The God We Worship
If you are looking to get acquainted with the God that we worship, the Psalms is a great place to start. In particular, the Psalms of David provide fascinating glimpses of a God that is sovereign, majestic and holy and at the same time a God who is loving, personal, kind, and compassionate.
I remember (this will REALLY date me) the Sunday night that the Beatles first appeared on national television, on the Ed Sullivan show. I remember seeing the images of screaming fans holding placards, waving kisses, and nearly fainting at just a passing glimpse of John, Ringo, Paul, and George. It was February 9, 1964. It has been reported that half of the American population, about 74 million people, tuned in to see these English rockers. Fans became obsessed to the point that a new word was coined: "Beatlemania".
Ask any Beatles fan just about ANYTHING related to the Beatles and you can bet that they will have the answer at the tip of their tongue. Beatles fans wouldn't be fans if they didn't.
It's embarrassing that we know so little about the God that we worship. Shouldn't we as believers be more passionate, more knowledgeable, more in tune with the one that we claim to love and revere? Shouldn't we be putting the Beatles fans to shame, instead of the other way around?
So let's get to know this God that we worship. . .
The picture of God that is presented in verse 7 is a picture of the triumphant, risen Christ. It is one of the most majestic awe-inspiring images penned in Scripture. We see a picture of victorious ascension through magnificent gates. The image is of massive, regal, and imposing gates being lifted up to both honor the King of Kings and provide passage to the eternal.
In verse 8 the awed crowd asks the inevitable question - who is this King of glory? Where did He come from? What's His background? What is His position, and from where does He receive His power? As you think about the King of Glory, think about what you know of Jesus as a teacher. Or Jesus as a healer. Jesus as a Shepherd. Jesus as a comforter. Jesus as a prophet. Jesus as a Master. There are so many facets to explore. And each facet provides a unique window through which we see another side of the King of glory.
You may be wondering why verses 9 and 10 are the same as verses 7 and 8. The reason is fairly simple - it is a form of poetry. The particular poetic element employed here is parallelism - expressing the same thought as it spans verses. It was used to highlight the importance of the phrase. Indeed, it is important that we come to know the King of Glory not just as a two-dimensional flannelgraph (do you even know what that is?) figure, but come to understand the nuances of His personality and position.
As you meditate on these verses this week, ask yourself that question every day - "Who is this King of Glory?" Ask God to reveal his character to you through His Word. You will amazed at the new insights you will gain and the fresh perspective you will have on the King of Kings.
I remember (this will REALLY date me) the Sunday night that the Beatles first appeared on national television, on the Ed Sullivan show. I remember seeing the images of screaming fans holding placards, waving kisses, and nearly fainting at just a passing glimpse of John, Ringo, Paul, and George. It was February 9, 1964. It has been reported that half of the American population, about 74 million people, tuned in to see these English rockers. Fans became obsessed to the point that a new word was coined: "Beatlemania".
Ask any Beatles fan just about ANYTHING related to the Beatles and you can bet that they will have the answer at the tip of their tongue. Beatles fans wouldn't be fans if they didn't.
It's embarrassing that we know so little about the God that we worship. Shouldn't we as believers be more passionate, more knowledgeable, more in tune with the one that we claim to love and revere? Shouldn't we be putting the Beatles fans to shame, instead of the other way around?
So let's get to know this God that we worship. . .
The picture of God that is presented in verse 7 is a picture of the triumphant, risen Christ. It is one of the most majestic awe-inspiring images penned in Scripture. We see a picture of victorious ascension through magnificent gates. The image is of massive, regal, and imposing gates being lifted up to both honor the King of Kings and provide passage to the eternal.
In verse 8 the awed crowd asks the inevitable question - who is this King of glory? Where did He come from? What's His background? What is His position, and from where does He receive His power? As you think about the King of Glory, think about what you know of Jesus as a teacher. Or Jesus as a healer. Jesus as a Shepherd. Jesus as a comforter. Jesus as a prophet. Jesus as a Master. There are so many facets to explore. And each facet provides a unique window through which we see another side of the King of glory.
You may be wondering why verses 9 and 10 are the same as verses 7 and 8. The reason is fairly simple - it is a form of poetry. The particular poetic element employed here is parallelism - expressing the same thought as it spans verses. It was used to highlight the importance of the phrase. Indeed, it is important that we come to know the King of Glory not just as a two-dimensional flannelgraph (do you even know what that is?) figure, but come to understand the nuances of His personality and position.
As you meditate on these verses this week, ask yourself that question every day - "Who is this King of Glory?" Ask God to reveal his character to you through His Word. You will amazed at the new insights you will gain and the fresh perspective you will have on the King of Kings.
