King David

Glory into Shame

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” Psalm 4:2 (KJV)

The following is from The Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon…

“In this second division of the Psalm, we are led from the closet of prayer into the field of conflict. Remark the undaunted courage of the man of God. He allows that his enemies are great men (for such is the import of the Hebrew words translated – sons of men), but still he believes them to be foolish men, and therefore chides them, as though they were but children. He tells them that they love vanity, and seek after leasing, that is, lying, empty fancies, vain conceits, wicked fabrications. He asks them how long they mean to make his honour a jest, and his fame a mockery? A little of such mirth is too much, why need they continue to indulge in it? Had they not been long enough upon the watch for his halting? Had not repeated disappointments convinced them that the Lord’s anointed was not to be overcome by all their calumnies? Did they mean to jest their souls into hell, and go on with their laughter until swift vengeance should turn their merriment into howling? In the contemplation of their perverse continuance in their vain and lying pursuits, the Psalmist solemnly pauses and inserts a Selah. Surely we too may stop awhile, and meditate upon the deep-seated folly of the wicked, their continuance in evil, and their sure destruction; and we may learn to admire that grace which has made us to differ, and taught us to love truth, and seek after righteousness.”

Something for us to keep in mind as we look at two of Psalm 4 is that the “sons of men” of whom David refers are sons of the enemy of David and of God.  It is these sons who turn the glory of David into shame.  We must also remember that David is the character of Scripture of whom God said, “The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” 1 Samuel 13:4, and Acts 13:22.

These sons of men seek their own welfare and glory, not the King’s neither the King of kings.  When I get to the word “Selah” of the Psalms or anywhere in Scripture, I see it as a chance to pause and meditate on what has just been said.

Jesus Christ is the King of kings. He came unto men through King David.  Let us rejoice in our King Jesus who came to earth to die on the cross, was buried, and He rose again.  One day He is returning as the Sovereign that He is promised to be.  O will you be ready for Him?

The Throne of God and of the Lamb

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The blessings of being with God are wonderful, fantastic, and I do not know if any earthly word could describe it unless it would be AWESOME. His desire for us to know and understand the Revelation is clearly revealed to us, though the understanding may be difficult. Warnings and invitation to the unrepentant and warnings to those who might treat His prophecies with contempt are plentiful and quite clear in their description of the judgment which will follow for those with evil hearts and minds; and the declaration by Jesus of a quick coming sums up The Revelation of Jesus Christ. A marvelous word from God.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5 (KJV)

We will be gathered around the throne of God; the Holy, Righteous, Glorious, One.

Around the throne, we find the “Water of life”. It reminds us of the refreshing purity of God. There was a time when King David was in battle and he desired water from the well of Bethlehem. The water from that certain well was known for its fresh, clean, clear and cool refreshment. Three of David’s men broke through enemy lines and brought him a drink (1 Chronicles 11:15-19). Even the water from the freshest of wells here on earth could not begin to match the satisfaction of that “water of life” which flows from the throne of God. Out of the belly of those who love Jesus shall flow rivers of living water.

John sees the “Tree of Life”. Driven from the garden by the wrath of God wrapped in grace, Adam and Eve would never see the tree in the garden of Eden again. By God’s grace, they will see it again when we all stand before the face of God. Mankind has been kept from this tree for thousands of years (Genesis 3:22-24). Where the book of Genesis drives Adamkind from the garden, in the Revelation we find access to the tree once again for all who came by way of Jesus Christ. Access is granted again. The Tree of Life bears twelve different kinds of fruit each month. Its leaves provide healing for the nations. What kind of healing this is speaking of I do not know, unless it would be speaking of ethnic groups who will find peace and grace, and mercy at the feet of Jesus.

There was a curse put on Adamkind in the garden of Eden due to Adam’s and Eve’s sin of disobedience and eating the forbidden fruit. The curse was sin, death, and hell. It has been the inclination of mankind to rebel against God and curse Him. There is an emptiness in man that causes him to search for someone greater than himself, but always, apart from God’s searching for him, looking elsewhere other than the Creator. Making gods in their own likeness, like creatures, and other men. According to the Psalmist these gods have hands, but cannot work; feet but cannot walk; eyes but cannot see, and they that make them are like unto them (Psalm 115, and 135). The curse is eternally lifted at the glorification of Jesus Christ, and obedience will be the inclination of all who enter that city, that is called Holy. God and the Lamb are present, and where God and the Lamb are, sin cannot be. PRAISE HIM!!!!

We are gathered around the throne as His children glorifying Him for all eternity. What a blessing to be before His face (Coram Deo is Latin for “Before the face of God”). That should be the heart of the child of God until we see Him face to face. One of the greatest blessings will be that we will be marked by His name in our foreheads.

God is the Light of that city. Scripture does not say there is no sun or moon. My mind tells me that the glory of God and the Lamb will be so bright and majestic that the light of the sun and moon will only fade behind the scene.

O, do you know Jesus the Glorious One who died, was buried, and rose again?

 

Archaeology In Israel

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Digging to find hidden treasures was always a thing as a child I would always do.  Imagining that I could find some gold buried beneath the surface, and become wealthy overnight.  Now, is that a child’s fantasy or what.

There are people who dig in the earth, and find treasures.  Some of those treasures are not silver or gold, precious gems or metals,  but artifacts; jewells of history.  A woman by the name of Eilat Mazar, an archaeologist, has discovered the Wall of Nehemiah.  She has dated it using the Persian period pottery which was found under a tower of the wall.  Yet, there are some who do not believe that this is the Wall of Nehemiah, built around 445 B.C.  The Wall was discovered in Silwan, an area in the traditional Arab East Jerusalem.

She believes that she has also found the palace of King David from the period of about 1,000 B.C.

What I do not understand is why people want to place doubt upon the Scriptures as some of the colleagues of Eilat Mazar have done.  It tells in the article in Christianity Today, “Some archaeologists don’t believe that Jerusalem was a city of prominence during the time of David and Solomon, as described in the Bible.  One colleague called Mazar’s first discovery an ‘overblown claim'”.  You may read that report on the Christianity Today’s site.  The Bible will continue to be magnified by the discoveries of archaeology, and real science. 

It is on the Bible that we as followers of Jesus Christ can stand forever.  That is because, “Forever, O LORD, YOUR Word is setteled in heaven.”  Psalm 119:89 (NKJV).