08-CHAPTER EIGHT - When the Psalmist Saw the King
CHAPTER EIGHT When the Psalmist Saw the King
LET US TURN now to the Psalms of David. Let us see what he can tell us about the King and His kingdom. We will find that he had a great deal to say about the sufferings of CHRIST and His future glory. JESUS, you remember, told His disciples that there were many prophecies written about Him in the Psalms (Luke 24:44).
First, Psalms 2:6 : "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." The entire Psalm is Messianic. The heathen rage. Kings and rulers take counsel together. They would tear GOD from His throne in Heaven, fools that they are. What a picture of communism! But GOD can afford to laugh at them in their impotence, and, when He is ready, pour out His wrath upon them, for, in spite of all they can do, JESUS CHRIST will be enthroned at Jerusalem, and all nations will bow to His authority. The heathen will become His inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth His possession. He will rule them with a rod of iron and instantly judge the rebellious.
He Shall Have Dominion
Second, Psalms 22:27-28 : "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations."
While most of the Psalm deals with the first advent, these two verses refer to the second. All earth’s inhabitants will turn to the Lord, not now, but when He comes again. Universal worship will then be His. Why? Because it is His kingdom that is to be set up and He, JESUS CHRIST, is to rule and govern the nations. The King of Glory has at last come into His own (Psalms 24:7-10). In Psalm 72 we have the most perfect picture of the Messiah and His glorious kingdom of the entire book. JESUS is King. He is to judge in righteousness. What a contrast to earth’s rulers. "He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment." (Psalms 72:2)
Nations large and small will be characterized by peace and righteousness during His reign. "The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness." (Psalms 72:3)
Swift will be the judgment meted out on all oppressors. "He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." (Psalms 72:4)
Today the wicked triumph. Dictators oppress the people, but "in his days shall the righteous flourish." What a change!
"He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth!" (Psalms 72:8) What a prediction! Oh, what a dominion!
CHRIST at last is supreme. He reigns over the whole world. His rule is universal. Even in the lonely wilderness the natives submit to His rule, and His enemies everywhere are defeated. Kings and potentates bring Him presents and acknowledge His Kingship over them. "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him." (Psalms 72:11) Hallelujah! What a Ruler!
"His name shall endure for ever . . . all nations shall call him blessed." (Psalms 72:17)
Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander, Nero, Napoleon, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin - all of them - earth’s greatest rulers, have come and gone. Most of them have already been forgotten. But his name, the name of JESUS, will endure forever. The lowly carpenter of Nazareth, whom men crucified, is destined to become the supreme Ruler of the world, unequalled by any other. No wonder the Psalmist cries as he beholds the vision, "And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." (Psalms 72:19) So be it and so let it be. The Glories of Zion
Last of all, Psalms 102:13-16 : "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in hailstones, and favour the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory."
There is a time appointed by GOD Himself for the restoration of His people and the glorification of Jerusalem. That time will surely come. For Jerusalem is to become the most wonderful city in all the world. In that day all the kings of earth will fear the glory of the Lord. When will be the time? When will He rebuild and beautify Jerusalem? When He appears in Glory. At the time of His return to earth. When He comes back to reign as King on David’s throne. Then, and not until then, will this great change take place.
Then, and not until then, will Zion become GOD’s city. But the time is coming when His purposes for Jerusalem will be carried out; for Zion is to be the capital of the great King, JESUS CHRIST. The Jews may try to rebuild the city now, but they will not succeed. Only the Messiah Himself is equal to the task. No wonder the prophets sing of the glories of Zion during the Millennium. "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule. thou it, the midst of thine enemies" (Psalms 110:2). And now, at long last, Revelation 11:15 has been gloriously fulfilled: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Thus will it be when the King comes back to reign. But what, my friend, about you? Does JESUS CHRIST govern your life? Is there peace in your heart? Do you recognize Him as Lord of lords and King of kings? Does He reign in your soul? It is an individual matter, you see. You do not have to wait until the Millennium to own your allegiance. You can acknowledge Him now.
Nineteen hundred years ago He died for you on Calvary’s cross. Your sins were laid on Him.
Now, all you have to do is to open your heart’s closed door to Him and invite Him to come in.
You have sinned. The Bible says, "All have sinned" (Romans 3:23). Will you admit it? Then, if you have sinned, you are lost, and you need a Saviour. Do you know it? Moreover, you cannot save yourself. All your works, your religion, your goodness, will not avail in the least. You need a Saviour.
But, thank GOD, JESUS CHRIST can save you. He loved you enough to die for you. Your sins He bore in His own body on the tree. "The soul that sinneth it shall die," (Ezekiel 18:20) GOD says. But you do not have to die. CHRIST died that you might live. He has provided salvation for you. "It is finished," (John 19:30) was His cry from the Cross!
What then must you do? You must accept Him as your own personal Saviour. "As many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). Water may be available, but you must drink it or you will still be thirsty. Food may be provided, but you must eat it or you will starve. Salvation is offered, but, unless you accept it, it will never be yours. A pardon must be received to be of value.
Well now, will you choose CHRIST? You must make the decision. If you do, He will save you. You will be forgiven. You will have peace. Eternal life will be yours. But if you reject Him, you will perish. It is wonderful to have peace in the world, but it is still more wonderful to have peace in your heart. And that peace, my friend, may be yours right here and now, long before the coming of the Millennium. Oh, then, let me beg of you to receive JESUS CHRIST this moment as your Lord and Saviour, and then you will be ready for the Millennium. Will you do it? Do it, and do it NOW.
~ end of chapter 8 ~
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