(Audio version: https://www.warbletonchurch.org.uk/sermons-talks/?sermon_id=335 - I actually found having fuller notes than I sometime do for an all age service rather distracting so you might notice some long pauses!)
Vv1-2: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
The world, and all who live in it;
For he has founded it upon the seas
And established it on the waters.”
God is the creator, owner, ruler and sustainer of all places and people
Everything, everyone, everywhere belongs to God who made them
The earth, fruitful, peopled, solid and established is the Lord’s
There is not a centremeter of the universe over which God doesn’t rightly say “mine!”
Seas / waters (v2) suggest threat / chaos
God rules over them
His rule is certain and secure
Vv3-4 zoom in from all people and all places to a particular place and some particular people
V3: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?”
Ascend = go up
The hill of the LORD? - mount Zion
God’s holy place ? the temple?
God’s holy presence
Holiness
We sometimes imagine that God would happily welcome everyone, like a kind of friendly grandfather giving out Werther’s Originals
But the temple in Jerusalem spoke of both welcome and no entry
God was present to bless his people
He wanted to meet with them
And he called them to come to him
But the temple also had a series of no entry signs
For the Gentile nations
For non-priests
For everyone except the high priest once a year carrying the blood of sacrifice
It is very hard for a sinful people to come into the presence of a Holy God
Terms and Conditions apply!
See v4
God’s guest list (v4):
The Entry requirements:
Clean hands? – actions
Pure heart
Pure worship – he “who does not lift up his soul to an idol”
Pure lips – “or swear by what is false”
We might say it covers:
Right living
Right thinking
Right relationship with God
Right relationship with others
None of us perfectly meet those requirements
But God promises blessing and vindication (justice / righteousness / justification) to those who sincerely seek him in his appointed way (vv5-6)
In the Old Testament, faithful covenant keeping sinners could come into God’s presence on the basis of sacrifice
The innocent animal died in their place so that they could be forgiven
And they trusted God for vindication
Only Jesus perfectly meets the requirements of v4
He is the ultimate sacrifice for sin, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
When we trust in him, we receive the gift of his righteousness, which is by God’s grace to all those who have faith in Jesus
Vv7-10 zoom in again to focus on the LORD Almighty the King of Glory
Imagine a city greeting the LORD as the victorious king, a warrior mighty in battle (v7-)
Do we think of God as a warrior?
The LORD of hosts, the LORD of armies
A triumphal procession
Cf. Palm Sunday – Jerusalem greets Jesus as the king
Cf. Jesus’ triumph by his cross and resurrection
Welcome Jesus the victorious King of Glory who defeated sin and death for us!
Praise God trusting in Jesus, the victorious King of Glory, the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, we are welcomed in and we rejoice to stand forgiven and clean in God’s holy presence.
* * *
Kidner:
King of Glory
A tiny hymn about the
power of God the creator
An entrance liturgy about
the holiness of God the Lord
A procession liturgy about
the victories of God the King
Vv1-2: The All-Creating
Vv3-6: The All-Holy
Vv7-10: The All-Victorious
* * *
Motyer:
Fling Wide The Gates
Approaching (vv1-2)
Welcoming (vv3-6)
Personal integrity (v4)
Spiritual integrity (v4b)
Social integrity (4b-6)
Entering (vv7-10)
Request (v7)
Interrogation (v8a)
Reply (v8b)
Request (v9)
Interrogation (v10a)
Reply (v10b)
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