Title On the Avenue of Zion
Contents
Psalm 84 is one of the most famous psalms. Often this Psalm 84 is called the pearl.
In ancient times, the temple in Jerusalem was the center of the faith of the people of Israel. Of course, at that time the temple was built on Mount Zion. Therefore, it was customary for the people of Israel to go up to Jerusalem and worship in the temple on Mount Zion at least once during a great festival, regardless of where they lived. So they eagerly waited for such a great feast, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Pentecost, and when the time came, they set out for Zion.
Living a life of faith through fellowship between God and man and man-to-man fellowship is achieved through coming to God's temple and worshiping in this way. Therefore, the religious expression of the Israelites was expressed in their longing for the temple. Love makes you want to see it. I think the same is true of our attitude toward God. If you love God, you long for the temple of God.
Look at verses 1-2 of today's message. You can guess how much they longed for the temple on Mount Zion. I think that the religious feeling of longing for the temple is the deepest expression of the poet's heart and the attitude of a beautiful believer. He also called the temple 'the tabernacle of the Lord' and 'the court of the Lord'. When we say 'the tabernacle', we think of Moses building the tabernacle while he was in the wilderness.
Although it is a simple place, the place is not the problem, but because God is there, I miss the place and thought it was beautiful. Those who love and yearn for God cannot help but yearn for the Lord's tabernacle where God resides. And when we say 'the court of the Lord', we think of the magnificent temple built by Solomon. The temple built by Solomon was one of the wonders of the world. He says that his soul has longed so much for the palace of the Lord that he has reached the point of weakness.
Psalm 69:9 says, “The zeal for your house has consumed me.” This poet's longing for the temple was not because of the majesty of a magnificent palace. Whether it was a tent or a palace, it was not a problem, but the place where God was enshrined, a symbol of our faith, and the place where we met God was the object of our longing.
Moreover, Zion was the ideal of the nation of Israel. Therefore, they considered going up to Zion according to the seasons as limitless glory and blessings. why? It was because I was able to meet and meet God in the temple on Mount Zion. In fact, if we do not meet God through worship, that worship will be meaningless. I hope that God will bless you at this time and that each and every one of you will meet God.
Verses 3-4 tell us how great the blessings of those who dwell in the temple are. How much did this poet long for the temple of the Lord and even say that he was envious of sparrows and swallows having their nests on the eaves of the temple? He expressed that he would be happy to live in a bird's nest near the altar rather than living in a palace far from the altar of God. The poet expressed that he would be happy to live in a bird's nest near the temple of God. This poet wanted to be near the temple of God. The longing of the saints for the Lord's temple is a sign of their love for God.
Some of us like to be near the house of the Lord so much that we cannot move far and stay near the chapel, while others move their house closer to the chapel from afar. It is a heart that longs for the Lord. Taking it one step further and speaking in a spiritual sense, we can say that human satisfaction and joy are being embraced in God's house, God's bosom. From a worldly point of view, there is such a thing as a palace. Raising a lot of money, gaining a lot of knowledge, and enjoying high power - all these are man-made palaces. But there is no real satisfaction.
why? Human beings do not appear to be very different from other animals on the outside, but since there is a soul in this body, there is no true peace and satisfaction until this soul is embraced by God. A palace is the best thing in the world, but it doesn't really satisfy you. Rather, it makes me envious of birds nesting in God's house.
And he said, "We always praise the Lord." Those who dwell in the house of the Lord do not only honor God with their outward appearance, but have the faith to praise the Lord even in the midst of suffering. The word 'always' here means 'still' or 'though' to praise the Lord. This is the hallmark of the Christian life. Singing when you are happy, when everything is going well, is something anyone can do. However, it is impossible to always praise the Lord unless you have a sincere faith. “Blessed are those who dwell in your house.” The reason is given in verse 5 and below.
What a blessing this is! Blessed are those who receive strength from the Lord. That's right. This is in contrast to the person who gains strength from the world. Relying on the power of the world, the power of money, or the power of knowledge seems strong, but in reality it is weak. That's why the Bible says, "Do not lean on Egypt like a bruised reed staff." Even Egypt, which ruled the world at that time, looked like a reed staff and a bruised reed staff in God's eyes. Those who depend on the world are like that. But blessed are those who find strength in the Lord (Psalm 146:3). Blessed are those who gain strength from the Lord and have the highways of Zion in their hearts. Blessed are those who walk the boulevard of Zion. At that time, it was not so easy to set out for Zion. I was able to leave only when the Lord gave me strength. To go on this road, you must have good health and travel expenses, and above all else, you must be desperate for the thought of leaving for Zion.
Of course, at that time, those who had enough would have ridden on a donkey or a camel. But most of the people probably went to Zion on foot. The same is true of our Christian life today. On the way to Zion, looking to Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith, we must first receive strength from the Lord to leave this path. It's impossible in my own strength. We need the strength of the Lord. In fact, we cannot repent of our sins without the influence of the Holy Spirit. To cast off the sins that easily entangle us and lead a life of righteousness and holiness, we can set out on the road toward Zion only if we have an earnest heart to meet God.
And there is a valley of tears along the highway of Zion. Palestine is a mountainous region. Therefore, there are many rugged valleys. Moreover, it is a very dry place because it doesn't rain very much. So those who go there have no choice but to pass through the Valley of Tears. But he said that it would be the site of many springs. It is a bit difficult to understand the meaning of these words in detail. I don't know whether it means that tears become springs of water or that, as some commentators say, people on their way to Zion have dug springs everywhere as they passed this road, so there are many springs. However, even if we pass through the valley of tears like this, we believe that those who trust in God and go toward Zion can find the spring of life in the valley of tears.
He was able to exhort the saints outside, "Rejoice in the Lord always", even while imprisoned in a gloomy prison. The Apostle Paul found the fountain of life even in the midst of the valley of tears and was blessed with the early rain from above.
We can remember many people throughout Christian history, but when we think about the life of John Bunyan, he really walked through the valley of tears. He received God's special grace as a young man and began to preach the gospel. However, when he preached the gospel, he was holding power in the British state religion, so he did not allow anyone to preach freely. But John Bunyan went on preaching the gospel with power. Because of that, I ended up being imprisoned, and I spent 12 years in the cell unjustly.
Young Bunyan had no choice but to pass through the Valley of Tears on the highway of Zion, so to speak. But John Bunyan found a fountain of life, so to speak, in the midst of the valley of tears. He was blessed with the early rain from above.
If you read the Old Testament, the life of Joseph was also like that. As a boy, Joseph passed through a valley of unwanted tears. I got the time of my brothers. So he went into the pit without sin. Then he was sold into slavery in Egypt. His path was a step through the valley of tears, step by step. He walked through this valley of tears as a young man. I was also a slave for a long time. He overcame the coming trials and temptations with faith, but in the end he was confined to a prison cell. It was literally a valley of tears.
But Joseph found the water of life in the midst of it. As he passed through these valleys, he did a great job of helping the Egyptians out of the coming difficulties. He saved his father, all his brothers, and Jacob's family.
Dear all,
There is a valley of tears along the highway of Zion. But we must remember clearly that even in this valley of tears, God gives the fountain of life and the grace of the early rain.
The world we live in today is a valley of tears. But on the highways of Zion make us a valley of tears a place of springs, and the benefit of the early rain. There you will receive the comfort, power, and blessings of God.
Do any of us walk through the valley of tears in our interpersonal relationships? Find the highway of Zion even in tears. There you will find a fountain of God's comfort and power. Is there anyone who walks through the valley of tears while living for righteousness? The time will come when you will receive the favor of God, who makes it many springs.
Dear all,
Are the highways of Zion really open in our hearts? Then, even when our tears pass through the valley, we believe that the earth will give us springs of living water and the blessings of the early rain from heaven. Going through the Valley of Tears is no fun. But you gain strength while going through these valleys. Who wants high waves for sailors? But the water department gains strength through these waves. Who will welcome tribulation and adversity? However, there are trials like this along the highway of Zion, and it is true that we gain strength and gain more through these trials.
Finally, you can see God at the end of Zion's Road. There are no more tears, no injustice, no unreasonable injustice, no oppression, no torture. There is only justice and peace, freedom and joy. As the Bible says, it is a world where all the first things have passed.
Everyone,
Are you walking the boulevard of Zion? Let's walk well to the end. Let us believe that the day of glory will come. "Blessed are those who gain strength from the Lord and have the highways of Zion in their hearts."