Psalm 87:1-7
Zion, City of God! This is the thought which holds a threefold meaning: The Israelites heading for Zion for each big event; The church is our Zion of today; and, Our born-again experience is a Zion of God's presence eternally ours every day and forever!
Without further descriptions, except to say this Psalm was written by the sons of Korah, I will turn to Psalm 87:1-3-(CEB)-and begin.
"God's foundation is set on the Holy Mountain (Zion)"
(It is Holy because God said so!-Psalm 2:6-"Yet have I set My King on My Holy Hill of Zion." God established this city as His city-Matthew 21:4-11)
"The Lord loves Zion's gates more than all of Jacob's houses combined."
(Zion's gates were the entrance to the city of His Presence; Psalm 78:67-69)
"Glorious things are said about you, the City of God!"
(City of the True God; Isaiah 60:1; Some day it will come down to all as He sets it here for us!-Revelations 21:1-7)
God keeps track on a list from all nations of those who turn to Him in Faith! Next we consider Psalm 87:4-6-(TEV)-
"When I list the nations that OBEY ME,"
(NKJV says " I will make mention...").
Then He goes on to say, "I WILL INCLUDE:
1. "Egypt," (Isaiah 30:7; Not the rebellious ones but the believers who went with Israel when they left Egypt.-Exodus 12:37-38-mixed multitude went up with them also).
2. Babylonia," (Full of idols and apostasy but there were believers even there. The Tower of Babel was the folly but some Believed God?)
"And I will say of:"
3. "Philistia,"
4. "Tyre,"
5. "Ethiopia," (Remember the Ethiopian Eunuch who later listened to God's Word from Phillip in Acts 8:29-39. Evidently there were others also)
"That they also belong to Jerusalem."
(There were believers in many nations as Israel traveled from Egypt to Ethiopia)
God has His people because of our testimony even when we are not aware of it. If they believe, then they receive! Eternal Citizens of all nations believing in God! Never say never for "With God all things are possible to them who believe!"- Mark 9:23
"Of Zion it will be said that all nations belong there, and the Most High will make her strong."
(In Hezekiah's Day there were foreigners worshipping at the temple with Jewish people; Psalm 47:2-4; 78:34b-"They returned and sought Earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer."; 82:6-"...children of the Most High.")
"The Lord will write a list of the peoples, and include them all as citizens of Jerusalem."
(Zion people, though foreigners, were considered by God to be born there. He Re-wrote their birth certificates. Note the re-birth in Jesus Christ-John 3:3-8-"...unless he is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God...that which is born of theSpirit is spirit..."
This is a prophetic part of this Psalm as it relates to an unending result of belief in God.;
Isaiah 4:3-6-"And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called HOLY-Everyone who is recoded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of Burning, (purging out sin)! Then the Lord will create above every Dwelling Place (over Your own life) of Mount Zion and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and a shining OF a flaming fire by night (Over our lives His Presence Dwells). For over all the Glory there will be a covering . And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of REFUGE, and for a shelter from the storm or rain."
Also read Isaiah 2:1-4 as. Future promise to all believers of every nation.
The final verse is from Psalm 87:7-(NKJV)-"Both the singers and the players on instruments say, 'All My springs are in You."
(Isaiah 12:2-6-description of God's Salvation; Titus 2:11-14-"For the Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to ALL MEN...WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US...")
We are told in Titus 2:15 to "SPEAK THESE THINGS, EXHORT, AND REBUKE WITH ALL AUTHORITY. LET NO ONE DESPISE YOU."
This is where I stand fulfilling God's Word in my own life. We have been given a responsibility for the Grace of God in us to pass it on -SO HERE IT IS!!!
GOD HAS MADE A LIST WHICH INCLUDES ALL BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS, NO MATTER WHAT NATION THEY COME FROM, FOR WE ALL HAVE NEW BIRTH CERTIFICATES FROM HEAVEN IN JESUS' NAME!!!!
Next time...