Psalm 14

⁰⁷             Who shall bring salvation for Israel out of Zion!

When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,

Let Jacob rejoice, and Israel be glad.

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God’s Final Triumph

For the Lord’s Day:  the 30^th of November 2003

Introduction:  In my research on this psalm, I have wondered why so many scholars and commentators feel that they must imagine the “sitz im leben” of any particular passage of scripture in order to understand it and to then make a meaningful analysis thereof?  Even though this psalm clearly indicates that it is a composition of David, some would still push the writing of it off to the generation that bewailed their exile in Babylon.

 

How little the worldly sensitive miss the ongoing recurrence of the same events in history identified by David the King.  And it isn’t just the worldly who miss the ebb and flow of the gospel cause within the historic and contemporary flow of time and providence.  A few years ago, I had exchanged some email with a person who was raving about the great spiritual revival that was going on in Ohio?  When I asked her where – she focused on the ministry of one particular congregation that was reaping a world harvest of souls for the Lord.  Why, once saved, she and her entire family had sold all they had to move almost a hundred miles to participate in the latest holiness that represented the contemporary Zion of ancient Israel.

 

Now, I am fairly certain that very many people were impacted by the apparent revival that they were caught up in.  And some were no doubt better off than they were in their previous pagan days and ways.  But, this small event affecting only one charismatic church is hardly representative of the last days for all mankind!  To be fair, of course – in the context of that congregation – a Davidic celebration was perhaps in order for all that the Lord in His mercy had allowed to happen.

 

But, we like David and all the rest of the biblical writers must temper our zeal with knowledge of the historic reality of what is effectively going on!  And in those small triumphs which the Lord blesses – thereby we should look forward all the more for the great triumph at the end of the age when the Lord returns.  I am reminded of the Hi & Lois cartoon series where the baby not only has a fascination with, but also an abiding comfort in the recurrent sunbeams which shine upon and bless the little child day by day.  Certainly a little ray of heavenly blessing is a great and wonderful thing, but it is hardly the great adventure promised when all heaven breaks loose at the end of time!

 

Development:  Nevertheless, we should be encouraged whenever the Almighty shines His love and attention upon us and thereby graces us with further knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His ongoing and eternal kingdom.  “Who shall bring salvation for Israel out of Zion,” David asks at the end of this psalm fourteen.

 

David knows, even as the worldly wicked realize as well: it is the Lord God Creator of all the earth whose saving works abide with the elect in this life as well as the next.  And it is the confidence in what not only God does in the present but also what He intends to do in the future.  Yes, David has realized the quiet presence of the Lord in his life for many, many years even as he prays for an ongoing demonstration of His plan and purpose in all events.

 

Just as we had mentioned with the “sunbeam” analogy earlier, the salvation of the Lord is also present and future.  And having known the work of the Lord in bringing us to the saving graces present in this life, all the more we may have confidence that He is coming again at the end of the age, and as a demonstration of that hope – He can be counted on to bless and protect those who count upon Him day to day.

 

But, that being said – we are still frustrated with the ongoing conflict of our blessed world view with every other base, false and corrupt view that would drive history in any way but heavenward.  We have only to watch the fanatics in Iraq, who are attempting to scare away every military, charitable and information agency that might have a positive impact on the future of those citizens who used to be held hostage to every base desire of the corrupt thugs who once were in power.

 

In our own culture – the despisers of God and His providential love and care: they do everything to debase His name and drive His people from the public square.  Why the intense opposition?  Why, if the word of the Lord becomes better known – then their own warped desires and wicked lusts would be exposed for what they are!

 

“Who shall bring salvation for Israel out of Zion,” as we well know, it won’t be Congress, any agency or institution wrapped up in humanistic endeavor!  The common and spiritual saving graces:  personal, societal and final are all at the beck and call of the Triune Creator God alone!

 

And when any of those are realized then we are ready to appreciate the second line of our text for today:  “When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people.”  It is His doing down through the millennia.  It is His will and purpose that comes about when He turns the wicked impulses, programs and desires of the wicked to naught.  In all the goings on in the Middle East this year, the reality of American military power remains negligible in comparison to the world wide public opinion machine managed by the liberal socialists both here and abroad.  I can still remember the Tet Offensive during the Vietnamese Conflict.  American soldiers won that terrible ordeal hands down – the turning point of the war had been reached.  But, then Uncle Walter and the other media giants snatched defeat right out of the jaws of victory – and we have been much diminished as a people ever since.  The present war against terrorism is more about those same powerful worldly elitists who would rather bring in their own version of social progress than anything else.

 

Certainly, we can hope, pray and work for a restoration of the former glories of Christ’s Church in our fair land – however, this is to be seen properly at bottom: as the business and work of the Lord Himself.  Yes, there is much groundwork to be done and as much work and witness as we can afford and get away with.  Yet, finally as in all other ages and places the advance of the kingdom is a work beyond our small abilities to accomplish.  After all, it is even impossible for us to work a true conversion in the hearts of any. 

 

There are of course social conversions if the cause of Christ appears to be the decent and necessary thing to do.  The Muslims achieve the same impact at the threat of the sword and thereby the real Christians are found out when the two religions clash and the minority are martyred home to be with Christ.  But, it is always their witness that strengthens the Church and wherever their blood is shed – usually the church is revived and strengthened.  In our day and age, the Chinese communists have done more to advance the cause of Christ than any foreign mission organization.  Of course, just as in the persecution of David and his spiritual kin – that increase was not the necessary purpose, but the turning of the wicked doings of mere mortals to accomplish the higher purpose and providential growth of the very Church against which their enmity is aimed.

 

Application:  The last two lines of our poetic prophecy give us a hint at the future of the church in every place and time: “When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, and Israel be glad.”  This is always to be the work of the church – giving: praise, honor, thanks and glory to the Lord of lords, King of kings – the Triune God of heaven and earth.  It doesn’t really matter if revival and reformation come in our life time because the life of the church here on earth is only a temporal thing – destined to last a short time.  A short time in comparison to the eternity that we shall enjoy in all the forever afters spent when the Church triumphant is taken home to be with Christ at the end of the age.

 

And yet, there are continuing hints of that coming glory all along.  There are always and ever, small hints of what the Lord intends to do as well as a continuing positioning of the Church to continue the great spiritual battle being undertaken in the hostile territory of this small planet.  This week, I read that in the socialist desert of a uniting Europe – the younger generations that have known nothing but the reign of man’s flawed vision, have become spiritually hungry for something, even anything more!  Even as we prepare missionaries to send over there in a third great crusade for the hearts of our ancestral homeland.

 

In the Indian subcontinent, I read a month ago about four native men who have caught the missionary vision to reach their countrymen.  They have organized a plan to send out believers two by two into the villages of Northern and Central India.  In spite of the Hindu proposition to disallow any religious conversions – their plan continues to be implemented.  And you know what, the national Congress of India has little power to hold back the great Kingdom of our Lord and Christ!

 

Their may be casualties in this grand conflict, even as there are ongoing military casualties in the Mid-East.  However, our great spiritual commander has also visited our planet, served us supper and encouraged us to continue the battle.  May we take heed of David’s situation and thereby hope, pray and work for the increase of Christ’s Kingdom in our day and age.  Amen.

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PREACHING RESOURCES

Calvin, John:  Commentary on Book of Psalms.

Delitzsch, F:  Commentary on the Old Testament – Psalms.

Spurgeon, C.H:  Treasury of David.

The Westminster Confession & Catechisms.

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