The King is coming
Context: Jesus the king coming to Jerusalem
Text: Psalm 24
On 17th July 2005
Introduction
(Using three cups)
Look at this how many cups can you see, one yes but in fact there are three
Three cups close together, so close that if you look at them the right way they look like only one
Well there are many Old Testament texts like that, they seem to be talking about one thing but in fact are reefing to 2 or maybe three other events
I believe this is true about this Psalm before us today. Yes it has very down to earth picture of King David walking up to Jerusalem celebrating the victory that God had given him, but the victory of Jesus on the cross also seen here, as well Jesus final victory when returns to earth set up His everlasting Kingdom
So let’s bare this in mind as we look at these verses
A) Marching up the hill
In this majestic psalm we move as if in procession with the King of Glory from the provinces of His realm to 'the central height' and the city at the summit.
It is a ceremonial occasion
Maybe an enthronement festival
Maybe the escorting of the ark by David 'with song and lyres and harps from Kirjath-jearim to mount Zion
But, while an historic setting may explain a background which God used to trigger the inspiration of this psalm, it clearly is inadequate to explain the psalm’s literal fulfillment.
We should therefore recognize that this psalm refers to a future time when God in person will reign from Jerusalem
This psalm pictures our Victorious God arriving to possess the citadel He has conquered, just as David and the ark transformed the Jebusite stronghold into the hill and city of the Lord.
Here is our great creator God who owns the earth and its entire contents coming back to claim His throne
Here is a picture a city's founder
Someone who has established a great city by his might power
Every house, every building, every shop, ever road belong the founder of this city
He is the cities Creator and Sustainer
Like a thorough lawyer, God spells out specifically that the entire creation, all proceeding from it, and all dwelling in it, are His possession.
Nothing can supplant the Creator’s rights, and none of His creation can escape His claims;
He alone deserves the worship of all creation.
All the fruitfulness of the earth belongs to God
But He wants to share it with the people he has made
B) But who can go?
After the opening part of this psalm in which mankind acknowledges its Creator, it moves on and asks the two questions.
These questions recognize both that mankind is separated from its Creator, yet that it is also somehow possible to reestablish a relationship with Him.
It asks the question how the likes of you and me can give God the worship he deserves
How can the believer gain access and ‘take his stand’ secure, in the presence of the Lord
This was something worth doing
But it was not as easy as just turning up
Verse 4 seems to infer that more is required
We need clean hands and a pure heart
Verses 1-2 have told us that we are never out of God's presence.
But there is, in a different sense, no coming into his presence, without the four qualifications of verse 4.
For he who made all places also made one special holy place where he promised to meet with his people in a special way:
In David's time and for a thousand years after, it was the hill of Zion
To meet God there required right living, right thinking, a right relationship with him, and a right relationship with one's fellows.
But these things, which enable us to have a right standing with God could only be received, not achieved
These are things which the God who saves from sin gives to those who seek him.
We need salvation; we need to receive this gift of righteousness from God our Savior.
Those who ascend the hill of the Lord are not givers but receivers.
And this is true for us today we can only really know Him and serve Him because of what He has done for us in Jesus Christ
We cannot stand in presence because of anything we have done but only because but only because of His grace
This is the wonder of the gospel
Holy living ensures a blessing as its reward from God, but holy living is itself a blessing of the New Covenant and a delightful fruit of the Spirit.
God first gives us good works to do empowers us to do them by the Holy Spirit, and then rewards us for them.
That’s awesome
And who does he give this righteousness to those who “seek Him”
This humble longing for God, was the basic requirement for those who would come to meet with him on Mount Zion.
Yet they are only seekers; nothing more
True seekers are very dear to God
To desire communion with God is a purifying thing.
To hunger and thirst more and more after a clear vision of the face of God; this will lead us to purge ourselves from all filthiness.
The words of Randy Stonehill song I thirst for you sum this up
And Lord I thirst for you,
Like a man in the desert needs water to drink.
And I cling to you, like a drowning sailor,
Trying not to sink
And I want to trust in your hand of love,
More than what I feel or think
I really do - I thirst for you.
Really awakened souls seek the Lord above everything, and as this is not the usual desire of mankind, they are despised by men but loved by God.
When we seek we leave aside all others properties and considerate on one thing
Like the lady with the lost coin in Luke 15
1 Chronicles 22:19 says now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.
God promises to be found by those who really seek him
Deuteronomy 4:29 says
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
God's desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.
And the Consequences of seeking God are:
It leads to life
Amos 5:4-6
It leads to forgiveness
2Ch 7:14
It leads to blessing
Ps 119:2
It leads to provision
Ps 34:8-10
It leads to protection
Ps 27:4-5
It leads to understanding and wisdom
Pr 28:5
It leads to renewed strength
Isa 40:30-31
And Hebrews 11v6 tells us that everyone who diligently (who is persistent and hard-working in their effort to seek God) will be rewarded
C) Hey who’s that?
The psalm now moves from individual men ascending into the mount
To Yahweh coming among men
This psalm has a progressive structure, it moves from creation, to man’s reconciliation to God, to God’s return to earth to take His rightful place among His subjects.
The topic changes from man seeking to ascend to God, to the acceptance by humanity of Yahweh as their God
An acceptance marked by man freely installing Him as their sovereign
And this acceptance of the LORD Almighty was based on his right of conquest.
As David conquered the fortress of Zion, by conquest because ‘the LORD gave [him] victory
And the gatekeeper opened the gates to him in recognition of his glory
So messiah would enter the city as the even greater king base on his victory over sin and death and hell
The city of peace becomes the dwelling-place of both the lesser king and the greater King.
As we see before us the towering stature of the unseen King, entering into the age-old fortress to make His own
The great representative man who answered the call to climb the hill
Our Lord Jesus Christ could ascend into the hill of the Lord because his hands were clean and his heart was pure, and if we by faith in him are conformed to his image we shall enter too.
The ancient gates of the eternal temple are personified and addressed in person.
They are called upon to lift up [their] heads as though with all their glory they were not great enough for the all-glorious victorious King.
The watchers at the gates, hearing the song, look over the battlement
Ask, who is this King of glory?
It is a question worth asking
Who is he in person, nature, character, office and work?
What is His pedigree, his rank, his race?
The answer is, The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Jesus Christ who defeated all the forces that stood against on the cross
And the final statement regarding who is this King of glory brings us full circle back to creation; He is the Lord of Hosts the supreme ruler of the universe I Kings 22:19
He is and will always be not only the God of this earth, but also the God of all Creation, physical and spiritual.
This psalm has shown us the Creator Himself who came to earth to die for His creation in order to reconcile those who really seek Him and desire Him to create a new heart in them.
These blessed people will stand in His presence in Heaven until the day they return with Him to this earth to witness His defeat of all the assembled forces of evil, and then, in triumphant procession, accompany
Him as He enters Jerusalem
This is the promise of your exciting future if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior.
This is your future if you know Jesus Christ as you Lord and savior
Imagine a city under siege. The enemy that surrounds them will not let anyone or anything leave. Supplies are running low, and the citizens are fearful.
But in the dark of the night, a spy sneaks through the enemy lines. He has rushed to the city to tell the people that in another place the main enemy force has been defeated; the leaders have already surrendered. The people do not need to be afraid. It is only a matter of time until the besieging troops receive the news and lay down their weapons. .
Similarly, we may seem now to be surrounded by the forces of evil—disease, injustice, oppression, death. But the enemy has actually been defeated at Calvary. Things are not the way they seem to be. It is only a matter of time until it becomes clear to all that the battle is really over.
And king our returns in triumph
Let’s remember Jesus words in John16
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
Conclusion
It is possible that you are saying this morning, "I shall never enter into the city of God for I have neither clean hands nor a pure heart”.
Well that’s fine it is right to admit that
But all we need to is look to Christ, who has already climbed the holy hill into heaven and will complete His victory on earth when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
He has entered as the forerunner of those who will trust him.
Just relax and receive His grace
He has ridden triumphantly into heaven, and will come triumphantly back to earth to reign and those who trust Him shall ride with him