Psalm 110 (part 7)

Psalm 110 (part 7)

Last time I was up here I spoke about “being in God’s presence” [P] – I tried to convey, admitted inadequately, just how awesome that is. It was scary! There on Mount Sinai, Moses met with יְהֹוָ֥ה! [P] Referring to this [Hebrews 12:21 says: so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”] He was terrified! But, actually, he was braver than most! The rest of the people couldn’t bear it at all! [Exodus 20:18–19 All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die!”] They couldn’t bear to be in the presence of a Holy God! They couldn’t stand to hear his voice! It would consume them! And we are no different. So, they came up with this scheme, whereby Moses would go before יְהֹוָ֥ה and relay the message – he went in between them and God; he was an intercessor [P] – Moses interceded for them, he was a mediator between them and God. Instead of going directly to יְהֹוָ֥ה, they would go indirectly through this mediator. We are familiar with the concept of mediation through industrial disputes. The employer and employees are at logger-heads, they can’t agree, their differences are irreconcilable; so they go to mediation – someone is appointed, who is not on either side, who is independent and has no vested interest, to go between the two parties. But this mediation is not quite like that – it is not two parties each with their valid points-of-view. No, here we have a God who is holy and right. Yes, there is hostility between us; but He is light, and we are in darkness. God is LIGHT! [P] [1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.] And light consumes darkness! Have you ever noticed that? You go into a room and it is dark, you turn on the light! There is no battle, the darkness resisting, being forced out – it is just gone! Obliterated! Darkness and light cannot coexist! The light consumes the darkness. Where there is light, there is no darkness. If we, being in darkness, sin; go directly before a God who is absolute pure light, absolutely righteous, we are consumed! Obliterated! The two cannot coexist! It says in: [2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?] They cannot coexist. [Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favour.] יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself approved of the Israelites proposal of one to mediate between them; this is Moses speaking: [Deuteronomy 18:15–19 “יְהֹוָ֥ה your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. (that is referring to Jesus, the Prophet who was to come)“This is according to all that you asked of יְהֹוָ֥ה your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of יְהֹוָ֥ה my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ יְהֹוָ֥ה said to me, ‘They have spoken well. ‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (that is what Jesus did. John says that He spoke nothing of His own initiative: [John 12:49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.]) It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.] Job also felt this need for a mediator – there he was, afflicted with painful disease, he had lost all his possessions – it seemed that God had it in for him. He had a complaint against God for doing this. I mean he had been a righteous fellow; why had all this happened? He wanted to take up his case with God. But, I mean, how could he?! God could wipe him out, overpower him, overwhelm him – he didn’t stand a chance. This is what he said: [P] [Job 9:32–35 “For He is not a man (and that is what we need to represent us men; a man, like us) as I am that I may answer Him, that we may go to court together. “There is no umpire between us, who may lay his hand upon us both. (he needed a mediator who could go between them) “Let Him remove His rod from me, and let not dread of Him terrify me. “Then I would speak and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.] Look, no matter how good you may think you are; before יְהֹוָ֥ה’s eyes we all are defiled and filthy. [1 Samuel 2:25 “If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against יְהֹוָ֥ה, who can intercede for him?”] We cannot exist in His holy and pure presence – like the Israelites, like Job; we need an Intercessor, a Mediator; someone to represent us before God. John used to speak, out at the prison, about his lawyer, [P] his advocate (Mr Stringer?) who would speak on his behalf when he had to appear in court on traffic offences. And that is, on a small scale, what it is like. There is a heavenly court, there is the Judge; יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself, who knows exactly what we have done, what our true motives are – all is laid bare before Him! What can you say to defend yourself?! We need one who can go into God’s presence on our behalf. One who can speak to Him on our behalf, as Moses did for the people of Israel; lest we ourselves be consumed and perish. This is our BIG NEED – one to come between us and God! And this is what the New Testament writers saw prophesied in Psalm 110:1; which states: [P] [Psalm 110:1 יְהֹוָ֥ה says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”] “Sitting at יְהֹוָ֥ה’s right hand” [P] was to be in the place of intercession. But the writers of the New Testament, [P] which of course, was ultimately, the Holy Spirit; saw quite a bit in this one verse. Jesus Himself saw that it revealed that the Messiah [P] was far more than merely the son of David; He is in fact God! He came down from glory and finished [P] the work that יְהֹוָ֥ה gave Him to do; and that work was the cross. Having descended to earth, He rose again from the dead and ascended [P] back to heaven. Jesus Himself saw that this was יְהֹוָ֥ה’s vindication of His Messiah; [P] which He did by exalting Him [P] to the place of highest honour and authority. That place is right in the presence of יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself! [P] That awesome presence – that is what we saw last time I spoke (which is a while ago now!) So, there is the Messiah, Jesus, right in God’s presence. But, I mean, what does He do there? The writer of the book of Hebrews saw that this verse indicated that Jesus had completed His work. It is done; so, what does He do now? Nothing?! Play a harp? Put His feet up? Is there nothing more for Him to do? I mean, He has finished His work. But do you remember when I spoke about Jesus sitting down because He had finished His work? I used the illustration of Robin making a guitar [P] – when he has finished his creation, he sits down and enjoys his handiwork, takes delight in what he has made. He doesn’t just make the guitar and then do nothing – he plays it! I mean, that is why he made it after all! So, Jesus, having completed the work of the cross, is seated at God’s right hand; but what does He do there at יְהֹוָ֥ה’s right hand? The writers of the New Testament saw that Psalm 110:1 spoke of Jesus being at God’s right hand and interceding for us [P]. It says in [Hebrews 9:24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; ] Jesus, the Messiah, is in the presence of God, at His right hand, like we saw last time; but he is there to “appear for us”, on our behalf. Bless the LORD! Paul quotes Psalm 110:1, to show this in [Romans 8:32–34 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; [P] who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, [P] (there is the allusion to Psalm 110:1) who also intercedes for us. (and that is what He does there! He intercedes for us! Not against us but for us! Hallelujah!)] Romans chapter; 8 starts with the glorious statement: [Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!] Paul proves that this is the case – God, who is the Judge, is the one who declares us righteous – so He is not the one who is going to condemn us, bring an accusation against us. I mean, that is counter-productive – on one hand he would be accusing and on the other hand he would be declaring righteous. Nor will Jesus bring an accusation – how could He?! I mean, He went through a horrific death, at supreme cost to Himself, just to prevent that eventuality. It would make that sacrifice of utterly no point! A wasted effort, a futile sacrifice, meaningless suffering for no gain. [P] He died, He rose again, He is at the right hand of God – what does he do there? He is interceding for us! Mediating between us and God, pleading our cause. Satan may accuse, that is what he does, it is what his name means; but Jesus is our advocate, taking up our case. He says that the penalty for that crime has already been exacted – “I paid it myself! I died. The death penalty has been exacted already!” – case dismissed. So, there is absolutely no condemnation possible by the two authorities that have the mandate to issue it: יְהֹוָ֥ה and His Messiah – this is based upon Jesus’ own intercession on our behalf. He is constantly interceding for us, pleading our case before His Father. Only Divine intercession will do the job. Praise God, that we have such a Divine intercessor! An advocate who pleads our case: [1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.] Not a fallible man, one who is a sinner Himself, but one who is righteous. Yet, wonderfully, not only Divine, but human – one that knows what is to be a man, to be tempted, One who can sympathize with us in our weakness. We have a human mediator: [P] [1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.] Jesus is mediator [P] – He comes between, mediates between [P] God and man. Jesus can mediate and He is the only one [P] who can, because He is unique. You see, to come before God, without being consumed by His awesome presence, He has to be God Himself. But to approach man, for us to come to Him; He has to be a man. God would consume us – but He is a human [P] – the Man, Christ Jesus. To be a mediator between the two irreconcilable things (God and man) – He had to be both God and man – God to come to God, man to come to man. That is what Jesus is doing now: He is mediating, interceding, between us and God. This is the service that He now performs. You may recall me saying that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews who were thinking of going back to Judaism; and that the letter is all about how much better Jesus is! He wrote about this service of mediating the new covenant or contract agreement: [P] [Hebrews 8:6 But now He (that is Jesus) has obtained a more excellent ministry, (that means service, and what is that service?) by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.] See the emphasis [P] on how much better the new way is? Jesus has a far better service (or ministry). [P] Intercession/mediating is a service that Jesus performs on our behalf. What is the service that Jesus performs? Mediation, [P] And what does Jesus mediate? He is mediating a covenant. [P] Jesus mediates a new and better covenant, a covenant in His own precious blood; based upon His sacrificial death. Mediation, not based on Jesus’s persuasive powers or goodwill with His father – He mediates on something solid, concrete – mediation is based on the new covenant in His blood, on the solid historical fact of His sinless death. The writer to Hebrews referred to this service of mediating a new covenant a few verses back; he saw it prophesied in Psalm 110:1 [P] [Hebrews 8:1–2 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, [P] (there he is referring to Psalm 110:1 again in reference to what?) a minister in the sanctuary [P] (the ministry, or service, of intercession) and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.] There is Jesus, in heaven, right at God’s side, interceding on our behalf, mediating between us and God. Jesus mediates the covenant – the covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins; and, when sins have been forgiven, there is no condemnation and we can come before God, we have been reconciled by the service of the new covenant which Jesus is mediating between us and God. For the covenant to be effective it has to be based on a death, blood poured out: [Isaiah 53:12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, (that what effected the covenant) and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, (that is why we no longer have it!) and interceded for the transgressors.] Satan accuses; Jesus says on the basis of the covenant in my blood they are righteous; the accusation does not stand. Jesus’ intercession is continually nullifying every accusation that satan lays against you. [Hebrews 9:15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed (the death penalty for our transgression has already been exacted) under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.] For a covenant to be enacted; blood had to be shed; and the new covenant is based on the blood of Jesus. [Hebrews 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.] Remember, Abel was murdered by his brother – the first human being born was a murderer! Abel’s blood soaked into the ground and it cried for vengeance for the injustice, the atrocity, committed against him. But Jesus blood speaks something different – there on the cross Jesus said: [Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] Instead of speaking vengeance, Jesus blood spoke mercy, forgiveness, peace with God, reconciliation. This is Jesus’ present role. He is interceding for us right there in the presence of יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself. Bless His Name for this wonderful service. We could not stand a moment without it! There is a wonderful verse in Hebrews 7 that speaks about this service of intercession that Jesus is carrying out right now on our behalf. I started underlining in this verse, and basically ended up underlining the whole verse: [P] [Hebrews 7:25 Therefore (that indicates that there is a reason for what this verse says, and I will speak about that in a moment) He is able [P] (Hallelujah! The “He” is Jesus and, praise God!, He is able! He can do it! What can He do?) [P] also to save forever (not only save but save forever. Not only back in New Testament times but now. Not only when I first believed, but keeps on saving forever, even after I have sinned again and again – not just past, but now and forever in the future, Jesus is able to save! Praise His Name!) those who draw near to God through Him, [P] (last time I spoke about us being right in the presence of יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself! We can draw near to Him, without fear, without condemnation – how? Because it is through Jesus. Why?) [P] since He always lives to make intercession for them.] Our drawing near to God is based upon Jesus’ intercession for us. He saves forever because He always intercedes [P] because he always lives. This was a serious shortcoming with the way things were with the old covenant, the priests died, the sacrifices had to be repeated – everything was temporary. Bless the LORD, Jesus is always there pleading out cause, interceding for us, declaring our righteous status on the basis of the covenant in His blood. You may hear the accuser’ condemning voice, saying you are unworthy, you have messed up but [1 John 3:19–21 We know that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;] We can have confidence right before God Himself because Jesus is forever living at God’s right-hand interceding on our behalf. Do you remember that Heb 7:25 said that there was a reason [P] why Jesus is able to save forever and that I said that would speak about that reason? So what is the reason? Why is Jesus able to save forever? What did the verse before say the reason was?: [P] [Hebrews 7:24 Jesus, on the other hand, (comparing with the inferior priests of the old covenant) because He continues forever, (that is the reason He can save forever) holds His priesthood permanently. ] Jesus is able to save forever because He [P] continues forever. He rose from the dead; death has no more mastery over Him. He lives forever so He holds His priesthood permanently [P]. This intercession that Jesus carries out is something He does permanently. That is what a priest does: He intercedes – he comes between the people and God, represents the people to God. So, this service that Jesus performs, is the service of a priest. That is what the New Testament writers saw contained in Psalm 110: [P] That the Messiah serves as high-priest [P]. We read earlier: [P] [Hebrews 8:1–2 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, [P] (there he is referring to Psalm 110:1 again in reference to what?) a minister in the sanctuary [P] (the ministry, or service, of intercession) and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.] We saw that that ministry was of intercession, mediating the New Covenant; but, it is “in the sanctuary”. Who serves in the temple, in the sanctuary? Priests do! That is what the verse says we have [P] “such a high priest” referring to the verse before that speaks about a “high priest made perfect forever”. He holds the role eternally. Psalm 110 makes this eternal priesthood of the Messiah even more explicit in verse 4: [Psalm 110:4 יְהֹוָ֥ה has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”] Now, you may not get that excited about having a priest – that may be because when we think of priests, we tend to think of someone wearing long robes, a funny hat, mumbling some liturgy – all very boring and removed from where we are at. So, what is the big deal about having a priest? Well, what does he do?! Look here is יְהֹוָ֥ה, [P] God, exalted in heaven, that awesome presence that is terrifying and whom we cannot approach; and here is little me, [P] down here in Christchurch at the bottom of the world – well at least it is not Invercargill! There is a vast gulf! Remember at Mount Sinai the people could not bear the Divine presence; so יְהֹוָ֥ה said He would raise up a prophet for them, who would speak to them, so they didn’t have to hear directly. The prophet speaks יְהֹוָ֥ה’s words, on יְהֹוָ֥ה’s behalf – the prophet comes between God and man [P] – from God to man. But what about me? God can speak to me through His prophet. But I want to speak to Him, have Him hear my side! That is what a priest does! The prophet goes between God and man; the priest goes between man and God! [P] – from man to God. God can now hear me! The priest intercedes, speaks for me to יְהֹוָ֥ה. He represents me, speaks on my behalf. Now, in order to do so the priest must present sacrifices and offerings; but it is all done in order that man can be represented before God. So, God speaks to man through Jesus, our prophet. We can speak to God through Jesus, our High Priest. That is why we always used to end our prayers to God: “through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen”. It was acknowledging the High Priestly role of Jesus in our speaking to God. But the writers of the New Testament got excited by the implied priesthood of Jesus in the first verse of Psalm 110 for another reason apart from there being someone to intercede for them before יְהֹוָ֥ה. This intercession is part of Jesus’ role as Great High Priest. Implied in this verse is Jesus’ Priesthood as we saw in (Heb 8:1). But the thing about this Psalm is that it is Messianic! That is how Jesus interpreted it; when quoting this verse He said: [Matthew 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ (that is “the anointed one”; the Greek form of “Messiah”), whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”] He was talking to the scribes and Pharisees – they all took this Psalm as Messianic too. It was a given – no matter what theology or background, no one questions that this Psalm is Messianic. Both Christ and Messiah mean the same thing – and what they mean is “one anointed”. And who was anointed? Kings were anointed. The scribes said “the son of David”; that is of the royal line. This psalm is about the Messiah; it is about one anointed to be King, the one who would restore and carry on the royal house of David. The One this Psalm was talking about was King. But now this verse is saying that He is High Priest. Now, no king of Israel was ever priest. It couldn’t happen – priests came from a totally different tribe! Priests came from the tribe of Levi, the Messianic line was from the tribe of Judah. Priest and king, these two roles were always kept separate and severe consequences came when the difference was blurred. There was a king who tried to take on some of the priestly role, he was Uzziah; we read about him in: [2 Chronicles 26:16–21 But when he (that is Uzziah) became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to יְהֹוָ֥ה his God, for he entered the temple of יְהֹוָ֥ה to burn incense on the altar of incense. (he didn’t actually become a priest, all he did was do something that only priests were to do). Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of יְהֹוָ֥ה, valiant men. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to יְהֹוָ֥ה, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron (those from the tribe of Levi) who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honour from יְהֹוָ֥ה God.” But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead [P] (the high priest told him that he was wrong, rebuked him, but he carried on. Now, יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself steps in, intervenes in Divine judgement!) before the priests in the house of יְהֹוָ֥ה, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because יְהֹוָ֥ה had smitten him. (it was direct judgement of יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself on a king taking upon himself the role of priest) King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of יְהֹוָ֥ה. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.] Severe judgment on a king taking on the role of priest! You just did not do it! Yet there were hints in prophecy. There is the merest hint in: [1 Samuel 2:35 ‘But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, (a royal house or dynasty) and he will walk before My anointed always. (anointed ways – the way of the Messiah)] A “faithful priest” yet Messiah and king. It is more explicit in: [Zechariah 6:11–13 “Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head (you put a crown on the head of a …?) of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. (here was a high priest being crowned king!)“Then say to him, ‘Thus says יְהֹוָ֥ה of armies, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of יְהֹוָ֥ה (that is Jesus!)“Yes, it is He who will build the temple of יְהֹוָ֥ה, and He who will bear the honour and sit and rule on His throne. (sitting at יְהֹוָ֥ה’s right hand, ruling on His throne. Who rules on a throne? A king!) Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, (king and priest) and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.”’] We don’t have peace on this earth – that is because there are multiple rulers who are in conflict with each other. Furthermore, they have civil power, yet spiritual power is vested in a completely different place. So, there is conflict because there is division. Only in Jesus can the spiritual and civil authority be combined without corruption. He is both priest and king. The Scriptures prophesied that there would come a priest who was also king. This dual role is implied in this Messianic prophecy; it becomes more explicit down in verse four, which we may eventually get to look at. A king is a civil ruler, a political leader; a priest is a spiritual leader, an ecclesiastical administrator. If you look through the history of mankind, you will see that every time spiritual leaders have attempted to exert political rule; it has been an utter disaster. Similarly, when civil rulers tried to interfere with spiritual rule; it too has been a disaster. God has so arranged things to keep the two separate – not having total power in one man. No man is fit to be both king and priest. Well, that is not quite true; there is ONE and only one who is fit to take the roll of both King, Messiah, the anointed ruler; and High Priest – and that is Jesus! He is worthy! We sing “To God be the glory great things He has done!” The chorus says: [P] “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! [P] (that is Jesus our Prophet, speaking the words of יְהֹוָ֥ה to men) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to the Father through Jesus the Son [P] (that is Jesus our great High Priest, interceding for us; making the way for us to come right into the awesome presence of יְהֹוָ֥ה Himself) and give Him the glory, great things He has done!” He is worthy! To Him be all the glory! God speaks to us! We speak to Him! Solely because of Jesus interceding for us as priest. It was all there in Psalm 110:1, for those who had eyes to see it.