THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: Living By Faith In God

CX. Our Edifying Hope Of God’s World Conquest

(Psalm 110:1-7)

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

The need abounds today to hope for a better world:

(1) We need a better world at the elite level of society: “The spendthrift policies of (the Biden) administration and its congressional allies have created a cost-of-living crisis” for “millions of Americans” who “are struggling to afford necessities like food, rent, insurance, and a car payment . . . What” a typical family’s “paycheck can actually buy has fallen 4.4% since Biden took office . . . Add in the additional borrowing costs from today’s higher interest rates, and . . . (t)he . . . effect has been the equivalent of reducing the typical American family’s annual income by $8,100.” (E. J. Antoni, “White House claims your money problems are imaginary. The facts say otherwise,” Republican-American, June 19, 2024, p. 7A) “But . . . don’t expect any understanding from the White House and its sycophants (flatterers) in the media. They say your financial pain is all in your head,” Ibid.

(2) We need a better world at the grassroots level of society: “(A)t least four mass shootings . . . took place around the country Saturday night and early Sunday morning,” June 15-16. Besides the Rochester Hills, Michigan splash pad shooting of nine people, “(s)ix people were shot in a residential neighborhood in Lathrup Village . . . Seven people were shot at a party in Methuen, Massachusetts, and eight people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration in Round Rock, Texas.” (Associated Press, “Police identify Michigan splash pad shooter,” Ibid., June 17, 2024, p. 5B)

(3) We need a better world than what our federal government offers: “While (Merrick) Garland,” head of the Justice Department, “did nothing to stop the illegal picketing at the homes of Supreme Court justices and attempting to intimidate them and influence cases – not even after an assassin targeted (Justice) Brett Kavanaugh – he did deploy armed teams to raid the homes of pro-life families and prosecute elderly anti-abortion protesters for praying in front of ‘clinics.’” (David Harsanyi, “Merrick Garland shouldn’t be praised,” Ibid, June 8, 2024, p. 6A)

(4) We need a better world than what our state government offers: A letter by Dennis David of Thomaston told how “Connecticut’s legislature . . . began investigating so-called ‘hidden entertainment fees’ with ticketing prices” at the same time that “(i)t costs $120 to register a car in Connecticut” along with “a $7 plate fee, a $10 administrative fee, a $10 greenhouse-gas fee, a $15 Clean Air Act fee . . . and a $15 Passport to the Parks fee . . . additional and ‘hidden fees’ that no one has any choice in paying . . .” (Ibid., June 11, 2024, p. 6A)

(5) We need a better world than what major religious entities often offer: (a) “Hundreds of people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as” people “faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites . . . (T)he pilgrimage” is “required of every able Muslim once in their life,” and “(d)eaths are not uncommon” in the Hajj. (“Hundreds died during Hajj pilgrimage,” Ibid., June 20, 2024, p. 4C) (b) Evangelicals have problems, too: a leader of “the Southern Baptist Convention’s ‘conservative resurgence’ . . . that reshaped the direction of America’s largest Protestant denomination,” Mr. “Paul Pressler,” recently passed away, but the Associated Press noted that he had been “accused of sexually abusing boys and young men and later settled a lawsuit over the allegations.” (AP, “Longtime Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler, who was accused of sexual abuse, dies at 94,” Ibid., June 17, 2024, p. 5B)

Need: So, we ask, “What realistic hope do we have of a better world?”

I. In Psalm 110:1a, David recorded God the Father’s oracle about Messiah Jesus Christ’s enthronement at His right hand in heaven, which prediction is currently being fulfilled:

A. An oracle was spoken by the Lord (Yahweh in the Hebrew text) to David’s Lord (‘Adonay in the Hebrew text), and since David’s Lord ‘Adonay is the Messiah Who is granted victory by Yahweh against His foes, and the Messiah is David’s descendant (Matthew 22:41-45), ‘Adonay is the God Incarnate Lord Jesus Christ to Whom God the Father spoke in this verse (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Psa. 110:1-2; Heb. 1:13)

B. When Christ arose from the dead, He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and sat down at God the Father’s right hand in sovereignty over the entire universe (Ephesians 1:20-23) in fulfillment of Daniel 7:13-14a.

II. Psalm 110:1b records God the Father’s promise to subject Christ’s earthly foes at His Second Coming:

A. God the Father’s promise to have Christ sit at His right hand included the Father’s goal that Christ’s enthronement be followed by the Father’s subjugating Christ’s enemies beneath Him, Psalm 110:1b.

B. Psalm 110:1b then provides the hope that Christ will one day rule over all the foes of Christ and of His people!

C. At that time, Daniel 7:14b that predicts the eternal, worldwide rule of Christ will be fulfilled.

III. God then predicted in Psalm 110:2-4 that He would send Messiah Jesus to fulfill this promise:

A. The Father promised that He would extend the Messiah’s strong scepter forth from Zion, Jerusalem, where He would rule on David’s throne, that He would then rule in the midst of His enemies worldwide, Psalm 110:2.

B. To that end, God promised that Messiah Jesus’ people “will voluntarily rally to the Messiah, who will lead them with constantly renewed vigor,” Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Psalm 110:3.

C. Messiah’s people must be holy (v. 3b), so provision for their holiness will be made by the Messiah Who is not only King, but also Priest after the order of Melchizedek, v. 4. Under the Law, the roles of king and priest were separate, but Christ’s priesthood replaces the Aaronic priesthood, uniting the offices of king and priest as in the era of king and priest Melchizedek of Abraham’s time. (Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1; B. K. C., O. T., p. 874)

IV. Finally, Psalm 110:5-7 foretold Messiah Jesus’ defeat of the foes of Him and His people at the campaign of Armageddon at His Second Coming to institute His eternal Kingdom over the earth, Psalm 110:5-7:

A. David’s Lord (‘Adonai at Psalm 110:5; Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1074), Messiah Jesus, Who currently sits at His Father’s right hand, at His Second Coming to earth will “crush” kings in the day of His wrath at the military campaign of Armageddon, Psalm 110:5 NIV; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T.

B. In concert with that conflict, Messiah Jesus will judge all nations and punish the wrongdoers, Psa. 110:6 NIV.

C. In His activities as Divine Warrior, Messiah Jesus is pictured as drinking from a book by the way, renewing His vigor, and He will lift up His head in exaltation as the Conqueror of the world, Psalm 110:7; Ibid.

Lesson: God the Father decreed that Christ would sit enthroned at His right hand until the Father subdued all of Christ’s foes beneath Him. This subjugation includes the Father’s providing that Messiah’s people be equipped in holiness and vigor by making Messiah not only King, but Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and giving Messiah and His people victory over all evil foes that Messiah’s reign with His people might be eternal and worldwide.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God's gift of eternal life, John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. (2) May we hope for Christ’s upright, world conquest and reign.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message and provide additional guidance . . .)

(1) Scripture provides us hope for how Christ’s rule will overcome the wrongs noted in our introduction (as follows): (a) On the elites’ spendthrift policies that create financial hardships for many Americans, Micah 4:4 pledges that in Christ’s Kingdom, everyone will own his own property and enjoy livelihood bounty. (b) On mass shootings at society’s grassroots level, Micah 4:2, 4 promises that in Christ’s Kingdom, there will be law and order and everyone will live safely. (c) On Merrick Garland’s failure to protect U. S. Supreme Court justices while invading the homes of elderly pro-lifers because they prayed in front of abortion clinics, Micah 4:2, 3b-4 promises law and order in Christ’s Kingdom, the settling of all disputes, and no more war. (d) On the state’s greed for taxpayer money, Micah 4:2, 3a, 4 promises lawful order in Christ’s Kingdom, the settling of all disputes, and personal property protection. (e) On the problems many religious entities produce, be it the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage or evangelical leaders’ abuses, Micah 4:2-3 pledges that the nations will travel to Jerusalem to be taught by Christ Who will settle all disputes and end all wars.

(2) Scripture also provides guidance for wisely handling the issues of concern in our introduction today (as follows): (a) On elitists’ spendthrift policies that create financial hardships for many, Jeremiah 17:5-8 warns us not to trust in elites as that puts one under a curse, but to trust in God to flourish even in hard times (Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Jer. 17:5-8). (b) On mass shootings, Jesus in John 11:8-10 taught that “He could safely go back to Judaea where an attempt had been made to stone Him (11:8), as long as He was walking in the light of His Father’s will.” (Ibid., ftn. to John 11:8-10) We should always walk in God’s will to avoid needless exposures to danger and enjoy His protection so we can do His will. (c) On Garland’s not protecting Supreme Court justices while invading the homes of elderly pro-lifers for praying in front of abortion clinics, Colossians 4:5 calls us to conduct ourselves wisely before the world. God hears prayers given in secret (Matthew 6:5-6), so it is wise to pray about clinics in private rather than pray about them in front of clinics, irritating Mr. Garland. (d) On the state’s greed for more taxpayer money through hidden fees in addition to car taxes, Proverbs 21:17 notes that avoiding the purchase of many expensive items better equips one to gain wealth. One might own a less expensive vehicle to cut on taxes. (e) On the problems many religious entities produce, 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 promises that godly believers discern the true spiritual state of everyone around them so that they can discern truth from error and avoid being misled into harm. Thus, we need to rely on the Lord to live uprightly (Galatians 5:16) and read His Word for insight (Isaiah 8:20) to steer clear of religious entity problems.

May we trust in Christ Who died as our Atoning Sacrifice for sin that we might receive God’s gift of eternal life. May we hope in Christ’s future worldwide righteous reign and live in wisdom in our current era.