The Pilgrim Path---Psalm 90: 1, 2

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

OUR DWELLING PLACE…

This world is so chaotic, unstable, confused, and distorted. We must have a refuge. A sure and certain dwelling for our eternal being is a necessity if we would face the future and have some measure of actual mental stability in the present. Psalm 90 says that the Lord “is” the only actual refuge for human beings. The question is---do you believe this?

Here is some serious reasoning from many centuries ago:

Certainly, we cannot show or see the God we worship. He is God for us just because we can know him but cannot see him. In his works, in all the movements of the universe, we perceive his power always, whether in thunder, lightning, an approaching storm, or in the clear sky.

And you believe that this God knows nothing of the doings and dealings of men? You believe that from his throne in heaven he cannot visit all men or know individual men? Man, in this you are mistaken and deceived. How can God be far away! The whole heaven and the whole earth and all things beyond the confines of the world are filled with God. Everywhere he is very close to us, yes, much more than that, he is in us. Look at the sun again! Fixed in the sky, its light is still poured out over all the earth. It is equally present everywhere and penetrates everything. Its splendor is nowhere dimmed. How much more is God present, he who is the creator of all things, from whom nothing can remain hidden! MINUCIUS FELIX, Third Century

THE GOOD NEWS: The God-Man Jesus, gives eternal life to all who trust Him (John 3:16)---AND---He is Everlasting (see below).

The LORD Jesus Christ was involved in a very revealing interchange with the leaders of the Jews (in John chapter eight, verses 48—59):

---“You are a Samaritan---and are obviously demon possessed,” the Jews said to Jesus. His response was, “No---you dishonor me---but I honor my Father.”

---“You don’t know my Father,” Jesus said, “if you did---you’d honor me and be interested in really knowing me.”

---“You need to know this” Jesus said, “I don’t seek my glory---only the glory of the Father.”

---“You should come to this understanding” Jesus said, “If you keep my word---you will never see death (eternal death).”

---“You must have a demon” was the response of the Jews. “Are you greater than our Father Abraham?” was the question the Jews asked (which was a great question).

---“You must know---the Father glorifies me---the One of whom you say, he is your Father,” Jesus said.

---“You do not really know him (the Father)” Jesus said. “Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad,” Jesus continued. The Jews said to Jesus, “You are not even 50 years old, and you have seen Abraham?”

---“You have to understand this,” Jesus said, “before Abraham was, I am.”

---You take a look at Exodus 3: 14, and you see that the LORD Jesus Christ uses the words conveyed to name the Great Covenant Deliverer of Israel that Moses was to mention--- when the people asked who sent him. Tell this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.” Therefore, the Jews took up stones to throw at him. But the Christ was not to die this way---and not in man’s time.

---You may really know the One who is, “from everlasting to everlasting?” YES---in the Man, Christ Jesus!

To know, love, obey, and trust the LORD Jesus Christ is to begin to come to grips with reality. It is to begin to grasp the truth about life and death, time and eternity, heaven, and hell, and make distinctions between what is fleeting and what is lasting. The Prince of Life will do nothing less than reorient all of life. What should we expect from this One who is God in the flesh, God of very God? Psalm 90, verse 17, reads:

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”

The word “favor” is literally “beauty” in the Hebrew. In this old prayer of Moses, the Holy Spirit encourages us to pray that the LORD would guide us in our work for the Savior. We may do what we “do” as unto the Master Jesus---and as it lines up with the truth of Holy Scripture---we may know that what we do---lasts! Side with the LORD of Righteousness and you will never regret the choice. A CAUTION: Do not expect the “beauty” of God to accompany any works bound up in unrighteousness (personally or publicly).

From George Swinnock: Men and angels have a beginning and no end, but God is eternal with no beginning, succession, or end! From everlasting to everlasting he is God! (Psalm 90: 2). There is no succession in his duration---he dwells in one indivisible point of eternity. There is no past or “to come” with God. He enjoys his whole eternity every moment. Nothing in the least has been added to his duration since the world was. His Name is I AM (Exodus 3: 14), not, I was or shall be. Christ told the Jews, “Before Abraham was, I Am” (John 8: 58). It seems false grammar, but it is the most proper true divinity. Past and future are all his present!

From Samuel Rutherford: I have a lover, Christ, and yet I want love for him. I have a lovely and desirable Lord, who is love-worthy, and who beggeth my love and heart, and I have nothing to give him. Dear brother, come further in on Christ, and see a new treasure in him: come in, and look down and see angels’ wonder, and heaven and earth’s wonder of love, and sweetness, majesty, and excellency in him.

HYMN

Thou art my Counselor, my pattern, and my Guide,

And thou my Shepherd art; O keep me near thy side;

Nor let my feet e’er turn astray to wander in the crooked way.

Isaac Watts, 1707

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our Risen LORD, Pastor Jason