Messiah in the Psalms
The Psalms are filled with references to the “anointed” one and to many of the things that Jesus went through and said in his earthly ministry. How is it that literature dating back, in many cases, more than a thousand years before Christ could so accurately and specifically relate to the ministry and life of Jesus?
Just before his ascension Jesus states clearly how this could be: Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44)
The Old Testament was not a random collection of writings about the Jewish people but a supernatural treatise on how God was planning to rescue man from sin through the work of Messiah Jesus. Jesus was saying that all that was preserved in the ancient writings foretold his life.
Consider Psalm 2, written in four strophes likely about David but clearly representing the ultimate King to come. In the first strophe, the nations are seen as raging or “noisily assembling” against the king. They meditate on evil as the godly man in Psalm 1 meditated on the law of the Lord. “Why?” the Psalmist inquires, would the nations devise such futility?
In the second strophe we see God’s response of derision because he has established his king and it is utter folly to think they can so easily dismiss his authority. They have deceived themselves about who they are and the power of this king! David was God’s anointed and essentially the representative of the Messiah.
The third strophe makes the statement, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Brown, Driver and Briggs, O.T. Hebrew scholars, describe begotten as “formally installing the king into theocratic rights.” God had anointed David as King and he would do so with Christ as well. This king holds office by divine appointment!
The final strophe is a warning to all who “plot in vain,” taking their stand in opposition to the king. Their only hope is to “serve the king with fear” or perish in the king’s wrath. The parallels to King Jesus are unmistakable and there are dozens more woven throughout the Psalms. Consider a few of the most readily recognized (not in any order).
--“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 22:1
--“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” 118:2
--“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 22:7,8
--“…a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 22:16-18
--“Into your hand I commit my spirit” 31:5
--“The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage.’” 2:7,8
--“You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” 110:4
--“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” 41:9
These are but a selected sampling of what Jesus must have instructed the disciples in as he “…opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45) By some counts there are over 90 prophecies in the Psalms that are fulfilled in Christ! Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (that covers the whole of the O.T.) spoke of Jesus and he wanted the disciples to know that he was ultimately the subject of all of the sacred Hebrew Scriptures!
Messiah in the Psalms
July 7, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Our King
September 19, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Our King The older I get the more moved I am when reading of the stately, regal presence of kings. Where does this innate, at times emotional, honor come from? Why am I so drawn to Aslan as the rightful King of Narnia? To Aragorn, King of Gondor, as he steps down from his throne to honor Frodo, Pippen, and Merry? To prince Kardia as he rids the realm of the evil sorcerer Hocoino? When I think of kings I do not think of evil kings, though there have been far more evil kings than beneficent kings in the history of the world! Why do really good kings reside primarily in the minds of men longing for the reign of a righteous ruler? Perhaps because we have a “heart image” of the perfect King in Christ Jesus. This perfect King was promised by God to come from King David’s lineage (you can read about it in II Samuel 7) For several hundred years the kings of Israel proved that they were incapable of fulfilling the hope of the people that “this might be the one!” The prophet Isaiah wrote his 66 chapters with this king theme as a primary focus and gave us this amazing truth: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” Is. 9:2,6,7 Some 700+ years later this prophecy was fulfilled! “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Lk. 1:31-33 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Mt.2:1,2 The narrative of Jesus birth is filled with O.T. references to this future king who would fulfill the promise of God to have a righteous King on the throne of David. None of the kings in Israel’s history proved to be the picture promised by God – while there were a handful of good kings who “…did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…” even these often reverted to sinful, selfish leadership. Ultimately, the ministry of Jesus provoked the religious and civil authorities to see him as a rival king and have him crucified. Even in this mock trial and his subsequent crucifixion his real identity surfaces. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” Mt 27:11 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Mt. 27:37 And so, the only truly sinless King offered himself as a sacrifice for man’s sin. As a righteous, compassionate, and gracious King he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord!” Completely!! Just as the prophetic literature was fulfilled in Jesus first coming it speaks clearly about his second coming. He will return, not as the lamb of God, but as the Lion of Judah to restore his creation and subjugate all the rebellion and evil against him. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Rev. 17:14 “On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Rev. 19:16 Those who serve other kings and refuse to honor him will ultimately be confronted with the Truth “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:10,11 Yes, we should get goose bumps and choke back tears as we envision the rule of our future righteous King. He comes to conquer evil, to establish justice, and to fully restore his creation. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Real Marriage
August 23, 2021 • Larry Elliott
Real Marriage Written by: Larry Elliott Marriages often travel through three stages over some period of time. The new couple may well begin infatuated with each other and, over time, with the realization that this person has flaws and issues, the relationship may move to one of disenchantment. Healthy relationships move through these stages on to maturity and genuine love. How do we get to this maturity stage without getting derailed by anger, bitterness, or apathy? What could we identify as the disciplines and practices that are the marks of a healthy relationship? What sets us up for success or failure? What should I do to prepare myself for a healthy marriage? Is there anything I can do to turn a troubled marriage around? Hundreds of books, sermons, and seminars have been written and presented by wise, skillful professionals on this topic. As I read my random list of questions, I must confess there is no way I could possibly answer them in the next six hundred words! 😉 Or six hundred pages for that matter! What follows here are two grossly oversimplified truths that I believe give the greatest prospect of success in marriage! Forgiveness is the most essential element of any healthy relationship. Consider: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:31,32 “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” I Peter 3:8,9 I know, to some these are just words on a page – what happens when my raw emotions are introduced into the equation? But what if we actually predetermined to forgive as God in Christ forgave, to extend a blessing instead of reviling? Can anger, bitterness, and evil survive in such an environment? No, it cannot. As Christ followers, do we really have the right, the audacity, to ignore the commands of scripture? Do I get to pick and choose what parts I believe and practice or are they all “God-breathed?” What if I am genuinely hurt and feel rejected? Am I still to forgive and give a blessing!!?! Yes, you are. The real out workings of these truths are hammered out in open, candid, sometimes excruciatingly difficult communication. Which brings us to our second grossly oversimplified truth. You would do well to read the book of Proverbs and highlight every time this wisest of all men talks about communication (words like heart, lips, words, speech…). Consider: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Pr. 12:18 The topic of communication is addressed multiple times in nearly every chapter of Proverbs. Listen to the byproduct of negative communication according to Solomon: poverty, destruction, foolishness, regret, strife, corruption, hatred, separation, contention, shame, crushed spirits… This is the short list, but it is a sampling of what you can expect if your communication is negative and destructive. Listen to the byproduct of positive communication according to Solomon: wisdom, understanding, delights God, sweetness of life, honor, patience, protection, caring, healing, truth, peace… This also is the short list, but the contrast should be more than apparent. We have great power in speech and forgiveness - power to destroy and tear down or to heal and build up. The fact that any marriage survives is due to the goodness of God. How can two sinful, broken, selfish people ever hope to come together in such a way as to portray the good purpose of God? Observing and obeying his truths of forgiveness and communication allow us to become men and women who possess the power of God to calm, heal, and preserve life. It’s a good start!
Being a Sanctuary
June 30, 2021
Being A Sanctuary Written by: Pete McClanathan Our journey through Psalm 73 has brought us to a turnaround point for Asaph. He describes it as a time when he “went into the sanctuary of God” (Ps. 73:17). New observations began to take root in his mind and in his heart. The remainder of the psalm describes a flood of new understandings that led to resolution of his lament. We’ll visit the remainder of the psalm in a later article, but there is something we don’t want to overlook in the transition of verse 17. Exactly what is the “sanctuary of God,” and how did it make a profound impression on Asaph? Recall our discussion in the previous article. As a music director and a prophet, Asaph was quite familiar with temple worship even during the period of his lament. Yet for some time he had not found resolution. It seems safe to conclude that the act of going into the temple was not itself the source of his new perspective. We’ve speculated that there must have been something in that particular time that spoke to Asaph. Words of personal encouragement, a slightly new approach to the Book of the Law, a message in the songs, are all possibilities. The important information for us is that something did occur. And we would do well to explore what it tells us about our own conduct in the body of Christ, for it does make a difference. Consider that several groups participated in the temple worship. Most obvious were the regular circumcised Hebrew worshippers (whom we might in today’s church refer to as “the committed”). The others were biological Hebrew and Gentile participants, people who had not been circumcised into the Hebrew faith but were interested. They were called “God-fearers” in their time. We would refer to them today as “seekers.” And of course the persons in each group brought with them whatever spiritual or personal concerns that might be touching their lives, just as all of us do. This is not going to be a discussion of church strategies. There is an abundance of good material available for church leaders to explore questions of church growth and church health. Instead we are going to dive into the broad topic of how those in the body of Christ are told to behave toward others, inside and outside of the church. What should be the biblical values, goals, and tools that guide this conversation? This discussion over time will take us to many places in the Word of God. Some of them will make us uneasy. That’s not a bad thing. Accepting the challenges of scripture is a core part of biblical change and Christian growth. Let’s begin in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” There is a lot in this verse on topics of redemption, transformation, identity, and security. We’ll deal here with one particular phrase, “that you may proclaim,” four words that tie the parts of the verse together in a clear statement of purpose. How are we to serve that purpose? How ought we to present and conduct ourselves so as to be welcoming and healing sanctuaries? The New Testament of course is well-stocked with instructions on these matters. We’ll be discussing many of them as we go forward. Let’s first take another look at 1 Peter 2, this time in vs.12: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” We learn from these scriptures an obvious but often-ignored fact: People are watching us, both outside of the church and within. Those who claim the name of Christ as their Savior and Lord inherit an important, yet difficult, assignment. Though we are told that we are set apart and chosen, aliens in the world and citizens of a heavenly kingdom, the fact remains that for this time we live in the world. And we will be affected by the people, values, and events of that world. The call to conform to the world’s system of values is relentless, and it can be overwhelming at times. There arise so many opportunities to flirt with the world, to compromise, to convince ourselves that a taste of unrighteousness will not offend God or matter in His kingdom. And if that were not enough, we also carry the responsibility of being salt and light to the world. People outside of Christ (the New Testament parallel to “the Gentiles” of Peter’s letter) typically do not understand what we are, or why. Their own beliefs and experiences are the only framework for their understanding. We cannot expect them to “get it,” or to conform right away to the standards of belief and conduct that we embrace. The world’s only way to measure what Christ means to us and has done within us is what they observe us to be. People are crying out for encouragement, love, wisdom, and truth. I expect that many actually want or hope to find it in the same place we found it, that is among the body of Christ. That is the “sanctuary” that corresponds to Asaph’s experience. It does make a difference, often a significant one. We are not perfect of course, but the task obviously becomes more difficult if we display anything that might be seen as self-righteousness, pride, or a judgmental spirit, or hypocrisy in speech or behavior. Chapter 2 of Peter’s first letter again provides pointed instruction: “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy, and envy and all slander.” (1 Peter 2:1) This call is serious, and one we can find easy to disregard in day to day moments of living. How do we deal with difficult people or conflicted relationships in or outside of the church? When the actions of church leadership are not as we would wish, what should be our response, if any? What about our conduct in difficult matters? Are we forthright and honest in our business and financial dealings, in our tax filings, in our parenting, in our social interactions? Do we welcome people into our fellowship as they are, or do we filter our acceptance through our opinions of appearance, conduct, background? Is the glory of God and service to others prominent among our goals in all situations? Does a bitter, complaining spirit accompany us into our transactions and relationships? Are our responses too often affected by our own needs to be right or to be recognized? Patience, looking toward the interests of others, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, confession of our own faults . . . they all are contained in the New Testament descriptions of love and ministry. How are we doing? I think we’ll stop here and let the words of the scriptures speak to us. We’ll take a look at some practical everyday challenges soon in a later article. Meanwhile, would you do us a favor? It would be helpful to know how much readership is out there for the Park Hills blog. We’d be so grateful if you would post your comments regularly (you may have more to say than you think). As with any blog, it’s most effective when it grows into a discussion group, and I know that many of you have knowledge, wisdom, and experience that would be welcome and helpful. If you don’t wish to do so, you may consider contacting the church office (email, phone, stop by) to tell us your thoughts about what the blog is (or isn’t) doing in your life. Or mention it to any of us on a Sunday morning, at a small group meeting, or any time. Many thanks.