Citizens Of Heaven
Psalms 87
November 1, 2020
When we planned our first ever international mission trip
I still remember Janeen lecturing us about the importance
Of keeping a firm hold on our passports.
She would tell us that many people in Africa
Would “Give their right arm for an American passport.”
Simply put, the benefits of being an American citizen in our world
Are regarded to the rest of the world as invaluable.
Even though we can get disillusioned quickly with our country,
We still recognize the freedoms and blessings and prosperity
That we enjoy here is not common throughout the world.
Being a US citizen means something so far as it relates to this life.
In New Testament times we saw the benefits of being a Roman citizen.
You may remember when Paul was arrested and beaten in Philippi.
Acts 16:37-38 “But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,”
Or later when Paul was about to be beaten in Jerusalem:
Acts 22:25-29 “But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.”
Being a Roman citizen was a big deal.
There were certain rights and privileges and protections
That came with being a citizen of that nation.
But if a straight up comparison is to be done.
Nothing compares with being a citizen of Zion.
Psalms 87 is a song about that blessing.
It is the Hebrew equivalent to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The U.S.A.”
The Psalmist here is singing, “I’m proud to be from Zion…”
And obviously, (as you’ve no doubt already gathered),
The imagery here extends far beyond just the earthly city of Jerusalem
And looks to the heavenly Zion.
And it allows us to turn our focus
To the value of having a heavenly citizenship.
And obviously the TIMING TONIGHT IS INTERESTING
Since this coming Tuesday America will elect a president.
At least half of the population is in a state of great anxiety
As they await the results.
I’ve heard everything from
• This election being called a “tipping point”
• And even “the point of no return” for our nation from both sides.
And so a study of this Psalm will do us good
As we take our eyes off of what is most certainly a temporary nation
And FIX OUR EYES what is an eternal one.
EVEN AS AN INTRODUCTION,
I would remind you again of what we know to be true in Scripture.
Stephen Butts shared with us from Daniel 5 Sunday morning about the feeble nature of kings. We saw that God can raise up and tear down a ruler any time He desires.
But I would also remind you of something
THAT EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO KNOW.
In Daniel 2 we are told about a dream that Nebuchadnezzar had which terrified him and which no man could interpret.
You’ll remember the dream was of a statue.
• It had a head of gold (Babylon)
• It had a breast and arms of silver (Media/Persia)
• It had a belly and thighs of bronze (Greece)
• It had legs of iron (Rome)
• It had feet of iron/clay (Anti-Christ)
And Daniel revealed this to Nebuchadnezzar:
Daniel 2:34-35 “You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”
Later Daniel would reveal:
Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”
One thing every American needs to understand is that
The United States of America is not the kingdom of heaven.
There is no doubt that
• The USA was raised up by God.
• The USA has been used by God.
• The USA has been blessed by God.
But that could be said of countless other kingdoms as well.
God raised up, used, and blessed
Egypt and Babylon and Persia and Greece and Rome, etc.
BUT IN THE END, ONLY ONE KINGDOM IS LEFT STANDING.
And in the end it is only a heavenly passport
That is accepted through security.
Now there is certainly nothing wrong with praying for and working for and voting for the peace and prosperity of an earthly nation.
Even the exiles who were sent to Babylon were told:
Jeremiah 29:4-7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. ‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’”
That’s a good practice of how to live in an earthly kingdom.
You ought to seek the welfare of the place where you live.
But at the same time don’t forget the ADMONITION
That EVENTUALLY CAME to those Jews who were living in Babylon:
Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the LORD’S time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.”
Jeremiah 51:9 “We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed; Forsake her and let us each go to his own country, For her judgment has reached to heaven And towers up to the very skies.”
Jeremiah 51:45 “Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the LORD.”
It is no different than Jacob and Joseph
Who found exile in Egypt and great peace and prosperity there.
But both of those men prepared for the day
When their descendants would leave that nation behind
For a land of their own.
• Joseph gave orders commanding his bones to be taken out of that place.
• Jacob actually demanded burial back in Canaan.
Egypt was good to both of them,
But they knew they were citizens of a better country.
That is really the theme of Psalms 87.
It is the rejoicing of a citizen of Zion.
It is a Psalm to help you understand that
Regardless of your earthly country,
Nothing compares to your heavenly one.
Tonight we’ll break it down into 3 points.
#1 ZION’S DESIGNATION
Psalms 87:1-3
Right off the bat we are reminded of the location of Zion
As the city set in the mountains.
(1) “His foundation is in the holy mountains.”
Only here they are called “the holy mountains”.
• God did not select those mountains because they were holy.
• They were declared holy because God selected those mountains.
(2) “The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.”
We see God’s love for Zion in the fact that
God selected her as the place where His name would dwell.
And in that sense, God loved her more than every other city.
Think of it like the passage
• “Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated”
• Or when Jesus says “If anyone comes after Me and does not hate his own
father and mother…he cannot be my disciple.”
It is a contrasting statement.
God did for Zion what He did for no other city in Israel.
God caused His name to dwell there.
Deuteronomy 12:8-14 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. “When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.”
And the place God ultimately selected was Jerusalem.
David moved the ark of God there, SOLOMON BUILT HIM A HOUSE.
1 Kings 8:27-29 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! “Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.”
This place was promised to have God’s attention.
God’s eyes and God’s ears would be open to this place.
This is the place where His name and His glory dwelled.
This was the access point on earth to the living God.
No other city could boast such an attraction.
Psalms 68:16 “Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely the LORD will dwell there forever.”
• Giza could boast of the sphynx
• Athens could boast of the Parthenon
• Rome could boast of the Coliseum
• Brownwood could boast of Underwoods Cafeteria
But none of them had an attraction like this.
THIS CITY HOUSED THE LIVING GOD.
Beyond that, this city held the promises of God.
(3) “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah”
And we immediately think of the many promises
God has made in regard to this city.
Isaiah 65:18-19 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.”
Isaiah 66:10-13 “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her, That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.” For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Zechariah 1:14-17 “So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. “But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.” ‘Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”‘ “Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”‘”
Zechariah 8:20-23 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘It will yet be that peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities. ‘The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I will also go.” ‘So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.’ “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”‘”
And those are but a few.
The GREATER PROMISES have to do not only with that city,
But the new CITY WHICH IS TO COME.
Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Not only has God done for this city
What He has done for no other city,
But He has also promised to do for this city
What He will do for no other city.
Only this city gets a heavenly remake.
• Only this city has an eternal plan.
• Only this city gets a divine king to rule for all eternity.
No other city has a designation like that.
No other city has an attraction like that.
No other city has a future like that.
Zion’s Designation
#2 ZION’S DISTINCTION
Psalms 87:4-6
These 3 verses can read A LITTLE CONFUSING at first, but let me just tell you what they are about and then perhaps they will make a little more sense to you.
You obviously read WORD ANALOGIES here
That speak of Jerusalem as a mother.
It brings to our mind Paul’s distinction:
Galatians 4:21-26 “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.”
Paul was making the point
• We are not children of the slave woman, we are children of the free woman.
• We are not inhabitants of the slave mountain, we are inhabitants of the free
mountain.
• We are not citizens of the present Jerusalem, we are citizens of the above
Jerusalem.
That is mother imagery Paul took from this Psalm.
He saw Jerusalem as a mother.
You see the same type of imagery here.
Here you see various nations listed.
Actually listed are 5 Gentile nations.
“Rahab” (Egypt), “Babylon”, “Philistia”, “Tyre”, and “Ethiopia”
And of those cities GOD REVEALS THAT
These are nations “who know Me”
That is to say that even among these pagan nations,
There are those who have been redeemed and have been saved.
They are nations that are NOT TOTALLY VOID of the blessings and benefits of God.
• We could throw the United States into a list like this.
• We are certainly a Gentile nation that has in it people who know God.
• We are a nation that has been used and blessed by God.
And the IMPORTANT DISTINCTION for all these Gentile nations is this.
“This one was born there.”
We would do good to ask: “Born where?”
And the answer is Zion.
All of those Gentile or pagan nations that now know God,
Know Him because they approached God through Zion.
Keep reading and I’ll show you.
(5) “But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her.”
Perhaps it would help if we said it like this:
“This one and that one were born [again] in her.”
These nations that have come to know God and be known by God
Have experienced that privilege
Because they came to God through Zion.
Let me give you another reference.
Romans 11:17-18 “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”
• We remember that we are those merely grafted in to the promises that God made to Abraham.
• We are not Israel, but through Christ we are grafted in to Israel and thus sharers of the blessing.
THAT IS THE POINT BEING MADE HERE.
For those Gentiles that come through Zion
And are in effect born in her, they also know God.
Consider the heavenly scene:
Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
• In heaven we see represented every nation, tribe, and tongue.
• They are there as those who have been grafted in to Zion and thus share the blessing.
This is what the writer of the Psalm is talking about.
That not only is Zion the blessed city of God
But it is also the source of blessing
To any and all who desire to know God.
Even a Babylonian could know God by traveling to Jerusalem.
Even a Philistine could meet God by traveling through the gates of Zion.
THERE IS ACCESS TO GOD HERE.
BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT, we find out that IN THE END, it is only those who are now citizens of this city who are welcome to God.
(6) “The LORD will count when He registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah”
It is the picture of the end and God opening the registry.
• Only the registered citizens of Zion are acceptable to God.
• Only those with a heavenly passport are permitted.
• Only those who entered Jerusalem are allowed to come to Him.
Revelation 21:27 “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
And this simply makes the point again.
• Egyptians are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Babylonians are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Romans are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
• Americans are not welcome unless they have become citizens of Zion.
Does that make sense?
This is the city God blessed and this is the only city He accepts.
If you have to choose between American citizenship and Heavenly citizenship it is obvious which one you should choose.
Zion’s Designation Zion’s Distinction
#3 ZION’S DELIGHT
Psalms 87:7
You recognize here obvious rejoicing.
There is obvious music and obvious singing.
The statement is “All my springs of joy are in you.”
• That is to say everything worth having comes from you.
• It is Asaph’s cry that apart from you I desire nothing on earth.
• It is the cry of the Psalmist that he doesn’t need anything any other country has to offer, he only wants what Zion offers.
We actually see a great picture of this in Scripture.
TURN TO: EZEKIEL 47:1-12
You remember this picture of the river.
1) THE SOURCE OF THE RIVER (1)
• It comes from God.
• He is there, and He is the source of life.
2) THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE RIVER (2-5)
• The river gets deeper further downstream.
• It’s not diminishing it is growing stronger.
• It will go on forever. (John 10:10)
3) THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RIVER (6-11)
• The river gives life.
• Even to the Dead Sea…life
4) THE STAMINA OF THE RIVER (12)
• It never stops.
And of course we read:
Revelation 22:1-2 “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
This is the joy of the new and heavenly city.
TURN TO: REVELATION 21:10-27
There are the blessings and the joys as well.
And the point of the Psalmist is that this is THE CITY YOU SHOULD SEEK.
This is the city you want to be a citizen of.
• If you’re a citizen of Babylon then forsake it and apply for citizenship here.
• If you’re a citizen of Egypt then forsake it and come apply for citizenship here.
• If you’re a citizen of America then forsake it and apply for citizenship here.
Do not love the world or the things of the world…
And so the obvious application of the Psalm is clear.
MOVE YOUR CITIZENSHIP HERE!
Consider the saints of old.
Hebrews 11:13-16 “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
They didn’t want what their old country had to offer.
• We see Abram leave Ur
• We see Moses leave Pharaoh’s court
• They wanted something better.
And the writer of Hebrews would appeal to his readers to DO THE SAME.
Hebrews 13:14 “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
What city is that?
Hebrews 12:22-24 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”
• Don’t hang on to this world.
• Don’t put your hope in this world.
• Let it go and embrace the city which is to come.
Paul said:
Philippians 3:17-21 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”
This is our calling.
That is what this Psalm is about.
We can all sing about being proud to be an American,
But this Psalmist was proud to call Zion his home.
It was his heavenly passport that mattered the most to him.
And I think regardless of what happens Tuesday,
This must be the focus of every child of God.
Don’t latch your hopes to a political leader.
Don’t attach your future to an earthly nation.
I hope America lasts many more years to come.
I hope America enjoys peace and prosperity.
I desire the welfare of this nation.
But there is only one nation that stands in the end
And that is the nation you must be a part of.
And it is through Jesus Christ alone that entrance is granted there.
• It is a holy city.
• It is a righteous nation.
• And only Christ can make you righteous.
• Only Christ can make you holy.
And when you forsake this life in order to gain His…
When you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him…
That is when you receive your new passport.
And that is when you are guaranteed access to heaven’s springs of joy.
And it is a benefit like no other.
Psalms 87:1-3 “His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah.”
