Living Water

John 7:37-39

Have you ever come to a pond that is filled with nasty, slimy water, and with rotted or dying plant life?  You’re not likely to want to dip your hand in and take a drink!  Sometimes a fish tank can get rather nasty, too.  If there is no movement on the surface of the water in your fish tank, there will be no oxygen, the water will become nasty and the fish will die soon.  That is why we put those air-bubblers in there.  Swiftly moving water, or “living” water from a mountain spring can taste good and be refreshing, but no one wants warm, stagnant water.  Moving water brings life.  Water that has sat for a long period of time will taste nasty, grow bacteria, and could make one sick.  In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus speaks of a different type of “living water”, one that also brings life.  Let’s take a quick look at what He was talking about.

John Chapter 7 takes place in Jerusalem, and the Jewish festival of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, was finishing.  This feast is held in the autumn, and commemorates Israel’s wilderness wanderings.  Each day there was a water-drawing ceremony, where the priests poured water at the altar in the Temple.  This would symbolize God’s provision and the hope of future spiritual renewal.  It was during this festival, with all of these ceremonies being performed in the sight of the people, that Jesus stood and proclaimed our Scripture verses, that He is the true source of the water they were symbolically celebrating.

Jesus knew that these people were spiritually thirsty.  Most everyone at one time or another has a spiritual thirst.  They want something more in their life, their soul desires God, but they don’t know how or where to quench that spiritual thirst.  All too often they end up drinking from the spiritual equivalent of the foul and fetid pond.

The Savior told us that whoever is thirsty should come to Him and drink (vs. 37).  First, we must know that we are thirsty, to be aware of our spiritual needs.  Jesus says if anyone is thirsty - His offer of salvation is universal.  He didn’t call just those of a certain race, or who looked like this or that.  Jesus said “anyone”.  Those who are spiritually thirsty are to come to Him.  Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.  Lastly, they are to drink, that is, personally appropriate the salvation He offers by faith.  Salvation does not come by religious rituals or works, but is Christ-centered, grace-based, and faith-activated.

Jesus then tied His promise directly to belief - the one who believes in Him will have rivers of living water flow from their heart (vs. 38).  Salvation is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This promise is not for the world generally, but instead it is for the believer specifically.  Also, belief is not just intellectual assent, but is instead trusting in Christ’s Person and His saving work on the Cross.

As Jesus stood among the crowds, He stated that to those who believe, out of their hearts will flow rivers of living water (vs. 38).  The living water symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s life-giving ministry.  The Spirit not only indwells the believer, but also overflows from the believer to bless others, producing fruit, power, witness, and spiritual vitality.  This doesn’t just come out like a trickle.  Jesus said it pours forth like a river.

The Apostle John, as he wrote his Gospel, clarified that Jesus was indeed speaking of the Holy Spirit, which was yet to come (vs. 39).  The Spirit would be given to believers, not to the world or to those just superficially religious, but to those who believe in Him.  The Holy Spirit would come later, after Jesus’ death on the Cross, His resurrection, and ascension.  Only after this redemptive work could the Holy Spirit come to indwell believers permanently.

As we see in this brief passage of Scripture, salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.  He, alone, offers the living water.  Today, since we all live post-Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment they accept Jesus as their personal Savior (Romans 8:9).  Jesus said “if anyone thirsts”, the Gospel invitation is universal.  No one is excluded, but one must come to Him.

Are you thirsty?  If so, come to Jesus Christ for salvation.  If you have already accepted Him, but feel spiritually dry and empty today, renew your fellowship with Him.  Is the Holy Spirit flowing through you to others?  His presence should produce love, joy, and peace.  It should move us to bring the Gospel message to others, and bring holiness in our lives.  If the “rivers” feel more like “drops”, the issue is not with God’s supply but the level of our surrender to Him.

Jesus did not promise a cup-full or a trickle.  He promised rivers - abundant, overflowing, and unstoppable.  The Christian life is not meant to be dry and stagnant.  It is meant to be Spirit-filled, Christ-centered, and overflowing with His life in us.  Each day let us yield ourselves to Him fully and completely.  And if you have not yet accepted Him as your Savior, come to Jesus and drink of the living water He offers.

Creation in the Psalms

Psalm 104

Poets and song writers will often see, hear, or read something that inspires them greatly, and then they do what they do best, write a song or poem about what moved them.  In our psalm for today, the unknown author likely had read or heard recited Genesis 1, and was moved to write this psalm.  When Moses penned the words of Genesis 1, he wrote it as a narrative.  The psalmist observed God’s protective care in His creation, the order of the universe, and His ultimate authority over life and death.  Then he wrote this psalm as a song of worship to the Lord, celebrating Him as Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler over all creation.  Let’s take a look at God’s Word here.

There are several hymns which speak of Creation, such as “All Creatures of Our God and King”, by St. Francis of Assisi, “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, and “How Great Thou Art”.  This psalm affirms that there was a literal creation by God.  Creation was not by chance or evolution.  God is the divine Ruler over nature, life, and death, and every human is dependent upon Him for every breath.  Nature is not divine.  God is distinct from His creation, yet He is intimately involved in it.

Our psalm opens with personal worship of the Lord God, blessing Him and proclaiming His majesty and glory (vs. 1-4).  This also corresponds with Genesis 1:1-4.  The psalmist describes God as being clothed with light, which shows His holiness and glory.  God stretched out the heavens, creating them by His divine command.  He rides upon the clouds, which shows His power and rule over the weather.  He controls the weather, not man.  The angels, a different type of created being, are his servants.  They are not independent powers.  God is not a part of creation.  He is above it.  Light, heavens, winds, and angels are His tools.

Next we see God shaping the earth, establishing its foundations (vs. 5-9).  This is paralleled in Genesis 1:6-10.  Here we see God setting the earth on its foundation and covering it with water, setting its boundaries.  This is not mythical language.  This psalm describes literal acts of God during the creation week.

Continuing on we see how God provides for all of His creatures (vs. 10-18).  We see how He provides water for animals and plant-life, along with food for all.  God also provides homes for each creature, including trees for the birds, and homes in the rocks and mountains for goats and rock badgers.  Nature is not self-sustaining.  It is God who maintains the environment and every creature’s habitat.

God also governs time and seasons, as we see in verses 19-23.  He made the moon for seasons and the sun for daily cycles.   He made some animals active during the night, and others during the day, including man, with the work he does.  Time itself is a creation of God.  The orderliness of the universe reflects His wisdom.

God showed forth His wisdom through His creation of the sea and all the various creatures therein (vs. 24-26).  If you’ve ever been out on a ship in the ocean, you know how vast those oceans are.  And within the oceans are innumerable creatures, both large and small.  The psalmist mentions the Leviathan, which is a large but unspecified sea creature, possibly now extinct.  He mentions the Leviathan playing in the ocean.  We see that God delights in His creation.

We see that God controls life and death (vs. 27-30).  All creatures, including mankind, look to Him for their food, and we all live by His provision.  God created us by His Spirit, and we will die when He withdraws our breath.  Life does not come on its own.  God is the giver and sustainer of life.  The psalmist closes with worship of the Lord and a righteous desire and longing for a world free from sin (vs. 31-35).  True worship includes a desire for righteousness and the removal of all sin.

As we look back over this song of creation, we see that God’s creation is purposeful, ordered, and personal.  He sustains all of life, moment by moment.  He also controls weather, seasons, life, and death.  As we go about our life, take time to observe God’s marvelous creation, and be reminded of His power and goodness.  Every breath that we take is a gift from God.  And remember, if He feeds the lions and the birds, He will certainly care for His children.

The Holiness and Majesty of God

Exodus 19:1-9, 16-20; 20:18-20

The morning after a big snowfall, and the ground is blanketed in many inches of snow, when you step outdoors, if it is a bright sunny morning, you often have to shield your eyes, as the bright whiteness of the snow is too much to initially look at.  It is the same with really bright light.  The bright, white light is too much to look at.  Pure white snow, pure white light, our eyes have a difficult time looking at them.  It is the same with the holiness of God.  Our sinful beings cannot look at the holiness of God, nor can we stand in His holy presence.  This is something that the Church today has often brushed aside, in favor of making God our “buddy” or our “pal”.  In our Scripture passage today we will look at a portion of Scripture where we see God’s holiness and majesty, and yet He wishes to make us His people.

Earlier in the Book of Exodus, the Lord God had brought the people of Israel out of Egypt by His mighty hand.  They had been slaves there for several generations.  God brought down plagues upon their captors, and then parted the Red Sea for their safe crossing out of bondage.  It is now approximately three months later, and they have arrived at the foot of Mt. Sinai.  Yahweh is preparing them to become His covenant nation, a people set apart to show other nations and people the way of the Lord, pointing them to Him.  It is here that He gives them His Law, not as a means of salvation, but as a revelation of His holiness and their calling.

As our Scripture opens in Exodus 19, the Lord calls Moses up the mountain.  There He gives him a message for the people.  He reminds Israel what He has already done for them - bearing them like an eagle on its wings (vs. 1-4).  He brought the people to Himself, redeeming them before He ever gave them the commandments.  Salvation is always by God’s grace.  Obedience follows redemption, it never precedes it.

Yahweh then offers Israel a unique identity (vs. 5-6).  If they will obey His Voice and follow His Word, He will make them His special possession.  They will be His special treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.  God repeated His Word through the Apostle Peter, stating that all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own special people (I Peter 2:9).  The people agreed to do all that God had said (vs. 7-9).  They may have been sincere, but this reveals human inability, as Israel will fail repeatedly, showing their need for a Savior.

As we continue on a little further in chapter 19, we see the terrifying holiness of Yahweh (vs. 16-20).  There was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud.  A trumpet sounded loudly, and the mountain began to violently shake.  Then the Lord descended upon the mountain, bringing fire and smoke.  This was not just something symbolic.  It was a literal, physical manifestation of God’s glory occurring.  This fearful display teaches us that Yahweh is a holy God.  He is unapproachable apart from His appointed Mediator.

Sinful people cannot just casually approach Him.  Some may say that this is just in the Old Testament, that things changed in the New Testament.  God’s holiness is not diminished in the New Testament.  We read in Hebrews 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”  God called Moses up the mountain.  He was able to approach, but not the people.  Moses was the people’s mediator at the time.  He foreshadowed the Lord Jesus Christ, our greater Mediator.

In the final portion of our Scripture we see that the people are trembling while observing this terrifying display of God’s majesty (vs. 20:18-20).  They beg Moses to speak instead of the direct Voice of God.  Their fear is real and justified.  God’s holiness exposes human sinfulness.

Moses tells them not to fear, as God has come to test them, to refine and teach them.  When we fear God, that fear should bring reverence, which leads to obedience.  It should not be a fear that leads us to run away from God.  There is a terror-type fear that drives people away, and a holy fear which causes reverence and draws people to obedience.  God wants us to have this second type of fear.

Besides just reading about the event that took place at the base of Mt. Sinai, we see in this Scripture passage the holiness of God.  God’s holiness is not abstract.  It is terrifyingly real.  Sin cannot stand in His presence.  We also see our need for a mediator.  Israel could not approach God directly.  Moses needed to stand between God and the people.  This points forward to Christ, the perfect Mediator (I Timothy 2:5).  It was at this time that the Law was given.  The Law reveals God’s character and exposes human sin.  It shows us the need for grace.  A right fear of God will produce obedience, and will guard us against deliberate sin.

Yahweh is still a holy God.  Our worship of Him should never be casual or flippant.  Just as Israel was redeemed before receiving the Law, as believers today, we are saved by grace before being called to obedience.  We cannot approach God on our own merit.  We must come to God through Christ alone.

Pentecost Sunday

Acts 2:1-13

Most people enjoy a birthday, even if they don’t always admit it.  It is especially fun if there is a birthday celebration.  This Sunday is a special birthday for Christians.  No, it’s not the birthday of a special saint or some well-known religious leader.  It is the birthday of the Christian Church, which falls on the festival of Pentecost each year.  It was on the day of Pentecost, a little over a week after Jesus ascended back into heaven, that the Holy Spirit came down upon them.  Let’s take a look at St. Luke’s account of this day.

About ten days earlier, Jesus had taken His disciples to Mt. Olivet, just outside of Jerusalem.  He gave them some final instructions, along with the promise of the coming Holy Spirit, and then ascended into the clouds, back to heaven.  One of those instructions was to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Now, as they are gathered together praying, the Holy Spirit comes, empowering the apostles to speak real human languages as a sign to Israel that God was beginning a new era, the Church Age, and authenticating the apostles’ message about the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Pentecost was a  Jewish pilgrimage feast, and there were Jews from all over the known world there in Jerusalem that day.  This feast day celebrated the first fruits harvest, where they gave thanks to God.  They also would renew their covenant with God.  The Holy Spirit coming on this day was a sign of the first fruits of the Church Age.

There were three signs that accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit (vs. 2-4).  First, there was the sound of a rushing mighty wind.  There was not an actual wind, but a sound.  This symbolized God’s life-giving power, as was also seen with the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:9-10).  There also appeared what looked like tongues of fire.  This was not literal fire, but had the appearance of it.  Fire often symbolizes God’s presence and purification.  Lastly, the final sign was the disciples being able to speak in other tongues.  The Greek word used, “glossa”, which means a language or dialect used by a particular people.  These were known human languages, not ecstatic speech, as we see later in verses 6 and 8.

Luke proceeded to list about fifteen regions, which represent the Middle East, North Africa, Asia Minor, and Europe.  This shows the global scope of God’s plan.  This sudden ability to speak in languages that were previously unknown to them was a sign to unbelieving Israel (Isaiah 28:22; I Corinthians 14:21).  It was a demonstration of God’s power, and a tool for proclaiming the wonderful works of God.  The apostles were not preaching random messages, they were declaring God’s mighty acts, such as the resurrection of Jesus, the fulfillment of prophecy, and God’s redemptive plan.

The crowds gathered in the streets of Jerusalem that morning brought two reactions and responses (vs. 12-13).  Some were amazed and open to what this would mean, and others thought the disciples were drunk.  This pattern of some being open to God’s Word, and others scornfully rejecting it would continue throughout the Book of Acts.  We see that today, as well.  The Gospel message divides.

In Acts 2, where we witness the birth of the Church, we see the beginning of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all believers.  Prior to this time, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit only gave temporary empowerment.  Now He permanently indwells all believers, sealing them (Ephesians 1:13-14), and baptizing them into the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13).  We are witnessing here the Great Commission in action (Matthew 28:18-20).

In His final words to the disciples, Jesus had told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.  He did not want them to go out without His empowerment.  Just as the apostles could not fulfill their mission without the Holy Spirit, neither can believers today.  We, like them, are dependent upon the Holy Spirit.

These disciples were ordinary men and women.  None of them had advanced university diplomas hanging on their walls at home.  However, God empowered them to speak languages they had never learned, enabling them to witness to all who were in Jerusalem that day.  God still uses ordinary people today.  If we depend upon His power, going where He leads, God will use us just as He did them.  We, too, can expect mixed responses.  Some will be amazed at God’s Word, others will mock.  Faithfulness to God in all things matters more than results.

Jesus' High Priestly Prayer

John 17:1-11

When we think of The Lord’s Prayer, we usually think of the prayer that begins with “Our Father, who art in heaven”.  What if I told you that there is another Scripture passage which could more accurately be called the Lord’s Prayer?  In the Gospel of John, the Apostle records a much longer prayer that the Lord Jesus made to His Father, which many have called the “real” Lord’s Prayer.  Let’s take a quick look this morning at a portion of this.

In Matthew 6:9-13, we read what has traditionally been called the Lord’s Prayer.  It was given that name in the early 3rd century.  It is a very beautiful prayer, one that we recite all the time, and more importantly, is one that the Lord taught His disciples when they asked Him how to pray.  Some people today have said that it more rightly should be called the Disciples Prayer, as it was taught to the disciples, and that what we read in John’s Gospel could be called the Lord’s Prayer.  This is Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, and in our portion of this chapter, we read where He prays for Himself (vs. 1-5), and also prays for His disciples (vs. 6-11).

As our Scripture opens, we read where Jesus prayed to His Father for Himself.   He spoke of how the “hour has come”, which refers to the time when He will give His life for the redemption of mankind (vs. 1).  The cross was not an accident. It was a divine appointment, one that Jesus specifically came to earth to accomplish.  He went to the cross both willingly and knowingly.  The cross is the supreme display of God’s glory.  The Son was obedient which glorified the Father, and the Father glorified the Son through His resurrection and exaltation.

Jesus prayed that the Father would glorify Him with the same glory He had when He was in heaven, before the world was (vs. 5).  One way that Jesus will be glorified is when people come to know Him as Savior, and receive salvation and eternal life.  Jesus defined eternal life as knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He sent (vs. 3).  Contrary to the belief that everyone will go to heaven and have eternal life, Jesus said here that only those who know Him as Savior will have eternal life in heaven.

Jesus spoke of the glory that He had with the Father before the world was (vs. 5).  This is one of the clearest statements of Jesus Christ’s deity.  He was pre-existent from all eternity.  We also see that He is equal with the Father.  This is a cornerstone text for the doctrine of the Trinity.

Next, the Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples (vs. 6-11). Jesus had displayed and shown the Father’s Name to the disciples.  He presented and revealed to them God’s character, His truth, and His nature.  The disciples’ faith was evidence of Jesus’ work in them. Their faith was genuine, they had accepted His words as divine revelation (vs. 8).

Jesus then explicitly stated that He was praying for them, not for the world (vs. 9).  He was praying for those who have accepted Him as their Savior, those who are genuine believers and disciples.  Jesus’ prayers are particular and purposeful. We enjoy a unique relationship with Him, which is contrasted with the world.

Not only did He pray for us, but He reassured the disciples, and us, that He prayed that we will be kept through His Name.  He prayed that we will be protected, unified, sanctified, and sustained against the evil one.  Our security rests in God’s keeping power, and His Name, His character, is the guarantee.  Jesus’ prayers hamstring Satan.  We can depend upon His prayers, and we know that the Father always hears the prayers of His Son.

Finally, we see that Jesus prayed for unity among the believers.  However, this unity is to be based on truth, not just for the sake that we all get along with each other.  We must never compromise the truth for getting along with those who do not hold to Scriptural truth.

As we close this section of John’s Gospel, where Jesus prayed a prayer to the Father that the disciples heard, we can rest in Christ’s authority, knowing that our salvation is grounded in His power.  We can trust in God’s keeping power.  Our security is rooted in His Name.  And then we can pursue unity in the truth, not in compromising any of what God has revealed as truth in His Word.

Fiery Trials

I Peter 4:12-19

You’ve given your life to the Lord Jesus, having accepted Him as Savior, so now shouldn’t your life be going smoothly, with few if any problems, and those that do occur, only minor ones?  This is what some false preachers, particularly those who preach the prosperity gospel, have promised.  They promise that if you become a Christian, and if you give to certain ministries, then your life will prosper with minimal problems.  However, what the Lord tells us in His Word in our Scripture passage today, shows us the falseness of this ungodly teaching.  Let’s see what the Lord tells us through His servant St. Peter.

The Apostle Peter wrote his letter to Christians who had been scattered from their homes and neighborhoods throughout the Middle East and Asia Minor.  These believers were facing persecution for their faith.  As Peter sent his message from the Lord, he taught that suffering for Jesus is not an accident or a sign that they were being punished by God, but that it is a part of God’s refining plan.  He taught that they can trust Him who is faithful, while continuing to do what is right.  This passage affirms that God uses trials to refine His people, that judgment begins with the Church, and that suffering for righteousness is a badge of honor, not a cause for shame.

As our Scripture passage begins, Peter instructs us not to think it strange when we go through very difficult times, including periods of persecution (vs. 12).   Fellow apostle, St. Paul wrote that faithful Christians will suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12).  Fiery trials are not random, but designed by God to test and purify His people.

God has a purpose for our trials.  He uses these experiences to cleanse and purify our lives.  Trials drive us to the Lord. God allows suffering sometimes to get our attention, and bring us back within His will.  It is also a way of testing us, trying our devotion, faith, and endurance to Him.  God also uses trials to demonstrate His power to sustain us and bring glory to Himself.  He also uses it to develop personal righteousness.  God can use suffering to prune us like a plant, and also to teach us obedience.  We should view them as His sanctifying work, not as spiritual failure.

Peter instructs us that when we go through these fiery trials we are to rejoice, because these sufferings identify us with Jesus, and will lead to future glory (vs. 13-14).  When we suffer for our faith we are sharing with Christ’s sufferings.  Insults and rejection because of Jesus means there is evidence of Christ in our life.  It is a mark of genuine discipleship.  We may be suffering now, but God has promised us future joy.  The more believers suffer for Jesus now, the greater their rejoicing when He returns.

Any adversity we experience is temporary because Jesus has given us eternal life.  The Father will ultimately deliver us, whether on earth, or by taking us to our home in heaven.  Our future is absolutely secure because we are in God’s loving and capable hands.

Peter then warns us to be careful what we are suffering for (vs 15-16).  He warns against suffering for something wrong that we have done.  If we are put in prison because of some crime we committed, there is nothing noble in that.  We cannot pretend that we are being persecuted because we are a Christian if our boss had to fire us because we were taking money out of the office cash box, or because we were sleeping on the job.  We are not being persecuted if we are punished for doing wrong, only if we suffer for the Name of Jesus.  Holiness matters.  Suffering for sin brings shame, not honor.  Examine our life honestly - is our suffering due to righteousness or to personal failure.

Our trials are evidence that God is actively sanctifying His Church.  God will purify His people first (vs. 17-18).  If the righteous are scarcely saved, the fate of the ungodly unsaved is far worse.  Believers face God’s refining fire, but unbelievers will face His consuming fire.

Peter concludes with the instruction that those who suffer according to God’s will should commit their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.  God is a faithful Creator - He made us, sustains us, and will vindicate us.  Knowing that, we must keep doing good.  Don’t retreat or compromise, and don’t grow bitter because of trials we go through.  Keep obeying God even when obedience brings suffering.   Contrary to what many false teachers say, persecution is not a sign of God’s absence, but of His refining work.  Nothing will ever touch us without passing through the hands of a faithful Creator.

God Arises And His Enemies Scatter

Psalm 68

Throughout history kingdoms and empires have held victory parades and celebrations after wars, when the victorious king, his generals, and his armies would return.  The enemy had been defeated and scattered.  This was always a joyous time, with the people singing praises to their leaders and soldiers.  The enemy had been defeated!   Our psalm for this week is a song of celebration as God defeats His enemies.  Let’s see what the Lord says in His Word.

Psalm 68 was written by King David, possibly in honor of when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back into Israel, when he placed it in Jerusalem, which had recently been made his capital city (II Samuel 6:1-15).  This was a moment which symbolized God’s enthronement among His people.  David wanted to celebrate Yahweh, the God who arises, scatters His enemies, defends His people, marches with Israel, and reigns from Zion.  The Lord is a Warrior, Protector, Provider, and King.

As we begin our psalm, we see that God arises to scatter His enemies (vs. 1-6).  David echoed the words of Moses which that great leader of Israel spoke during the years in the wilderness, whenever the Ark of the Covenant was taken up when the people journeyed from one location to another (Numbers 10:35).  This is a declaration of God’s unstoppable power.  God literally defeats His enemies, whether they be demonic powers, or the people who serve those powers.  He has done so in the past, and will continue to do so.  Evil will not prevail, and we can rejoice in His presence.

Not only does Yahweh defeat His enemies, He is also a defender of the weak and powerless who put their trust in Him, especially the widow and orphan (vs. 5-6).  These verses are such a comfort.  We all need a father’s love.  Some children never get that, as their father is not there due to either death or divorce.  Some, whose fathers are present, still do not have their love, due to violence, abuse, or neglect.   God promises to be a father to the fatherless, both the orphan, and those who have that father-love void in their hearts.  People today are often so lonely.  Even in crowded cities and workplaces, there is so much loneliness.  At the core of loneliness is our need for God.  St. Augustine said “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”  We can never be perfectly satisfied with any human relationship until we are at peace with God.

Verses 7-10 describe God leading victorious from Mt. Sinai.  The earth shook and the heavens poured rain as God led Israel.  This describes literal, historical events.  God’s presence then, and now, is overwhelming and powerful.  David specifically described how God provided for the needs of His people throughout their wilderness wandering, and He continues to do so today.  He anticipates our needs, and provides from His goodness for the poor.  We can trust Him for all of the necessities we may face.

When the people of Israel arrived in the land that the Lord promised them, He continued to win victories over His enemies (vs. 11-23).  Enemy kings would flee, and God’s people would divide the spoils.  However, it was God, not Israel’s military strength, that was the source of victory.  He promises to crush the heads of His enemies (vs. 21) - a reminder of His divine justice.

Verse 18 is a prophecy that King David made, which was fulfilled when Jesus Christ ascended into heaven (Ephesians 4:8-10).  God promises to load us with benefits (vs. 19).  In order to have room for all those benefits, we need to hand over all of our burdens and worries to Him.  He will exchange our problems for His blessings.  God promises to bear our burdens.  We are not called to bear those burdens ourselves.  Jesus invited us to give them to Him (Matthew 11:28-31).  He reminds us that we don't have to struggle on our own with fears, worries, or trials that weigh us down.  He invites us to come to Him when we are tired from carrying heavy burdens, and promises that we will find rest, and be loaded with blessings.

David proceeded to bring the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing where God resided, into Jerusalem, the Lord’s procession into the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle (vs. 24-27).  A majestic parade of singers, musicians, and tribes celebrates God’s enthronement.  God dwells among His people in holiness.  David then closes the psalm speaking of Yahweh’s universal reign (vs. 28-35).  There is coming a day when all nations will bring Him tribute, and kingdoms sing His praises.  This will occur during the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus.

As we close this psalm, we can see that, as believers, we can trust God to fight our battles.  He still scatters enemies - both spiritual, moral, and circumstantial.  Yahweh also cares for the weak, and bears our burdens, so we can rest in His provision.  From Sinai to Zion, from King David to the Lord Jesus, from Israel to the nations, we see our God, who arises, marches, provides, judges, and reigns forever.