I Kings 3-4
2 Cor 3
Psalm 78; Psalm 79
Darkness and Dawn (Sanctuary in View)
Psalms 73–89
As I wrote at the beginning of June when we began our trek into Psalms, we are dividing the Book of Psalms according to the Pentateuch. The first forty–one psalms we call the Genesis section. Psalms 42–72 are known as the Exodus section. Sunday, we arrived at Psalm 73 which brings us to the beginning of the Leviticus section. It corresponds to the Book of Leviticus because in this section—even in Psalm 73—the sanctuary is prominent. You see, the Book of Leviticus is the book of worship for the tabernacle and later for the temple. It is one of the greatest books in the Bible. Now as we come to this Leviticus section of the Book of Psalms, we find the emphasis upon the sanctuary and, in particular, on two aspects of the house of God. The Book of Leviticus emphasizes two things: that God is holy and that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins—the key words are holiness and sacrifice. These two words will also figure largely in this Leviticus section of the Book of Psalms.
Heritage Month
Continuing our theme for the first week of July - Making our nation Holy Ground. Overturning Roe v. Wade is a good start but is only a beginning. Let’s go back to the Constitution that Alito, Thomas, and the others strive mightily to protect and defend…
The U.S. Constitution is a legal document. I believe it was divinely inspired but built on an even more important divinely inspired cultural document…
Most important document – Declaration of Independence
Most important sentence - We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Most important word - Creator
Early English settlers also wanted their new land to share such a binding covenant with God. Christian historian Eddie Hyatt, author of The Great Prayer Awakening of 1857-58, said those who came to Jamestown starting in 1607 put it in their Virginia Compact.
"To propagate, to expand the gospel, the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and to take the gospel to people who were 'lying in darkness and had no knowledge of the one true God.' They said that was the reason they had come," Hyatt stated.
Hyatt says John Winthrop, leading 700 Puritans to Massachusetts in 1631, said it like this: "'Others may come to the New World for wealth and furs.' He said, 'We have another goal, another end. We have entered into an explicit covenant with God to be His people in this New World.' And they wanted to be that city on a hill. They wanted to be a model of Christianity for the rest of the world to see."
There's a chance our nation can still someday return to fulfilling the prophecy of destiny Jamestown chaplain Robert Hunt said in 1607 as he came ashore in Virginia, 'From these very shores the Gospel shall go forth, not only to this New World, but to all the world.'"
It just takes getting back to covenant. As Joel 2:13 says, "Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving-kindness."
Jay