24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
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I was thinking about travel this morning, scheduled now for Saturday. This Psalm reminds me of the glory of Jesus, bundled up for His travel, hardly known at all.
The Church today draws on her own glory, in contrast to the Scriptures. The ancient Hebrew foundation of the Messiah was long in coming to Israel. Even then, He matured into an adult while the priests and rabbis wondered and feared what was coming. They had the Word of God in their own hands, so they watched and listened. The Two Natures of Jesus, human and divine, kept His unique position among His people. Many gathered around Him - others shunned Him as a leper.
Over the centuries the kingdoms surrounded their cities with great stone walls and military devices. So warlike! The Jewish people captured their water underneath Jerusalem, but one thing - terror - locked them among the gigantic walls so that no one could leave.
The Great Wall flattened Jerusalem, and Rome eventually gave into its own power. "The glory that was Rome is of another day."
But the greatest power came from the Son of God, dying for those who believed in Him. The minority learned that the Christian Faith could be hammered and persecuted to the ends of the earth, but the Faith of Jesus is greater than everyone.
The squeamish seminarians of the 1970s (I was there) were opposed to anything warlike, but what did they believe? Revelation makes it clear that the ultimate message is from God
21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
