A Rich Past, An Exciting Present and a Glorious Future

Psalm 48:12–14 KJV 1900

12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; That ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.

Introduction

Take a look at you life; has God been good to you? Most of us will agree that God has been better to us than we have been to ourselves. When we consider all that we have experienced in life we can only say “Hallelujah” and “Praise God” for giving us a rich past, an exciting present and a glorious future. Think about it. Some in this room were here when the first man walked on the moon. Some were here when cell phones were first used or even microwaves. Some experienced the sting of racial segregation and others saw the first of our race make strides in many areas including the election of the first person who looks like us as the President of the United States. Certainly we can all say God has been good to us. Our paths have brought us through a myriad of experiences that have included successes and failures. Along the way, we have witnessed many changes and have learned to take them in stride. Our joy is to know that despite the road that we have traveled that there has been one constant in life that has never changed; that is the love of God. It never changes. The most senior among us have seen the most miles, tallest of mountains and the deepest of life’s valleys. The younger among us have traveled a journey too. It is just as real to them as the distances traveled by those who walked before them. As Christians, we give praise to God for bringing us through our troublesome past. We also give him praise for the exciting life that he is giving us today and high praise for the glorious future that lies ahead of us.

Exposition

This text celebrates the greatness of Jerusalem for its past, present and future glory.

The central focus of the text is Jerusalem. It was the center of the worship and focus of God’s people at the time of this text. It symbolizes the blessing and anointing of God and as such, it reminded Israel constantly of the presence of God in the Promised Land.

Yet, here Jerusalem is also a type of the church and all true believers of God. What is said about Jerusalem is the same that can be said about the church and individual believers.

This text says three things to the church collectively and individually: Review where you have been and see what God has done, consider the palaces or the great blessings that God has given you in the present and consider all of the great blessings that God has in store for the future.

Walk Around Zion

If we take a good look at our journey we will see what God has done for us. That’s why encourages us to Walk about Zion. To consider the beauty and magnificence of the temple, count the towers by which it is fortified. In essence, see the rich past God has given you.

Today, every saint who takes a walk about Zion can see the many ways that God has enriched their lives both materially and spiritually.

Like Noah, we have survived floods of trouble. We have remained afloat even though at times it appeared that we would sink.

Like Abraham, we have seen difficult times when our faith has been tested and the very lives of those we loved the most have been threatened. It was moments such as those that strengthened us when we learned that God truly does have a ram in the bush.

Like the Israelites crossing the River Jordan into a new land, we have seen the hand of God bring down the walls of Jericho and perform miracles on our behalf. Walk around Zion and see the wonderful works of God as he blessed us immensely in our past.

Consider His Present Protection

Even today, God is still providing for us and protecting us. That’s what the Psalmist referred to in when he notes that we should “Mark ye well her bulwarks” or see the many ways that Jerusalem is defended. The city was protected from invaders and enemies by a series of moats and protective works called bulwarks. Just as the Psalmist challenge Israel then to see how God protected Jerusalem with bulwarks, today we should see how God is providing for us and protecting us.

God is providing for us and protecting us right now. Despite his provision some are complaining but he provides us with an ample supply of food, clothing and shelter. Even those who complain must agree that God has been faithful in providing us with all three.

Just as Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years depending upon the Faithfulness of God, we have done the same. In the wilderness Israel found that God provided them food, on time every day; even though they complained about it. He fixed it such that the material that formed their tents held up for 40 years without need of repair. He arranged it so that they wore the same shoes and clothes for decades and they never wore out. The food came on time every day. There was water just when they needed it most. God was faithful to Israel as he provided for them in ways no one could explain.

Faithfulness of God, we have done the same. In the wilderness Israel found that God provided them food, on time every day; even though they complained about it. He fixed it such that the material that formed their tents held up for 40 years without need of repair. He arranged it so that they wore the same shoes and clothes for decades and they never wore out. The food came on time every day. There was water just when they needed it most. God was faithful to Israel as he provided for them in ways no one could explain.

faithfulness of God, we have done the same. In the wilderness Israel found that God provided them food, on time every day; even though they complained about it. He fixed it such that the material that formed their tents held up for 40 years without need of repair. He arranged it so that they wore the same shoes and clothes for decades and they never wore out. The food came on time every day. There was water just when they needed it most. God was faithful to Israel as he provided for them in ways no one could explain.

God is doing the same today.

Every saint should face each new day with exciting expectation, with the full knowledge that “This is the day that the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

No matter how we look at it, we are being blessed, right now, by the powerful hand of God.

Believers have the reassurance that any good thing that true believers desire will not be withheld from them. Good things are those things which are according to God’s will. If what we want is in God’s will it is a good thing and it will never be withheld. That’s a promise that is reaffirmed in which says, “No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly”

Consider your palaces

The text urges us to “Consider your palaces.” A palace is not just a home but that which goes beyond the basics into the extraordinary.

As we consider the goodness of the Lord we should consider our “Palaces” the extra favor that he gives us every day.

Look around. Do you sleep in a comfortable bed at night? Consider your palace!

Do you eat reasonably well? Consider your palace!

Is your home reasonably safe and secure? Consider your palace?

Are you able to keep food on your table most of the time? Consider your palace!

Your palace is what God has given you above and beyond the mere basics.

Yesterday, the psalmist told Israel to walk around Zion and consider your palaces.

Today, believers are reminded to just take a look around and see what God has done and consider your palace.

God will bless us in the future too!

Finally, brothers and sisters we are celebrating today not only because we have a rich past and an exciting present but also because we have a glorious future ahead.

Our rich past is a great testimony to our God. Our rich past has provided us with evidence that God can make a way. In the richness of our past we have experienced:

—Suffering, but the Lord has given us support in the middle of suffering.

—Suffering, but the Lord has given us support in the middle of suffering. —Strain, but the Lord has given us stability. —Hardships, but the Lord has brought us hope. —Trials, but the Lord has brought us longsuffering. —Tragedy of the midnight, but the Lord has given us a song in the middle of the night. James Weldon Johnson said, “We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come treading our path in the blood of the slaughtered. Out from the gloomy past till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.” But, when I think about how far we’ve come, I hear the words of James Cleveland ringing in my ears. “I don’t feel no ways tired. I’ve come too far from where I’ve started from. Nobody told me that the road would be easy.” I don’t believe... I don’t believe He brought me this far, just to leave me. That’s the beauty of verse 14 when it records, “For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” It means that God has been our God in the past. He is our God today, but he will continue to be our God into the future, forever and ever. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know what God has done in the past. I know what God is doing right now! “I do not know how long it will be or what the future holds for me, but this I know, if Jesus leads me, I will get home someday! It doesn’t matter what the future brings as long as the Lord is on our side! If the Lord is on our side there will never be a: —CROSS that we won’t be able to bear; MOUNTAIN that we won’t be able to climb! —ENEMY that we won’t be able to defeat; BATTLE we won’t be able to win! —DARKNESS so dark that we won’t be able to see the light! —TRIAL that we can’t make it through; TEST that we won’t be able to pass! He is our hope for tomorrow. There is a glorious future ahead of us but we must hold firm to our faith in Jesus, He is our only hope! I heard the song writer declare “The only hope we have is in Christ Jesus. Confusion is great in the world today. Persecutions my come with such a heavy weight but we have this hope and it’s in Jesus!” Jesus, somebody here today knows Him! Jesus, the Lily of the valley! Jesus, the Bright and Morning star! Jesus, who died out on Calvary and rose up early Sunday morning! He has given us a rich past, an exciting present and offers us a glorious future!

—Strain, but the Lord has given us stability.

—Hardships, but the Lord has brought us hope.

—Trials, but the Lord has brought us longsuffering.

—Tragedy of the midnight, but the Lord has given us a song in the middle of the night.

James Weldon Johnson said, “We have come over a way that with tears has been watered. We have come treading our path in the blood of the slaughtered. Out from the gloomy past till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.”

But, when I think about how far we’ve come, I hear the words of James Cleveland ringing in my ears.

“I don’t feel no ways tired. I’ve come too far from where I’ve started from. Nobody told me that the road would be easy.” I don’t believe... I don’t believe He brought me this far, just to leave me.

That’s the beauty of verse 14 when it records, “For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death”

It means that God has been our God in the past. He is our God today, but he will continue to be our God into the future, forever and ever.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know what God has done in the past. I know what God is doing right now! “

I do not know how long it will be or what the future holds for me, but this I know, if Jesus leads me, I will get home someday!

It doesn’t matter what the future brings as long as the Lord is on our side!

If the Lord is on our side there will never be a:

—CROSS that we won’t be able to bear;

MOUNTAIN that we won’t be able to climb!

—ENEMY that we won’t be able to defeat;

BATTLE we won’t be able to win!

—DARKNESS so dark that we won’t be able to see the light!

—TRIAL that we can’t make it through;

TEST that we won’t be able to pass! He is our hope for tomorrow.

There is a glorious future ahead of us but we must hold firm to our faith in Jesus,

He is our only hope!

I heard the song writer declare “The only hope we have is in Christ Jesus. Confusion is great in the world today. Persecutions my come with such a heavy weight but we have this hope and it’s in Jesus!”

Jesus, somebody here today knows Him!

Jesus, the Lily of the valley!

Jesus, the Bright and Morning star!

Jesus, who died out on Calvary and rose up early Sunday morning!

He has given us a rich past, an exciting present and offers us a glorious future!