Friday, July 17, 2015

We have a full redemption

Psa. 80 3 Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. 

Salvation is depended upon Gods restoration. When we are saved we begin the process of being restored to our original position. In salvation God restores His kingdom within us. He implants His word in us, definitively sanctifies us and justifies us. The success of our restoration is through asking and receiving. 

The Lord God Almighty is the Lamb of God that is seated in between the cherubim.  The cherubim are angels who are overseeing this restoration of Gods people and the earth. They have divine knowledge and insight. The Lord Almighty is able to set all things right by one word of His mouth. There is no one who can thwart His power. 

The Psalmist is describing Gods kingdom being spread through Israel. They are the vine that spreads from their bondage in Egypt to the nations. The vine represents the spreading of eternal life. The Psalmist is petitioning the Almighty to restore Israels possessions, health and spiritual vitality. But instead of pleading for God to forgive them , he is praying to the Almighty God who can restore Israel by looking on His Son. Christ is the good Shepherd who is the root that produces the life of the vine. 14 "Return to us, O God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine,
15 the root your right hand has planted, the son (looking forward to Christ coming from Israel) you have raised up for yourself." Not only is the Good Shepherd the only One who can restore Israel to their glory days but He is the only one who can revive them so that they call upon God. 14"  Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. "

This Psalm is teaching that the purpose of redemption is to fully restore His people. The desire of restoration is being revived to call upon the Lord. So restoration is having a vision of Gods spiritual kingdom being restored in us and as we are revived in praying for, longing for and seeking to establish it in this world , we are storing up rewards when all things will be fully restored. 

When the Psalmist prays for God to shine His face upon the nation , he is praying that Israel would once again be established and secure as Gods kingdom nation. God has sent Israel into captivity because of the wicked rebellion. The Psalmist represents the elect within the nation who are suffering as a result of the captivity for God to return everything that He has given to Israel as a nation. He is praying for the Lord to shine His face upon them. Or for God to restore the nation and make them successful. In longing and praying that God would revive the people, the Psalmist is believing in a full redemption and storing up rewards in heaven.

1 comment: