Sermon(Ps 24): God the King of might and glory

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025252717

 

 

>> 1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein; 2 for he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers. 3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. 7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! (Ps 24) <<

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God established the land upon the water. >And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." (Gen 1:9)< God made plants, animals and human beings and let them live on the land. Also the verses 1 and 2 of the text praise Jehovah the Creator. (Of course, people described the world like that because they thought the land was on the water as a log is on the water.) God created the sun and let it attract the earth so that the earth might not be a lost child of the universe. And God made the earth, a beautiful planet, so that human beings could live safely therein. We can love one another, live joyfully and safely in this beautiful world because God created a solid world. God established solid laws of nature so that the universe might be an orderly world. He gave righteous law to humans so that anyone who keeps the law could be a righteous one. And his love is so solid that all creatures are living a satisfactory life.

 

The Bible says that all living creatures in the world are God's. "The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. (v. 1)" All gold, silver, fat animals, and all beautiful, wise and able humans in the whole world are God's. The God gives all good things of the world for free to the living creatures on earth. He gives them the land to live in. He gives land to magpies, tigers, and humans. All creatures are God's, but he grants them freedom. The freedom they received is so perfect that many of them are living even without knowing who is their owner. God is One who is infinitely happy just to see the creatures live happily. The Bible says that God sometimes gives animals food as they cry to him when hungry. When Abraham's concubine Hagar was driven out from her master's house and wept because she had no water to drink in the wilderness, God opened her eyes and let her see a well and live. God is infinitely strong, yet he has mercy on and takes care of his creatures when they are in trouble. Therefore all prayers of supplication and request of help 100% come to God's ears. The merciful God is counting all the tears humans shed. God feels happier when he gives much grace to the creatures than when he receives something from them. God rejoices when sparrows are singing for they ate a lot and were full. God rejoices when a man is singing for joy and happiness.

 

God is infinitely strong, but he became a weak and powerless man to be insulted and whipped, and to suffer on the cross and die. He suffered in order that he might bear all sins of the creatures and give them eternal life, freedom, peace and joy. Who could imagine, even in the dream, that the God would suffer as such a weak man? His love was so strong that he could become such a weak man. God feels infinite responsibility for all the creatures on earth because they are his. It is God's glory that the creatures enjoy their blessed life and prosper and increase a lot. It is king's shame that the number of his people is small and they are poor. But it is king's glory that he has many people and they are rich. God is the king of all creatures. Therefore it is his honor for the creatures to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. So he blessed his creatures whenever he created them. "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. (Gen 1:28)" God gave them all that they need. He gave even his only Son to us that we might gain eternal life.

 

All creatures in the world, including humans, are originally Jehovah's, because he created them all. Nevertheless, he claimed the right of ownership to them after he granted them love and care, that is, after he paid the price for them to them. So man and all animals are his possession twice. This God says, "Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that I the King of glory may come in." God orders people to open the gate, because he wants to come in and to be their King, because the whole world is his and he is the King of glory. But if they do not open the gates, God says to them that he is strong and powerful and is good at battle, and tells them to open the gates obediently because he will surely open the gates even by force. "Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! (v. 8)" God ordered Pharaoh to allow the Israelites go from Egypt in order that he might set his people free from the bondage of Egypt, but Pharaoh the king of Egypt refused. However the God who is the best warrior in the world gave him a shameful defeat and delivered his people from Egypt. God opened all the gates of Canaan and killed all the inhabitants and gave the land to his people. Who can resist in the castles when the God, who is the King of glory and the mighty warrior, commands them to open the doors? However strong the Devil may be, God can defeat him and open the door of his prison and deliver his people who are imprisoned and are suffering as slaves there. However strong the gate of communism may be, it was opened wide at the command of God that it be opened, and the Holy Spirit came into the communist nations and released the inhabitants by the gospel. There is no door in the world that can block the God.

 

“Be lifted up, O ancient ('eternal' in Korean version) doors!” The king of the eternal kingdom is Jehovah, the King of glory. The strong warrior Jehovah, having conquered all evil forces, will enter the eternal kingdom to be the eternal King. Hallelujah!

 

Today's biblical text is a poem of David. He was a king who was the victor in every war. He was a mighty king. All gates of the fortresses he attacked were opened wide before him. He returned and entered into his palace in Jerusalem majestically as a glorious victor amidst hearty cheers of the people. Seeing himself, David thought of God who is strong and competent and is in glory, because all his competence, victory, and glory are from God. David was convinced that God someday would be the eternal King in glory, majesty and honor, after defeating all wicked forces in the world.

 

Zion was a special place for Israelites. Zion means a peak. It is a holy mountain of God southeast of Jerusalem. Zion represents the spiritual kingdom of God (Ps 125:1). The Mount Zion is the place where God dwells (Ps 74:2). The God of hosts dwells on the Mount Zion (Is 8:18). Mount Zion is the eternal place where the God will reign over all humans (Mic 4:7). In the New Testament, the new Jerusalem is Zion (Heb 12:22, 28; Rev 14:1). King's palace was in Jerusalem, and people lived in Jerusalem, so they thought God dwelt not in the castle of Jerusalem but on the Mount Zion, and that God would establish his eternal kingdom on the Mount Zion.

 

David also had such a thought. Seeing the mountain of God, David saw, with the eyes of faith, the eternal kingdom of God that would be built on the mountain. He envisioned, in the sight of the eyes of faith, that the eternal, powerful and glorious God would open the eternal gate and enter through the gate to sit on the eternal throne. And he thought, 'Ah! I want that I, too, will ascend the mountain of God then, and be in the holy kingdom. I'd like to serve Jehovah as my King, and live there with him forever!' But David didn't think that just anyone could go up the mountain of God. "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? (v. 3)"

 

In David's opinion, a man of clean hands can ascend the hill of God (v. 4). He who does not do wicked things with his hands has clean hands. The hands that have hurt people are dirty hands stained with blood. The hands that touched another's wife recklessly are dirty. Thief's hands are dirty. Hands that programed computer viruses and spread them are dirty. Hands that stroke parents are the dirtiest hands. People with such hands can't ascend the hill of God. Hands that helped others, that worked hard, that clapped for others much, that raised up those who fell down are clean and precious. With these clean hands can you ascend the hill of God. And he who is pure in heart can ascend the hill of Jehovah (v. 4). Dirty is the heart that is obscene, perverted and hateful. Clean is the heart that is not greedy but respectful and loving toward others. A man with this heart can ascend the hill of God. He who does not love falsity can ascend the hill of God (v. 4). He who is full of pride and vanity tends to love all kinds of evil. A humble man who is faithful to what is committed to him can ascend the hill of God. And an honest man who hates falsity can ascend the hill of God. Above all, he who loves God can ascend the hill of God. "Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (v. 6)"

 

Of course, such a man is already tasting the eternal blessing while living here on earth; he can go to the house of God, the church. Such a man mentioned above is one who imitates the mind of God the Creator, and God calls him to his house, meets him, and blesses him. "He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation. (v. 5)" My brethren, if you love God, have clean hands and heart, hate falsity and lies, all your worship of God in the church will go up to God, and God will love and bless you. Otherwise you will not meet God even if you come to church, and you will return home after you just tread the ground of the church.

 

My brethren, God is a good Creator. He prepared all good things that we might live comfortably. He gives us all, and has everything ready for our eternal life. Now he wants us to open our heart to him. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)" If you open your heart and receive Jesus who is the glorious King and the eternal God, you will be his people and live with him forever in the everlasting kingdom of God. >Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the fist earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev 21:1-4)< The eternal heaven will be yours if you here on earth accept Jesus as your King, keep your hands and heart clean, avoid falsity and love God. The eternal glory, happiness and joy after the short suffering and devotion.

 

May all your sins be washed completely by the blood of Jesus. May you be forgiven by God to become a child of God and live the eternal life in all glory in the eternal kingdom.

 

Chong Tack Kim

- Dongtoma Sunshine Church -