delight is in the Law of the LORD…"
• "…in His Law does he meditate day and night"
• he "…does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…"
• he's not standing "…in the way of sinners…"
• he's not sitting "…in the seat of the scornful"

but

• he is delighting himself in God
• he's walking with God, just like Jesus Christ walked with God Who was guiding Him in everything

To the point where Jesus said, 'The words that I speak, I'm not speaking from my own, but the Father tells me what to say.'

That's why it says: "…all that he does shall prosper" (v 3).

Isn't that exactly the example that we see with Joseph? Everything that his hand touches flourishes. That's what it says about Joseph. He was probably doing these things. He was probably delighting in the Law of the Lord and meditating on it, because that's probably the only thing that he had; he was sold as a slave!

In this world, this is really the only thing that we really do have. We come with nothing and we leave with nothing. But if God puts His Laws and His Commandments in our mind and in our heart:

• to change us
• to convert us completely

Then that's what we will become; we will be more like God. That's what God wants us to do.

Joshua 1—this is where God spoke to Joshua after the death of Moses, and God was giving him instructions on what he was to do as he was leading Israel into the 'promised land.'

I want for us to focus on v 8, because it's a very specific instruction that He that he told Joshua, which goes with this blessing that we just read in Psa. 1.

Joshua 1:8: "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night…"—same words!

"…so that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success" (v 8).

These are promises, but they are conditions. The condition is that "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth…" but to "…meditate in a day and night…" because he needed that wisdom to judge the people according to what did God say to do in any circumstance!

The laws and commandments of God are so perfect, and it covers so many things, and he also gave civil laws and priestly laws.

We understand that the priestly laws are not done away, but they are carried out in heaven above. We understand that the civil laws we cannot apply now because we are under the governments of the countries that God gave that power to.

But we know that the principles are still the same, and those principles are still good in whatever measure we can understand them, because we're being prepared to reign with Christ for a thousand years! That's why we are to meditate in the Laws and Commandments of God day and night!

Rom. 7, because this is also a reality of life: It sounds very good. We all want to do it, but we also have to face this. We're going to see something that the Apostle Paul wrote because it's very important that we do acknowledge this part as well, because we are learning the Laws and Commandments of God. But we have to:

• study them
• memorize them
• meditate on them day and night

The Ten Commandments and all the other laws and Commandments of God, because those are life!

The Apostle Paul was declaring something that he was going through:

Romans 7:22: "For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man."

That we do! We delight in the Law of God according to the inward man.

• we think about the Laws of God
• we think about the Sabbath
• we think about His Plan of Salvation
• we think about all the things that are according to His Law
• based on His Holy Days
• based on all the Laws that He gave
• based on all the principles of living

All of these things! We do delight in the Law of God according to the inward man! But then we find what Paul was battling, and so are we!

Verse 23: "But I see another law within my own members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin that is within my own members."

That happens to all of us! We want to do what's good! But that's not what happens many times. He said that here:

Verse 19: "For the good that I desire to do, I am not doing; but the evil that I do not desire to do, this I am doing." Paul basically was able to pinpoint that:

I delight in the Law of God with the inward man, and I have these desires. I know what God says, and I want to do it. But then comes this other law of sin and death.

and sometimes that's what happens!

That's why the reactions, the thoughts, the words and the actions are not always what they should be. But:

• the more that we meditate on God's Law day and night
• the more that we're trusting in the Lord
• the more we're putting more
  • of our problems
  • of our worries
  • of all these things

in His hands, really making, putting our trust in the Lord and having Him be our Hope, that He would be our Deliverer!

The more that we do that, then we're going to understand more of this, and we're going to do more of the things that we do want to do according to the inward man! As we think, so we become!

IF we're thinking on the laws of God, this is a beautiful thing.

Psa. 119—it doesn't say that David wrote this Psalm, but we could probably assume that he wrote it. But in either case,  the Psalmist does say these things, because he understood this blessing and the importance of always dwelling, like making God's Law our delight and meditating on it day and night.

He understood that. And we are to pray these things, too. Maybe one of these days, open up your Bible and read Psa. 119, and just these verses and meditate on them and ask God the same thing, even if it doesn't come naturally at first.

Psalm 119:12: "Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth" (vs 12-13).

• we have to read them
• we have to study them
• we have to understand them

so that

• we can memorize them
• we can meditate on them day and night

Verse 14: "I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches."

Once we understand what's at stake here, and the importance of the Laws and Commandments of God, in addition to God being our Trust and Him being our Hope. When we understand this, when we understand what He wants to give us:

• there's no comparison
• there is nothing more that we should desire
• there is nothing that can be compared with the true riches that God wants to give us
  • His understanding
  • His wisdom
  • His love
  • His hope
  • His promises

It's amazing what God has for us! We have to come to God and ask Him for these things. We have to tell Him like the psalmist is here saying:

Verse 14: "I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches."

When was the last time you felt that true joy, just to be able to read your Bible, and not only to read it, but to understand what's in it? To be able to put the things together that God inspires you when you see something you've never seen before? It's an amazing thing when you have that feeling!

Verse 15: "I will meditate upon Your precepts and have respect to Your ways."

We should make this a goal, as well, for all of us every day.

Verse 16: "I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word."

Why? Because these words are spirit and they are life, as Jesus said in John 6: He said, 'These words are Spirit and they are Life.

• these statutes
• these commandments
• these precepts
• the entire Word of God

should be our delight!. So, when we study, we should study with that intention.

We're going to read a little bit more about the trust, because we saw how we are to trust in Proverbs with all of our heart and the things that we are to do!

Psa. 37 is amazing! What it says here, the specific instructions.

Psalm 37:1: "Do not fret yourself because of evildoers, and do not be envious against the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass… [the evil will be cut down like the grass] …and wither as the green herb" (vs 1-2).

The righteous are like a tree that never ceases to yield fruit. There are two blessings and one promise. And that promise is amazing! It's an eternal promise of being in the Kingdom of God and to be always with God. Then it says:

Verse 3: "Trust in the LORD, and do good…."

That's why he wants us to meditate on His Laws. You see how everything comes together? Because we cannot do good unless we know His Law. We don't even know what good is. But when we know what good is and only know it:

• we memorize it
• we meditate:
• it's our thoughts
• it's our delight

Then we will do good!

Verse 3: "Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and cherish faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD But how are we going to delight ourselves in the Lord?…." (vs 3-4).

Unless we read His Word, unless we know how He thinks with His Commandments, with His Laws.

"…and He shall give you the desires of your heart…." (v 4).

Why? Not in a selfish manner, not in a vain manner. When you delight yourself in the Lord truly, the desires of your heart are going to be the desires of God. It's going to be His will be done in your life!

It's going to be transformative, and you're going to be an instrument of righteousness, because you're delighting yourself in the Lord. He will give you those desires.

He will give you the desire to be with Him for all eternity. You are going to want nothing more than that. Because there's nothing better than that in this life. But to delight yourself in the Lord. That's what He tells us to do. But the way to do it is:

• through His Law
• through His Commandments
• through His Word

He's trusting in him developing that relationship

• as we live out those things
• as we do good as we trust in Him
• as we do good when we admit our mistakes
• when we forgive
• when we are forgiven
• when we dwell in Him
• when we have mercy and Truth

Verse 5: "Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in Him… [tie in Prov. 2; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths] …and He will bring it to pass."

Why? Because our mind is completely focused on the Laws and Commandments of God! We're meditating on that day and night.

Verse 6: "And He shall bring forth your righteousness like the Light, and your judgment like the noonday."

It's going to be wonderful when we are raised into spirit beings!

When He will bring that righteousness—and it's not our righteousness—the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

"…He shall bring forth your righteousness like the Light…"

We know that God is Light and there's no unrighteousness in Him, and that's the righteousness that is going to be in us!

Verse 7: "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of him who carries out wicked schemes."

We're always against this. But we've seen a little bit of this and there's more things that can be said about this. There's more things that can be said about the rest of the Psalms that maybe in another occasion we'll talk about it.

I just wanted to talk about these two blessings and the promise that is so similar and is so incredible.

It's so amazing to be like that tree that is always being nourished with the water of the Holy Spirit, that is always with God, that is always the foliage is always green and is always bearing fruit.

It is an amazing thing when we see these two blessings and how they go together:

• trusting in the Lord
• meditating on His Law
• Him being our Hope

Then becoming like this tree!

Scriptural References:

• Jeremiah 17:7-8
• Proverbs 3;1, 5-8
• John 7:37-39
• Psalm 1:1-3
• Joshua 1:8
• Romans 7:22-23, 19
• Psalm 119:12-16
• Psalm 37:1-7

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Jeremiah 17:9
• John 6

EE:bo/po
Transcribed: 9/16/24

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