Reflecting God – Tuesday, 26 November 2013 – “An Enduring Throne” - Scripture Reading: Psalm 89

Reflecting God – Tuesday, 26 November 2013 – “An Enduring Throne” - Scripture Reading: Psalm 89: 19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:

    “I have set the crown[a] on one who is mighty,

    I have exalted one chosen from the people.

20 I have found my servant David;

    with my holy oil I have anointed him;

21 my hand shall always remain with him;

    my arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not outwit him,

    the wicked shall not humble him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

    and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;

    and in my name his horn shall be exalted.

25 I will set his hand on the sea

    and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,

    my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’

27 I will make him the firstborn,

    the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him,

    and my covenant with him will stand firm.

29 I will establish his line forever,

    and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 If his children forsake my law

    and do not walk according to my ordinances,

31 if they violate my statutes

    and do not keep my commandments,

32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod

    and their iniquity with scourges;

33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love,

    or be false to my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant,

    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

35 Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness;

    I will not lie to David.

36 His line shall continue forever,

    and his throne endure before me like the sun.

37 It shall be established forever like the moon,

    an enduring witness in the skies.”Selah

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help(NRSV)

“An Enduring Throne” by Duane C. Brush

Kings are often concerned that their descendants will remain on the throne as long as possible. The Imperial House of Japan, the Yamato Dynasty, is believed to be the oldest royal line in the world. They claim as their founder the Emperor Jimmu (ca. 660 B.C.) through 125 descendants to the current Emperor Akihito.

God revealed to King David, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:14). However, shortly following the death of David’s son Solomon the kingdom was divided. In less than 500 years the direct descent of David’s line was interrupted by the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the Jews under the Babylonians. By the time of Jesus Herod’s Hasmonean dynasty ruled in Jerusalem as puppet kings to the Roman emperor. Had God’s promise failed? No.

The angel Gabriel told Mary she would bear a son to be named Jesus, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32-33). His kingdom will last forever because he lives forever!

Hymn for Today:

“Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts

1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.

2. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

3. No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

4. He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Thought for Today:

“The Seventh Trumpet

15: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord

    and of his Messiah,[a]

and he will reign forever and ever.”

Footnotes:

Revelation 11:15 Gk Christ”(Revelation 11:15)

Prayer Needs:

Developing Christian leaders in the United States and Canada.

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Global Church of the Nazarene

Global Ministry Center

17001 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, KS 66220 United States

Phone: (913)577-0500

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