The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 88:1-4,
The centerpiece of all of Scripture is God's Son Jesus Christ. In him God's love, kindness and mercy finds its greatest expression. Mankind, created for God's own purposes, turned on his Creator and went his own way in sinful rebellion. The account of the fall of man in the garden of Eden is provided in Genesis 3 and sets forth the great conundrum of this current world living in hostile opposition to its Creator. Jesus Christ is God's expression of love and faithfulness as the means by which man may find his way back to God.
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He has made it possible by paying the penalty for our sins against God. Having died a sacrificial death, God's justice is satisfied and all he asks is we embrace him in faith. All who will place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in heaven with God and all he ever intended for mankind before his fall. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17.
Here in this psalm, as Ethan considers the Lord's great love and faithfulness, verses 1 and 2, he sees it fulfilled in the line of David's throne. This "chosen one" he speaks of is Jesus Christ himself. The genealogy of Jesus Christ starting at the first verse of the New Testament, Matthew 1:1, starts this way, "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David..." Jesus Christ is introduced to us as the fulfillment of the line of David's throne. In Luke 1:32-33, we read, "He [Jesus] will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
The Bible, a library of sixty-six books, has as its focus Jesus Christ. Throughout its pages in the Old Testament we find many prophecies concerning him, his coming, his suffering, his resurrection. In the New we read the account of his being here, his teachings, his agenda of redemption. We also find prophecies of his second coming yet to be. It is therefore not surprising, when contemplating God's love and faithfulness, Jesus Christ becomes the focus.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
You said, 'I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
"I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations."'"
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
You said, 'I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
"I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations."'"
The centerpiece of all of Scripture is God's Son Jesus Christ. In him God's love, kindness and mercy finds its greatest expression. Mankind, created for God's own purposes, turned on his Creator and went his own way in sinful rebellion. The account of the fall of man in the garden of Eden is provided in Genesis 3 and sets forth the great conundrum of this current world living in hostile opposition to its Creator. Jesus Christ is God's expression of love and faithfulness as the means by which man may find his way back to God.
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He has made it possible by paying the penalty for our sins against God. Having died a sacrificial death, God's justice is satisfied and all he asks is we embrace him in faith. All who will place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in heaven with God and all he ever intended for mankind before his fall. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17.
Here in this psalm, as Ethan considers the Lord's great love and faithfulness, verses 1 and 2, he sees it fulfilled in the line of David's throne. This "chosen one" he speaks of is Jesus Christ himself. The genealogy of Jesus Christ starting at the first verse of the New Testament, Matthew 1:1, starts this way, "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David..." Jesus Christ is introduced to us as the fulfillment of the line of David's throne. In Luke 1:32-33, we read, "He [Jesus] will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
The Bible, a library of sixty-six books, has as its focus Jesus Christ. Throughout its pages in the Old Testament we find many prophecies concerning him, his coming, his suffering, his resurrection. In the New we read the account of his being here, his teachings, his agenda of redemption. We also find prophecies of his second coming yet to be. It is therefore not surprising, when contemplating God's love and faithfulness, Jesus Christ becomes the focus.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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