PSALM 80 “HOW LONG WILL YOU BE ANGRY WITH YOUR PEOPLE’S PRAYERS?”

 

Superscript:  A Psalm of Asaph. “Upon Shoshannim-eduth”[1] translated here  in the ESV as “According to Lillies”. A testimony  (Hebr. eduth [2]- reference to the contents of the Psalm as a public testimony in regard to the dealings of God with his people)

Psalm 79 closes with -  “we your people, the sheep of Your pasture” (79:13) while Psalm 80 begins with these words, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock” (80: 1). As NT believers we are immediately reminded of John 10 where Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd.

Some commentators think that the background for Psalm 80 is the Assyrian invasion and deportation of the northern tribes in 722 B.C. (see 2 Kings 17:6)- the reference to the northern tribes of Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh; The name of Joseph  is applied to the whole nation in other Asaph psalms (Psalm 77:15; Psalm 81:5). Others think that it refers to the later Babylonian captivity in 587 BC with reference to the broken walls in 80:12.  It is impossible to determine with certainty the time or the occasion of its composition.

What is clear is that this Psalm is written by Asaph at a time when Israel   wasn’t doing well – spiritually, morally or physically.  The glory days had gone.  The heavens were like brass. This is seen in 80:4:  “how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?”   God seemed distant and absent. The world was laughing at them (80:6). 

The modern evangelical church can identify with these words in Psalm 80. While sports stadiums  and  shopping  malls  are springing  out of the ground,  bursting with enthusiastic   sports supporters and shoppers, most  churches struggle  to  keep their people  focussed  on the kingdom  of God. Those churches that appear to thrive are often pandering to the present culture and by entertaining the people. When people walk their dogs  past our church on a Sunday morning and evening,  and when they hear the sounds of our singing, what do they think? “I am missing out on something here!”  Somehow,   I don’t think so.  So, what is God doing in the world?  The straight forward answer is this: He is still building His kingdom in the midst  of this fallen humanity.  

So how come we don’t see  it? The answer to that  is more complex and it is reflected  in this 80th Psalm.

The Psalm divides into three parts. Each part ends with this refrain: “Restore us oh  God…”  : see 80: 3,7,19. This is essentially an appeal for restoration

 Outline

1.      80:1-3  An Appeal to God to hear  and save Israel

2.      80:4-7  Agony  over the lack of God’s  manifested presence among his people

3.      80: 8-19  An Appeal to God’s historical involvement   and a  renewed call for the  restoration of Israel

Expository Notes

1.         80:1-3   An appeal to God to hear  and save Israel

80:1 “Give ear O Shepherd of Israel”. It is the nature of a shepherd to hear the cries of his sheep.  God is still the Shepherd of His people, even when they do not feel like He is…. 

“ you who lead Joseph like a flock”.  The reference is here made to Joseph the second youngest son of Jacob, the firstborn to Rachel. Joseph became a second father to the tribes of Israel when they were in Egypt. He was the human agent by which Israel was saved from certain death in that great famine. See Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph in Gen. 48:15,16  and 49:22-26. 

Asaph appeals  to the God  of the holy of holies: “you who  are enthroned upon the cherubim shine forth ”-  a depiction of  God enthroned in the temple above the golden cherubim on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. Remember that the mercy seat (the ark of the covenant with its atoning function) in the tabernacle / temple was the place of God’s manifested presence, and here Israel always found her final court of appeal. In her darkest  times Israel would appeal  to the mercy seat.  Here at the mercy seat God heard His people’s prayers and here He revealed His grace to them.  As NT believers  we remember that  Jesus is our  atonement. He is the true mercy seat and we may appeal to Him boldly. Our greatest fear ought to be the withdrawal of the Lord’s presence which happens when sin invades  the church.

80:2  “Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up your might and come to save us!”  Rachel’s sons Joseph (v.1) and Benjamin (v.2) represent the Northern and the Southern kingdoms, respectively. Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph’s sons. They became the dominant tribes of what was later known as the northern kingdom.  In Numbers 2:17-24 these three tribes were always camped together on the western side of the tabernacle.  

80:3 “Restore us (lit. turn us), O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved”  (so also vv.  7, 19). God’s people in desperate days  need  the restoring and refreshing of their souls that only the Shepherd can provide (Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul”).  God’s face “shining upon” someone is symbolic of His favour. (see the  Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26)

2.         80:4-7  Agony  over the lack of God’s  manifested presence among his people

80:4 “O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?  God is angry with the nation, and the question is “how long?” (cf. Psalm 13:1ff)  This question is asked in 79:5. 

80:5 “You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure”. The absence of God causes grief. This is the same dilemma which troubles many people today. Prayers are  unanswered for reasons they do not fully understand. All they knew was that life was harsh and painful. Tears were their daily diet, tears were given them  to drink in full measure.’

80:6  Worse still, their  neighbours and enemies (Edom, Moab)  were laughing and jeering at them. Where is your God? (Psalm 42:3,10)

80:7  Refrain repeated

3.         80: 8-19 An appeal to God’s historical involvement  and a renewed call for restoration of Israel

80:8 - 10 “You brought out a vine from Egypt” „ Genesis 49:22 is probably in view here. Other such metaphors include the vineyard in Isaiah 3:14-15; 5:1-7; 27:2-6; Jeremiah 2:21; 12:10; Hosea 10:1; Matthew 21:33-46; and John 15:1.  The vine is a metaphor for Israel. This vine settled  and established in the promised land by God. The purpose of this vine  was to flourish  and produce fruit.

80:11 “It sent out its branches to the sea . . . the River”. These geographical references identify western and eastern limits of the Promised Land: the Mediterranean Sea and the River Euphrates.

80:12-13 These boundaries were now invaded and disregarded by “a boar from the forest”.   The boar might symbolize Assyria and her invasion of Israel and Judah. Assyria carried the northern ten tribes into captivity (722 B.C.).  It could also refer to the Babylonian exile. 

[Interesting fact:  According to the Talmud, the middle letter in the Hebrew word translated “forest” as the middle letter of the Psalter.]

80:14 -16 “O God of hosts”  (cf. vv. 3, 7, 19). Their prayer is that the God of hosts (He can summon all the powers of heaven and earth to do His will, to help His people—will look down from heaven and take care of “this vine”…  “turn again now” - the crux of the Psalm: a plea that in his mercy God will look on this vine again, and thus do for  this vine something  that it cannot do for itself.  This Shepherd of Israel must bring the straying sheep back, for they will never come back of their own accord.

80:17 “the man of Your right hand”. This could be a reference to Benjamin (whose name means, “son of my right hand”), “the son of man”. Some commentators take this as a reference to the Messiah. This was also the view of the early rabbis.Such phraseology in this verse could also refer to Israel (cf. v. 15; Ex 4:22) or to their king, but from a NT perspective we know that  only  the Son of God  can fix this broken  generation. Our hope is in Him alone.

 COMMENTARY

We learn from the Scriptures  and from history  that a  people who has received God’s  Word and His favours, and  who are  then  despising  the means of His grace, ignoring  God’s call  to holy living in favour of the pursuit of  their pleasures and idols – that  such people   are  left behind by  God,  and  they are left exposed to their enemies  (see  80:6,13,16)

The Shepherd of Israel, who is also the good Shepherd of the church (Ps. 80:1; Jn. 10) has brought this nation, this people, this vine  out of Egypt  to be planted in  Canaan (80:8). In  pursuit of that goal He  drove out the nations from Canaan. He made this nation to grow and prosper (80: 10,11), particularly  under the reigns of David and Solomon.  But it all ended – first with  the divided kingdom under Rehoboam, and then  with the exile of the respective kingdoms- the northern kingdom under the prophetic ministry of Isaiah (around  722 BC) and the  southern kingdom  under the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah  (around 586 BC).

In  80:12 all hangs in the balance: “Why then have you broken down its walls….?“. It is at this low point  in Israel’s history that Asaph  calls upon God in prayer (Psalm 80:14-19). From the Scriptures we  know that God hears His people’s  prayers when they cry out to Him with truly repentant hearts. He never forsakes His people- even when they sin.  Though He  cannot  ignore their sin  because of  His holiness (He must  punish all  their sin to remain holy and just), yet  He is  also committed to delivering  His people from their  sin. Those are twin truths  about God that must never be  separated!

With that as our background 80:17&18  become truly meaningful: “But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!  Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call  upon your name!

Our man is the Lord Jesus Christ! And brothers and sisters,  the church of these last 2000 years has gone through prosperity and adversity, according to her  faithfulness or  faithlessness  to God her Saviour, and then being   restored  at various times (in revival and reformation) according to the mercy of God, and  through pleadings like  this Psalm.  This Son of man  is our  only hope: But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!  Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call  upon your name!

We have entered the season  of Advent. We shall  now  enter into a period of remembering  the Lord Jesus, the Son of God who became the Son of man, so that the sons of men  might become the sons of God. 

Let us use this season then to seek Him afresh, trusting Him for  another restoration of the church of our day.

O may  He shine His face upon us that  He will no longer  be angry with His people’s prayers  - and that we may be saved.  

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[1] Psalms 45,60,69

[2] See  60

Ephesians Chapter 3 WHAT DOES GOD THINK OF THE CHURCH? #3

 

In Chapter 3 it seems as if Paul is intending to pray for the Ephesian Church. He begins his sentence,“For this reason, I Paul…” – and then he interrupts himself, and you will see that he does not begin his prayer until he reaches  3:14.

What is it that interrupts him?  Clearly, his mind is held captive by that great revelation or mystery, which he has received from God concerning the nature of the church (see 3:2,3). He had  not only received an understanding, but also  a responsibility  to  make this revelation  (mystery) known to others.  In 3: 2 – 6  he makes  this mystery from God known.  You see him using this word 4 times in this text (3,4,6,9). The Greek word for mystery indicates “a truth which has been hidden from human understanding, but which has now been revealed by God”. Unlike the English ‘mystery’ (i.e. an obscure, puzzling, secret matter) this word has no secret elements in it. It is actually an ‘open secret’ - intended to shed light on something that has previously not been understood.  The substance of this revelation or mystery relates to the fact that Jews and Gentiles together through the gospel are (i) fellow heirs (ii) fellow members (iii) fellow partakers in the promise of Christ Jesus. (3:6). Gentiles  are no longer strangers and aliens to the   things of God, but they now are  citizens with all the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself  being the cornerstone (2:19,20). This fact was hidden to previous generations (3:5). It was kept “hidden for ages in God, who created all things”   (3:9).

We need to stop and process this for a moment because this statement is somewhat puzzling. Surely, the O.T. does reveal that God always had a purpose for the Gentiles?  The Old Testament affirms that all nations would be blessed through Abraham’s offspring (Gen. 12:1-3).The OT affirmed that the Messiah would receive the nations as His inheritance (Ps. 2:8). The OT affirmed that Israel would be given as a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6 ; 49:6). The Lord Jesus spoke about the inclusion of the gentiles in His saving mission, and commissioned His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19).

That is true, but what was not very clear was just how radical God’s renewal of an old, tired structure would be! God had instituted the theocracy (The Jewish nation under God’s rule) but like the temple it would be terminated and replaced by a new international community- called the ekklesia (literally the called out ones, ‘church’, ‘the body of Christ’). This new body is composed of living stones[1]  and built on the living Christ – the cornerstone (2:20), in an organic connection of the church (body) with Christ (the head).  

We see then in 3:6 that this mystery, the church, is the result of the preaching of the gospel. Through the embracing of this gospel people enter into the mystery – this one new body of Christ which consists of all nations, and the apostle Paul was God’s chief instrument   through which this new era was made known. Take note of   3:7 & 8:  “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”.   Please note that Paul is not at the heart of this message. He is simply the messenger boy (an apostle) of Christ Jesus (1:1).  He is a man who knows himself to be utterly unworthy- “the least of all the saints“ (3:8 also 1 Tim 1:13). But  he knows that he carries a huge message, and so tells us that he, an unworthy servant has received this privilege  to preach the  life-changing gospel  to  the Gentiles  (3:8)  who  were formerly  separated from all these privileges  (see 2:12). In fact this gospel he not only preaches to the gentiles, but to “everyone“ (3:9).

But that is not all. The message he proclaims is even larger than that. He tells us in 3:10 that  this mystery  (i.e. all  God’s chosen, holy, blameless, holy, loved, predestined, adopted people- see Chapter 1- the church)  also conveys  a huge message to ‘the rulers  and  authorities in the heavenly places‘.  What does this mean?  

As the gospel is preached throughout the world, so the church spreads and develops. Nation after nation hears the gospel, and churches are planted everywhere.  But guess who is watching all this?  The rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (3:10). This refers to the unseen realm, of both, the  angels of God  and also   the realm of Satan and his demons.

The church is built as sinners turn from darkness to the light of Christ. Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents (Lk.15:7,10) and when they believe and are baptized and when they joined to  the church. On the other hand all hell and all demons shudder since another one of their subjects has been lost in the great battle!  We see then that the outcome of the gospel message not only tells us something about the building of the church, but it is also a message to heaven’s angels, and also to the sworn enemies in the fallen realm.  Do you see that the church is the central and visible manifestation of God’s kingdom and power on earth and also in the heavenly realms? The powers above are watching the church below with bated breath! And on earth, the church is the great manifestation of the advancing kingdom of God.  Do you still have small thoughts about the church?  The central lesson in this passage is the biblical centrality of the church.  She is central in the history of the world. She is central to the purposes of the gospel and therefore the church is the central expression of Christian living.

(i) She is central in history:  3:11 refers to the eternal purpose of God.  Ever since the beginning God has been  working out His plan to gather to Himself ONE redeemed people,  out of this  mess called ‘civilisation’ , and to reconcile  through Jesus  this people  to Himself. So History is His Story, God’s story. God is at work in history, bringing His purposes to pass.  Secular history concentrates on kings and presidents, on politicians and generals. This  history is full of venerable  and important people. The Bible focuses on the saints, who in this world are insignificant  and unknown, but known to God. Secular history concentrates on wars and peace treaties, followed by more wars and peace treaties. The Bible focuses on the war between good and evil; on the war won by Jesus on the cross against the powers of darkness. The Bible focuses on freedom and forgiveness for all rebels against God who will repent and believe. The secular world focuses on the changing geographic boundaries as one nation falls and another takes its place. The Bible focuses on a multi-national community called the church. It has no borders. It claims the whole world for Christ, whose kingdom shall never end. The church and not political kingdoms is central to God’s purposes.

(ii) The church is central to the gospel:  It is evident from Eph. 3 that the gospel concerns Christ and the mystery of Christ – i.e. His One body. The church is the outcome of the   gospel.  The gospel produces the church.  

(iii) The church is central to Christian living:  If the church is central in history and central to the gospel, then she is central to the life of the Christian.  And if this is so, how can we take lightly what God takes so seriously? Let us then be responsible church members in our local churches, which are expressions of this great church. Let us be done with low standards in churchmanship. Let us keep the vision of the church as the apple of God’s eye – the centre of His love, His family, His dwelling place and His instrument in the world. Do not be discouraged by the high price that it often costs to be a Christian and a church member.  Like the apostle Paul in conclusion to this section (3:13) know that your temporary sufferings and discomforts will ultimately be your glory.

3:14-20   An Amazing Prayer for the Church   

We end now with the prayer that Paul began in 3:1, when his thoughts momentarily interrupted him in 3:2-13. Thank God for that interruption. It really amplifies the prayer and   which overwhelms Paul and he kneels (bows) down in prayer  before the Father,  from which  every family in heaven (the church triumphant – the  church at peace)  and  on earth (the church militant - the church at war) is named.”  Even though these two parts of the church are presently separated by death, they are nevertheless ONE in God’s eyes. 

1. 3:16-19:   3 Aspects in  Paul’s Prayer to God  the Father for the Church 

(i)  3:16-17. Paul is praying here for a corporate sense of power in the inner being. Why? Because our inner being is weak, feeble, easily compromised and needs to be strengthened from without. Now notice the source of power is not self-effort, but the Holy Spirit! (see also Gal. 2:20) who attaches our hearts  to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith is in Jesus ALONE. Paul is asking God for the church to lead a God sustained life.

(ii)  3: 17b-19a “That you being rooted and grounded (established) in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints (the church) what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…”. Here we find a botanical metaphor and a building metaphor. Churches need to be like well rooted trees (Psalm 1). They need to be like well-built houses (Matt. 7:24,25). Churches need deep roots and firm foundations, rooted and grounded in the soil of God’s love!   The depth and the solidness of a church is not measured by her gifts, but by her love (1 Cor. 13). The church becomes truly great, when she lives in the love of God. She then becomes an evangelistic draw-card. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another“.  Love, (NB. not gifts) is the defining mark of the church.  Paul presses us towards the experiential knowledge of the love of Christ. Let’s pray for the practical demonstration of this love as provided in 1 Corinthians  13: 4-7. Paul boldly prays that the church would be empowered with the knowledge of the full spectrum of the love of Jesus.   And please note that Paul envisages this truth to be comprehended “with all the saints“ (3:18)  i.e. the whole church- not just  an individual.

(iii)  3:19b “… that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”.  Paul envisages here a continual filling. The Christian life is not a once off experience, but  an ongoing  process. As much as we  are to ‘go on being filled with the Spirit‘ (Eph. 5:18) , so we are to ‘grow  up into Him’ (Eph.4:13-16).

2. 3:20,21  Conclusion-  Two  Convictions 

i.                    God is able to do. God is not idle, not apathetic, nor dead. He is presently the ‘doing God‘ , because He is the living God.

ii.                  He is able to do far more abundantly (Gk. ‘huperekperissou’ – lit. exceedingly  more abundantly)  than  all  we ask or think.  We must have no small thoughts of God’s willingness to answer our prayers for a church after His own will.

This is the work for which the apostle prays in the Ephesian church – that  they (we) may know it and comprehend it. And what is the result? (3:21)

“Unto Him be glory in the church in every generation (past, present, future) and for ever and ever.”   A church made up from people of different ethnicities (Jew and gentile- all nations), and at all times in history, united under the gospel, and in love … such a church truly glorifies God. May we be the local manifestation of this. Unto Him be glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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[1] Cf. 1 Peter 2:4-10

PSALM 99 “EXALT THE LORD OUR GOD … HE IS HOLY ”

 

This Psalm is part of a group of theocratic Psalms (Psalms 93– 100). The general subject is the kingship of God the LORD (Yahweh), and the praise derived from the fact that He reigns. OUTLINE

I. The LORD Is Holy in His  Being (vv. 1-3)

II. The LORD Is Holy in His  Justice (vv. 4-5)

III. The LORD Is Holy in His  Forgiveness (vv. 6-9)

This threefold repetition of God’s holiness reminds us of the angels refrain in Isaiah’s vision of God: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isa. 6:3). Spurgeon calls it the “Holy, holy, holy Psalm”.[1] In Isaiah, the manifestation of God’s presence causes the thresholds of the temple to tremble (Isa 6:4); so here in Ps. 99:1b, the whole earth quakes.

I chose this Psalm for this evening, because I wanted us to think about the attribute of God’s holiness. There is probably no attribute of God which needs to be rediscovered more in our day than His holiness. The modern church seems to be more enamoured with the therapeutic and psychological uses of God to provide us with inner peace, than  with the fact that He is holy and therefore, having created us in His image, He is calling us to be holy.  

Holiness is what defines God’s character most fundamentally. The holiness of God (Hebr. quodesh) is a quality which separates God from everything else He has created. To use a German phrase  - “ER ist der ganz Andere” – He is the wholly Other. God’s holiness is closely associated with His glory (Hebr. kabod),  a word which associates God with being weighty. The point is that if we do not revere God as holy, then He rests lightly on us. And that is the curse that we find in our modern church. God is not seen and understood as holy and glorious. He rests lightly on us.We easily  substitute Him for created glory,  and that is what causes  God to  hand  us over to our depraved  beings (Romans 1:8ff) - when we are, as it where, left to our own devices and left to destroy ourselves. Oh, brothers and sisters pray that the Lord would rend the heavens and come down … to make His name known to our adversaries  and that the nations  might tremble at His presence” (Isaiah 64:1 ,2)

I.                    99: 1-3 The LORD Is Holy in His  Being

99:1 The Lord reigns.  He is the Great I AM that I AM. YAHWEH is His Name. He is the undisputed Ruler of the Universe – there is no one besides Him. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end; let the people tremble[2] (cf. 96:9)... let the  earth quake.

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim (cf. Ps 80:1). The allusion here is to the Shechinah glory - manifested in the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, in the holy of holies on the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. Here God promised to have His earthly visible dwelling[3]. The cherubim are first mentioned as guarding the gates of Paradise (Gen.3:24);  In Ezekiel 1 & Ezekiel 10 we find them carrying the throne of God upon their wings through the clouds;  But here in the tabernacle/ temple they are made as statues overlaid with gold. They overshadow the cover of the ark of the covenant. Between the two cherubim in the temple, the Shechinah, or visible symbol of the presence of God, rested and therefore God is represented here as “dwelling between the cherubim,”[4]

99:2 The Lord is great in Zion – (cf. Psalm 95:3). We have already seen that the LORD reigns in the earth. That signifies His greatness. But we see now in particular that He is great in Zion -  in context Jerusalem, but beyond that  this also refers to  the  manifested presence of  the  city of God, which is the church – His people,  and ultimately the bride of the Lamb (Rev. 21:9).   God is ever within the true Church. But remember this – the greatness of the true Church is God. Not her wealth, prestige, orthodoxy, culture, or intelligence, but His inhabitation – according to the covenantal promise: I will be your God- you will be my people!

And “he is exalted above all the peoples” - Above all the nations. He has them under his control. He rules over all. The God who rules in Zion – the church, also rules all the nations of the earth.  The peoples of the earth do not bow to him now, but the day will come when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess to God (Isa. 45:23 cf. Rom. 14:11; see also Phil. 2:10-11 –  where  this is applied to  the Lord Jesus)

99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome (being feared) name. The Name and the Being of God in its very nature evokes awe and reverence. The word “them” here refers to both Zion and all peoples. The entire world owes  God praise by virtue of who He is – and again , if they do not do so now, they will then, when He appears in glory!

The first section ends, as the second and third do, by stating, ”Holy is He!  This fundamental attribute of God needs to be meditated upon. We need to understand this. We need to see Him for who He is, being absolutely distinct from all His creatures, and exalted above His creatures in infinite majesty. His holiness is seen by us in His display of holiness. No man can see God and live. The holiness of God is seen in  His absolute moral purity. He is completely without sin and apart from it. “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). This means that nothing unclean, defiled, sinful, dark can enter His presence.

Do you now appreciate the atoning death of Jesus, whose blood cleanses us from sin, and who presents us faultless in the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24)?

God is called holy more often than any other title. His name, which signifies all his attributes is holy (Ps. 103:1).  There is no other attribute of God repeated three times in the praise of it. We never read of the angels crying out, “Eternal, eternal, eternal” or “Faithful, faithful, faithful” or “Love, love, love.” In fact, we can say that God’s holiness relates to all of His perfections: His justice is a holy justice; his wisdom a holy wisdom; his love is a holy love  etc.

II.  99:4-5 The LORD Is Holy in His  Justice

99:4 The King in his might loves justice. The word king here refers to God as a king, cf. 99:1. The word rendered “might” means strength and the reference here is to what constitutes the main strength or power of His character and the nature of His government. God’s essential character, and all the displays of his authority, display justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.  God is always on the side of justice and  always on the side of that that which is  right.

99:5 Exalt the LORD our God - Let his name be lifted up on high. Let it be seen from far away.  Let it be done with a raised voice!  Worship at his footstool.  Worship (Hebr. shahah here literally translates as “be prostrated/ bowed down”). Exalting God as a human being relates to the act of lowering/ humbling ourselves – to see ourselves in proper relation to Him. To worship at his footstool.  The reference here is to the footstool on which the feet of a king rested when he sat on his throne (see also Ps. 132:7 ). It reflects a common ancient near eastern practice of bowing at the feet of a king on his throne. Holy is he (cf. 99:3). The fact that God is holy is a reason for humbling ourselves, bowing down before Him.

III.  99:6-9 The LORD Is Holy in His  Forgiveness

99: 6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among them that call upon his name.  Moses, Aaron and Samuel were spiritual leaders. These three interceded for the people of Israel and at various times acted as guardians of the Lord’s testimonies and statutes that they had received. They were responsible for leading Israel in true worship.   They called to the Lord and he answered them. They were the example, they were the custodians of public worship. They taught Israel how to approach God, as the elders of our church are also reminding you this coming week concerning how to approach God in prayer and fasting.

“And he answered them” -  When they approached God, He heard their prayers. „ “He” is an emphatic pronoun: “They called on the LORD, and He Himself answered them.”

It is not a useless thing to praise and worship God Him. In fact, it is right and fitting for His creatures to do so! We must come to God in prayer expecting to hear from Him. Indeed, prayer and praise is a right response  to  a holy God.

99:7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them - the pillar which guided the Israelites in the wilderness - the “Shechinah” - the visible symbol of the divine presence. They kept his testimonies ...  They obeyed his laws, and therefore God heard them and answered them.  Note – “He spoke . . . He gave . . . You answered (v.8)”.  God is a prayer answering God.

9:8 O Lord our God you answered them.  You were a forgiving God to them - They were not perfect; they were sinners; they often offended  the LORD , and yet He  answered them, and showed them mercy. He is a forgiving God.  Only God can forgive our sin.

“…but an avenger of their wrongdoings”  -  their sins. There is no allusion to  any particular sin  here, and so we take it in a general sense. God being holy does not overlook sin – whether it be the sin of these leaders of the sin of this nation.  Most commentators believe that the reference is primarily to Israel’s sin.

99:9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain - In 99:5, “at his footstool.” The “holy hill” here refers to Zion, as the seat of the national worship. For the Lord our God is holy – cf. 99:5. This closes the Psalm with the repeated fact he fact that God is a holy God This remains at all times the highest reason for our praise of Him.

APPLICATION

·         The Lord is  King – let us  tremble. This is true for all peoples of the world

·         The Lord loves justice

·         We must abandon sin, because God is holy.

·         We must praise Him  because He is holy

·         We must bring our petitions to God, because He answers prayer.

·         We must exalt and worship God, because He forgives sin.

·         Our prayer and praise becomes richer and deeper when we study the holiness of God.

 

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[1] C.H. Spurgeon : The Treasury of David, Vol II, p.225

[2] The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this, “Let the people rage” - or, be angry: as if the idea were that God reigned, although the people were enraged, and were opposed to him.

[3] Exodus 25:18, Exodus 25:22; Exodus 37:7; 1Sa 4:4; 1 Kings 6:25

[4] Exodus 25:22; Numbers 7:89; Psalms 80:1; Psalms 99:1

EPHESIANS 2: "WHAT DOES GOD THINK OF THE CHURCH?" #2

 

We continue with the question begun last week. What does God think of the church? That question answered will change the way which we  frequently tend to   look at the church.

We begin by making the connection between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.  In the original Greek text there were no chapter and verses. This was one ‘fluent’ letter written to the Ephesian church. Accordingly chapter 2 begins with an ‘and’, and thereby connects chapter 1 with chapter 2.     

The central point of Chapter 1 is contained in 1:10.  God is doing this great work in the world, “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” All this needs to be seen against the background that this world is in a fallen state, and that out of this fallen world, God is  building for Himself a new people.  Chapter 1:1-14 shows us how He does it. It is through God’s predestined plan executed in love and by His grace “through” or “in” Christ that the church is blessed. But it doesn’t end there. Paul prays in 1:15-23 that  the church would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Him better   in a threefold way:   

(i) to know  the  hope to which we have been called   

(ii) to  know  the riches of our glorious inheritance  

(iii) to know  the power that is at work in our salvation  -  being  the  same   power by which Christ was raised from the dead.

Such people as are reconciled to God are also joined to the church. The church on earth is the promise and the foreshadowing of that great church in Heaven.  Now, how did we become members of the church? We have already seen the heavenly perspective. The believer is chosen in eternity - before the creation of the world (1:4), predestined in love (1:5), adopted (1:5), redeemed and forgiven in Christ (1:7). But where did it all start in terms of our own  experience- from the point of where we are at now?  This is where the connection between Ch. 1 & 2 is made. It all began while we were dead in transgressions and sins (2:1-3). From there we learn in 2:4-7 what we are now   that God has found us. In 2:8-9 we learn what has made the difference. And finally in 2:11 – 22  we learn that God saved us  to belong to one body- the church.   This is God’s plan for the church!

1.         2:1-3 WHAT WE WERE WHEN GOD FOUND US 

It started all while we were dead[1] in  the transgressions and sins (2:1) when we were children of the devil (2:2),  when we  lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind … By nature (or naturally)  we were (like all people in this world)  children  of  wrath (2:3).  The deadness spoken of here is obviously a spiritual deadness.  Before we became Christians we were dead to spiritual truth. We thought that we were independent agents in this world. We did not and would not listen to  the God who created us. We did not desire Him or choose Him if we were given that option. We gave Him no glory. We would not submit our souls to God’s Word, even when we heard it.

You cannot communicate spiritual truths to a spiritually dead person any more than you can have a conversation with a dead person. In this state also we cannot understand the Bible. Worshipping God is burdensome.  Prayer is an emergency and bargaining tool only to be used when in trouble – not a living way of talking with God. The implications of being spiritually dead are serious. God has a pure and holy anger towards all who are spiritually dead to Himself, whether it be obvious, or by subtle disobedience.  When we are in this state we are dead – alienated from God. That is what God thinks of us before we were a part of His adopted family -  we were by nature children of wrath.

2.         2:4-7 WHAT WE ARE NOW THAT GOD HAS FOUND US

(i) 2:4,5 We are made alive.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the  great love  with which He loved us (cf. 1:4)… even when we were dead  in our trespasses, made us alive  together with Christ…  Note the contrast between 2:1 and  2:5. Dead … alive. How does one become alive, from being dead?  By God’s intervention alone! Through grace alone and Christ alone! In 1:19,20  we read  that  the same power  which  raised Christ from the dead  we are also raised – made alive!  Every spiritual conversion is no ordinary thing. It is a miracle.  Every  born again church member is  a Christ-bought  trophy.

(ii) 2:6 We are seated with Christ  in the heavenlies.  After Christ was raised, where did He go?  He ascended to heaven[2]. There He was seated at the right hand of His Father in glory. When we are saved by His grace, then we are as good as seated with Him in heaven. Not yet physically to be sure. That will still happen, but it  is as good as done. It is our guaranteed inheritance (1:14). Spiritually we are already there with Him.  We are already united in Him. That is why we can pray. We have access to Him. That is also why death does not hurt the Christian believer. It has lost its sting for the Christian – for to die means to be present with Christ. Every true member of the church is already heaven’s citizen.

(iii) 2:7 We  have  something great to look forward to! “… in the coming ages, He might show the incomparable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” – our inheritance - see 1:14, 18.  Every true member of the church has something to look forward to.  

3.  2:8-9 WHAT HAS MADE THE DIFFERENCE?

The grace of God! For by grace have you been saved through faith (Grace - see  1:6, 2:5,7,8)   and  2:8 adds  that “this faith is not  your own  doing; it is the gift of God”. Grace is not a reward for faith; faith is the result of grace.  Grace is the cause of salvation. Faith is the effect of salvation. Always remember that grace comes before faith, and faith authenticates Grace. A good example of this is found in Acts 16:14 : The grace of God awakens Lydia  from Thytira. “ … the Lord opened her heart to  pay attention to what was said by  Paul message”. Her immediate faith response was to profess the name of Christ in baptism, and by immediately offering hospitality to Paul and his entourage.  Faith is our response to God’s grace. Faith is not a work that we do in order to be saved! That explains Paul’s quick response and addition in 2:8b -10 – “not a result of works, so that no one can boast” – but we are indeed created for good works, which are a necessary  proof of our salvation.  Every true member of the church is a grace awakened soul, responding in faith, manifesting a life of good works.   

4.  2: 11 – 22  GOD HAS SAVED US  TO BELONG TO ONE BODY  - THE CHURCH 

Now that you have been saved by grace through faith – what now, where to now?   Three aspects - They are a mirror image of the first 11 verses

i.                    At one time… (2:11,12) ...  you were  an alienated humanity    [What we were]

ii.                   but now... (2:13-19)  ...  the wonder  of Christ's work    [What Jesus has done]

iii.                So then ... (2: 19-22) ...  God's new society   [What we are now ]

 

I.                    2:11,12  YOU WERE AN  ALIENATED HUMANITY

At this point, let us be reminded, that the Ephesians were gentile believers. They turned from paganism to Christ. Jewish Christians turned from Judaism to Christ. We must not make too much out of their origins. Both, pagans and Jews needed to turn to Christ in order to become part of God's family. Even though Judaism is built on the truth of God's Word, few Jews were really God-fearing. Few were really living by the terms of God's covenant. They lacked an inward conviction that comes from a changed heart. Covenant privileges are not enough!  Everybody needs to look to Jesus for that changed heart.

Paul is presently occupied with the Ephesian dilemma.  He sees that they have 5 great disabilities, peculiar to gentile people: 

1.They were Christ- less. In a sense the Jews shared that dilemma - yet this is not what Paul has in mind! Whilst the Jews have had their hope in the Christ – the coming Messiah, the pagans had no expectations of a coming Messiah! They were truly Christ-less! 

2.They were excluded from citizenship in Israel. Israel was a nation under God (theocracy) and benefited tremendously from that relationship, because God had chosen to reveal Himself to that nation.

3. They were strangers to the covenant of promise: Not only was Israel favoured by God as a nation, but God had also bound Himself to them by a covenant, although Paul speaks here about "covenants". God has made many covenants with His people, but they are basically reaffirmations of the Covenant of Grace: "I will be your God, and you will be my people". The gentiles by contrast were strangers / foreigners to the covenant. They had no clue who God was and what He wanted from men. 

4.They were without hope in the world. The Greek/ Roman world had no real concept of hope. 

5. They were without God in the world.  The word used here for ‘without God‘ is "atheos" (atheistic). This does not mean that they did not believe in God. They were polytheists. They believed in many gods – but not in the ONE true God. In their pagan state had no real knowledge of God. They were godless.

II.                  2: 13 – 18 A PORTRAIT OF A PEACEMAKING CHRIST

2:13,14 Now we are really getting  to the  heart of  what the church is all about. Having reminded the Ephesians of their former state, Paul now shows what Christ has done by making both Jew and Gentile into one people. He destroyed the artificial barrier - the dividing wall of hostility between them. In the temple there was a barrier- wall which forbade gentiles to go into the exclusive Jewish zone of the temple. Christ broke this wall of ancient hostility between Jew and Gentile.  Literally and physically it was destroyed in A.D. 70, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem under general Titus. But spiritually and actually  the dividing wall was destroyed on the cross (c.f. 2:16) –  the torn temple curtain signified freedom of access to God  for all who would believe on the finished work  of  the  Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.  On the cross Jesus abolished the law with its commandments and regulations. Jews and gentiles are made one people in the cross!

III.                 2: 19 – 22 PORTRAIT OF GOD'S NEW SOCIETY

Through the cross, Jesus does not only reconcile man with God, but also man with man. The cross of Christ creates the basis for God’s new society – the church under the Headship of Christ!  Paul now shows us what, with Christ's help,  Jews and Gentiles have become:

i.                    Members of God's kingdom - "fellow citizens". The church is not to be divided into first class members (Jewish Christians) and second class members (Gentile Christians). The terms of admission are the same for all: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity dismisses all forms of racism, tribalism and culturalism. The church is God’s new society, and the values found in the church do not conform to the values of our surrounding cultures

ii.                  Members of God's household (family)

iii.                Members of God's true temple. Note the foundations upon which we all become members. Our foundation are the prophets and apostles with Christ  Himself as the Corner Stone (2:20). We are built upon their foundation, as ‘living stones’ - 1  Pet 2:5. What is the purpose of God's new temple?  Essentially the same as the old – i.e. the dwelling place of God, except that it is now a spiritual building, made up of spiritual stones. God is thus not tied to holy buildings but to holy people. These holy people are drawn from all race groups.

Such a church and such  churches  are is His new society! 

This is what God thinks of the church!

 

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[1] Gk ‘nekrous’

[2][2] Lk 24:51; Acts 1: 9-11