Show Me Your Glory, part 2: God Came Down
“And Moses said to Yahweh, ‘See, you said to me, ‘lead this people up.’ But you did not reveal to me who you were going to send with me. And you said, ‘I have known you with a name and you have found favor in my eyes.’ And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, reveal to me your ways so that I may know you and so that I may find favor in your eyes. And understand that your people are this nation.’”
(Exodus 33:12-13)
This in itself is a remarkable way to begin any passage; that a holy and pure God would condescend to interact personally with sinful men—especially in light of what has just happened with the golden calf incident! Yet this is part of the character of God. He is willing to condescend to us and to meet our needs, fallen as we are. By their apostasy, Israel had given up any legitimate claim they could have made to God’s favor (though no sinful man truly deserves God’s favor, but only wrath). Moses had sought to mediate for them with his own life, but God would not allow it (for the life of the Great Mediator was already committed for his people; Jesus had agreed even before the creation of the world to come in the flesh and to die for the elect). Yet, while God’s people deserve wrath, God chooses to show mercy upon them. This setting itself helps us to frame and to understand just what God means in verse 19, when he speaks of his showing compassion on those to whom he wishes to show compassion.
Beloved, do not take this lightly or casually. All too often we don’t take seriously enough the privilege we have in coming to God in prayer. Here is a God who is all-together otherworldly; he has no sin; he is infinite; and he is infinitely holy—everything we are not. Yet, God chose to come in the flesh that might know him and he chooses to listen when his people pray. Though, sometimes I wonder whether we really believe that when we go to pray. When you come before the High King of creation upon your knees, do you do so with an understanding that He is listening to you and is indeed present with you as you pray? Beloved, he is.
Friends, revel in the time you have to pray; never take for granted the access that you have to the throne room of God. It is a gift of his grace bought at the cost of the life of his Son. We could never pay the price that this wonderful privilege, but he gives it to those who ask for free. Oh, what wonderful God we have—who listens when we pray.
Show Me Your Glory, part 1: Introductions
While there are many themes that arise throughout Israelite history, one of the themes that plays a major role in redemptive history is that of seeking God’s face and seeking to see His glory. Certainly God glorifies himself in many ways throughout the scriptures—creation itself reveals the glory of God (Psalm 19). But ultimately and fully, before the eyes of man, God did reveal his glory in his Son, Jesus Christ; and though that glory was veiled in the flesh for a time, it will be revealed in its fullness when Christ comes to claim his own and to bring judgment upon his enemies. And, oh, what a glorious day that will be!
Yet, God does not lead his people through the redemptive history of the Old Testament without giving them a taste of what will come. Many times, God reveals his glories through visions and dreams, but once in a while, God reveals himself and his glory in person. And this is the request that Moses is making in our passage. Moses has faithfully let the people out of Egypt and to Mount Sinai where they have received the Law from the very hand of God.
Yet during the time that Moses is on the mountain receiving the Law, the people fall into sin by making and worshiping a golden calf. Both God and Moses are furious, but Moses intercedes for his people and God relents of his anger. Yet, at this same time, God sends the people away from Sinai. This is the setting of our passage—God has commanded the Israelites to pick up and start moving, but Moses pleads for a sign that God will not forsake the people—and that sign is to see the glory of God.
This is a turning point in the history of God’s people. As the people leave Sinai there can be no doubt that they would fall into sin once again—and oh how they fall into sin and how many die as a result of their sinful ways. The question that remained to be answered with that in mind was whether God would continue with His people even when they were doing everything but continuing with Him? Would God build them into a nation in spite of their rebelliousness? The answer, of course is a resounding, “yes!” But let us never forget that the blessings that God shows to his people in spite of their wickedness is due in no part to their merit, but is due entirely to the grace and mercy of our Lord.
How this is true as well with His church in the New Testament age and beyond. The church, through history, has done anything but live an exemplary model of faithfulness to their God. We are sinful and we fall on our faces over and over again as a result of that sin. Yet, God is a faithful God and has preserved a remnant of true believers from within the corrupt church. And even though we as the church stumble and fall into sin, he not only offers us forgiveness, but one day, when this flesh and blood has passed, we will see the glory of God face to face—not just for a moment and protected by a cleft in the rock, but fully in His presence for all eternity.
Now, with triumphal palms, they stand before the throne on high,
And serve the God they love, amidst the glories of the sky,
His presence fills each heart with joy, tunes every mouth to sing;
By day, by night, the sacred courts with glad hosannas ring.
-Isaac Watts
I am My Beloved’s
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine—shepherding in the lilies.”
(Song of Solomon 6:3)
Beloved. That is a name that is given by God to his own people, and as a reflection of God’s use of that word toward us, we use that term to refer to one another. Beloved… The word literally means “the one who is loved,” that is simple enough, but oh, what connotations that word carries for us in life. Believer, do you recognize that you are the beloved of Christ? When you think of yourself in relationship to God the Father, do you think of yourself as the object of his love? So often, we talk a great deal about what God did for us and of the love that Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross, but sometimes we don’t let those words sink home. Do you really know that God loves you personally, individually, deeply, and passionately?
I remember what it was like when my wife, Denise, and I were first courting one another. Her simple presence in the room was enough to make my heart skip a beat. The excitement of the fact that this beautiful woman loved me was something that I found to be overwhelming. And though the dynamics of that relationship have changed dramatically over the past decade, there is a peace and a confidence that I get as a result of knowing that I always have a safe place to return to and loving arms to hold me. And Christ wants us to understand that this is the kind of relationship that he wants to have with his people. It is not enough that he redeems us, but he wants us to have a love affair with him as well. He wants us to know the excitement that comes from a relationship with one who loves us so deeply and unconditionally that pretenses have no place—there is no dark spot of our lives that we can hide from him, yet he chooses to love us anyway.
And though, over time the initial excitement of this relationship to Christ may wane some, there still should be the wonderful peace that comes from knowing that no matter where you happen to go or what trials that you happen to experience, you will always have Christ at your side, loving you, holding you, strengthening you, carrying you… And knowing this peace—knowing that you always have a safe place to retreat to in the arms of Christ and a promise that you cannot be plucked from his hands—knowing this peace should give you the confidence to take chances for the gospel. When you know you are loved so fully and deeply by Christ, you can risk the rejection of the world because you are never without a safe place to retreat to—a place that we are never separated from, for Christ will never, no never, leave the side of his loved ones.
Part of our problem is that we often do not or have not stopped to experience and enjoy the love that Christ has for us. We do not dwell in it or on it; we do not rest safely within his arms. Friends, think of the peace and security that you enjoy resting safely in the arms of your parent or your spouse. No words need to be exchanged, but when words are spoken they are both calming and assuring. Can you say this about the times when you rest in Christ? Do you deliberately take time dwelling in meditation on God’s word, prayerfully reflecting on a given passage of scripture, that you can draw your security out of such a relationship? Beloved, how stale a marriage is where parties to not communicate with one another or rest in each other’s arms—how stale our faith grows—how stagnant it gets, when we do not rest in the security that comes from knowing that we are the beloved of God. And that security comes from spending time in prayer and meditation upon God’s word.
The Horn of Salvation
“and he raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, his servant.”
(Luke 1:69)
The theme of the “horn of salvation” has important Old Testament Biblical-Theological implications, yet, before we delve back into the Old Testament history of this language, it is important that we set the context of the passage and make several observations:
- Note that this statement is part of the prophesy of Zechariah at his son, John’s, birth. It is prophetic in its scope, but note the use of the past tense with the verb “raised.” This is what is called the “prophetic past,” and it is a common element in Hebrew prophesy. Rather than speak of what God will do in the future tense (which the prophets do as well), the prophets speak of what God will do in the future but use past tense verbs to communicate the absolute nature of this event coming to pass. In other words, the prophet is saying that we can be so sure that God will fulfill this event that we can speak as if it has already taken place even though it is yet to take place. Such language is always used with prophesies that are unconditional and irrevocable. Here, Zechariah is prophesying about the reality of God having fulfilled all of his covenantal promises in the coming of Jesus—John being the forerunner; Zechariah is certain that even in the coming of this child in the womb, God would fulfill all of his plans through his Messiah and there was nothing that the enemies of God’s plan could do about it. Even the might of the Roman Empire is but a bug to be squashed under the heel of our God!
- Note for whom this promise is given: for “us.” How is this, when the coming of Christ will bring about the in-grafting of gentiles? Judaism was never meant to be an isolationist religion—a central temple, yes, but isolationist, no. They were to bring in converts from all of the nations, yet rarely worked to do so. One of the great Messianic promises is that this Messiah would bring in gentiles to the fold, that people from every tribe and nation would come to faith and be part of God’s covenant people. See the prophesies of Zechariah 14, for example, which speak of all the nations coming together to celebrate the festival of Booths together as one people—signaled by the coming of the Messiah. Even as far back as the creation account, where Adam and Eve were commanded to reproduce and fill the world with their kind (Genesis 1:28)—was this not for a purpose? Certainly, it was to subdue the creation so that God would be worshiped in every corner of the earth. This same commandment God gave to Noah and his children (Genesis 9:7), yet, in their sin they settled in Babel and God confused their language to force them into obedience. This is the great downfalls of mankind—refusing to give proper and right worship to God the creator—in Christ, once again, God is hardening the hearts of the Jewish people to bring in the gentiles—forcing them into obedience to the command to spread God’s worship throughout the earth. Thus the promise of the coming Messiah is for “us” from the Jewish perspective, for it is God fulfilling his plan for them.
- “in the house of David:” This communicates the agency by which God will fulfill this promise—by the line of David. We might as easily translate this Greek preposition (ejn) as “by” or “through.” It is not so much that the promise will be fulfilled within the house of David, but it will be fulfilled through one who is from said line. Note too that John the Baptist was from the line of Aaron, not the line of David. There is absolutely no confusion in Zechariah’s mind as to just what is going on with his son. It is interesting to see the change in Zechariah that has taken place in these past 9 months of his life. In the earlier account, he is seen as humble, but doubting God’s promise. Here he is boldly proclaiming the truth about what God is doing in the lives of the people of Israel. Sometimes, when God silences our lips from speaking, we can finally hear the truth that God is speaking to us through his word. We may be moving into some degree of speculation here, but I don’t think that it is too unlikely that Zechariah would have spent much of his imposed silence seeking out God’s face in prayer and the study of the scriptures—perhaps we would all do well to experience such a trial.
- Finally, note the last clause in the passage. Normally, our English Bibles translate this word as “servant” (as I have translated above). Yet, in Greek, it is the term paivß (pais), not douvloß (doulos) as one might expect. The word paivß (pais) is related to the word pai/dion (paidion) and can also be translated as “child,” which is important to note. In speaking of one’s servant in language that would denote kinship, it communicates the idea that there is a significant level of affection that is found between the Master and the servant. A good example of this kind of affection is found in the account of Jesus’ healing of the Centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13). Were this an ordinary servant, why would the Centurion have gone to such trouble to see the servant healed? Certainly it would have been a sign of disgrace for a Roman Centurion to go to a Hebrew Rabbi for healing. Clearly, there is great affection within this relationship. In the case of Zechariah’s prophesy, this concept of affection is especially pertinent. David is one whom scripture describes as being a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22) and it is to David that the promise comes to establish an eternal kingship (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Thus, we might even go as far to translate this clause, “in the house of David, his beloved servant” or even, “in the house of David, his child.” Either conveys the idea that Zechariah is communicating.
With the context of Zechariah’s prophesy before us, let us look at the passages that also communicate this idea:
- 2 Samuel 22:3. At the end of David’s life, he composes a song of praise to God that we find recorded here, in chapter 22 of Second Samuel. David sings of God’s fullness and of his provision even in the face of certain destruction. At the beginning of this song of praise, David uses a series of parallel statements that communicate the nature of God’s deliverance. God is described as deliverer, rock, refuge, shield, horn of my salvation, stronghold, refuge (a second time), and savior. What can be said about all of these images?
1. They are all defensive images—this speaks primarily of God’s redemption and not of his judgment upon his foes.
2. They are all passive images in terms of David. One is defended within the fortress or by the high and firm rock. One takes refuge within these safe places, the places do not move from here to there.
3. One may find rest in all of these places. One of the great themes in the Old Testament is that of seeking rest from one’s enemies. David is saying that as tumultuous as his life has been, rest has been given to him in the refuge of God alone.
4. The Hebrew term for “horn” that is used here is the term !r<q, (keren), and is normally used to describe an animal’s horn or something made in that general shape. In particular, it is also this term that is used to describe the four horns of the altar of burnt offering (Exodus 38:2). There are a number of things that are particularly interesting about this connection.
o While we don’t know the origin of the tradition, it seems that in Ancient Israel, people held the belief that clinging to the horns of the altar would provide them sanctuary and refuge from their oppressors. In 1 Kings 1:49-53, we find Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, running and clinging to the horns of the altar for protection. Soon afterward, as recorded in 1 Kings 2:28-35), we also find Joab doing the same. It seems that Solomon puts an end to this tradition, for while he pardons Adonijah, he has Joab slain while still clinging to the altar’s horns.
o In a similar vein, though this is a negative example, when God speaks through the prophet Amos, commanding him to speak of the judgment that is coming upon the people, one thing he states is that he will “cut off” the horns of the altar at the time of said judgment, implying that the presence of the horns on the altar was at least symbolic of God’s protection for his people—that in this judgment that is coming, there will be no place of refuge for the people to go (see Amos 3:14).
Note that this is not the term that refers to a musical horn made from the horn of an animal—that word is rp;Av (shophar) and the two words are not interchangeable.
- Psalm 18:2. This is the psalm that is based on the Psalm above, written by David as a praise to God for deliverance from his enemies, thus, even though the language varies slightly, the idea remains the same, the language of the “horn of salvation” is again used to describe taking refuge in the Lord.
Thus, how are we to understand Jesus as the “horn of salvation”? The answer should be fairly obvious at this point; the horn of salvation is a symbol of a place wherein one can find refuge from the assaults of this world—the greatest enemy we face being sin and temptation to sin. And, indeed, that is exactly the context in which Zechariah is speaking. In Luke 1:68, Zechariah speaks of God having redeemed his people, then in verse 69, he speaks of that redemption in terms of God having raised up the horn of salvation. As the praise song goes, “He is our refuge in days of trouble, he is our shelter in times of storm, He is our tower in the day of sorrow, our fortress in the time of war.” Oh, beloved, God is a strong fortress wherein which we can rest from the oppressors of this sinful world—he is our horn of salvation, clinging to which we cannot be destroyed and our sin before God is forgiven—we are truly redeemed. What a wonderful promise that God has given us in Jesus Christ! As David also wrote:
“Serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling!
Kiss the Son lest he become angry and you perish in the way!
For his anger will soon burn!
Blessed are those who take refuge in him!”
(Psalm 2:11-12)
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
-From John Rippon’s selection of hymns
And in the spirit of Zechariah’s prophesy of the coming Christ:
Say to those who are fearful hearted,
‘Do not be afraid,’
‘The Lord, your God, is strong, with his mighty arm,’
‘when you call on his name,’
‘He will come and save…’
-Fitts & Sadler
Bought Out and Set Free
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“Once a man sees himself in the light of the cross, he sees the horror of that self-centered view in its every aspect.” -DM Lloyd-Jones
“God’s chief end is to glorify himself with a view to bringing man to enjoy him forever”
-J. Edwards
How often when asked to witness our faith to others do we begin with “this is what God did for me.” What a sad statement it is, when our view of salvation is centered on ourselves. I am not the object of redemptive history; God is. What a skewed view we have in the church.
Part of the power of the cross, when brought to bear on the lives of God’s people, is to break this idea that there is anything about the process of salvation that we deserve. We are but wretches before God, our righteousness, as Paul put it, is nothing more than a filthy rag (and we won’t discuss that imagery). We are nothing more than desperate beggars brought into the house before the storm. Yet, somehow, once we are in the house, we begin to think ourselves the master of the place. We see the meal that is brought to us as something that is deserved and we see the comforts within as our rightful place to recline.
When I was in High School, I worked for a wealthy couple tending their property. They had sixty acres of land and it was my job to keep it up and to do whatever odd jobs they had for me. Each year at Christmas, the St. Clair family had a huge and wonderful party for all of their friends. They often had as many as 70 people in their home for these parties. One year, they hired me to help direct traffic with people coming and going. Maryland winters are often quite cold, and I stood outside the festive home, all bundled up, directing people where to park.
After the party was well underway and the guests had all arrived, Mr. St. Clair came outside and invited me into their home to enjoy the festivities. Once inside, he introduced me as if he were introducing an honored guest and instructed me to eat my fill from the buffet table.
I did eat and was welcomed warmly by the guests, but at the same time, I had an overwhelming feeling of being out of place. Here I was, a high school student from a modest family, dressed in jeans and a sweat shirt, with mussed up hair from being under a stocking cap all night, mingling with some of the most wealthy people of the region who were dressed to the nines. I enjoyed myself on that evening immensely, but never once did I begin to feel that I deserved to be a part of these festivities. My presence was solely due to the grace of the host.
Our attitude toward our salvation ought to be the same as mine was at that party. How we don’t deserve to be present in the master’s house, but God has brought us in out of the cold, introduced us as an honored guest, and sat us at his table as his child. And why does he do this? Because of the work of his son on the cross. Oh, how we ought to cherish that cross! We are the recipients of God’s wonderful grace. It is something that we must never take for granted!
The New Man
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
Oh how often we take this casually. We are made new in Christ, but so often we daydream back toward the sinful days of our past and forget the wretchedness of our life apart from Christ. I was reading the biography of John Paton recently. Paton was a missionary to the cannibals of the New Hebrides islands (and a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, I might add). One of the things that he described in his journals was the insatiable craving for human flesh that these cannibals had. The small island where he served housed no less than 10 warring tribes. These tribes would roast the bodies of the enemy warriors they had killed in battle. Their lust for flesh was so strong, though, that when fresh bodies were scarce and they had no enemies to eat, they would dig up the corpses of recently buried people to feast on their remains. Depravity begets depravity.
Yet, I would argue that we are not all that different. We might not be in the habit of digging up dead bodies to eat, but drug addicts often sink to that same level of desperation to get their next high. Gambling addicts mortgage their homes and steal from their businesses to feed their craving. Sex addicts will risk ruining their marriages and the lives of their children for one more night of illicit ecstasy. Work-aholics will miss every important events in the life of their family for the opportunity to make another dollar even when the things that money can buy can never match the value of a presence in the life of a child. Depravity begets depravity.
But we, by virtue of the work of Christ on the cross, are made new. We are no longer bound by the downward cycle of sin. Yes, we will still sin, but there is forgiveness in Christ and there is strength through his Holy Spirit so we can resist temptation. Light has been shined in the darkness of our sinful lives and for the first time we can begin to see the path that we are on, albeit dimly. Let us not look back, then, at the way our lives used to be. The Christian has no use for the depravity of his old man for depravity begets depravity. We are called to be Holy as God is Holy. The contrast could not be more drastic.
Signposts
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“Today, missed some fine opportunity of speaking a word for Christ. The Lord saw that I would have spoken as much for my honor as for his, and therefore, he shut my mouth. I see that a man cannot be a faithful, fervent minister until he preaches just for Christ’s sake, until he gives up trying to attract people to himself, and seeks to attract them to Christ. Lord, give me this.” -R.M. McCheyne
Spurgeon once likened the Bible to a road map of England. He pointed out on the map that every road, even if through a circuitous route, led into London. So too, he argued, did every verse, lead to Christ. And no matter how good your skill as an orator, no matter how well you have mastered the ancient languages, and no matter how apt your sermon illustrations are, if you do not point people to Christ, your preaching has wasted everyone’s time. We must ask ourselves of our preaching what Dr. Lloyd-Jones asked of our living, “Is God the chief end and object of your life?”
This is the model that I have tried to adopt within my own preaching. If I am to preach, I must become a beacon that points clearly to Christ and the cross. Exegesis and structure and illustrations and everything else that goes into writing a sermon is terribly important, but just like that road map, it does not matter how detailed and in-depth my directions are, if they lead the listener to any place but to Christ, then all my time and preparation are wasted and I might as well have said nothing.
In turn, this is the model that is set before us in living. We must constantly be asking ourselves if what we are doing is pointing people to Christ. Peter reminds us in his first letter that it is by our humble and submissive faithfulness to our Lord and Savior that people will be drawn to Christ. Too often we treat winning souls as a conquest. We hold revivals thinking that the Spirit of God somehow follows our lead when it comes to changing the hearts of man. This model could not be further from the truth. It is true that the Holy Spirit has moved at times to bring revival to a community through the preaching of one of his servants, yet for us to walk in with the expectation that we will be the next Whitefield or Wesley is sheer vanity. If you want to see true revival in our land, then it will come most reliably through Christians living faithful and humble lives in the sight of an unbelieving world. Our lives should be as street signs pointing to Christ, saying, “don’t look at me, but look at my Lord; I am merely a pointer so that He might be glorified.”
Is this how we approach the day? Is this how we approach witnessing? I suggest that it usually isn’t. So often, like Robert Murray McCheyne, we miss the opportunity to faithfully witness because our directions revolve around ourselves and do not point clearly to Christ and him crucified. Let us be deliberate in our lifestyle with Christ as the goal of every direction we give.
Walls
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“The wall in Berlin, you see, is not the first wall that has been built in this world to separate people from one another. The World has always had its iron curtains. We change the terminology but the fact has always been there: the middle wall of partition, Jews on one side, Gentiles on the other side, and between them, a bitter hatred and animosity, which we can scarcely even imagine.” -D.M. Lloyd-Jones
What I find to be interesting about walls is that we are so careless about how and where we put them up. Walls do not have to be bad things. A good, stout wall can provide a defense against the attacks of enemy armies. It can bring comfort to all who are within it when the guardsmen are alert on the ramparts. I have endeavored to make my home that kind of place. My desire is that the sin and foolishness of the world not be able to encroach upon those who live within the walls of my home. This carries over to how I treat my wife and son and it carries over to the expectations that I place on them. Our home, I intend, is to be a place of building up, not a place of tearing down.
Likewise, our churches should reflect the same thing. Like shepherds, pastors must protect and build up the flock that God has given them. The church needs to be a refuge from the infighting and the frantic pace of the world. The walls that we build around the church are not to keep people out, rather they are to keep the seeds of the serpent that inundate our culture out. In a very real way, the church within should look very different than the world without.
Yet, sin muddles things up, doesn’t it? Sin causes us to build walls inside of our homes and within our church. No longer are the walls a sign of defense, but they become a thing of separation. We have a long tradition of building these kinds of walls, built with stones of pride and ignorance. The first of these human walls was built as far back as Eden, when Adam and Eve chose to break covenant with God and eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. While we don’t talk about it much, the thing that I think is amazing is that neither Adam nor Eve was repentant when confronted by God; they just played the blame-game. In that act, a wall was created between creation and God that could never be breached from our side.
But what a gracious God we serve. God paid the price of his only son on the cross, breaching the wall from the other side. Like prisoners of war that have been broken from our dark and filthy cells and brought out into the light, we who have been saved from our sin are indebted beyond comprehension to our Savior! We put up a wall that we could never hope to break down, but Christ shattered it!
To those who would accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, believing in their heart and confessing with their lips, God has given them eternal life. And he builds another wall around them, and what a wall it is! For this wall is one that does not separate one from God, but is a wall that joins them together in covenant permanently, for God will permit none of his chosen to slip from his hand (John 10:29).
We must take the time to survey the walls that we have constructed in our lives. We must look for cracks in those meant to defend against the attacks of the evil one and we must seek to tear down the ones that separate us from our families, our neighbors, and others around us. Christ has torn down the wall between us and God, let us tear down the walls between us and man that we might take the gospel to every corner of the world and apply it to every corner of our life.
Commandos of the Cross
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“The power of the devil, the power of evil, is so great that every human being ever born into the world has been defeated by it.” -D.M. Lloyd-Jones
I am sure that you have rented or watched movies before that were recommended to you by a friend, but once you watched them, you sat aghast, wondering why ever this friend would have suggested such a film. A few years ago, my wife and I rented one of “these” kinds of films. I don’t recall the title but the movie was basically a modern rendition of the Faust story, where a Lawyer makes a pact with the devil to get to the top of his profession. Sadly, as is the way with most contemporary films, the Devil was portrayed in a good light and the lawyer’s decision was shown as a noble one. There was one redeeming line within this movie. The main character and the Devil were discussing “means” and the Devil made this comment. “The best thing that I ever did was to convince mankind that I do not exist.” How true this statement is.
In The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis, Lewis develops much of the same idea. Wormwood is constantly urged by his Uncle Screwtape to manipulate things from the background. I know that as I read that book, I was convicted of many sins that I had never even thought were within my life. In his book, Out of the Silent Planet, Lewis describes fallen earth as a darkened place. The people in Malecandra (Mars) cannot peer into the affairs of men. Oh how we can say with the Apostle Paul that we see through a glass darkly in this world. Even the humanist, Mark Twain, understood this idea that our eyes are clouded to the truth when he misquoted Paul by saying, “we see through a glass eye darkly.” Of course, one sees nothing through a glass eye at all!
We are born into a mess of sin in our lives. There is nothing we can do about it. It is all around us and it is within us. It does not take very long before you realize, as a parent, that your little baby is quite sinful. In fact, I would argue that anyone who denies the doctrine of Original Sin could never have had children. We are born spiritually dead on arrival. Not only can we not get away from it on our own, but we cannot understand why we ought to get away from it on our own. Pelagius argued that if you ought to do something you are capable of doing it. Yet, sin blinds us even from understanding what we ought do. One of the themes of the Epistle of James is being a hearer and a doer of the word. You cannot be a doer if you have not heard, but you cannot even really hear without a movement of the Holy Spirit in your life enabling you to hear it and internalize it. Without the work of the Holy Spirit you can no more expect someone to act upon the preached Word of God than you can expect the stones of the Church’s foundation to act upon it.
And here is the triumph of the Cross! Satan may ”own” us at birth, but we, the elect, are more like prisoners of war that God will send, in his time, the special forces to rescue through the power of the Holy Spirit. We often do not think of ourselves as soldiers or that we are at war; this is Satan convincing us that he is not at work. But the teachers and preachers of the Word of God are in a sense the Special Operations team of the church. We are fully equipped through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we are operating deep in enemy territory to seek and save those captive souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. If that is the case, we, like the Special Forces, need to be about rigorous training throughout life. Our weapons are the sword of scripture and the rifle of prayer.
But the victory is not ours to claim. We are simply instruments, servants, working in our master’s household and for his glory. Christ was the ultimate Special Force, for it is he that faced the very wrath of God for the sins of his people. When we meditate on that it ought to make us rejoice and weep at the same time. It ought to make us rejoice for that battle has been won and we, who are believers in and on the Lord Jesus Christ have been saved. And it ought to make us weep, for it is because of our sin that the Lord Jesus had to suffer so. We ought to reflect on this always.
Do Not Love the World
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
The cross of Christ is not a simple stop on the road of life, but it is the very road to life. Jesus did not stop at telling the Christian simply to take up their cross, but he commanded that they follow. Too many people think that the “taking up” is the most important thing. They might struggle to lift the burden, but once it is squarely upon their shoulders, they say, “enough of that,” and promptly drop the burden on the dirt. This is not the way that Christ has set before us. Yes, we must heft the cross that the Lord calls us to bear, but we must carry that cross, following Jesus. It will not be a pleasant load, for sure. There will be times when the splinters and the knots of the wood will dig deeply into your exposed back. You will be made to carry it across rough fields, potholes, dense brush, and the like. But even in the most difficult, painful, and unpleasant times, it will be a sweet load to bear, for it is the load of your savior.
Before I became a Christian, I gloried in the world. In fact, I went out of my way to draw attention to myself. I would do wilder and wilder stunts and gimmicks as if to say “look at me!” Some of these things were quite silly and foolish, but many were downright shameful. Not only was there no good within me, but I paraded and gloried in that which was detestable. The problem that arose when I became a believer was not one of grieving over my past wicked ways, but of putting those ways behind me, and not looking back.
This is the way of all believers. It is not good enough to simply confess that you have sinned and then go on living like a pagan; repentance means to turn around. Sadly, in my own life, there have been many when I have stumbled under the weight of trial and temptation. My heart has followed the example of Lot’s wife, looking back and longing for what I cannot have.
A pastor friend of mine once argued that the reason that Christians hold onto their sins so long is that human nature makes us hold on to things until they are too painful to grasp. We are like children reaching for the stove. At first we might receive a simple, “no” or a hand slap. But as we persist in trying to reach for the stove, the discipline becomes much more severe. This is not because our parents take joy in disciplining us, but it is because they want to prevent us from being burned severely. Sometimes the Holy Spirit’s fire of sanctification may seem too much to bear, but the sting of spiritual discipline will mature us where the fire of sin will consume.
So often, we find we are greatly tempted to look back fondly at the life God has saved us from. When that happens, let us remember well that the life God saved us from may seem sweet to the memory, but was only filled with bitterness once it passed the tongue. Let us be a people who live for their Lord; who keep eyes focused on the finish-line of heaven; and who never look back at our forsaken sins.
Shouts and Whispers
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“I know of nothing so wonderful in the whole world today [than the cross]. That is why I do not preach topical sermons, I have something to tell you that is worth listening to!”
-D.M. Lloyd-Jones
I am going to gripe just a bit to get it out of my system—accept my apologies in advance. The question that I have is this. How many preachers can claim, with Dr. Lloyd-Jones, that they have something to say that is worth listening to? And if they do, why are so many of them being silent about it? When there is a report of an incoming tornado, the radios buzz with noise. When a major event happens in our community, not only is the grapevine buzzing, but it is announced in the streets with excitement. But what greater thing is there to announce or to hear than the news of the cross?
Why is this? Do we as Christians not have an urgent message to proclaim? Do we consider ministry something that is only done by trained professionals? Does the message of the cross of Christ weary us? Is it too inconvenient to take the time to share the Gospel with someone you have met? If this is the case, I say shame on you. We ought to leap with joy at the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ!
I do not mean to disparage my brothers in ministry or in the church. I love them and I love you dearly. And there are many who are going out of their way to serve God both locally and elsewhere. It is not these that I gripe about, but it is those who wish to see the fruit of God’s blessing without being willing to plant in the spring. Yes, this is one of my soap-boxes. My wife tries to hide them from me, but I usually find them without difficulty. Some may think that I am a bit off my rocker, wanting the Gospel preached to every person in the city which I live and in the world which God has set me in. But, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the life-blood of the church. Without it, she dies. My prayer is that each of us would take the standard of the cross and raise it high in our lives. May it be seen from Jackson to Matherville, from Mississippi to Maryland, and from America to every corner of the earth! Yet, as far as it may reach, it needs to start with our own lives as Christians. We have a message to tell, and it is a wonderful one. The question that we must ask ourselves is whether or not we believe it is wonderful enough to step out and share.
The Cross: Lifeline or Lodestone
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is either an offence to us or else it is a thing above everything else in which we glory… These are the only two positions—offence, or glory.” D.M. Lloyd-Jones
Sadly, the cross in our society has become more of an ornament than it is a symbol of our Lord’s passion and our redemption. People have taken that old rugged cross, sanded out all of the burs and splinters, added some decorative beveling to the corners, stained it, and coated it with eight careful coats of polyurethane. The resultant cross is something beautiful to behold with the eye but has lost all traces of the savior who had hung there. The resultant cross is something that can be casually dangled from the neck for good luck but does little to remind us just what our salvation cost.
While many Christians do not wear a cross for this reason, which is ultimately idolatry, I prefer to wear, a cross. Yet, when I wear a cross around my neck, I see it as a brand of ownership, always reminding me to whom I belong. According to Levitical Law, when a slave is freed, if he chooses to remain a slave in the service of his master, his master is to take him into a doorpost and drive an awl through his ear (presumably to add a stud or ring) as a sign of that permanent ownership (Deuteronomy 15). While I do not suggest that all Christians to enlist their pastors to start driving awls through their ears, the principle is the same. I see the cross as a sign of ownership. My slavery to Christ cannot and will not be rescinded.
The bottom line is, though, that there is no middle ground when it comes to your understanding of the cross. You either glory in it–as it is and for what it is–or you hate it and all that it stands for. When you hate it, you are prone to cover it up and smooth it over, making it more acceptable to your sensibilities. The problem is that God is not concerned about our sensibilities. We must conform our lives to the image of God, not attempt to conform God to our image.
Before I came to seminary, I served as an interim pastor of two small Methodist churches in the country. One of those churches, in their sanctuary, had what I considered to be the most elegant cross that I have ever seen. It was made from rough-cut fence-post lumber and lashed together. The cross was rough, full of splinters, the beams were not symmetrical or completely straight, and it looked as if it had weathered a thousand storms. To me, it was a thing of beauty. Why? Because it was a constant reminder of the cost my savior paid for my soul. The cross will be either our lifeline or our lodestone in this sea of the world; there is no “neutral buoyancy” anywhere within it.
The Wondrous Cross
“But may it not be for me to boast if it is not in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”—Galatians 6:14
“The Cross is the strength of the minister. I, for one, would not be without it for the world. I should feel like a soldier without weapons, like an artist without his pencil, like a pilot without his compass, like a laborer without his tools. Let others, if they will, preach the law and morality. Let others hold forth the terrors of hell and the joys of heaven. Let others drench their congregations with teachings about the sacraments and the church. Give me the cross of Christ. This is the only lever which has ever turned the world upside down hitherto and made men forsake their sins. And if this will not do it, nothing will. A man may begin preaching with a perfect knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew; but he will do little or no good among his hearers unless he knows something of the cross. Never was there a minister who did much for the conversion of souls who did not dwell much on Christ crucified. Luther, Rutherford, Whitefield, M’Cheyne were all most eminent preachers of the cross. This is the preaching that the Holy Ghost delights to bless. He loves to honor those who honor the cross.” -J.C. Ryle
After preaching at the homeless shelter regularly for about three or four months I began to become frustrated. I was constantly facing the same kind of issues and failures in the lives of the men. I felt as if we had dealt with this or that issue in a previous sermon and now we should be able to move on. To be fair, there is a lot of turnover at the shelter, so we dealt with many new people all of the time, but the real problem was not in the men, the real problem was with me. My pride was telling me many things, but ultimately my pride was telling me that my preaching was about what I was interested in and not about what these men needed. When pride finds its way into preaching, the cross is the first thing that gets left out.
If the cross is not at the center of my life and my message, it means that I have forgotten how truly wonderful a gift and message the cross is. As Paul, we ought to revel in the cross. We are not to minimize it, spiritualize it, turn it into a decoration, or to apologize for it. The cross is our hope! As ugly and wretched as that cross was, it is the center for the most magnificent and wondrous gift that could ever be given, and was given for me. Without the cross, it is only judgment and condemnation that lies in my path.
As I struggled with this idea and with my pride, I ran into a quote from Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon described the Bible as a roadmap of the area around London. He challenged someone to show him a road that did not lead, even if the path were circuitous, into the heart of London. The man could find none. “The Bible, too,” Spurgeon said, “is like that map. Every verse in scripture either points to or is a direct result of the work of Jesus Christ. And if in your preaching you do not point clearly toward Christ, directing your congregation to follow the map, then you have wasted everyone’s time.” Christ is not only to be at the heart of our preaching, he is what motivates preaching, drives our preaching home in the hearts of our congregation, and he is the very reason that our congregation is drawn to worship in the first place.
And for the cross of Christ to be the center of a preacher’s message, the cross must be the center of his life. And while this message is essential for the preacher to learn, it is also a message that is essential for the life of every Christian. The cross is our only source of hope; it is the bridge through which sinful man can be brought into relationship with a holy God; it is the roadmap through which eternal life may be found; and it is the standard for the church today—a church in the wilderness, looking to it to be spared death. The cross of Christ means salvation and if it is not the center of the life of the Christian, then whatever is will likely lead him astray.
We sing of the “Wondrous Cross” of Christ in worship, but do we take the time to ponder the wonder of the cross and what happened on that day, nearly 2000 years ago. Do we simply see the cross at a point in history or do we glory in it as the apostle did? My fear is that we don’t. As we ponder the cross of Christ, let us remember that God did not have to do what he did for us, yet he chose to send his son to die on the cross that those who would call on the name of Jesus would be saved from eternal damnation. We do not deserve what he did on that frightful day, but let us proclaim God’s glory that he did.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
-Isaac Watts
Psalm 24, part 10
“Who is he, this King of Glory?
Yahweh of armies—
He is the King of Glory!
Selah!”
(Psalm 24:10)
And now David brings this psalm to a dramatic close. Once again the question is asked, though with minor variation, who is this King of Glory? And, indeed, the answer is a resounding, Yahweh! It is God who is the King of Glory, it is God who will provide his Messiah, and it is God who will be the Messiah himself, though we should not assume that David understood all of the ramifications of what the Holy Spirit inspired him to write. But, oh, beloved, psalms like this are good for the heart. When you get down in the dumps or blue about what happens to be going on in your life, turn to this psalm and sing the words it contains. You don’t need a specific tune, just make one up as you go (though if you are more gifted than I musically, you may want to use a tune provided in a good psalter), but just sing these words. Oh, beloved, it is hard to stay down in the dumps when you sing of God’s glory and of the glorious hope that is found in His Son. Words like these lift the heart to sing even when the events of life form like a bog around you. Do not despair, loved ones, we have a Messiah that is mighty and strong and we have been called into the royal service of the great King of Glory!
This verse contains a funny little Hebrew word at the end of it (as does verse 6) that no one really knows what it really means. The word hl’s, (selah) is a word that is found 74 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, and predominantly in the book of Psalms (also 3 times in Habakkuk), but little is known as to what it means or signifies. It seems to be a musical term of some sense, and many think that it is meant to give instructions either to the singers or to the musicians. Some have put forth that it marks an instrumental interlude, for example, and others have suggested that it is a sign to the singers that they should raise their voice as they sing the words that immediately precede it. We just simply don’t know, and we must simply leave it as a curiosity of an ancient language that we do not understand. Yet, whatever this term means, it is clear that this psalm hits a crescendo as they hit this verse. You can almost hear the singers raising their voices to a near shout as they sing God’s praise.
And who is this King of Glory? It is Yahweh of armies. Many of our Bibles translate this as “hosts,” but in our English language, the term “host” has lost much if not all of its militaristic flavor. Once again, here is God depicted not simply as King, but as a glorious King who is victorious in battle, first because of his heroic valor and now because of the host of armies that he has at his side. Indeed, God has myriads of myriads of angels at his command—a heavenly host that infinitely surpasses even the greatest of human armies. And this is the King we serve! Why then do we fear the powers of this world? Why then do we fear the one who can kill the body but not the spirit? Why then are we intimidated by the threats of the enemies of our God? Our God is more mighty than all of these combined, and our God has promised to preserve us through the grave unto eternal life. When we stand threatened, beloved, cry out with the apostle Paul, O Death, where is thy sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55) Oh, beloved, we serve a King who is greater than all the greatness of this earth. Do not fear, for you are in the Lord’s service.
Be lifted up everlasting doors,
The King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord strong and mighty!
Open your gates to the Lord of Hosts!
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord mighty in battle,
The King of Glory shall come in!
The King of Glory shall come in!
-Bob Hartman
Psalm 24, part 9
“O Gates, you shall lift up your heads!
And lift up the eternal doors!
The King of Glory shall come in!”
(Psalm 24:9)
With great excitement and intensity, David continues his refrain with only one minor variation. Here the command is not the passive “be lifted up, you ancient doors,” but “lift them up!” You can almost taste the excitement that must have been felt as these words were being sung! Oh, how David longed to see the temple built to his mighty God and how he longed to see the messianic words of this psalm fulfilled. And though he did not live to see either, the joy that filled his being at the hope and anticipation of this promise bubbles forth like a spring or a well that cannot contain the force of the water that it is meant to hold—it overflows from his life and floods into the words and spirit of this psalm. One can almost imagine David setting down his quill several times during the writing of this psalm simply to sing praise to God.
We have been given the joy of seeing the hope of this psalm fulfilled in the glorification of Christ. For it is Christ who, when he rose from the grave, ascended into the holy place—the inner sanctuary of God—and forever rent the veil that separated God from man. And it is Christ who has seated himself on the throne at the right hand of God the Father. Not only were the ancient doors, once closed because of sin, opened wide for the King of Glory to enter in, but these doors have now remained forever opened that all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior may enter in with him as his royal and holy bride! Beloved, if you are a born again Christian, that means you! This is something to get excited about; this is something to write hymns of praise about! And oh, how the saints of the past have burst forth in song for the joy of this wondrous hope and promise!
Yet, like David, we await the consummation of this promise. David awaited the coming of the Messiah and we await the return of the Messiah, when he will finally gather his whole church together, united in him, and as his bride, and we will be together for all eternity—no longer separated by sin and death. This is a promise that can make even the most woeful heart sing. We may struggle and hurt and weep for a time in this world, but there is an end to this world and there will be an end to all of the grief that we experience herein. And when that end comes, for those of us who are found in Christ, there will be a glorious beginning, united in his presence for all eternity. Loved ones, how the hope of a reunion with family has kept so many prisoners of war alive through even their darkest days, how much more should this hope of an eternal wedding with the glorious Christ sustain us, through even our most trying times—even into the darkness of the grave. Take hope beloved, our King has gone before us and in going before us he has prepared for us a place—let us remain steadfast in faith as we walk in the muck and the mire of this world, for the way has already been trod by the great King of Glory—even to the grave!
O worship the King all glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O measureless might! Ineffable Love!
While angels delight to hymn you above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall lisp to your praise.
-Robert Grant
Psalm 24, part 8
“Who is this King of Glory?
Yahweh, strong and heroic,
Yahweh, heroic in war!”
(Psalm 24:8)
And we have finally arrived at the point of the psalm that we have been waiting for with anticipation. Who is this King of Glory? Indeed, it is Yahweh, God Almighty himself, it is God who will go up on our behalf—it is God who will enter into and stand triumphant over his enemies in the Holy Place—the temple of the Lord. How is this to be? Is not God not already in his holy place, for is it not his presence that makes it holy? Indeed, this psalm is looking forward to the time when Christ, God himself, the second member of the Holy Trinity, would take flesh to himself, identifying with us even on the deepest levels of our humanity, and ascend on our behalf, so that all those who are in him—who are his elect—might enter into God’s presence with him! Good news indeed! This is the best news! God has sent his Son, his Son has fulfilled the law for those who will put their faith in him, his Son has made satisfaction for our sins on the cross, his Son has risen from the grave and now has ascended to the throne of God, sitting down at the right hand of glory and having all things placed at his feet, and we know who this Son is—his name is Jesus! Oh, beloved, what a wonderful thing this is to know, that Jesus did for you what you could never hope to do for yourself, and he offers you a share in glory if you are resting your trust in Him as your Lord and Savior. Blessings, all blessings, pour down from God’s throne; yet all blessings shall count for naught, apart from the blessing of Christ alone.
The language of this passage is strongly militaristic, and we should not shy away from the imagery that is used. Yahweh is described as strong and heroic—the term rABGI (gibor) is used, which refers to one who is mighty and heroic in battle (see Nahum 2:3, 1 Samuel 17:51). Do not God’s enemies war against God’s people? Are these battles then not the Lord’s? And does God not bring the victory in battle for his glory and not for our own? Can we not say with King David that on this day, the battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:46-47)? Beloved, it is not with spear or sword, armies or navies, or even through human ingenuity or intelligence that the battle is fought. Battles are not won by force of will, but they are won or lost by the hand of God! And our God is strong and mighty—heroic in facing his foes and conquering them. Our Lord, Jesus, did just this, conquering his foes upon the cross of Calvary—utterly crushing the power of sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). And it is this almighty, conquering King that has shown us his mercy by going up on our behalf and bringing forth the blessings of God to be poured out upon his people (John 7:37-39). Blessings, great blessings, found solely in Christ; God of all glory and power and wisdom and might!
There shall be showers of blessing,
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
-Daniel Whittle
Psalm 24, part 7
“O Gates, you shall lift up your heads!
And be lifted up, you eternal doors!
That the King of Glory may come in!”
(Psalm 24:7)
We are told of the excitement that David and the people felt when they brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem to be placed in the tabernacle area that David had prepared. The people came into the city with shouts and with singing and David, the king of all Israel, led the way with jubilant dancing and praise (2 Samuel 6). What an amazing time that must have been! You can almost hear David approaching Jerusalem with the Ark and shouting to the gates that they would open so that the procession might enter the city. This sense of joy and excitement has led some scholars to the position that this psalm was written either for or about the entrance of the Ark into Jerusalem.
We have mentioned before, though, that it is more likely that this psalm was written to be sung at the dedication of the temple. Who is this King of Glory? It was certainly never a title given to David, and in the context of this psalm, it clearly points to the coming Messiah who would go up into the temple for his people. With that being said, though, there is a very real chance that David, while writing this hymn to be sung at the dedication of the temple, was recalling the joy and excitement that he experienced when bringing the Ark into Jerusalem in the first place. Thus, the imagery that we have here is that of the messiah opening wide the gates of the temple and entering in on behalf of his people.
The language of throwing the gates wide open is important to understand, because it is symbolic of submission to the authority of the one entering in. When a king marched into the city with the gates thrown open wide, it was a sign that the city had been fully defeated by this king—in many cases, the gates would torn down if resistance persisted—again to reinforce the idea that nothing barred the way of this king from access to the city. This principle is important to understand as we look backwards in history, for example, to Samson’s tearing down the gates of Gaza (Judges 16:1-3) and carrying them off to Hebron, a distance of about 35 miles, deep into the heart of Israel. Samson was telling the people of Gaza—“you are mine…” by this action.
Here we have the same thought in mind—the King of Glory—the promised Messiah who is anticipated, is depicted as approaching the temple of God and the gates being thrown wide open. And indeed, in a greater and fulfilled sense, this is exactly what Christ did! Not only did the death of Christ cause the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy place rent in two, but in the resurrection of Christ, the gates of heaven were thrown wide open to him as he ascended to glory. And if the gates of heaven are thrown wide open to Christ, not only is that an indication of his sovereignty over all things, but that is a promise that the gates of heaven will not be closed to any who are in Christ by faith. Indeed, because heaven received Christ with accolades, heaven will receive we who are the elect because we are united with Christ. Indeed too, the temple on earth is meant to be a shadow of the reality that is in heaven—and indeed, as no door on earth is shut to Christ, no door in the heavenly realms is shut either.
Beloved, it is hard not to get excited when reading these words of David. They are filled with hope and excitement and we have seen their fulfillment in the person and work of our Lord. What confident praise ought to fill our souls! What joy we should have when we proclaim these words! Lift your heads, oh you eternal gates, for now as Christ reigns on his throne, the bride of the King of Glory is being brought in!
Come, thou Almighty King,
Help us thy name to sing,
Help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
Over all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
-Anonymous
Psalm 24, part 6
“This is the generation that is seeking him—
who are seeking your face, O Jacob.
Selah!”
(Psalm 24:6)
Here we have the cry of David, calling out for the one who would finally and most assuredly present himself before the face of God in his holy temple, and David continues his plea with these words: “This is the generation that is seeking him!” In other words, David is crying out, “we are looking for the messiah, we are searching him out, our eyes are open Lord, reveal him to us!” Thus, this is not just the heart’s song of David, but it is the song of the people as well.
This reminds us that hymns are meant not only to be sung by the congregation, but the lyrics, as we sing them, are to become our own words. It is easy to get into a routine, when it comes to Sunday worship. We gather, sing a few hymns, pray a few prayers, read a bit of scripture, and listen to a sermon, and then go on with our day. How easy it is for our minds to wander away from what we are doing to the obligations we have for the week ahead. How often, when we hear the pastor’s prayer, that our minds are elsewhere and we do not make his words our own. How often we sing the words of the hymns, but as we do so, we are only singing them as the words of Fanny Crosby, Isaac Watts, or John Newton, and never appropriate those words as our own. How often our routine brings us to sing the words of these hymns without dwelling on their meaning. David reminds us that as we lift our voices together to sing God’s praise, we are proclaiming these words, whoever penned them originally, to be our own as well. This is the generation, David says, that seeks the Messiah.
Now there is some question over the next line. In Hebrew poetry, one of the primary elements that is used is that of parallelism. In other words, often the second line means essentially the same thing as the first line does, yet it is stated in a different way. Thus, the question is asked, if David and his generation are seeking the Messiah who will go up for them, where does Jacob fit into the picture. This question has driven both the ESV and the NIV, in their translations of the Bible, to add the words “God of” to the passage, making the parallelism equate the sought Messiah with God himself. Now, while this is certainly an accurate connection, it is an addition to the text and changes the meaning of what David is saying. There are times when words need to be added to the text to communicate the idea in good English, but this is not one of them.
So then, we are left once again with this question, how are we to understand these words? A quick survey of commentaries will return a variety of views on this question, some being more dogmatic about their position than others. Yet, oftentimes, the simplest and most straightforward explanation is the best one to grasp. Jacob, of course, was renamed as Israel after his wrestling match with God (Genesis 31:28). As a result, while we usually speak of God’s covenant nation as “Israel” or “the children of Israel,” the scriptures also use the name “Jacob” at times as a collective noun to refer to God’s covenant people (see Psalm 53:6, Isaiah 44:5, etc…). As the Messiah was promised to the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what David is essentially saying is, “we look to your seed, Oh, Jacob, from which our Messiah will come. It is a statement of confidence in God that he will not only send a redeemer, but that the redeemer that will be sent will be bound by line and generation to the covenant body—he is not coming from outside.
We spoke earlier about the importance of the full humanity of Christ as Messiah, and here that issue is reinforced once again, although more subtly. Not only must Christ be human to redeem humanity, but he also must come from within God’s covenant people. For if Christ was to fulfill the Law of God on behalf of his people, he had to be born under that same law (Galatians 4:4), yet live without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Beloved, do you see how deeply our God loves us? God loved us so much that he was willing to identify with us on every level—tempted as we are and born under the full weight of the revealed law of God—so that he could intercede for his people as one who knows—even on the most intimate levels—all of our grief and sorrows. And beloved, he loved us so much that he would be willing to identify so perfectly with us, though not sinning but bearing the weight and punishment for our sin on the cross, so that when we come before God in judgment, that we might stand before God not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is sufficient for us, yet, oh, how we don’t deserve such grace and mercy. You and I bring nothing to the table and have nothing of our own to present before God—we stand guilty, wicked, and deserving eternal condemnation—even the best of us. Yet as wicked and wretched as we are, Christ is more than sufficient. Not only did he identify with us in our humanity, but in doing so, he revealed in himself the heart of God.
Oh, beloved, do not let this love and mercy pass you by. Do not simply sing of God’s love as something you might do as rote our habit, but beloved, glory in it! This love of God has no match in all of the universe—there is nothing like it and there can be no substitute for it—it is truly supernatural and out of this world. And, loved ones, how wretched we are when we take this for granted. Beloved, this very thing, the whole idea of God becoming man without ceasing to be God is enough to last you for a lifetime. The richness of the implications are beyond comprehension. C.S. Lewis called this the greatest miracle of all, and oh, indeed, it is! That God would condescend to us, in our sin, our wretchedness, our hatefulness of God, and that God would become a man—yet remaining fully God—and take the form of a slave, bound under the law and bearing all the weight of our sin. If God were bound to human logic, it is something that he would have never done—we are just not worth the sacrifice, no we aren’t. But, oh, my friends, how thankful we should be that God’s ways are not the ways of man (Isaiah 55:8) and that God would choose that which is foolish in the eyes of men to do his most magnificent work in our lives (1 Corinthians 1:20-22). This is the gospel dear ones, that God did not leave us to the sinful, wretched, horrid, rebellion that we were born into, but God became man, forever bridging the chasm between God and man, in the person of his son, becoming our perfect sacrifice and our perfect righteousness for ones like you and I who deserve nothing but eternal fire. Oh, loved ones, this is the work of the Messiah for whom David was looking, and in faith, we are part of the generation who seeks him—knowing full well that he can be found in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
-Edward Mote
Psalm 24, part 5
“He carries blessings from Yahweh,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
(Psalm 24:5)
As we get to this verse, perhaps it is best to quickly remind ourselves of the context of the passage. David, who is writing this psalm, begins with a praise to God for who he is and for all he has done and then poses this question. In light of our sin—our separation from God because of our fallen-ness—who shall ascend into the presence of God on our behalf? And the answer is that it is he who is clean from the guilt of sin. In that context, then we spoke about how the priests went through elaborate purification rituals so that they could enter into the presence of God for just a short time, but that the whole purpose of this was to demonstrate the inadequacy of the earthly priesthood and point us to a Messianic great high priest who would come. It is the messiah who will ascend the mountain of Yahweh, rising in his presence eternally. And though we are on the other side of the cross, and we know how God chose to unravel his redemptive plan, we can almost sense the anticipation that David had as he looked forward in faith, hoping to see the day when the Messiah would come. And oh, how similar is the anticipation that we feel as we look forward in faith, hoping to see the day when Jesus will return again in glory and majesty and power and might! Who is this King of Glory? Yahweh, strong and mighty! But, oh, I get ahead of myself once again.
As we return to verse five, with this context before us, we need to ask the question as to what is the purpose of the one who goes up for the people. Certainly the high priest was to make sacrifices on behalf of his people and take the blood of the sacrifices into the Holy of Holies on the day of atonement. Indeed, that is what he did, but why did he do it? The purpose of the sacrifice was certainly to make atonement for sins, but atonement was sought so that God would remain in the presence of his people. It is God’s presence and God’s presence alone that brings blessings to the people of God, it is what makes them distinct from all the rest of the people of the world (Exodus 33:16). This is the great blessing of God, that in spite of our rebellion and falling away in sin, He pursues us and He chooses to come into relationship with us, dwelling in our presence. This was assured year in and year out by the work of the Levitical priesthood; this was assured eternally by the work of Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of the Father on high. Thus, I would argue, that while atonement is important, the question of atonement is not in David’s sights as he writes these verses—the results of the atoning work are in view, namely the blessings that come from the presence of God with his people.
With that in mind, when we read the first clause in verse 5 in most modern translations, we run into a stumbling block. Usually it is translated, “He will receive blessing…” (ESV, NASB, KJV, NIV, RSV, etc…). Young’s Literal Translation actually does a good job of getting to the meaning of what David is writing. To translate the verse as these translations do puts the focus entirely on the individual. HE goes up and HE receives blessing. Yet, this is not what the Hebrew reads. David uses the verb af’n” (nasa), which most naturally means “to carry.” Now, it is admitted that this verb has a wide range of meanings, and can mean “to take to oneself” as one would do with wives or concubines (Ruth 1:4, 2 Chronicles 11:21), but when it is used this way, emphasis is on the verb’s subject actively taking something, not passively receiving something.
Thus, the idea that is being conveyed here is not so much the idea of the High Priest going up to receive blessings for himself, but to gain blessings to be carried out for the congregation of God’s people. What would be the value of one going up “for us” if it is only the one who goes up who receives the blessing of God? No, he who goes up does so on behalf of his people so that he may carry out blessings from God to the people. This was indeed the purpose of the priestly work and this is fulfilled and consummated by the work of Christ, who has gone up on our behalf, to sacrifice once, but to make continual intercession for his people for all eternity. And the presence of God with his people? In the fullness of Christ’s work it is no longer a presence that is veiled by the glory cloud within the Holy of Holies of the temple, but it is in person, through the Holy Spirit, in the heart of every believer! Beloved, no longer do we need to make a pilgrimage to the temple once a year to make sacrifices to enter into God’s presence, but he has sought us out in the person of his Son, made a singularly perfect sacrifice on our behalf, and now resides with us, his people wherever we go and has promised to never leave our presence! What blessings have been carried to us by our great high priest!
Yet, let us not end there, because David does not end the verse there. Not only does this Messiah carry blessings to God’s people, but he brings righteousness from the God of his salvation. Do not stumble over the language of “his salvation” for the simple reason that as Christ identified with us in our sins, though he did not need saving, because of this identification, we enter into his blessing and salvation and he bore the curse of our sins. Thus, in this identification with us, Yahweh becomes the God of the Messiah’s salvation as well. Yet, never forget this is only in terms of function in redemptive history, for as God, Christ needs no saving. This is perhaps part of the reason that some of the Gospel accounts refer to Christ as “being raised” by God as opposed to his “raising himself.” But the results of this exchange—Christ taking the cup of curse we deserve and we receiving the cup of blessing that is rightfully Christ’s—we enter into God’s presence not in our own righteousness but in the righteousness of Christ. No longer are we, as believers, judged according to our own merit, but we are judged according to the merit of our Mediator, Jesus Christ.
And this is the fullness of God’s blessing—not only are we assured, by the work of Christ, that we will have fellowship with God here on earth, but we are assured that we will have a fellowship that is eternal and that will continue when we pass from this place, for we will pass into the real presence of the God of our salvation! Oh, beloved, this promise is originated, given, fulfilled, and kept by the hand of God himself! We have had nothing to do with it, yet God, in his grace, in his infinite and wonderful grace, has chosen to call us to himself so that we might share in this infinitely wonderful blessing! Oh, this should cause us to worship our God and our King. Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord!
Praise him! Praise him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins he suffered and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail him! Hail him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound his praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong:
Praise him! Praise him! Tell of his excellent greatness;
Praise him! Praise him! Ever in joyful song!
-Fanny Crosby
Psalm 24, part 4
“The one with blameless hands and a clean heart,
who does not lift his soul to what is worthless;
he does not swear to fraud.”
(Psalm 24:4)
The righteousness of our God cannot abide by the presence of sin and deceit; how then will God accept our representative, the one who goes up into the presence of the Lord in our place, if he is covered by the filth of his own sin? In the ancient times, the high priest did go up to offer sacrifice on behalf of his people, but the purification rituals that he had to undergo before he could enter into the presence of God were overwhelmingly detailed and strict. Why is this? It is simply because no matter how righteously he sought to live, he could still never hope to fulfill the law of God. His own righteousness was as filthy rags before the Lord.
While David and the people looked for the priests to fulfill their role as mediator for the people, and as righteous living was marked as the goal of every true Israelite, it is still clear from the last four verses of this psalm that David has his heart set on one who would provide a greater fulfillment of this role. Who will go up for us! Oh, David cries! And the answer is the one whose life is pure, his hands are without blame and his heart is clean from sin—and this is just not something that can be done by a man born in sin—that is something that must be accomplished by God himself. Who is the one who will go up into the sanctuary of the Lord? It is the Lord himself, the King of glory—he will go in!
Sometimes people ask the question of why we need to hold onto the doctrine of Christ’s dual nature, that he is fully God and fully man. Were Christ not fully God, he could never have gone up for us. Were Christ not fully God, he would have been tarnished by sin, both original and actual, and his sacrifice would have been no more lasting than that of the high priest. The Passover lamb must be one without blemish (Exodus 12:5), and oh, how wretched is the righteousness of men (Romans 3:10-18). Thus, Christ, our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) had to be God, or else all would be a loss. Yet, were he not also fully man, he could not have identified with us as our mediator or die on the cross as our sacrifice, again, all would be a loss. If he did not take on our complete humanity, he could not have redeemed our complete humanity, and all would be a loss! This doctrine is essential to the Christian faith, and if you deny either of these aspects of Christ’s person, then you are of the antichrist (1 John 2:22-23; 4:2-3). You can call yourself a lot of things, but if you deny that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, and both at the same time, the one thing that you cannot call yourself is Christian.
Beloved, do not be swayed in your trust in Christ as your mediator, it is only he who has gone into the Lord’s presence and sat down at God’s right hand of power (Hebrews 1:3) to make intercession for our sins (Hebrews 7:25). There are many others who would call you to follow them, yet to where will they lead? Only Christ takes his chosen with him into the temple—into the presence of God; all others can lead only to the very gates of hell. Stand firm in your faith and He who is able to do all things will lead you into the glorious presence of his father with shouts of joy and great thanksgiving—oh, who is this King of Glory? It is none but the Lord, Jesus Christ! It is Christ that leads the way into the holy temple of God!
Blow ye the trumpet, blow!
The gladly solemn sound
Let all the nations know,
To earth’s remotest bound:
The year of jubilee is come;
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home;
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.
-Charles Wesley
Psalm 24, part 3
“Who will go up upon the mountain of Yahweh;
And who will rise in his holy place?”
(Psalm 24:3)
In the context of the wonderful creation of all things, David cries out, who will go up for us? Who will ascend the mountain of God, who will ascend Mount Zion and who will stand in our place before the Lord of Hosts in his holy sanctuary—in his holy temple? Oh, beloved, we know the answer to that question, do we not! It is the Lord, Jesus Christ who has gone up in our stead. It is only Jesus who could stand before the Lord in his holy place—it is only Christ who can stand before God in his own strength and righteousness. If sinful man were to stand before the Lord, the righteous Judge of all creation on his own strength—oh, not one of us could stand (Psalm 130:3).
Yet, loved ones, even though we know the answer to the question that David poses, let us step back into his sandals, if we can, for a few minutes and dwell on this wonderful question that he asks. This language of “who will go up” is language that is often used in the Old Testament to reflect one going up on behalf of others—often for the purposes of battle. It is the question, “who will be our defender, who will be our redeemer, who will be our savior in the face of such enemies!” (see Judges 1:1, 20:18; 1 Samuel 6:20; even in Deuteronomy 30:12 it is used metaphorically to refer to the one who would go and gather the law on behalf of the people).
The language of the “mountain of Yahweh” is language that is used of a mountain where God had revealed himself in a personal, covenantal way—namely of the mountain where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac (see Genesis 22:14; some scholars argue that this would later be where Jerusalem would be built, and hence the temple, but we cannot be sure of this) and to Mount Sinai (Numbers 10:33). Yet, by the time that David would be writing this, when the mountain of the Lord would be spoken of, it would be most clearly seen as that of Mount Zion—the mountain on which the temple would be built. By the time of the prophets, the language of the mountain of the Lord would clearly point to Mount Zion and it would carry then redemptive significance in that in the day of the Lord—with the coming of the messiah—all nations would be drawn to Mount Zion to worship in his holy place (see Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 8:3).
Lastly, we must ask the question about the language of “who will rise.” The word that is used here is the word ~Wq (Qum), which literally means “to rise up or to get up.” While this word has a variety of uses and is found more than 600 times in the Old Testament, it generally carries with it the idea of getting up from a sitting or a prone position. This makes many of our English translations a bit awkward at this point. Most translations say something to the extent of “who will stand…” The problem with this translation is that in English, the verb “to stand” carries with it the connotations of standing erect and staying firm rather than rising up. In English, “to stand” is a stationary verb and in Hebrew, ~Wq (Qum) is a verb that denotes movement. In other words, the question that David is asking is not “who will stand firm for us” but “who will rise up on our behalf?”
Thus, putting these elements together, we have a wonderful statement of anticipation. Here is David, the anointed King of Israel crying out to God, who will go up for us, in our place, into your presence, Oh, Lord? Who will rise up for us even in your holy place? Who can bear the load and burden for our sins, yet rise up from under their weight? Who can ascend, Oh, Lord, who will ascend for us! The verses that follow in this psalm give us a description of the one who can do just that. Yet, as sinful men, these are not characteristics that are part of our nature or part of our capacity—one greater is needed, but let us not get beyond the verse we are in—just yet, that is… This verse anticipates a coming messiah who is able to stand as righteous before the Lord—no common man, but one who is fully God and fully man, who is full of the perfections of God, yet has become man so that he might represent men before God on high. Get excited, beloved, these words anticipate our Lord! Yet, calm your heart, let us not run too far ahead of our dear psalmist.
It may be argued that the temple did not exist in David’s day and would not be built until his son, Solomon, would ascend to the throne. While this is certainly true, there are two things that must be recognized. The first is that the temple was built upon the same layout as the Tabernacle, and indeed, David had brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and hence the Tabernacle with it. Secondly, though God did not permit David to build the temple—something David had greatly desired to do—God allowed David to gather supplies, resources, and draw up plans for the temple that his son would build. Thus, the reality of the temple to come was clearly in the eyes of David, not to mention the existing reality of the priestly sacrifices that were performed in the Tabernacle. In a sense, David has both of these in mind as he sings these words of praise to God—he sees the actuality of the tabernacle and looks forward to the temple, which was promised. Thus, in a very real sense, in the context of this psalm, which was quite possibly written for the dedication of the Temple, we can speak of the Temple, even though it was yet to be built—the presence of the Tabernacle being the assurance of all that the Temple would be.
With that in mind, in David’s day, the high priest was the one who would go into the Holy of Holies on behalf of his people. Yet, he was only allowed to go in once a year and then only enshrouded with clouds of incense to sprinkle the blood of the offering on the mercy seat (Leviticus 16). Yet, this High Priest could not rise up in God’s presence, indeed, he was one who went into God’s presence in the greatest humility—for even the High Priest was unworthy to stand or raise up his head before the Lord. How much greater is our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, than the priesthood that prefigured him (see Hebrews 8:1-13)! Our high priest has ascended into the presence of God the Father himself, and rather than only going in once a year and then veiled, our High Priest gazes at the unveiled face of the Father on high and resides with him for all eternity. He is the one who goes up for us—he is the one who has gone up for us, and he is the one in whom all of our hopes find their fulfillment! And once again, beloved, I have gotten ahead of myself.
Rest here, loved ones, in that David is looking not just to an earthly priesthood, but he is anticipating the great high Messianic priest who would come—indeed, all of the saints of the Old Testament found their hope in the promised one. Centuries later, when the writer of the book of Chronicles would close his work with a statement of this same hope (2 Chronicles 36:23)—depending on how you translate the final Hebrew the writer either makes a statement or a poses a question. If you translate this as a statement, it is a statement of anticipation, looking toward the one who would go up for the people; if you translate this as a question, the chronicler is asking, wondering, who would be the redeemer for the people. Either way, the heart of the statement is still the same—they are looking for a Messiah that has been promised—and oh, how that question is answered when you arrive in the New Testament. Who will go up for us? The Lord, Jesus Christ, he is the King of Glory—but then again, I have gotten ahead of myself.
Through the years you made it clear
That the time of Christ was near,
Though the people couldn’t see
What Messiah ought to be.
Though your Word contained the plan,
They just could not understand,
Your most awesome work was done
In your Son.
-Michael Card
Psalm 24, part 2
“For He laid its foundation over the seas,
and He built it over the rivers.(Psalm 24:2)
David continues his praise of God for what He has done. The earth belongs to God not only because God has created it, but also because God has separated the land from the seas and made the land firm against the waters of the sea and the rivers. To describe this, David employs the metaphor of a wise builder, laying the foundation of the land at the corners of the sea and then building upwards. In the days of the ancient Jews, the seas were seen as a place of chaos and death, which is part of the significance of God’s deliverance of the Israelites through both the Red Sea and the Jordan River on dry land. God not only has created the earth, but he has also set the order of all things and all things stand or fall in conformity to his will.
How proud we are of our monuments. We build towers and sky-scrapers and stand in awe of the achievements that we have made. We build suspension bridges that span great distances and marvel at our accomplishments. We design nuclear reactors and wonder at the potential power output, but, oh, what is a reactor to the sun, and what is the sun to the millions of stars in the sky! What is a skyscraper to a mountain that stands miles above the oceans! And what is a suspension bridge to an isthmus! Oh, the wonders that our God has made should drive us to praise! The earth declares the majesty and wonder of our Lord and mankind largely views these things and rejects the truth before their eyes. Oh, how arrogant is the heart of man.
From the greatest thing to the smallest thing, God has established their form, their purpose, and their nature. From the smallest single-celled organism to the giant sea creatures, God has designed, intended, and purposed them for his glory. From the smallest particle to the largest star or black hole, God has set them into their place. Yet, even in light of the incredible complexity of the universe, much of mankind would rather credit creation to chance than to a divine architect. Why is this? It is because if you recognize the existence of a divine person, you immediately acknowledge that you have an obligation to him. The unbeliever wants to be obliged to no one but to himself, thus, they create complex myths by which they explain things and defend them dogmatically, seeking to intimidate others into embracing their own view of the world.
This is the only strength of the evolutionary theory, it is dogmatically held by its believers and they make as if you are a simpleton if you do not hold to the same principles that they hold to. Yet, we know better, for we have a God who shows us that there is meaning not only in the universe, but also in human beings. Mankind has purpose because God created us for a purpose and people have special worth, because we are created in the image of God. What is interesting about this whole argument is that most of modern science has rejected evolution as an impossibility. Darwin’s whole theory was based on the principle that the cell was a simple and basic entity, a building block upon which all life was founded. The problem with that theory is that a cell is not a simple organism—it is complex beyond most people’s wildest dreams and cannot function in gradual development—in other words, the cell cannot work unless it was created exactly as it exists now—evolution does not work. Scientists have largely abandoned the teaching of evolution, but secular educators have held to evolution simply because they fear the alternative—creation by God!
Despite the fact that mankind has largely rejected the truth of nature’s witness to God, God is still worthy of our praise and adoration. He is the wise and careful builder who has set the dry land apart from the seas and who has prepared for us a world in which we can live. Let us glorify his name for what he has done for believers and unbelievers alike—indeed, the simple fact that God provides the sun and rain and other good things to unbelievers is a sign of God’s grace to all, even though his saving grace only extends to those he brings to himself in faith. We have a number of names that we apply to people who live in a fantasy world, denying the truth that is clearly demonstrated to them. We call them deluded, dimwitted, ignorant, blind as a bat, and self-deceiving—I wonder, should these terms not also apply to those who continue to teach evolution in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary?
I sing the almighty power of God that made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at his command and all the stars obey.
-Isaac Watts
Psalm 24, part 1
“A Psalm of David:
The earth and all its fullness is Yahweh’s;
The world and that dwelling in it.”
(Psalm 24:1)
It is always good, when we come to psalms that contain a superscription, to remember that these superscriptions are part of the original text, and thus are inspired as well as the text itself. When we read these psalms we should never omit reading the superscription, they are “God-Breathed” to use the language of 2 Timothy 3:16, and they provide useful information as to authorship and background of the psalm.
Yet, with that being said, David begins this psalm of praise with an amazing and wonderful proclamation. The earth and all that is in it, every living thing, every rock and every mineral, all of the particles of creation—all things, from the greatest to the smallest belong to the Lord. As the clay vessels, once they are complete, are the property of he who crafted them—all things in creation belong to the one to whom they owe their existence, namely to God himself. There is nothing in creation nor anyone who has ever lived who can truly say that he is his own man or she is her own woman. There is no such thing as a “self-made” person. We are works of God’s hand and we owe our gratitude and praise to him for who he is.
We don’t tend to talk much about this in the church, but let us never forget that every member of creation—every person who has ever lived or will ever live—owes praise to our God and King for who he is and for what he has done even apart from salvation. We usually talk about praise in terms of thanking God for what he has done savingly in our lives, but let us never forget that even those who will die unsaved, in sin and rebellion, owe to God praise for his mighty hand. Just as the clay vessels owe their praise to the potter, men owe their praise to the one who has made them.
God is infinitely wonderful and is infinitely worthy of praise, and for that reason alone, in refusing to praise him, those who are unregenerate heap condemnation upon themselves. Is it not right to praise the master-sculptor for his creations? Is it not right to praise the master-painter for his works? Is it not right to praise the master-carver for the ornamentation on his pieces of furniture? Is it not right to praise the athlete, the singer, the dancer, the seamstress, the chef for their skill? Is it not disgraceful to be so rude as to refuse to honor those whose skill has been practiced to an exceptional level? And has God not demonstrated just how much more infinitely skillful and wonderful his works are than that of any craftsman that mankind has ever produced? Look at the complexity of God’s creation; does his creation not provide infinite examples of God’s excellent handiwork? Oh, the wonders our God has wrought!
But that is not the end of the reasons that even the unregenerate man owes praise to God! Does not the sun shine upon the saved and the unsaved alike? Does not God send rain in its season? Does not God provide good blessings of family, friendships, and relationships to the believer and the unbeliever alike? God is the source of all true blessing and to refuse to thank the one who has given such a remarkable gift is hateful and plainly ignorant. Were someone to give you a remarkable gift, whether in moneys or property, or goods, how disrespectful it would be to accept that gift as something that was rightfully yours without ever thanking the one who has given the gift. Oh, the wickedness of mankind! Oh, the condemnation that the prideful human heart heaps upon itself.
Yet, believer, if the unbeliever has an obligation to praise God for who he is and for his good blessings, how much more is that obligation yours as well! You who have tasted not only the goodness of God in worldly blessings but also who have tasted his goodness in the gift of redemption and eternal life, who have tasted the absolute joy of being redeemed from your sin because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you who will enjoy God’s goodness forever, being spared from his wrath—how much more ought you offer praise to our God! Oh, beloved, how far short we often fall of this mark. How often we fall into the mindset of the world and begin to think that blessing is our right and that we can stand on our own strength. Believer, repent of these things and find your joy in Christ. Praise him with all your strength and glorify his name in all parts of your life. Rejoice in him who gives meaning to all things, for all things, both great and small, belong to their maker—Yahweh, the Lord of Hosts!
All Creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
-Francis of Assisi
Metanoeo and Worldview
There are actually a couple words in the New Testament that are used to convey the idea of repentance and conversion, of which “metanoeo” is one. You always need to be careful in defining a term according to its constituent parts, as sometimes that will lead you widely astray. For example, if we were to go out to lunch and I ordered a “hotdog” to eat, you would not expect that I was talking about a fuzzy little animal that had been outside in the sun too long. There are more and better examples of misleading compound words, but you can get the point.
That being said, metanoeo can be broken down. In Greek usage, “meta” functions largely as a marker of association and “noeo” (there is not a “noesis” in the Greek New Testament, but “metanoia” is the reciprocal noun) refers to the way in which one thinks. Nous is the Greek word that refers to disposition of thought and perhaps even to worldview. Thus metanoeo literally means, “having to do with one’s way of thinking” or “having to do with one’s worldview.” When used in its Biblical context, it reflects a fundamental change from the world’s way of viewing life to God’s way of viewing life.
Another term that is used in the context of repentance is epistrophe (see Acts 15:3 which translates this term as “conversion” in the ESV). What is interesting is that the term “strophe” was originally used to denote the movement from right to left made by a Greek Chorus. Thus, this picture of conversion, with epi, which means “on or above the surface” refers to more of a bodily re-alignment, a physical change in the outward way of life that reflects the change in thinking reflected above.
There is also the term “strepho”, which means to “turn around” or to “change position.”
The Hebrew term that is usually used is “shuv” (pronounced with an “oo” vowel sound), and means “to turn around” or “to turn away from.” This is the word that is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “and turn from their wicked ways…”
Bottom line is that it is safe to say that “repentance” reflects a complete change in worldview, and a complete change of worldview ought to bring a complete change in living, with both ideas bound together inseparably. One of the problems we face in our culture, though, is that most folks have such an inconsistent worldview or have such an impotent worldview that the change in worldview does not effect a change in living. Hence you have so many professing Christians nurturing deeply rooted sins.
He is Worthy!
Oh how important it is for us to worship Jesus! He is worthy of our praise and no one else is. Mohammed was not worthy, Buddha was not worthy, Krishna was not worthy, our governments are not worthy, humanistic teachers are not worthy—no one but Jesus is worthy of our praise and adoration.
Jesus is worthy first because of his perfect character. From the beginning of time, Jesus is and was infinitely perfect in all of his ways. He is God. And for that simple fact, he deserves our worship. Friends, not only is the unbelief of the non-Christian a sin, but the refusal to worship both of the non-believer and of the casual churchgoer is also a sin. Had Jesus never done any work of redemption, he still would have been infinitely worthy of our praise and honor.
Yet, in his work of redemption, how much more worthy is he! He condescended to take on flesh and walk with us. He came to us while we were still rebels against God, wallowing in our sin—and he called us to himself. He did the work of redemption that bridged the infinite gap between a Holy God and a sinful man. He did that for me. And if you are a born-again believer, he did that for you as well. Because he did for me what I could have never done for myself, how much more is he worthy of my praise!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, his wonderful love proclaim!
Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to his holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children,
in his arms he carries them all day long;
Praise him! praise him! tell of his excellent greatness;
praise him! praise him! ever in joyful song!
–Fanny Crosby
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