A PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
Sermon by Rev. P. VanderMeyden (June 10, 2001)
LITURGY
Votum & Salutation
Psalter: 170 all
Law
Psalter: 337 all
Scripture: Psalm 132
Text: Psalm 132: 8-10
Congregational Prayer
Offertory
Psalter: 276 all
Sermon: A Prayer for the Church
Psalter: 367: 1,2,3
Prayer
Offertory
Psalter: 367: 4,5
Benediction
Doxology: Psalter: 315
A PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
Congregation, as we approach this prayer for the church, from Psalm 132, we are reminded of the fact that we just celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost. And what a glorious event that was for the church, where the Lord richly gave the assurance and experience of His promised presence in the church, unto the end of the world, by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus richly assured the disciples and the congregation of Jerusalem that he had not left them comfortless. He was still, through His grace and Holy Spirit, in their midst … as the Lord of the church.
As we look around us, and are faced with the great needs of the church of our day, many thoughts and concerns and questions come up in our mind, and we say, “O Lord, Arise and enter into Thy rest!”
Our text is a prayer for the church. It is an Old Testament prayer for the church. And it surely applies to the New Testament. The Lord has recorded it for our benefit as well. It is a prayer, in a sense, by the church, for the church. And this prayer, from the Old Testament, is recorded by the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we may be edified and taught and instructed as to how we also ought to pray … as church … for the church.
What is the historical context of this prayer? As we look at this prayer, we are reminded of other words recorded in the scriptures, and we will do a little study to understand the significance of this prayer, in the context of the rest of scripture. We may say with considerable certainty that this prayer was composed with a view to the celebration of the dedication of the newly constructed temple in Jerusalem -- the temple that is called Solomon’s temple. On what basis do we say this?
Well, first of all, let us look at the phrase, “Arise, O Lord.” When we go back to the book of Numbers, chapter 10 verse 35, we find a description of the “pulling up of stakes,” not just the tents of all the people in the wilderness journey, but of the tabernacle as well. Then the princes carried the ark to its new location. Notice from verse 33 in Numbers 10, we read, “They departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.” Verse 34, “And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.” Verse 35, “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” Verse 36, “And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.” And we know that Moses valued highly the presence of the Lord. It is about the same circumstances, about the same time, that the whole climax and crisis took place at Mt. Sinai. Moses had prayed for the sake of his people, “O Lord, if Thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence.” These words, that were composed later quote this Old Testament passage. It had become sort of a regular liturgy from the mouth of Moses, whenever the ark of the covenant was moved from once place to another.
The ark is called, “the ark of strength.” It is called this with the reference to the way in which Moses made use of that phrase, “Arise, O Lord.” Moses called upon the presence of the Lord, as the ark went before them; going into new districts, new nations, new countries, crossing new borders, that the Lord would go before them and clear out their enemies. It is strength that is on his mind as he prays for “the ark of Thy strength.” He prays that God’s holy and gracious presence would go ahead and protect the Lord’s people as they made transition from one place to the next … or from one condition to another. It is this phrase, which is later used in the dedication of the temple. When the ark is taken out of that place, that last tent that David had constructed on Mt. Zion for it, and moved into the newly constructed temple that Solomon had constructed.
Furthermore, the words of our text are almost identical with the last words of Solomon’s prayer, in II Chronicles 6. Here we have the dedication prayer of Solomon. This great prayer is rich in theological insight and spirituality. Having placed the ark, (the symbol of God’s presence) in its place, he closes his prayer anticipating the Lord’s confirmation of His own glorious presence. This presence was represented in that cloud (2 Chronicles 6:40): “Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place.” Verse 41, “Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into they resting place, thou, and the ark of the strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.” Verse 42, “O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David they servant.”
As we return to Psalm 132:1-7, the immediate context of our text, we notice that reference is made to David’s vow and zeal, to make a house for the Lord. “Lord, remember David!!!” This prayer must have been composed after David’s time. Solomon and his people are remembering David. The people recall David’s zeal to find a permanent place for the ark of the Lord. It is now that David’s desire was going to be fulfilled. The temple on mount Zion in Jerusalem had been built by David’s son Solomon. It is referred to in verse 5 as, “a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.” In verse 6, reference is made to the places where the ark was before it finally came to rest in Zion. Ephratah is a reference to the place in Ephraim, called Shiloh, where the tabernacle had rested during the life of Eli the high priest, and also Samuel, during his service as prophet. But the sons of Eli took this ark of the Lord, this symbol of the presence of God, and with a certain superstitious belief, brought this ark of the Lord into battle against the Philistines. They thought that the mere symbol would be enough to assure that the Lord would scatter the enemies. But they were presumptive about it. They imagines that those who are unholy and careless and scorn the holiness of God could presume upon the presence and favor of God. The Philistines stole the ark and put it in the house of Dagon, their idol, and God manifested, indeed, that His presence cannot be in any habitation with another idol. And so Dagon fell on his face a number of times … by the power of God.
After as few such events, the Philistines became afraid of the presence of this holy God of the Israelites and had it brought to Kir-jath-je-a-rim, where it remained for twenty years. That is referred to here in this passage as “the fields of the wood.” The people had said, “Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?” Well, the ark of the Lord was not resting in the place worthy of the Lord during these years. It grieved the house of Israel, especially true believers, according to I Samuel 7 verse 2, where we read, “All the house of Israel lamented after the Lord,” because they realized that God had not brought the symbol of His presence back. It was a way, in His sovereignty, of saying that His presence was not with them. And so they lamented after the Lord. They longed for His presence.
When David was established king in Israel, he went with the people to Kirjath-jearim to get the ark but they failed to consult the prescription for moving the ark, according to God’s liturgical guidance. And they dealt dishonorably with the ark. When Uzzah touched the ark, he was struck dead to manifest God’s displeasure, whereupon the ark was left at the house of Obededom for three months. Then David brought it to a temporary tent pitched for it in Zion, according to II Samuel 6. David was not satisfied with this, and while he was erecting his own house of cedar, he longed to see something more permanent built in Jerusalem for the ark of the Lord. Now that is what is referred to here in our text, this vow of David to have a house for the Lord. David could only fulfill his desire partially in that he had the ark moved to mount Zion and a temporary tent pitched.
And now in the reign of Solomon, David’s desire is more fully realized. Israel rejoices in this event and promises to worship the Lord in this new place of worship. And that is stated in verse 7 of Psalm 132, “ We will go into his tabernacles: We will worship at his footstool.” This is a worthy vow on the part of the people of Israel. We trust that this is our vow as congregation! God manifests His presence in special ways where he has ordained the means of grace to be administered. Do we also respond by vowing together, “Lord, we will go into the tabernacles of Thy presence. We will worship there?”
Now, what does Solomon and Israel pray for in this prayer for the church, in our text? First of all, we see in our text this phrase, “Arise, O Lord, and enter into thy rest, thou.” The focus is upon the Lord and rightly so! Upon the Lord himself! Not simply upon some things that He can give. God can give prosperity. He can give national peace. He can give fruitfulness in the family. He can give stability in employment, but the church asks, “Thou…….O Lord we need THY presence. Arise, THOU, O Lord.” They need Jehovah God, not just the things Jehovah can do.
It is indeed in connection with this symbol of God’s presence, that they pray this, but they are not satisfied, even now that the ark is in its place. They WILL NOT, like the sons of Eli, PRESUME that where ever His symbol is present, there God himself is. We may have the symbol of the baptism. We may have the symbol of communion with the Lord … But let us not presume that these or even the physical word of God as it is present our midst, give us a basis to presume that God Himself, in His gracious power is with us. Let us not presume, if we merely participate in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, or when we are merely present here in God’s house under the preaching of the Word, that we may go home with the assurance that God, the God of Jacob is with us. “Arise, Thou, O God.” May that be our prayer!
This prayer pleads the promise of God in the Old Testament but also of Jesus in the New, when He arose and ascended in heaven and entered into the glorious final place of habitation, for now the Lord is in the temple above. And He said, “ I will be with you even unto the end of the world!” As we make our transitions, let us not forget to pray, “Arise, thou. Lord do not take us further as a congregation, unless, THOU… go with us.”
Secondly, we notice in this prayer, that there is a prayer for the strength of God. “Arise, thou, and the ark of Thy strength.” The focus here is not simply on the ark, but on the strength, all the strength that is manifested in the presence of God. This is an awesome thing to pray for. It is awesome so ask that a holy God would come down into our midst. In Exodus 33, we read that Moses took the tabernacle and moved it outside of the camp because he was fearful that if God would come down in His presence upon this defile, wicked, and lustful nation, as they were dancing around the golden calf. He was afraid that God in His PRESENCE and in His STRENGTH would destroy the nation! And he took the symbol of God’s presence outside the camp. It is an awesome thing, to ask, “Lord, be with me. Lord, come into our midst. Lord, Arise and come into our presence with Thy strength.” Why is that awesome? Because it is HOLY strength! It is holy strength! The sons of Eli brought the symbol of a HOLY God with them. And His holiness did not fire with fury upon the enemy, but upon the bearers of the ark. They were slain and defeated because they were an unholy people.
Many died, among the Philistines as well, when the ark of God’s strength was in their midst. Uzzah died when he touched the ark. Israel was impressed by the fact that God is a HOLY God. Who can stand before His presence? We need to realize that the ark had the law in it. When we worship, we call upon the Lord and we put our confidence in His help and in His name. When the law is read, the holiness of God is opened up to us and do we want Him present … in His holiness? It ought to humble us when we say, “Arise, O Lord, and enter into thy rest.” How can the Lord God of heaven who is of holier eyes than to behold iniquity, ever be at REST, at PEACE, with an unholy people. Well, the answer to that lies in the fact that this is not only a HOLY strength. It is a GRACIOUS strength as well. “The ark of thy strength,” indeed, reminds us of the holiness manifested through the law. But it reminds us also of the MERCY that covers the transgressions of the law. The ark had as its covering the “golden mercy seat.” And that mercy seat manifested the GLORY of grace by the mediation of the blood of the lamb. On the basis of the sacrifice of the lamb, whose blood was sprinkled upon that mercy seat, God shows Himself as one that covers the transgressions of the law and who shines the glory of His gracious presence.
“Arise, thou, in the ark of Thy strength.” It is through this MERCY that God is present with His people, in grace and in peace. Immanuel, GOD with us! That is Jesus’ name! For it is through his blood, through his sacrifice, through his atonement, his total priestly ministry, that the Lord may come into the midst of His people, in peace. And congregation, that is the presence of God that we NEED. The presence of His holy strength to CONVICT us and HUMBLE us on account of our sins. We need the God of gracious presence with gracious strength to show us the beauties of Christ. We need him to break our hearts in conviction. We need him also to turn us in repentance and draw us unto Himself in communion with His Son, through the work of His Spirit. We need that He may arise and enter into REST, with US, through His Son, who said, “come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give REST, unto your souls!” Oh … to come to the presence of a holy God through the Mediator, Christ Jesus, and to be at REST with God!