God's Chosen "Rest" will be at Jerusalem's Mount Zion, Forever

Ever wonder why Jerusalem seems to always be at the center of world controversy, war and conflict? Psalm132 gives us the answer. It is because God has chosen that particular place for his “rest” … forever.

This is the reason why Satan opposes and envies Jerusalem above all cities and why, during the Great Tribulation, he will put his own man, Antichrist, on the throne there (http://www.biblebookofrevelation.com/ch13.htm). But the reign of Satan’s man will be short lived for he will be crushed under the heel of Christ at his Second Coming (http://www.biblebookofrevelation.com/ch19.htm). Then, the King of kings and Lord of lords will establish his throne on Zion and God’s forever “rest” at Jerusalem will have begun.

Verses 1-5, refer to the time that king David determined in his heart to build God a house at Jerusalem. And, at first, Nathan the prophet told him to go for it. However, immediately, God intervened and sent Nathan back to David forbidding him to build it. We have the account of it in 1 Chronicles 17. There, through Nathan, God said to David,

“And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your.. seed..after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.”

And, who might that be speaking of? Why, Christ Jesus, of course.

Verse 6. This is a sweet verse. Ephratah..was the territory where Bethlehem was located. As we have it in Micah 5:2,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel,Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

And, just what did they first hear in Ephratah… “in the fields and in the wood”? Well, as the famous Christmas carol reads, It came upon a midnight clear...

Now there were in the same country shepherds living.. out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:8-14

Don't you know that echoed throughout the fields..and wood..on that long ago blessed night!

Verse 8. Now, the day is coming when the Lord God will.. rise..off his throne in Heaven and come to Earth to establish his “rest” here. That rest is defined for us in verses 13 and 14,

For the LORD has chosen.. Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
“This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

Haggai 2:6-9 speaks of it as follows:

For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Verse 11. This speaks of the Lord’s oath that from “the fruit” of David’s body, "will..I set upon my throne.” Again, that would be Jesus, beloved. As we had it back in Psalm 2:6-7,

Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’

And, as we have it in the opening verse of Matthew's gospel,

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David… Matt 1:1a

Verses 9 and 16 speak of the position and joy that the Lord’s priest/saints will have in that future day (that would be you and I, child of God). 1 Peter 2:9 comes to mind,

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…

Verses 17-18. Finally here, these closing verses speak of the fact of Christ’s power, righteousness and prosperity during his coming reign. They also assure us that, ultimately, all of his enemies will be, “clothed with shame.”

Created 10 months ago