Psalms (Program #35) – The Earth Turning to the Lord Through Zion

For all their beautiful and poetic expressions, the Psalms in great details and richness reveal Christ in many aspects.  At time, He is revealed in prophetic passages but at other times, Christ is directly spoken of by the Psalmists.  Take for example, the passages in Psalms 102, verses 25-27 “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You endure; Indeed all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing You will change them, And they will be changed….. ”  Well, apparently these are the words of the Psalmists in His affliction as He pours out His heart and anguish directly to God concerning the devastation of God’s house and God’s city.  But is this passage is quoted in Hebrews concerning Christ, we have to conclude that the Psalmist’s speaking in this Psalms is really his revelation of Christ Himself.  What is this realization opens to us in our life study of this marvelous book?

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Psalms (Program #30) –  The Psalmist’s Love for the House of God with Christ

Psalms 84 is a lovely expression of the Psalmist’s intense love and longing for God’s house.  “How lovely are Your tabernacle.” he writes.  “Oh Jehovah of hosts, my soul longs even faints for the cores of Jehovah.”  As this wonderful Psalm develops it becomes clear just what it is regarding God’s house that draws him so.  For it’s here, in God’s habitation which in His time was the tabernacle but today we realizes it’s the church that we find Christ.  It is Him that we long for and desire above all else.  Of course, this Psalm also shows us that on the way to God’s house, the journey brings us through many stations, like a valley of weeping and eventually to the two altars that reside in the tabernacle,.

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Psalms (Program #19) – The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist’s Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God’s House (6)

The Psalms are beloved by Bible readers universally. In part, maybe because for the mot part, the Psalms seems easy to understand and identify with. For example, when David or the other Psalmists were suffering, they would cry out to God for comfort, deliverance and help. We can readily identified with these. But actually some of the Psalms are mysterious to the uttermost. Consider Psalm 40, in this Psalm, on of the highest prophecy concerning the coming Christ, David appears to say to Jehovah “You do not delight in sacrifice in offering. You do not require burnt offering and sin offering.” Well, the question that must be asked is “how must the Old Testament scholars have understood such a verse?” or even more importantly how do we, as God’s New Testament believers understand such a verse?

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Psalms (Program #17) – The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist’s Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God’s House (3)

The Bible is a book of two’s.  In it we have two trees, two men, two creations and two purposes or plans, represented by two mountains.  All of which become two lines that run through entire Scripture resulting eventually in two outcomes or two consummations.  The book of Psalms clearly shows these two lines often giving us stark contrasts between the two, helping us to bring into sharp focus that God desires all His people to always be occupied with the central line, the line of Christ, the line of life.

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Psalms (Program #16) – The Mixed Expressions of the Psalmist’s Sentiment in His Enjoyment of God in God’s House (1 & 2)

One reason that the Psalms may be so beloved among Bible readers is that for the most part that the Psalms were written very simply and they are easy to understand. The Psalmists often had problems and distresses we can relate to and they came to seek the Lord out of these troubles. But if you contrast this to the way the New Testament is written, there is a big difference. Take the apostle Paul for example, he also had problems and was frequently in distress. But he didn’t speak of these troubles in the same way. His language was on a higher plan. “Great is the mystery of Godliness”, Paul writes, “Who was manifested in the flesh.” Well, surely this was referred to Christ and Paul’s focus was always, always, always on this Christ, who not only manifested God in His own flesh, but is waiting to manifest Himself in our flesh, even through the most difficult of circumstances.

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1 & 2 Samuel (Program #22) – The History Concerning David (9)

After years of being persecuted at the hands of the evil king Saul, David has finally become king, fulfilling the promise that Jehovah had given to him as a young boy. Now, the entire nation of Israel was with him. And, even the surrounding nations lent their support to him as king. But most importantly, David had Jehovah’s presence with him as well. With all things fully in order under God’s sovereign arrangement, what would David turn his attention to now?

Many before him had sought greater riches and glory for themselves, but David has a different kind of heart. David had a heart that was fully one with the Lord. So and with his own house in order, David turned his full attention to God’s house. What a marvelous picture and pattern for us as believers today.

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Exodus (Program #174) – The Erection of the Tabernacle – God’s Side and Our Side, Two beginnings, Moses, The Need for Reality

In the final chapter of Exodus we see the people of God carrying out His plan and erecting the tabernacle, His dwelling place.  The completion of this work brings in a two-fold presence of God’s glory.  First it covered the tabernacle or tent of meeting as a cloud outwardly and then it filled the tabernacle within.  God’s House brings man into contact with God’s glory.

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Exodus (Program #172) – The Making of the Tabernacle with Its Furniture and the Garments for the Priests

When the children of Israel were escaping Egypt, the Lord granted them favor and allowed them to take much gold, silver and other precious materials with them.  Later they used that gold to make an idol, offending God to the uttermost.  But after being reconciled to Him they were able to offer this gold once again.  This time for the building of God’s House.  This brought in God’s full blessing.  This is a wonderful lesson for us today.

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Exodus (Program #160) – The Workers of the Tabernacle, the Furniture and the Priestly Garment – The Wise Master Builder, Filled with the Spirit of God

A major topic in the New Testament has to do with building up of God’s House or the building of the church. Yet the details for this important building work may be most clearly seen in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Exodus.

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Exodus (Program #112) – The Court of the Tabernacle (3)

The door or entrance to a building usually says a lot about that building.  For example, the entrance to a state capital or even the White House will give us an impression of the nature of what is within the building.  What about the building of God?  what does the entrance say about the nature and expression of God’s House?  Stay with us today as we look at the gate of the tabernacle of God and in it find the full salvation of Jesus Christ.

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