David The Prophet – Psalm 16:10-11

“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

“This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a golden psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament.  David speaks of himself as a member of Christ, and so he speaks the language of all good Christians, professing his confidence in God (v. 1), his consent to him (v. 2), his affection to the people of God (v. 3), his adherence to the true worship of God (v. 4), and his entire complacency and satisfaction in God and the interest he had in him (v. 5-7).” (Matthew Henry)

If there is any question whether the latter part of this psalm is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit put that to rest by explaining it to us.  On the Day of Pentecost, after being filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:1-4), Peter preached to the devout Jews of every nation.  His sermon included the reference and explanation of this psalm.   “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.  This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.  Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” (Acts 2:29-33)

In the event we still some help understanding the prophetic nature of this psalm, the Apostle Paul also makes reference to it in his discussion of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  “And we declare to you glad tidings – that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’ And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ Therefore He also says in another Psalm ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.”  (Acts 13:32-37) 

There have been doctrines and beliefs in immortality.  It is not limited to Christianity.  However, Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever resurrected from the dead.  And this resurrection is well documented, it was witnessed by hundreds and could not be refuted by the Pharisees.  God the Father gave this prophecy to David that was fulfilled by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When God says He is going to do something, it will happen.  This consistent faithfulness by God to His own Word is what helps strengthen our faith.  It turns our faith into more than a belief.  For those of us who have experienced fulfillment of our Mighty God’s promises, and who have seen His Hand in action, our faith and belief turns into knowledge.  We do not just think God exists, we know God exists and we know that He loves us, because we have experienced it. 

Death does not end us.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ led the way for his heirs.  Someday, those of us who have surrendered to our Lord Jesus will be raised incorruptible, to live with Jesus for eternity.  “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)  

I understand that our spirit will be with Jesus immediately upon the death of our body.  “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.  For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (Philippians 1:21-23)

How it is that our bodies shall be raised is a question I cannot answer.  The Apostle John did not attempt to describe such a thing.  “Beloved now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

Every trial we go through with Jesus should strengthen our faith and turn our belief in God to a knowledge of God.  Friends, I pray your faith is strengthened, because this world is going to give us trials.  It is not a matter of if the trials come, but rather of when.  As we live through these ‘latter days,’ have faith, or better yet know, that God will never leave you nor forsake you.  He says what He does and does what He says.  In the midst of David’s prayer, this golden psalm, he writes of the resurrection of the coming Messiah.  What a gracious God we have that, in the middle of our prayers of praise to Him, He will bring us to remembrance of this precious hope.  Jesus Christ is coming and soon there will no longer be a need for faith, for we shall see Him face to face.

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Who Do You Say That I Am – Mark 8:29

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ.’”

Jesus was on the road with His disciples and had just asked them who other men said that Jesus was.  They responded that some thought He was John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others thought He was one of the prophets.  Then Jesus made it very personal.  ‘Who do YOU say that I am?’

Have you ever met anyone in the world that does not know the name of Jesus?  Everybody knows about Him.  Amazing, is it not?  But most people in the world know of Jesus as something other than the Christ.  We hear so often that Jesus was a great teacher.  I have heard my Hindu and Buddhist friends say as much.  The Muslim community says Jesus was a prophet.  These groups hold Jesus in an elevated but limited status.  It is like a high opinion, but short of the truth.

Jesus is still the most controversial person to have ever walked the earth.  Just ask anyone you know and even some folks you do not know.  They may say something complimentary about Him, but most of the time it is inaccurate.  You cannot be right with Jesus until you are right with who He is.  Further, you also need to know what He did.  “Now the time has come when Jesus is going to reveal to the disciples His true identity. Up to now, He has not declared Himself to His disciples His true mission.”  (Chuck Smith)

The miracles and words of Jesus, as well as the testimony of the demons and the blundering arguments of the Pharisees, correspond with Old Testament scripture that Jesus was the Messiah (Hebrew word for ‘anointed one’).  Still, Jesus had not yet clearly confessed this to His disciples.  Before He confessed, He first asked them this key question.  He sought their confession of who they thought He was.  Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ (Greek word for ‘anointed one’).  “To be a Christian indeed, is, sincerely to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and to act accordingly; and that he is so, plainly appears by his wondrous works.   Is the record of those things designed only for an amusement, or to furnish us with matter for discourse? No, certainly these things are written, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”  (John 20:31); and this discourse which Christ had with his disciples, will assist us in making the necessary reflections upon the miracles of Christ, and a right use of them.”  (Matthew Henry)

I cannot think of a more important question in this lifetime.  The answer to this question will determine whether you have eternal life with God, or eternity in hell.  The answer must be acted upon in this lifetime.  When we die, we will know without a doubt who Jesus is.  I speculate that once we pass through this life, Jesus will ask this question in the past tense.  ‘Who did you say that I am?’  Jesus said “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)

It is prudent to point out that the demons believed and confessed Jesus as ‘the son of the most high God.’ (See Mark 5:7)  James points out for us: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!”  (James 2:19)  So what is the difference?  The demons knew who Jesus was, but they did not call Him their Messiah, their anointed one, their King. 

Once we know who Jesus is, once we realize His claims, we must do something with that realization.  We either choose Him as our Savior, or we reject His gift of eternal salvation.  Friend, it is as simple as that. 

Is Jesus a good teacher, a prophet, or the Christ your King?  Do not wait until it is too late.  There is nothing more important in this life than your response to this question:  Who do you say that Jesus is?

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.