J.Calvin on Psalm 118: “…Pray fervently and constantly for the prosperity and progress of this spiritual kingdom.”

Also for our meditation on Psalm 118 today, I post these words of John Calvin on vss.25-26. May they too point us to Christ and to our calling to “pray fervently and constantly for the prosperity and progress” of Christ’s spiritual kingdom.

…The clause, blessed is he that cometh, may be viewed as a form of congratulation; but seeing that the benediction of the priests is immediately annexed, I am disposed rather to believe that the people wished for David God’s grace and favor. To induce them to present this petition with more alacrity, and thus be encouraged to receive the king whom God appointed them, this promise is added in the person of the priests, We bless you out of the house of the Lord.

They speak in this manner agreeably with the nature of their office, which enjoined on them the duty of blessing the people, as appears from several passages in the books of Moses, and particularly from Numbers 6:23. It is not without reason that they connect the welfare of the Church with the prosperity of the kingdom, it being their desire to throw out the suggestion, and to represent that the safety of the people would remain as long as that kingdom continued to flourish, and that they would all share in the blessings which would be conferred upon their king, because of the indissoluble connection which exists between the head and members.

Knowing, as we now do, that when David was constituted king, the foundation of that everlasting kingdom, which was eventually manifested in the advent of Christ, was then laid, and that the temporal throne upon which the descendants of David were placed was a type of the eternal kingdom given to Christ by God his Father, in consequence of which he obtained all power, both in heaven and on earth, there can be no question that the prophet calls upon the faithful to pray fervently and constantly for the prosperity and progress of this spiritual kingdom; for it was incumbent on those who lived during the shadowy dispensation to pray for David and his successors; but after all the grandeur of that kingdom was overthrown, it behooved them to entreat the more ardently that God, in fulfillment of his promise, would re-establish it.

In short, all that is here stated properly relates to the person of Christ; and that which was dimly adumbrated in David was brightly represented and fulfilled in Christ. The election of David was secret; and after he was anointed by Samuel to be king, he was rejected by Saul, and by all the heads of the people, and all abhorred him as if he had been a person deserving of a hundred deaths. Thus disfigured and dishonored, he did not appear to be a fit stone for occupying a place in the building. Similar to this was the beginning of the kingdom of Christ, who, being sent by his Father for the redemption of the Church, not only was despised by the world, but also hated and execrated, both by the common people and the dignitaries of the Church.

J.Calvin on Psalm 110: “The world… will never be able to hurl him from the right hand of the Father.”

For our continued meditation on Psalm 110 today, we also post these thoughts of John Calvin on Psalm 110:2. May this beautiful commentary on the sacred Scripture give us assurance of our standing in this world by the grace of God through our Priest-King Jesus Christ.

2 Jehovah shall send out of Zion the scepter of thy power.  …In a word, David here animates the hearts of the godly against being dispirited by the foolhardy attempts on the part of those who presume to introduce discord and disorder into the kingdom of Christ; for he shows them that God will put forth his invincible power for the maintaining of the glory of his sacred throne. What time, then, our minds are agitated by various commotions, let us learn confidently to repose on this support, that however much the world may rage against Christ, it will never be able to hurl him from the right hand of the Father. Moreover, as he does not reign on his own account, but for our salvation, we may rest assured that we will be protected and preserved from all ills under the guardianship of this invincible King. Doubtless our condition in this world is connected with many hardships; but as it is the will of God that Christ’s kingdom should be encompassed with many enemies, and that too with the design of keeping us in a state of constant warfare, it becomes us to exercise patience and meekness; and assured of God’s aid, boldly to set at nought the rage of the whole world. From this passage we are instructed as to the calling of the Gentiles. Because, if God had not told us in this place respecting the extension of Christ’s kingdom, we would not this day have been classed among his people. But as the wall is broken down, (Ephesians 2:14) and the gospel promulgated, we have been gathered together into the body of the Church, and Christ’s power is put forth to uphold and defend us.

Sunday Worship Preparation – Psalm 110

To guide us in the thoughts, desires, and actions of our worship today we consider the 110th Psalm, a highly significant song of David given through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When we read this psalm, we will come to see that the truth revealed in it is the very basis and reason for our worship, for the key to our worship is Christ. Let’s put it before our mind’s eye right away, reading it slowly and meditating on it:

Psalm 110

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

²The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

³Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

⁴The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

⁵The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

⁶He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

⁷He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Having read this psalm, we see that this Word of God is clearly Messianic, pointing us to and showing us the glory of Israel’s king to come, the Lord Jesus Christ. While the immediate occasion of this song may have been the coronation of David as king (after he had conquered Jebus and established Jerusalem as the royal city), we understand (in the light of the NT) that David was not merely writing about himself but about someone greater. He speaks of the Son in his covenant line Who is the fulfillment of all God’s promises and Israel’s hopes – THE Christ (Messiah), Who in the fullness of time was revealed to be Jesus, the very Son of God in our flesh.

And in fact, Jesus Himself used Psalm 110 to prove that he is the promised Son of David as well as the Son of God. You will recall this exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees:

⁴¹While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴²Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. ⁴³He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?⁴⁶And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

And the greatness and glory of this Messiah is not only that He is the sovereign King of God’s Israel (the church in both the OT and NT) but also that He is Priest. And not just any Priest, but a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Gen.14:18). The writer to the Hebrews especially explains the significance of this priesthood (5:6,10; 6:20), telling us these truths about Jesus in chap.7:

For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; ²To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; ³Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually….

¹¹If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? ¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ¹³For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, ¹⁶Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. ¹⁷For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. ¹⁸For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. ¹⁹For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. ²⁰And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: ²¹(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) ²²By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. ²³And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: ²⁴But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ²⁶For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; ²⁷Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. ²⁸For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

It is not my purpose to add much more commentary on this psalm, for this is the Spirit’s own commentary on Psalm 110. I trust we see now why I said that this psalm reveals the very basis and reason for our worship: Christ Jesus, our great Priest-King! Why are we allowed to draw near God today? Why are we able to draw near to Him in worship and in fellowship? Why do we want to draw near in praise and thanks? Because the LORD (Jehovah) said unto His Lord, “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool.” With firm trust in this Messiah, may we come near to our God this day and magnify Him in every part of our worship.

If you wish to meditate through music on this psalm, I point you to the PRC Psalter page and to this versification of Psalm 110 found in our Psalter (Click on the title to hear piano accompaniment):

302.  Our Lord Jesus.   Psalm 110.  8s and 7s. (3 stanzas)

1. The Lord unto His Christ hath said,
In glory I enthrone Thee
Till all Thy foes, in triumph led,
Their sovereign King shall own Thee;
From Zion shall Jehovah send
Thy scepter, till before Thee bend
The knees of proud rebellion.

2. Thy people will be gladly Thine
When Thou shalt come victorious,
In holy beauty Thou shalt shine
Like morning fair and glorious;
The word of God shall not depart:
The King of Righteousness Thou art,
A Royal Priest forever.

3. The Lord at Thy right hand shall smite
Earth’s kings in indignation,
And He shall judge with sovereign right
Throughout His wide creation;
While living streams His strength sustain,
The Christ the victory shall gain,
Head over all exalted.

“Kids These Days” – R.C. Sproul Jr.

Kids These Days by R.C. Sproul Jr. | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. is a teaching fellow of Ligonier Ministries and founder of Highlands Ministries.

Writing under his usual rubric, “Seek Ye First”, R.C. Sproul, Jr. also wrote a good piece relating to the theme of this month’s Tabletalk. I read this too yesterday and benefited from his thoughts on the youth culture of today. His full article is posted on Ligonier’s site (linked above); I give you this part of it today to stimulate you to read the rest.

All of this is evidence that even in the church we take our cues from the broader culture rather than from the Word of God. Take a moment and look in your concordance for teenager. Tryadolescence. Try generation gap. See if you can find youth culture. Neither the words nor the concepts are there. These are not biblical categories. That they are common destructive elements in our homes ought to clue us in that we’re doing something wrong.

It is not enough, however, to clamp down. That is, it is not mere permissiveness that has gotten us into this mess. The problem runs deeper. It isn’t that we aren’t rightly handling the youth, but that we even concede the existence of the youth. The Bible recognizes happily the reality of children. It affirms the existence of adults. What it doesn’t do is embrace something in between.

The Bible nowhere affirms the existence of a youth culture because it everywhere encourages us to embrace a different culture—that of the kingdom of God. When Paul enjoins us to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:1), the root Greek word that is translated nurture in our English Bibles is paideia. It communicates the notion of a culture. It includes shared convictions, shared language, and shared habits of the heart.

…Nathan Hatch once exposed the infiltration of peculiar American ideals into the church in his great book The Democratization of American Christianity. In our day, we are witnessing the demographicization of American Christianity. At best, we establish programs based on age, sex, and life situation. At worst, we have a church tailored to fans of country music and Mountain Dew at one site, and a church tailored to fans of jazz and Starbucks elsewhere. We are dividing what Christ has brought together; we are the Corinthians, except that we divide the body by taste rather than by income.

Jesus, however, makes of the many one. We are one family, one loaf, one body, one culture, one love. Would that the broader culture would be able to say of our culture, “Oh, how they love each other.”

Seeking Shalom and “Building” the New Heavens and Earth

This morning our book club is meeting to discuss the recent book Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert co-authored: What Is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission (Crossway, 2011). On the whole this is an excellent book that addresses common errors and misconceptions in our day concerning what the church’s calling in this world is and that makes clear what her true mission is, namely, to preach the gospel and make disciples of Jesus Christ.

In reading one of the final chapters last evening (“Seeking Shalom: Understanding the New Heavens and the New Earth”) I came on this paragraph, in which the authors are speaking to the error that is so common today, that we are called somehow to build the new heavens and earth and in this way make shalom (peace) in this world. I found it to be an excellent summary of what the Bible teaches and how the Reformed faith views our “calling” with regard to our glorious future:

It would seem, therefore, to be far beyond the biblical witness to talk as if we as Christians are somehow contributing to the building of the new heavens and the new earth. It’s the same idea we considered earlier, in fact, with reference to the kingdom. Just as it is God and not we who will establish his kingship over the world, so it is God and not we who will create the new earth in which that kingship is exercised. In fact, that’s really the glorious thing about the gospel of Jesus. Everything we have – and everything we will ever have – is given to us. We will not have earned it; we will not have built it. We have simply received it all. When eternity finally comes, we will live in a land that was made and created for us, under a kingdom that was won and established for us by a Savior who died and was resurrected for us. Put simply, the gospel is the good news of a salvation, in all its parts, that is for us, and not in the least by us (p.208).

That is the gospel worth remembering – and worth proclaiming in the church and in this world.

Voting with Biblical Lens

Today, here in the United States, we will vote for our national, state, and local leaders. In our constitutional republic (we are not truly a “democracy”) this is a tremendous gift. It is a wonderful privilege that many in other parts of the world do not have. We can so easily forget this and take it for granted. And, we believe this gift and privilege are from God, not men (Rom.13). And therefore, with this gift and privilege also come a high calling and a deep responsibility. As Reformed Christians we are not free to vote as we wish, nor according to the whims of our fallen society and depraved fellow citizens. We are called to exercise our constitutional right to vote according to the will of God, as revealed in holy Scripture. We are to vote with hearts and minds informed and inflamed by God’s Word.

In other words, we are called to vote today with our Biblical lens on (Ps.119:105). It was John Calvin who gave us that idea (and expression) that all of life is to be seen and lived through the “spectacles (eyeglasses) of holy Scripture”. Doing so will remind us, first of all, that no matter who is elected into office, no matter who is given power to rule, no matter who governs our land and lands, God is the supreme and sovereign Ruler. His sovereign will will be done today and His sovereign purpose for all things will be carried out through whomever is set in office nationally and locally.

And then secondly, with our Biblical lens on we will be sure to vote out of Biblical principle and not political or personal expediency (“the doing or consideration of what is of selfish use or advantage rather than of what is right or just; self-interest” – Webster’s New World College Dictionary. Which means that the most important thing today is not the economy (though the issue of stewardship and debt are important), or even one particular moral issue, but this consideration: what person best honors God in the office (even if only outwardly), which one best upholds the moral standards of God’s Word, and which candidate best serves the church and kingdom of God at this time in history.

So, by all means, get out and vote today! Exercise your gift and privilege! And do so understanding your calling from God. Be guided by His Word and truth. Get your Biblical lens on, and keep them straight on your face.

Election 2012: Keeping Perspective

These words from pastor Mike Dever will help give us perspective as we exercise our calling and privilege to vote for our leaders today, at whatever level that is:

As Americans, it’s often helpful to be reminded that the epicenter of Christ’s kingdom is not located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And the purposes of God have never been thwarted at the hands of men—a streak that’s not about to end on November 6. Such a recognition isn’t quietism or escapism—just biblical Christianity.
President Obama and Governor Romney are, like you and me, feeble creatures of dust. They’re worthy of our honor (Eccl. 10:20; 1 Pet.2:17), but never our hope.
…
So pay your taxes, choose your candidate, and cast your vote (politics does matter, after all), but do so as one whose trust is anchored in another world. As citizens of “a better country” (Heb. 11:16; cf. Phil. 3:20), we the people of the risen King await “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13).

Whatever comes of our quadrennial sojourn to the ballot box, we can rest in the sovereign goodness of a Father who sits enthroned in the heavens and, with majesty and mystery, does whatever he pleases.”

~Taken from a sermon by Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington D.C.

The Church and Israel in the Old Testament – Iain Duguid

The Church and Israel in the Old Testament by Iain Duguid | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

The theme of this month’s Tabletalk is “The Church and Israel” (see my previous posts on Monday this month). One of the feature articles is written by Dr.Iain Duguid, professor of religion at Grove City College and visiting professor of OT at Westminster Seminary in California. Duguid has written a number of commentaries on the OT, in addition to his articles in “TT” and elsewhere, and I have been impressed with his clarity of thought and faithfulness to Scripture. His article for this issue (linked above) shows in clear and unmistakable fashion how OT Israel pointed to its NT reality, the church, and was in fact part of that one church of God in Christ throughout history. Once again, I was impressed with Duguid’s grasp of the Bible, and in this case, his good Reformed presentation of the unity of the Bible and the work of God. You too will benefit from reading his article. I quote a small portion of it here to whet your appetite:

This servant “Israel” took flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. From the moment of His birth, He reenacted Israel’s history, going down to Egypt so that He could be the true son whom God called out of Egypt (Matt. 2:15, quoting Hos. 11:1). Just as Israel passed through the Red Sea, Jesus passed through the waters of baptism (Matt. 3) before being led out into the wilderness, where He successfully faced the same temptations that Israel had failed to endure (Matt. 4). At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus read aloud Isaiah 61:1–2, declaring that the Scripture had been fulfilled in His hearers’ presence (Luke 4:18–19): He was Himself the promised Servant upon whom God’s Spirit rested. As the new Israel, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the demands of the law. The new covenant that Jeremiah anticipated was established in His blood (Luke 22:20). Jesus fulfilled God’s original design for human holiness, thereby personally embodying the new Israel for which the prophets looked.

Since Jesus Christ is Himself the new Israel, all those united to Him by faith are also incorporated into the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). He is the true vine, the classic Old Testament image for Israel, and we are His branches (John 15). Because Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s house, those who are joined to Him become living stones in that house (1 Peter 2:4–5) and can be described by the same terminology that described Israel in the Old Testament: in Christ, we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9–10).

The Kingdom is Now – R.C. Sproul Jr.

The Kingdom is Now by R.C. Sproul Jr. | Reformed Theology Articles at Ligonier.org.

On this “Tabletalk” Monday we reference a couple of profitable articles I read yesterday before church services. As was mentioned last week, the theme of this month’s issue is “The Church and Israel”, and the feature articles treat the Reformed view of the relationship between the OT nation of Israel (the Jews) and the church (comprised now in the NT of Jews and Gentiles).

While I also read Dr. Cornelis Venema’s article yesterday (“The Church and Israel: The Issue”), I am going to quote from Dr.R.C. Sproul, Jr.’s article, “The Kingdom is Now”. This was penned under his usual rubric “Seek Ye First”, and does a great job of showing the unity of the church and kingdom of God in both the OT and in the NT by asking and answering what Jesus’ words meant to his 1st century audience.

You may read the full article at the link above, but here are a few of Sproul’s thoughts on the subject:

To ask the question in terms of what the original audience must have heard is to answer the question. No one would have thought: “Well, this is all well and good for later. Jesus is talking about the church age, so when it starts, we will start to obey this command.” No one would have thought, “This is for now, but when the church age begins, we will cease from seeking the kingdom and His righteousness.” Certainly no one would have thought: “I will seek first His kingdom as a Jew until the church age begins. I will cease to pursue it during the church age. Then, I will pursue it again.” The kingdom they were called to pursue, the kingdom we are called to pursue, is not now, and never has been, a divided kingdom. It is that kingdom, that one kingdom, where Christ reigns. It is that kingdom, that one kingdom, we enter through His righteousness alone. It is that kingdom, that one kingdom, where all the needs of all God’s people are met by the one King.

When we seek to divide the kingdom, we will inevitably end up seeking to divide the King. He is the King, after all, who so perfectly identifies with His people. Remember that when our King confronted that murderer of God’s people named Saul, He demanded to know not why Saul was persecuting the citizens of the kingdom, but why Saul was persecuting Him. And when Saul was brought into that one kingdom as Paul, it was he who was changed, not the kingdom.

There is not now, nor was there ever, a kingdom on earth and a kingdom in heaven, because there is only one King. We do not wait for His kingdom. We do not wait for His inauguration. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matt. 28:18–20). Now He sits at the right hand of the Father (Rom. 8:34). Now He is bringing all things under subjection. Now He is conquering all His and our enemies (1 Cor. 15:20–28). This is not merely a future hope, but a present reality.

Seminary Convocation 2012

Last evening at Grandville PRC (MI) the Protestant Reformed Theological School (Seminary) held its annual convocation to mark the beginning of a new school year. Rev. Ken Koole, President of the Theological School Committee, opened the night by leading us in singing, prayer, and Scripture reading (Deut.6). The audience was then treated to three special numbers sung by the men’s chorus, the Hope Heralds.

Rev.Koole then introduced Prof.Ronald Cammenga, professor of Dogmatics and OT Studies, as our speaker for the evening. Prof.Cammenga gave a fine address to the students, faculty, and audience on the vital relationship between our Seminary and the “good Christian schools”. Grounding his remarks on Deut.6, Article 21 of the Church Order of the PRC (see below), and the Reformed, confessional teaching on God’s sovereign, unconditional, and unilateral covenant of grace with elect believers and their spiritual children, he demonstrated how the Seminary in all of its work serves to support, encourage, and promote the Christian schools, specifically, those started and maintained by Protestant Reformed parents.

His speech was a stirring reminder of how the PR Seminary serves this significant cause of our Lord’s kingdom.  It also stirred up gratitude within me – both for our Seminary and for our good Christian schools. As the Seminary seeks to prepare men for the gospel ministry and leadership in Christ’s church, these preachers and officebearers will play an important role in the Christian school movement. God grant us faithful men who will promote our Christian schools in all their preaching and teaching!

On the back of last night’s program (above image) was  a quote from one of the decisions of the great Synod of Dordt (1618-19) on the establishment of Reformed Christian schools (image below). You will find the entire program above and this quote below. Click on the images to enlarge them for reading.

As always, it would have been nice to have a larger crowd last evening, to show support for the Seminary and to encourage our professors and students. Yes, life is busy, but the Seminary too needs and is worthy of your support. Whether you were able to come last night or not, you can and ought to pray for the Seminary daily. Will you commit to doing that, starting today?

Article 21 of the PRC Church Order (basically the CO of Dordt) states:

The consistories shall see to it that there are good Christian schools in which the parents have their children instructed according to the demands of the covenant.

For more information on the PRTS (Seminary), visit this page. As soon as Prof.Cammenga’s speech is available on SermonAudio, I will let you know through the the PRC website and the Seminary’s page.

Additionally, if you are looking for a “good read” on Reformed Christian education, allow me to recommend David J. Engelsma’s (retired professor from our Seminary) Reformed Education: the Christian School as Demand of the Covenant, published by the RFPA and available here. Every Reformed Christian ought to read, study, and commit to the principles of this important book.