Psalm 122:1-9

Worship should make us glad.  Our greatest source of joy should be the privilege of knowing and worshiping the Lord.  It is a great honor that God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and it is astounding that He takes delight in our worship.  God revealed Himself to and through the nation of Israel.  God formed a nation through which Messiah would come to reveal the person of God and pay the price for sin.  The nation of Israel was separated by God for the purpose of promoting the worship of the Lord amongst all the other nations of the World.  They were blessed of God so that they might be a blessing and spread the joy of worship to others.  Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and is city that is designated by God for the practice and promotion of worship.  We associate different things with different places and there are two things that we should think about when we think about Jerusalem.

JERUSALEM IS A CITY FOR PRAISE: Jerusalem is a place where the people were called to gather for festivals and corporate worship of God.  These festivals were times of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for that which He had accomplished and in anticipation of that which He had promised to accomplish.  God is to be praised for His provisions in the past as well as His promises for the future.  Jerusalem was planned by God for this purpose.  When we think of Jerusalem we should think of worship and it should fill our hearts with joy.  God is preparing a place called the New Jerusalem that will fulfill this purpose in a way that the present city has failed to accomplish because of the sinfulness of men.  In that glorious city we will all have the joy of gathering to enjoy the presence of God and praise Him for all of eternity.


JERUSALEM IS A CITY FOR PEACE: Peace for Jerusalem is synonymous with freedom to worship.  Unfortunately, the idea of one God and one way to worship that God is not an idea that is readily accepted by sinful man.  We do not like to be told that we are wrong and we do not like the idea of one people or culture being prevalent over our own.  In fact we are willing to go to war to defend, protect and then impose our beliefs on others.  Perhaps this is why there has always been so much war surrounding the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.  In reality all of mankind longs for peace.  However, we are not about to sacrifice our principles for peace.  We are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, because when Jerusalem is at peace it will mean that men have united in their praise of the Lord.  One glorious day Jerusalem will be at perfect peace because the Prince of peace will reign in the New Jerusalem and all of mankind will be eternally at peace.

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