1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,280 So tonight, I don't want to begin. 2 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,640 Everybody who was born in the United States raised their hand. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:06,280 Yeah. I can't raise my hand because I 4 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:07,760 wasn't born in the United States. 5 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:09,120 Not bad. Not bad. 6 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,040 OK. Who was born outside the United 7 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:13,520 States? Will you tell me tonight? 8 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,600 Tell me the country of the city, El Salvador. 9 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,960 Praise the Lord. Belize, Vietnam. 10 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,840 Who else? Mexico, Mexico. 11 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:33,760 Costa Rica. OK, Back Mexico, Philippines, 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:42,400 Nicaragua, Korea, where Mexico, praise the Lord of the lot. 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,400 OK, I wasn't born in the United States. 14 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,560 I was born in Khartoum, Sudan, Africa. 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,080 My parents were missionaries and I don't remember anything about 16 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,120 Sudan because when I was one years old they moved over the 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,720 mission board moved them to Ethiopia. 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,960 So I remember Ethiopia, but my father was a Canadian at the 19 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:05,280 time and my mother was American. So they went to the embassy and 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,080 they registered me as a United States citizen, even though my 21 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,280 dad was Canadian. So I always thought I wasn't 22 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,360 able to be the president of the United States because to be the 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,400 president of the United States, you have to be born in America. 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,040 But I have since learned that you can be a natural born 25 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,480 citizen. You can be born overseas as long 26 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,480 as your parents register you, you can be the president. 27 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,440 Well, I never was the president, not because that reasons, but 28 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,960 but I became a natural. I wasn't a natural born citizen, 29 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,040 but of course I was AUS citizen. And our Psalm tonight is Psalm 30 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,040 87. It's a really short one. 31 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,040 Follow Psalms 86 that we looked at last week. 32 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,800 By the way, who did their homework last week? 33 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,720 Anybody who memorized Psalm 8615? 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:50,920 I already had Bill chalk to me tonight. 35 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,040 Anybody else? OK, so you have to complete that 36 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:59,280 homework assignment. But Psalm 86, nine verse 9 says 37 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,600 all the nations whom you have made shall come and worship 38 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,120 before you. So our Psalm tonight, Psalm 87, 39 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,240 is a special one because it tells us that God welcomes the 40 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,840 nations of the world as natural born citizens of Zion. 41 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,880 Psalm 87 might be the best statement in Scripture of God's 42 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,800 love for all people and his intentions to save the nation's. 43 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,240 One commentator called it the greatest missionary Psalm in the 44 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,880 book of Psalms. Here is a vision, not of 45 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,240 destruction of the enemies, which we usually see in Psalms, 46 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:37,560 right? David is always calling him 47 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,200 preparatory prayers on his enemies, but here we're going to 48 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:46,920 see the the enemies conversion. God promised Abraham in Genesis 49 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:51,680 12 that in you all the nations of the world will be blessed. 50 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,560 We have a superscription and it says a Psalm of songs, of Korah, 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,760 a song. So let's read Psalm 87. 52 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,920 On the holy mount stands the city he founded. 53 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,560 The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling 54 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,200 places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are 55 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,280 spoken. O city of God, Among those who 56 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,720 know me, I mentioned Rahab and Babylon. 57 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,400 Behold, Phyllis stop and tire. And with Kush. 58 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,480 This one was born there, they say, and of Zion it shall be 59 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,520 said, this one and that one were born in her, for the Most High 60 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,840 himself will establish her. The Lord record records as he 61 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,720 registers the people. This one was born there. 62 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,720 Singers and dancers alike say, all my springs are in you. 63 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,200 Let's pray. Father, we love and thank you 64 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,480 for what you're doing at Christ Community Church this morning 65 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,800 with VBS and now a chance to study God's Word. 66 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,080 May we leave here tonight knowing more of you and your 67 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:52,680 plan for each of us in our lives. 68 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,920 In Jesus name, Amen. The type of Psalm. 69 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,160 This is called a song as it says in a superscription, or it could 70 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:02,880 be called the songs of Jerusalem. 71 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:10,800 There's about five of them. Psalms 46 Psalms, 48 Psalms 8487 72 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,480 and 122 are often called Songs of Jerusalem, and it's written 73 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:20,120 by the sons of Korah. They wrote 11 Psalms, and we've 74 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,960 already looked at, I think we looked at 44 earlier this month. 75 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:30,200 But according to the predictions of God through Moses, that the 76 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,360 Israelites, while they were still in the wilderness, 77 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,600 Jerusalem was going to become the central city of Israel, the 78 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,560 place where the temple would be built, and it would be a visible 79 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,920 expression of God's presence with his people. 80 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,080 Is there any history behind this Psalm? 81 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,760 A lot of the commentators and I noticed that a lot of 82 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,600 commentators skipped this Psalm, but a lot others think that it 83 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,120 was written after King Hezekiah's victory when the when 84 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,560 the Assyrian army was wiped out. We talked about that last week. 85 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,680 Remember 185,000 soldiers, The Angel of the Lord came in one 86 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,520 night and killed them all. But just a couple verses later 87 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:11,320 in Second Chronicles 3223, it says, and many brought gifts to 88 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,440 the Lord to Jerusalem. Who are those? 89 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,240 Those would be the enemy nations. 90 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,800 They brought gifts to the Lord in Jerusalem and precious things 91 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:23,200 to Hezekiah, king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight 92 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,400 of all nations from that time onwards. 93 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,320 So following that great victory, you know those enemy nations 94 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:34,560 would hear about 185,000 people from the the largest army in the 95 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,200 world and the most vicious army in the world were killed in one 96 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,720 night. Well they, they brought tribute 97 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,520 to King Hezekiah. So it's possible that this Psalm 98 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:44,720 was written after that great victory. 99 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,400 Hope you have an outline. We have three simple points. 100 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,080 The city that the city built by God verses one to three. 101 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,000 The city inhabited by his children 4 to 6, and the city 102 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,160 that enjoys his abundant blessings. 103 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,800 Let's look at point #1 the city that's built by God. 104 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,280 What does the Bible say about Mount Zion or Zion? 105 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,560 So let's just talk about the word for a minute. 106 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:14,080 The word Zion appears in my translation, the ESV here 163 107 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,720 times. OK, That's 156 times in the Old 108 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,280 Testament and only seven times in the New Testament. 109 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,320 It's listed in the history book 6 times. 110 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,240 It's listed in the poetry books 40 times, of which 39 are in 111 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:33,720 Psalms, once in the Song of Solomon, but then the Major 112 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:39,240 Prophets 79 times, the Minor Prophets 31 times, and we'll 113 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,160 talk about why that's important later In the New Testament, 114 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:47,520 Zionists listed seven times, in the Gospel in Acts 2 times, but 115 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,200 both those occurrences are quotes from the Old Testament. 116 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,240 Paul quotes it twice, but both times his quotes are from the 117 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,800 Old Testament and the General Epistles. 3 * 1 of which is an 118 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,080 Old Testament quote. So the importance of Zion in 119 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,360 Psalms. It's 39 times we hear about Zion 120 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,640 in Psalms. Psalms 129 five says let all who 121 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,680 hate Zion be put to shame and turn backward. 122 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,960 As I was preparing this Psalm the last couple weeks, missiles 123 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:23,800 were raining down on Zion and I'm thinking this Psalm let all 124 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:25,960 who hates Zion be put to shame and turn backward. 125 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,840 And boy did Israel have a stupendous victory. 126 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:34,480 Psalm 13213 says For Yahweh has chosen Zion, He has desired it 127 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,080 for his habitation. And Psalms 13521 blessed be 128 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,640 Yahweh from Zion who dwells in Jerusalem. 129 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,720 So let's talk about be the greatness of Zion. 130 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,320 The Bible describes Zion as the city of David, second Samuel 5 131 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,560 Seven First Kings 81. By the way, I'm going to give 132 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:55,360 you a lot of verses tonight. So if you want to write them 133 00:07:55,360 --> 00:08:00,760 down. 11 Wednesday night when we were in the Book of Revelation, 134 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,560 I counted Lance quoted over a 100 passage of scripture. 135 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,080 I'm not going to break that record tonight, but I might get 136 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,600 half of it. So just write these verses down. 137 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,640 It's the Bible describes Zion as the city of David, Second Samuel 138 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,400 5, seven First Kings 81, the city of Jerusalem, Isaiah 3320, 139 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:25,360 Psalm 5118 the entire Jewish nation, Isaiah 3314, Zechariah 140 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:32,760 913 the millennial Jerusalem, Joel 232, Isaiah 2 verses 2 to 3 141 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,240 and the eternal heavenly Jerusalem, Hebrews 12/22. 142 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:42,480 Why is Zion so great? You know, most powerful cities, 143 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,440 and when you look through the history of the world, they're on 144 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,720 riverbanks or they're on oceans and, and because they need 145 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:54,160 water, and so very rarely is there a city like Jerusalem, one 146 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,560 commentator said. Archaeologists and historians 147 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,280 have long wondered why Jerusalem should have been established 148 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,360 where it was and why it should have become great. 149 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,360 It enjoys none of the physical features which favored the 150 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,800 advancement and prosperity of other important cities in the 151 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,160 world. It stands at the head of no 152 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,040 great river. It overlooks no great harbor. 153 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,680 It commands no great highway and no crossroads. 154 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,760 It is is not close to abundant sources of water, often the 155 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,280 major reason for establishment of a settlement. 156 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:31,280 The one main natural springs offered a modest supply. 157 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,560 It possesses no mineral riches. It's off the main trade routes. 158 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:40,600 It held no strategic key to conquest of vast areas prized by 159 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,680 the ancient warring empires. Indeed, it was blessed with 160 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:48,160 neither special economic nor topographical virtues, which 161 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,640 might explain why it should have ever become more than a small, 162 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,400 anonymous mountain village with a fade any different from that 163 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,160 of most of the contemporary villages which have vanished 164 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,080 from sight. The reason for its greatness, of 165 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,040 course, is that it was chosen by God. 166 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,880 He founded it upon the holy mountain, and He loves its gates 167 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,720 more than all the other cities or towns in the land. 168 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,440 And its greatest glory is still future, when it will be the 169 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,440 capital of the Messianic Kingdom, a royal city of the 170 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,680 long-awaited king. This Psalm looks forward to that 171 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:25,920 day when glorious things will be spoken of Zion, the city of God. 172 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:27,840 Let's look at numbers some point. 173 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,440 See the Mount Zion, the mountain. 174 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,440 Our text says on the holy mountain stands the city. 175 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,920 You know, upon this mountain, the sacred land. 176 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:42,680 There was a lot about scripture even before a lot about 177 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:46,800 Jerusalem even for Zion. The name Zion came up in Genesis 178 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,760 14/8. Remember the battle 5 Kings 179 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,840 verse the four kings and Abraham had to go rescue Lot. 180 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,520 And it says in Genesis 14-8 after the battle of the kings of 181 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:03,280 Abraham, he met Melchizedek the king priest of Salem. 182 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:08,120 And we know that Salem in Genesis 14 is Jerusalem before 183 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:12,280 it became Jerusalem because Psalm 76 two says so. 184 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:16,200 His Tabernacle is in Salem. His dwelling place is in Zion. 185 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,200 And then you just go a couple more chapters in Genesis, 186 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,320 Genesis 22, and you know the story God told Abraham. 187 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,080 Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to 188 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,760 the land of Moriah. And there Abraham agreed to do 189 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,400 the unthinkable. He bound his only son. 190 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,760 He prepared to sacrifice him, having faith that God would 191 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,440 instead provide a lamb for the burnt offering. 192 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,160 And it says in verse 14. So Abraham called that place the 193 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,600 Lord will provide. And if you go to Second 194 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,800 Chronicles 31, it says Solomon began to build the House of the 195 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,040 Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. 196 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,680 So God provided a lamb instead of Isaac to be offered. 197 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:03,480 And many years later God would not let His son go. 198 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,680 He sacrificed his only son on the cross on Mount Moriah and 199 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:11,000 First Chronicles 21 verses 14 to 18. 200 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,840 You remember David had sinned when he did the census. 201 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,800 He getting prideful, he wanted to count all his troops and God 202 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,920 told her, Nathan told David that you need to go to the threshing 203 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:25,280 floor of Orn and the Jebusite and and that is where Solomon 204 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,880 built the temple there. So even before the word Zion 205 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,880 comes up and we'll talk about it in second Samuel 5 seven, why is 206 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,760 Mount Zion important? Mount Zion is not just an 207 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,480 important historical or spiritual landmark for Israel. 208 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,360 From the time the Ark of the Covenant was moved into the city 209 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:46,800 of David, then later into the temple that Solomon built, Zion 210 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,360 became the hub of worship that represents the presence of God. 211 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,120 Psalms 50 verse one and two says the Mighty One, God the Lord, 212 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,800 speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to 213 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:03,720 where it sets from Zion. Perfect in beauty, God shines 214 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,800 forth. It's also called a holy 215 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:11,280 mountain, Psalms 26 says, But As for me, I have installed my king 216 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:16,880 upon Zion, my holy mountain. Isaiah 11/9 says they shall not 217 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,320 hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. 218 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:24,720 Isaiah 56 seven. These I will bring to my holy 219 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,000 mountain and make them joyful in my House of prayer. 220 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,520 It's also D Zion is a strong city. 221 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:36,640 It says he founded that means God founded it, the creator of 222 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,760 the universe, the omnipotent Almighty God. 223 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:43,280 So the first time the word Zion is found in our Bible is second 224 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,120 Samuel chapter 5 verses six to seven. 225 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,680 And you remember the story it says, and the David and his men 226 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:54,320 went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of 227 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,840 the land, who said to David, you shall not come in here, but the 228 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:01,960 blind and the lane will ward you off thinking David cannot come 229 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,880 in here. Nevertheless, David captured the 230 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:09,000 fortress of Zion, that is the city of David. 231 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,920 So remember this is a strategic city, a strong city. 232 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,880 Remember Nebuchadnezzar in 586, it took him two years with the 233 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,760 most powerful army in the world to conquer Jerusalem. 234 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,080 So Zion is a strong city. E Zion is a beloved people. 235 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,360 It says the Lord loves the gates of Zion. 236 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:31,080 The gates of Zion is the city of Jerusalem, and it's the people 237 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:35,440 of Jerusalem. Isaiah 3314 says the sinners in 238 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,720 Zion are afraid, trembling has seized the godless. 239 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,920 So that's talking about the Jews in the city of Zion. 240 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:47,040 Zechariah 913 says, For I have bent Judah as my bow, I have 241 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:51,480 made Ephraim as its arrow. I will stir up your sons of Zion 242 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,720 against your sons, O Greece, and wield like a warrior's sword. 243 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,640 So the word Zion is first found in Second Samuel 5 seven. 244 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,600 And it's not a a word that today it's often used negatively. 245 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,160 You see these protests from these people in mostly, you 246 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,680 know, sometimes downtown LA. But in New York, they don't like 247 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,360 the word Zion and they'll have they'll have bad things to say 248 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,840 about Zionism. So the movement of Zionism where 249 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,920 we get the word Zion. It began in the year 1897 with 250 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,600 the First Zionist Congress in Basil, Switzerland, organized by 251 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,360 Theodore Herzl. It took years of struggle, but 252 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,520 eventually they became the nation of Israel and established 253 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,840 the State of Israel in 1948. The fundamental distinction 254 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:42,040 between Judaism and Zionism is that Judaism is a religion and a 255 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:47,880 cultural identity, while Zionism is a political ideology focused 256 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:50,080 on Jewish nationalism and statehood. 257 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,480 But today, many people hate Zion. 258 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:58,240 They hate Zionism and you see it all over, but God loves the 259 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,280 people of Zion. Number F Zion is a beloved city. 260 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:06,760 It says in verse two, the first part, the Lord loves the gates 261 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,640 of Zion. So what's it talking about here? 262 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,200 Some commentators think it could be the other cities that the the 263 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,320 Ark of the Covenant was at. The Ark of the Covenant was at 264 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:21,800 Gilgal, it was at Shiloh, it was at Knob, and it was at Gibeon 265 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,360 before David brought it into Jerusalem. 266 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:28,920 So the better translation might be God loves above all the 267 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,000 cities in the Holy Land. And I'll just give you a few 268 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:33,400 verses because there's so many of them. 269 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,800 But Second Chronicles 6, verses 5 to 6, you see the love that 270 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,960 God has for Jerusalem and Zion. It says Second Chronicles 6 271 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:45,040 verses 5 to 6. Since the day that I brought my 272 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,440 people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the 273 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,360 tribes of Israel in which to build my house, that my name 274 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,160 might be there. And I chose no man as Prince 275 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:00,720 over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem that 276 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,160 my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my 277 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,119 people Israel. Zachariah one verse 14 says so 278 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,280 the Angel who talked with me said to me, Cry out. 279 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,359 Thus says the Lord of hosts, I am exceedingly jealous for 280 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:21,480 Jerusalem and for Zion Psalms one O 2 verse 13 you will arise 281 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:26,000 and have compassion on Zion for it is time to be gracious to it. 282 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,040 God loves Zion. You know who hates Zion? 283 00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:32,720 Satan. And I think you see that today 284 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,520 with these college students and the anti-Semitism. 285 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,800 I watch these videos by by Charlie Kirk and others and 286 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,160 he'll ask some of these why do you hate Israel? 287 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,080 And they, they, they say because of apartheid, which is so 288 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,640 ridiculous because there's over 1,000,000 Muslims living in 289 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,320 Israel, but Satan hates Zion. Which might explain why 290 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,080 Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, has endured multiple 291 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,520 conflicts and wars over the thousands of years since 292 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,440 Jerusalem was founded. It has been attacked 52 times, 293 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:08,680 recaptured 44 times, completely destroyed twice, yet it endures. 294 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,480 So God loves Zion and he loves the people of Zion. 295 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,360 And then verse 3 some point G the glory of Zion. 296 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,200 It says glorious things of you are spoken. 297 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:24,280 We just sang this song OK about that's what it's called. 298 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,200 The Hebrew word for glorious things is only here in no other 299 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,960 part of Scripture. And Scripture is full of 300 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,480 beautiful poetic verses about Zion. 301 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,480 And one of them with Psalms 48 I think mentioned Zion three 302 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,760 times, which is more than any other Psalm. 303 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,440 But Psalms 48 reveals the kind of things spoken about Zion when 304 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,680 our verse here says glorious things are spoken of. 305 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:51,120 Psalms 48 verses one and two says greatest the Lord and most 306 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:55,400 worthy of praise in the city of our God, His holy mountain, 307 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,000 beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the 308 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:04,600 heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the great King. 309 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,000 God is in her citadels. He has shown her to be our 310 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,600 fortress. So last week we looked at Psalms 311 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,840 86 and I called that a Psalm of grace and we sang Amazing Grace 312 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:16,960 last week. And you know who wrote Amazing 313 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:20,280 Grace, right? John Newton well John Newton 314 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,600 wrote the song we sang tonight glorious things are spoken of 315 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,360 you and that might be the first time that's ever sung at Christ 316 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:28,600 in the church. But it was a very popular hymn 317 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,600 in the 18th and 19th century and the verse we we sang one of the 318 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:37,920 verses says glorious things of the are spoken holy city of our 319 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:43,240 God form thee for his own abode on the Rock of Ages founded. 320 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,280 What can shake thy sure repose with salvation? 321 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:51,200 Walls surrounded, Thou mayest smile at all thy foes. 322 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,680 What are the glorious things that are spoken? 323 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:58,240 Well, Jesus Christ died and rose again outside the walls of 324 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,120 Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit descended on the 325 00:20:01,120 --> 00:20:05,880 day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. The early Jewish believers were 326 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,520 scattered from Jerusalem to take the gospel outside, and 327 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,280 Revelation prophesied that there will be a New Jerusalem, a New 328 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,440 Zion, and a Heavenly Jerusalem Zion. 329 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:21,160 So you have a hymn that was written by John Newton about the 330 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,640 first line in verse 3, glorious things are spoken of you. 331 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,840 Then the second line says O City of God, and that might ring a 332 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,920 bell for some of you. O City of God is the place where 333 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,760 God has chosen to dwell. And Augustine, one of our early 334 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:39,480 church fathers, wrote the most important book in the 1st 100 335 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,200 years of Christianity and that was called The City of God. 336 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,840 And he got that from Psalm 87, verse 3. 337 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,480 Saint Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo. 338 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,400 He was one of the great early church fathers and he chose 339 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,920 verse 3 of Psalm 87 as the theme for his great masterpiece, The 340 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,720 City of God. And some, most commentators 341 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,520 would say that's one of the greatest theological books ever 342 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,320 written. It's also called My City. 343 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:12,840 Isaiah 4513 God says I have stirred him up in righteousness, 344 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:15,160 and I will make all his ways level. 345 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,920 He shall build my city. God says it's also called a holy 346 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,280 city. Isaiah 48 Two, for they call 347 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,280 themselves after the holy city and stay themselves on the God 348 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,640 of Israel. The Lord of hosts is his name. 349 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,960 Isaiah 52 one says, awake, awake, put on your strength, O 350 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,960 Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy 351 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,960 city. It's also the city of the king. 352 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:47,400 Matthew 21 five, which is a quote from Zechariah 99 says, 353 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,280 say to the daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming to 354 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,640 you lowly and mounted on a donkey on a colt, the foal of a 355 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,920 pack animal. And you know, that's when Jesus 356 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:02,400 rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The last time Zion is mentioned 357 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,200 in the Bible is Revelation 14 one. 358 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,480 And it says then I looked and behold, the Lamb that's Jesus 359 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:14,720 Christ was standing on Mount Zion with him 144,000 having his 360 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,520 name and the name of his father written on their name. 361 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,840 So that's a lot about Zion, mostly the current Zion. 362 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,880 Let's look at verses 4 to 6, the city inhabited by his children, 363 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,240 and it says among those who know me, I mentioned he's going to 364 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:34,680 mention five world powers, Rahab, Babylon, behold Philista 365 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,960 and Tyre with Kush. So the Lord here is taking a 366 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,680 census. He says that one and this one in 367 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,680 verses 4 to 6. What's what's remarkable here is 368 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:49,560 these are Gentile nations, most of them hostile at times against 369 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,080 Israel, But God is saying that he's going to make these nations 370 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,200 his own children. So he's taking a census on them. 371 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,800 And usually, as I mentioned, these cities are enemies of 372 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:01,640 Israel. The first two names were world 373 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,040 powers, Rahab. Now, our text doesn't tell us 374 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,960 what Rahab is, but the Bible tells us that Rahab is Egypt. 375 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:15,280 And you know, Egypt, Egypt put Israel in slavery for over 400 376 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:19,880 years and Egypt which is mentioned as Rahab in Isaiah 30 377 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,560 verse 7 says Egypt's help is worthless and empty. 378 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,440 Therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still. 379 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,560 And there's other verses like Psalm 8910, Isaiah 51, nine. 380 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,920 Rahab means arrogant and boisterous. 381 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,360 So a country, Egypt, that enslaved the nation of Israel, 382 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:43,480 yet is going to share in its citizenship in Zion the 2nd. 383 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,360 And by the way, Egypt is a power to the South. 384 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:51,080 Then you of course have Babylon. And Babylon was one of the great 385 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,160 empires that God would use to punish Israel and actually 386 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:59,240 destroy Jerusalem in 586. But because Babylon did not rise 387 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,200 to power until the later kings of Judah. 388 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:05,800 That's why a lot of commentators think that this Psalm is after 389 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,480 the time of Hezekiah. But we mentioned last week, 390 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:14,720 Psalm 137, verses 189 is in preparatory prayer by the 391 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,840 captives. And they're they're, they're 392 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,120 asking God to destroy Babylon, to pay back Babylon. 393 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:26,400 Here, we're seeing the opposite. OK, so Babylon is to the east, 394 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,400 Egypt's to the South, Babylon's to the east. 395 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,720 Philista, you all know Goliath with the Philistine. 396 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:37,520 And they were constantly at war with especially Saul and King 397 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,320 David. And so Philista is to the West. 398 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,960 And then you have Tyre. Tyre is a powerful city state to 399 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,280 the north. Now, Tyre was not necessarily 400 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,880 hostile to Israel. You remember the king of Tyre 401 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:52,640 helped King David build his house. 402 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:58,160 But Tyre was a filthy rich city consumed with with wealth and 403 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:02,520 worldly success that would tempt Israel in many ways to go the 404 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,920 way of the world. So the first four names 405 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:09,200 encompass NE, South and West. They're all covered. 406 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,560 And then you have Cush. Cush would be Ethiopia. 407 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,120 The name Cush is often used to represent distant nations below 408 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:20,000 Egypt. And you remember that one time 409 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:26,000 Zara the Ethiopian, he came out against King ASA with 1,000,000 410 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,320 soldiers and God wiped them completely out. 411 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,600 So all these places here, it says in verse 4, the last second 412 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,320 part, this one was born there, they say. 413 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,400 So the people of these nations will be given a new birth 414 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,840 certificate that says they were born in Zion. 415 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:47,040 So they were born in Egypt, but they were born again in Zion. 416 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,960 They were born in Babylon. They're going to be born again, 417 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,920 born, born again in Zion. They were born in Philista. 418 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,520 They'll be born again in Zion. They were born born in Tyre. 419 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,040 They'll be born again in Zion, born in Cush, they'll be born 420 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,360 again in Zion. And you know that's in the 421 00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:05,880 future. But it's already happening, 422 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:07,080 isn't it? Through the preaching of the 423 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,320 gospel that happens today. Remember what Paul said in 424 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:14,520 Ephesians chapter 2 verses 11 to 12 He says. 425 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:18,640 Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh 426 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,720 called the uncircumcision by what is called circumcision, 427 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:24,760 which is made in the flesh by hands. 428 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,720 Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, 429 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,560 alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the 430 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,240 covenant of the promise, having no hope, and without God in the 431 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,560 world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who 432 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,640 are once far off have been brought near by the blood of 433 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:47,400 Christ. So from Acts 2 to now, they're 434 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,520 having people from these nations coming to the Lord. 435 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,480 But there's really more of a future where many, many, many 436 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,080 will come to the Lord. There's that beautiful verse in 437 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,280 Habakkuk 214. For the earth will be filled 438 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:04,640 with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover 439 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,280 the sea. So we have a vision here of the 440 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:11,560 Gentiles joining the Jews in Jerusalem to worship the one 441 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,640 true God. And you know, it's almost 442 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:15,160 shocking. That's why as I'm preparing 443 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,440 this, there is verse after verse after verse in the Old 444 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:20,240 Testament. Now we know the Old Testament is 445 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,920 law, and we know the Jews were chosen by God and they were to 446 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,320 be the source of salvation for the world, but they disobeyed 447 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,560 God and God punished them. And we know that now is the time 448 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,400 of the Gentiles. But there are so many verses in 449 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:37,200 the Old Testament that I don't think I ever realized that that 450 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,280 Israel was to be the light of the Gentiles. 451 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:44,160 It says in Psalms 22, verse 27, All the ends of the earth shall 452 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,760 remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the 453 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,240 nation shall worship before you. Isaiah 2 two. 454 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,280 It shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain 455 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,840 of the House of the Lord shall be established as the highest of 456 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,720 mountains, and it shall be lifted above the hills, and all 457 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:07,160 the nations shall flow to it. Isaiah 56, verse six and seven. 458 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,600 And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to 459 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,960 minister him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his 460 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:17,680 servants, Everyone who keeps the Sabbath, and does not profane 461 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,760 it, and hold fast my covenant, these I will bring into my holy 462 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,600 mountain, and make them joyful in my House of prayer. 463 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,400 And their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be 464 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,040 accepted on my altar. And my house shall be called the 465 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,920 House of prayer for all peoples. Micah 41. 466 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,640 And two, it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the 467 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,640 mountain of the House of the Lord, it shall be established as 468 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,520 the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted above the 469 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,480 hills, and peoples shall flow to it. 470 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:50,000 And many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go to the 471 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,360 mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, that 472 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:56,760 he may teach us his ways, and then we walk in his paths. 473 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,480 For out of Zion shall come forth the law and the word of the Lord 474 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:05,720 from Jerusalem. Zechariah 211 And many nations 475 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:09,040 shall join themselves. To the Lord in that day shall be 476 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:12,920 my people. Zechariah 822 Many peoples and 477 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,000 strong nations shall come and seek the Lord of hosts in 478 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,080 Jerusalem, and entreat the favor of the Lord. 479 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:23,800 Malachi 111 From the rising of the sun to its setting, My name 480 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,920 will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will 481 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,280 be offered to My name, For My name will be great among the 482 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,400 nations. So it always was God's plan that 483 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,400 all the nations would come and worship at Jerusalem. 484 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:41,720 But here in Psalm 87, we're going to see some point B, that 485 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,240 these nations will become natural born citizens. 486 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,880 Maybe some of you were born in a foreign country, many of you 487 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,680 tonight, and you became a citizen of the United States of 488 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,600 America. But many of these countries, 489 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:58,120 they will become natural born citizens of Zion it says in 490 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,200 verse 5 to 6. And of Zion it shall be said 491 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,120 this one and that one were born in her, for the Most High 492 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:09,560 himself shall establish her. The Lord records as He registers 493 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,360 the peoples, This one was born there. 494 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:15,760 So you're going to see three times. 495 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,520 Verse 4, it says this one was born there. 496 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:19,680 I'm sorry. Verse 4. 497 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,520 This one was born there. Verse 4. 498 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:25,280 This one and that one were born in her, Verse 5. 499 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,920 This one was born there, verse 6. 500 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:33,040 So it's you see that word born, born, born and it's not on 501 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:37,760 physical born birth. It's a new birth mostly as I 502 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,840 mentioned, some of the people now and the last 2000 years 503 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,520 since the day of Pentecost. But mostly it's talking about 504 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,200 people in the future glorious Kingdom will experience a new 505 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,960 birth and they'll belong to the family of God. 506 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,160 Isaiah. I'm sorry, it's it's a quote 507 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:59,440 from Isaiah 2816. First, Peter 26 says, behold, I 508 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:04,560 lay in Zion, a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who 509 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,400 believes on him will not be put to shame. 510 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,840 We know that cornerstone was Jesus Christ. 511 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,680 And you know in John three, you know the story, Nicodemus came 512 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,840 to Jesus by night. Nicodemus was probably the most 513 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,280 righteous, upright man in Israel at that time. 514 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,280 History tells us he was a very rich man and he saw the 515 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,680 miracles. And it says that there was a man 516 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,480 of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 517 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:32,200 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we do 518 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,160 not know. We know that you are a teacher, 519 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,720 come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless 520 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:41,440 God is with him. Jesus answered him and said, 521 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,480 truly, truly. I say to you, unless one is born 522 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:46,920 again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. 523 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,520 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? 524 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,560 Can he enter a second time into his mother womb and be born? 525 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,440 Jesus answered truly, truly. I say to you, unless one is born 526 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,000 of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. 527 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,080 That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of 528 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:07,440 Spirit is spirit. So we have had nations since the 529 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,320 day of Pentecost coming to the Lord, but they had to be born 530 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,480 again in knowledge of Jesus Christ. 531 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:16,320 So it's really remarkable that this Psalm is so different than 532 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:17,680 most of the Psalms we've looked at. 533 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,960 We've looked at 7 psalms, not all of them, but most of the 534 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:23,840 Psalms. David asks for deliverance, 535 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:26,160 right? He's always in a predicament. 536 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,880 There's at least fourteen psalms where David is being chased by 537 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:33,280 enemies and that we have history stories about him, but there's 538 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,880 also a lot of other Psalms that we don't know the history behind 539 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,000 it. So David is always asking for 540 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,800 deliverance from his enemies and he's always calling down in 541 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,040 preparatory prayers on his enemies. 542 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:49,080 Yet this Psalm tells us that the children and generations of 543 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,600 generations from all the nations of the world, some of them 544 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:57,280 enemies of Israel, will be natural born citizens of Zion. 545 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,080 Let's look at some point #3 verse 7. 546 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:04,920 And as usual, mostly usual, the Psalm ends with praise. 547 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,840 Almost every Psalm, with the exception of Psalm 88 and Psalm 548 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,840 137, in with some type of chorus or crescendo of praise. 549 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:18,400 And ours does tonight are short. Psalm means with joy and their 550 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:23,000 singing and their satisfaction. It says singers and dancers 551 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:29,160 alike say 69 times in the 44 Psalms we see the word sing, 552 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,560 singers and singing. And here it's a picture of Jews 553 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,760 and Gentiles. They will not only live 554 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:39,960 together, they will sing together, play musical 555 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,200 instruments together as they rejoice in God's blessing. 556 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:48,040 If you have time tonight or sometime, Google Jewish 557 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,800 Christians and Arab Christians worshipping together. 558 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,720 And there's a just a absolutely beautiful video out there and 559 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:59,120 it's in Jerusalem and there are Arab Christian pastors and 560 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:02,200 Jewish Christian pastors worshipping together. 561 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,120 And it's absolutely beautiful. And it's a picture of what I we 562 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,800 read last week, Revelation 79, when there will be people from 563 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,560 every nation, every tribe, every language and every people. 564 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,679 But sometimes we think, you know, Arabs, all Arabs hate 565 00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:17,840 Jews, but there are many Christian Arabs. 566 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:23,199 Zechariah 210 says, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for 567 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:26,679 you, behold I come, and I will dwell in your myths, declares 568 00:34:26,679 --> 00:34:28,320 the Lord. So there's going to be a lot of 569 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,560 singing and dancing, celebration with joy, and then there's 570 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,480 satisfaction. Our Psalm ends with just a 571 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,560 simple words. All my springs are in you. 572 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:40,520 What does that mean? Well, Warren Weirsby says the 573 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:45,560 word fountains or springs refer to living water and not water 574 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,480 brought up from a well. And John 7. 575 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:54,280 Jesus would say, and John 737 to 39 on the last day of the feast, 576 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,600 the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, If anyone 577 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,840 thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 578 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:04,360 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, out of his 579 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:07,240 heart will flow rivers of living water. 580 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,560 Now he said this about the Spirit, whom whom those who 581 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:14,040 believed in him were to receive for as he has. 582 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,080 Yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus had not been 583 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:21,440 glorified. 1 commentator says just as natural springs are 584 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:25,160 essential for the life of many in a village and a town, so 585 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:28,960 Jerusalem, the city of God is here being depicted as a source 586 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:31,880 of all that's essential to God centered life. 587 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,440 The bubbling over with all the good things that God gives. 588 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,440 You know, we began tonight by asking where you were born. 589 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:40,120 Were you born in the United States? 590 00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:41,640 Were you born in a different country? 591 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:45,920 But if you have Jesus Christ in your heart tonight, you belong 592 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,320 to the city of Zion. You are registered in the city 593 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:50,720 of Zion. It's both our origin and our 594 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:53,240 destiny. Regardless of where you're born, 595 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,320 if you have Jesus Christ in your heart tonight, Augustine said 596 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:02,400 only Zion is established by God. And Augustine said all earthly 597 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,640 cities will fade and fall. God's city, however, endures. 598 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,360 Glorious things are spoken of her because God himself 599 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,240 establishes hers. If you have Jesus Christ in your 600 00:36:13,240 --> 00:36:15,960 heart tonight, you may have an American passport. 601 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:18,880 We have 19 people going to Argentina in just about two to 602 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:22,280 three weeks and they all have AUS passport to get into 603 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,000 Argentina. Doesn't cost anything, but you 604 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:26,520 have it. If you have Jesus Christ in your 605 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,160 heart, you have a passport of heaven. 606 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:33,040 Philippians 320 says our citizenship is in heaven from 607 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,960 where we await A Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 608 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,480 So what do we learn from this short 7 verse Psalm? 609 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,160 Well, there's a current Zion, right? 610 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,640 Jerusalem is loved and chosen by the Almighty God. 611 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:49,280 Missiles may be raining down. I think they're some type of 612 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:54,200 peace treaty now. anti-Semitism is increasing all over the 613 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:56,840 world. It's almost shockingly that I 614 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,800 was listening to a sermon by Jack Hibbs last week and he was 615 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,040 talking about, you know, it's just World War Two. 616 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:05,520 We had the Holocaust, so it's almost shocking today, the 617 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,160 anti-Semitism, the Holocaust deniers and the hatred and the 618 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,160 increase and I guess we might even have a Muslim mayor of New 619 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:15,680 York if that happens in the next few weeks and there's so many 620 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:17,640 Muslim immigrants coming United States. 621 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:21,520 So but just remember when those missiles are raining down, 622 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,960 Jerusalem is loved, beloved by God. 623 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:29,720 Psalms 122 six says we're to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 624 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:33,840 God loves Zion and he's not finished with it yet because 625 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,880 Romans 11/26 is some great day. It's going to probably be in the 626 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:40,440 tribulation. All Israel will be saved because 627 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:43,600 that verse says the deliverer will come from Zion and that 628 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:47,080 delivers our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will banish ungodliness 629 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,400 from Jacob. And this will be my covenant 630 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,640 with them when I take away their sins. 631 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:55,400 So someday in the tribulation, even though many Jews will die, 632 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:58,080 there will be a remnant that will be saved. 633 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:01,800 So there's a current Zion today, then there's a millennial Zion. 634 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:06,720 And remember I said of the 163 times Zion is mentioned in 635 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:12,440 scripture, 110 of those are in the minor and major prophets. 636 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,760 So that tells you right there, there is a lot of of Zion to 637 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,520 come and there'll be a millennial Zion. 638 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:21,960 This Psalm must be read in 2 levels. 639 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,440 It's a prophecy of a future Kingdom when all the nations 640 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:28,560 will come and worship at the millennial Kingdom. 641 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,480 And we read last week Psalms 86.9. 642 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:35,000 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before 643 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:38,120 you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 644 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,440 There's, there's 59 Islamic countries in the world when you 645 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,080 look on a map, right? And there's that little tiny 646 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:47,640 spot of Israel right there. There's not many nations that 647 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:49,280 are coming to worship with Israel. 648 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:51,920 One or two of them might have made a peace treaty, but they're 649 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,760 not worshiping Israel. But Isaiah chapter 2, verse one 650 00:38:56,760 --> 00:38:58,080 to five. And this is in the millennial 651 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,800 Kingdom. It says that it shall come to 652 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,840 pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the House of the 653 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:07,080 Lord shall be established as the highest mountain, and it shall 654 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,800 be lifted above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to 655 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:12,840 it. And many people shall come and 656 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:16,000 say, Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the 657 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:18,880 House of the Lord, the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his 658 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:21,440 ways, and then we walk in his paths. 659 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:26,080 For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord 660 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,600 from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the 661 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:31,840 nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples. 662 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:36,040 And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their Spears 663 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:38,760 in the pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword 664 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,920 against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 665 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:46,360 So the Gentiles who know God are going to be included among His 666 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:48,960 people. You know, we read many verses 667 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:53,400 tonight and I could have given you almost 50 more that that 668 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,040 Israel was to be the light of salvation for the nations of the 669 00:39:56,040 --> 00:40:00,400 world. Jesus Christ came in came into 670 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,200 Israel in John 111. It says he came into his own. 671 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,920 His own were the Jews and his own people did not receive him. 672 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,080 And then John 112 says, but to all who did receive him, who 673 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:15,240 believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of 674 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:18,360 God. Then on Acts 2, on the day of 675 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:23,600 Pentecost, it lists 15 different languages, 15 different cities 676 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:27,760 or countries. That that would become one many 677 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,000 of the 3000 who came to Christ that day. 678 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:34,520 But in Acts one to seven, it's almost all about Jews, right? 679 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,720 But then you get to Acts chapter 8, the church is persecuted and 680 00:40:38,720 --> 00:40:42,960 scattered from Jerusalem and it says many Samaritans believed in 681 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:45,400 Jesus. And then in Acts 8, we have an 682 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:49,320 Ethiopia from Cush who comes to the Lord, right? 683 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,920 Then in Acts 9, of course, the apostle Paul is a Jew, comes to 684 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:56,880 the Lord, and then in chat Acts after 10, we have a Roman 685 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,840 centurion coming to the Lord. And then when you get to Acts 686 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:04,560 13, Paul, who found Christ in Acts 9, begins the first 687 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:08,040 missionary journey. And that work would continue for 688 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:12,440 the last 2000 years. It continues today at VBS, Try 689 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,360 to talk to some of the parents and grandparents bringing their 690 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:17,560 kids today. We want them to know Jesus 691 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,640 Christ. We want their children to know 692 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:22,400 Jesus Christ. So VBS is emissions outreach. 693 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:25,400 We going to Argentina and then splitting the team. 694 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,720 When we get to Argentina, there'll be two places where 695 00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:30,480 we'll be doing ministry. We'll be 6 hours apart from each 696 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:34,080 other. But salvation is for those who 697 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,560 were born not of blood nor the will of flesh, but of God. 698 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,400 And this precious gift of his presence is not limited to those 699 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,560 of Jewish descent. When we accept Jesus Christ as 700 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:48,800 our Savior, we're grafted in to the inherence of Zion as our 701 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:52,080 place of refuge, protection, and communion of God. 702 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:54,120 So I asked you where you were born. 703 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:57,120 It doesn't matter where you're born, but it matters. 704 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:00,480 Are you born again? That's what Jesus said to 705 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:04,280 Nicodemus, a righteous, upright man, the Pharisees. 706 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:06,520 Are you born again? Is your name written in the 707 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:09,400 Lamb's book of life? So there's a current Zion, 708 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:13,400 there's a millennial Zion, and there's going to be a heavenly 709 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:16,000 Zion. This is a picture of heavenly 710 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:22,520 Zion, and we see that in Hebrews 12/22 where it says, But you 711 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:26,600 have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the 712 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:29,920 heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon 713 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:33,440 thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the Church of the 714 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,000 first born whose names are written in heaven. 715 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:39,960 You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the 716 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:43,000 righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new 717 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:45,240 covenant, and to the sprinkled blood. 718 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:47,280 That speaks of a better word of Abel. 719 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:51,160 I was thinking, I have not been to the current Zion, but I'm 720 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:53,440 going to go to the millennial Zion and I'm going to go to the 721 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:55,520 heavenly Zion. So don't worry if you haven't 722 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,480 been to Jerusalem yet. So what what the commentator 723 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:05,520 said there about Hebrews 12/22. Remember in Exodus 19, the Lord 724 00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,760 began to give Israel His covenant on Mount Sinai, 725 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:13,280 remember, and only Moses could go up to Mount Sinai and anybody 726 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,440 who came near Mount Sinai, including the animals, could be 727 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:19,360 killed. So they were when you, when it 728 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,640 was Mount Sinai, you were separated from God's presence as 729 00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:27,280 the Israelites were. But here on Mount Zion, we have 730 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:30,080 full access to God. That's what Hebrews 12/22 is 731 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:33,000 saying. We have full access to God and 732 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,200 we get all His blessings. We can fully or be fully 733 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:39,760 confident that we can enter God's presence and dwell with 734 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:42,160 Him because He's forgiven us our sins. 735 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:45,920 So we're going to Mount Zion, OK, if you have Jesus Christ in 736 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,560 your heart. So let's pray tonight, Father in 737 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:50,960 Heaven, we do want to lift up the nation of Israel and we pray 738 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:54,080 for the peace of Israel. Father, we know that now is the 739 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:56,600 time of Gentiles. And because of that, everyone 740 00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:00,280 here that's probably not Jewish has Jesus Christ in their heart 741 00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:02,000 because it's the time of Gentiles. 742 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:04,720 But we pray for the peace of Jerusalem because we know you, 743 00:44:05,160 --> 00:44:09,040 Yahweh, you love Jerusalem, you love the gates of Zion, you love 744 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:11,440 the people of Israel, even though they have rejected your 745 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:13,440 Messiah. So we pray for the peace of 746 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:16,560 Israel, that the the the missiles would stop raining 747 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:19,760 down, that Israel could make peace with those nations. 748 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,960 And we do pray for all the Messianic Jews, all the 749 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:26,400 missionaries, and all those who are working for salvation among 750 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:28,480 the Jews, that they could reap a bountiful harvest. 751 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:31,800 But Father, we pray that that day would come soon when all 752 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:35,320 Israel would be saved. And Father, we pray that every 753 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:39,640 person in here would not just be born a citizen of America or the 754 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:43,560 countries we listed, but that they'd be born again, that they 755 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:46,160 would understand that salvation is through grace alone in Jesus 756 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:48,320 Christ alone. And no works can get you into 757 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:50,840 heaven. You must be born not just a 758 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:53,240 physical family, but into a spiritual family. 759 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:56,200 And that's done through faith in you, Jesus, by believing what 760 00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:59,080 you did on the cross and asking for forgiveness of sins. 761 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:02,680 So Father, we pray for the parents, the grandparents, the 762 00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:05,720 children of EBS. We pray for those in Villa Maria 763 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:08,600 and those in San Jose to Argentina where we'll be sharing 764 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:11,520 the gospel in just a few weeks. And I pray if there'd be one 765 00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:15,440 person here tonight that doesn't know of Jesus Christ and His 766 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:18,480 plan of salvation or is unsure that today would be the day of 767 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:21,160 salvation, now would be the time of God's favor. 768 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:25,200 May we leave here tonight excited about Zion, ready to go 769 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:27,960 to Zion and telling the unbelievers and other people 770 00:45:27,960 --> 00:45:31,000 about Zion in Jesus name, Amen.