Inhabitants and Blessings who live in Jerusalem (Ps. 87:4-7)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/14/2012 9:05:02 AM

My Worship Time Focus:  The Inhabitants and blessings of those who live in Jerusalem

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Psalm 87:4-7

            Message of the verses:  In yesterday’s SD we began to look at Psalm 87 by looking at several introductions from different Bible Commentators, and then we looked at “The City Is Built by God” from verses 1-3.  Dr. Wiersbe writes these words at the end of his introduction “The psalmist shares three wonderful truths about the city of Jerusalem.”

The City Is Inhabited by His Children (vv. 4-6):  “4 I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: ’This one was born there.’" 5  But of Zion it shall be said, "This one and that one were born in her"; And the Most High Himself will establish her. 6 The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, "This one was born there." Selah.” 

“4 I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me-  also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia.  They have all become citizens of Jerusalem! 5 Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, “Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.’’ And the Most High will personally bless this city. 6 When the LORD registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.’’  Interlude” (NLT)

This section of Psalm 87 is speaking of nations who will be part of the future glorious kingdom that will come after the seven years of tribulation when Christ will come and set up His kingdom from Jerusalem.  When we look at the list of these nations we will see that not only are they enemies of Israel, but they are also Gentile nations. In the NASB we see the word “Rahab”, but in the NLT the word is translated “Egypt.”  Dr. Wiersbe points out that Rahab is Egypt, and the word means “arrogant, boisterous.”  We know that Egypt enslaved Israel in the past and were their enemy to the South, and that Babylon captured Judah in 586 and were their enemy to the North.  As far as the other nations Philistia and Tyre and also Ethiopia they too were Israel’s enemies, but in the future will be a part of the future glorious kingdom that according to Revelations will last for one thousand years.  How will these people become citizens of this kingdom, and live in Jerusalem?  The same way that all believers today are citizens of the kingdom of God, and that is to be born again, through the new birth that Jesus talked about in John chapter three. 

The’re many OT prophets who promised that believers from all the nations of the earth would be included in Messiah’s reign writes Dr. Wiersbe.  Here are some of the passages that are included in his commentary:  (Isa. 2:1-5; Mic. 4:1-5; Zech. 8:23; 14:16-20), and so did the psalmists (22:27; 46:10; 47:9; 57:5, 11; 98:2-3; and 99:2-3)  Hab. 2:14 reads as follows “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

The City Enjoys His Abundant Blessings (v.7):  “7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, "All my springs of joy are in you.’” 

“7 The people will play flutes and sing, “The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!’’  (NLT)

Most ancient cities were built on a river like Babylon was built on the Euphrates River and major cities in Egypt were built on the Nile River.  However Jerusalem was not built on a river and when sieges came it was difficult for the citizens of Jerusalem to get water.  King Hezekiah built a wonderful underground water system for Jerusalem during his reign.  This is found in 2Kings 20 and also in 2Chronicles 32:30.  Every time I read about King Hezekiah’s building of this water system for Jerusalem I remember a sermon that I heard many years ago from the book of Proverbs chapter three and verses five and six.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.”  The Pastor who gave the message from this section stated that the word “direct” is the same word that is used in describing how Hezekiah directed the underground water system for Jerusalem.  In that same way God will direct our path.

In verse seven of Psalm 87 we see from the NASB version “All my springs of joy are in you.”  Dr. Wiersbe points out that this is speaking of “living water” and not regular H2O, the kind that we drink.  He goes on to write “A fountain or spring symbolizes the source of something, as Jacob is the ‘fountain’ from which the nation came (Deut. 33:28).  All blessings, especially spiritual blessings, will flow from the Lord who reigns in the City of David, just as today we draw upon the wealth found only in our exalted Lord.  (See Romans 2:4; 9:23; 11:33; Ephesians 1:3; 2:4-10; 3:8; Philippians 4:19; and Col. 1:27)   The image of a river of living water is found also in Psalm 36:8-9; 46:4; 89:6; Ezekiel 47; John 7:37:39; and Revelation 22:1-2.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In the fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel we see that on the night when Jesus was going to go to the cross to die for my sins that He stopped and began to teach His disciples about the vine and the branches.  He said that He was the vine and they were the branches and in order for them to produce fruit they had to abide or remain in the vine.  By abiding or remaining in the vine they would be drawing power from the Vine so that they could produce the fruit that He desired for them to produce.  If you tie these verses in with Ephesians 2:10 and also to Proverbs 3:5-6 you will see that if in your life you abide or remain in the Vine then the Lord will direct your path to produce the fruit that He has called you to produce in eternity past that is written about in Ephesians 2:10. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  To abide or remain in the Vine so that I can be directed by the Lord to produce the fruit that He has planned for me to produce in eternity past.

5/14/2012 9:54:15 AM