WHAT IS MAN?

(Psalm 8)

...A number of years ago a professor, B. F. Skinner wrote a book he titled, Beyond Freedom And Dignity.  This

   book was his attempt to define man as _nothing_ more than the sum of his experiences, and that man was

   just an animal with __no___ special significance.

...David wrote Psalm 8, a praise Psalm, in which he tells us how we relate to God and our __world____.  He does so, not beginning with man, but with God... celebrating the surpassing __majesty___ of the Lord.

...This Psalm presents the amazing privilege and __position__ that God gave man. We will see that men and

   women are indeed very special.

TWO SPHERES IN WHICH THE GLORY OF GOD’S

MAJESTY IS READILY SEEN BY US.

I.     THE  __HEAVENS___  REVEAL THE GLORY OF GOD.  (vv 1-2)

            A. David begins by praising the Lord. (v 1)

                        1. He calls God by His __personal__ name.  “LORD” “YAHWEH” and tells that He is “our Lord.”

                            “Adonai.”  This second “LORD” means _master__ or sovereign one.

                        2. He tells that the Lord is so majestic and His glory is so __great____ that it is “above the

                            heavens.”

            B. The heavens express His glory, revealing His existence, wisdom, and great power. Yet God is

                 __greater__ than His creation.

            C. The Lord is delighted when we use our tongues to praise Him.

                        1. He ordained it in little children. (Matt. 21:16)

                        2. This means: unbiased and uncorrupted minds _recognize__ God without difficulty

                            from His creation, and give Him the glory He alone deserves.

II.    ON EARTH GOD’S GLORY IS MOST CLEARLY REVEALED IN  ___MAN_____. (vv 3-9)

            A. However, when man is compared to the vastness of the heavens he appears to be insignificant. (vv 3-4) He seems to be a “zero.”

                        1. Think about God’s heaven, it is His for He _made____ it all. He put it all in place. It is filled with splendor, __beauty___ and vastness.  Wow!

                        2. We live in the “Milky Way” galaxy.  Did you know there are __billions__ of galaxies?

                        3. The creation is enormous!!  Light travels at 186,000 miles per second... Voyager II reached the planet Neptune... ___4___ hours for the radio wave to reach us.

                        4. So David’s question: “What is man that you are mindful of him...” (v 4) seems appropriate.

                            “Man,” the Hebrew word used tells of his frailty and _weakness__.  We are puny!

                        5. Yet, God does ___think____ about us, and more, He ___cares____ for us.

            B. Man was made __different_ from the rest of creation.  Man was given _dignity___ and honor

                 by God. (vv 5-8)

                        1. “You did make him lack but little of God.”

                                    a. Man was made in the image and likeness of God. He is __not___ an animal.

                                    b. David is thinking of Genesis 1 and of Adam in particular. Here is one a little _less___ than God.  Wow!!  This is before the fall.

                        2. God crowned man with glory and honor. (5b)  God’s glory that fills the universe is now

                             found in _man__.

                        3. God gave man a _share___ in His dominion. (vv 6-8)  He is a ruler over God’s creation.

                            (Gen 1:28)

                                    a. Man’s dominion included domestic animals, beasts that roam about, birds, and

                                        marine life.

                                    b. The God who can create such a being as man is, must indeed be superlatively

                                        _great__!!   “How majestic is your name!”

LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES:

1. Learn the lesson of the heavens.  God is awesome.  Praise Him for His glory.

2. You as a human being are so small and puny compared to the heavens, but you are not a zero.

3. Marvel that God has made you with His likeness.

4. Consider now the huge chasm that Jesus crossed to become a man.

5. You must be born again.  Receive Christ the Lord as your Savior.