Psalm 132:13

Psalm 132:13

The Lord has chosen Zion

We need to remind ourselves that there is a clear distinction between the spiritual and heavenly kingdom of God, and the earthly one! That is not to say that they are completely separate entities, God’s heavenly kingdom has invaded the earthly kingdom through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, and it is from the earth that He chooses those who will attain heavenly glory. 

Israel was and has always been God’s original choice as a people who belonged to Him, as we have seen on many occasions now the land of Israel and the people of Israel were granted special privileges and God swore that He would be their God and they would be His people. This status was not given to any other nation; the Israelites alone were the apple of His eye for centuries. The law was theirs; the prophets came from Israel; Messiah was born as one of them. They were and are God’s earthly kingdom. In the same way He chose an earthly city with its temple to be the focus of His presence here on the earth. The city was Jerusalem in Judah, often called after its most famous hill – Zion. The Bible declares in many places, that Jerusalem will eventually fulfil its role as the dwelling place of God on earth and Messiah will reign from there for a thousand years.  That is the sole reason why this city is continuously torn apart be religious bigotry and strife and why it continues to be the most fractured city on the earth. Every rebellion that takes place within its walls is simply a rebellion against the Lord our God.

However, as disciples of Jesus Christ, let’s not get too carried away by the earthly Zion for we are promised a greater city, one that houses the throne of God who dwells in the heavenly realms. “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more

Psalm 119:135

Psalm 119:135 His shining face In verse 58 0f the Psalm we commented on the apparent impossibility of being able to see the face of God. And yet this intimacy was something that the psalmists, and other writers, craved. The High Priestly blessing, prayed over the people every day, asks that the Lord make His face shine upon them. In verse 58 we discovered that this plea involved more than just being able to see the face of God, which was impossible; I quote,  “ The Hebrew word for face in the Old Testament can be translated “presence.” Now things start to make more sense! Those Israelites who so regularly abandoned the Lord God were being reminded to seek again the presence of God and the psalmist lets it be known that this is his constant quest. When you think about it, a person’s face reveals a great deal about their character and personality even, maybe, their circumstances or lifestyle. The more we seek the face of God and the more we spend time in His presence, the more like H...
Read more
Psalm 1 Spiritual stability The journey begins! It’s exciting isn’t it? Where will the Holy Spirit take us? What adventures await us? What discoveries will we make? One thing is certain, we will not be the same people at the end of this journey as we are at the beginning.  We are about to discover a world of delights but also a world that has a sinister side. This is not a walk in the park, this journey will take us through narrow ravines, up rocky mountain slopes and across desert landscapes. Thank God there will also be occasion to lie by still waters in green pastures and to dance with exhilaration and pure joy on mountain summits. Let’s get going shall we? V1       What an introduction to the adventure!  Most Christians would not dream of associating with the wicked, the sinners and the scornful of v1, would they? Who are these people anyway, are they mass murderers or tabloid celebrities or pagan worshippers? ...
Read more