Short Notes Version 1 Mar 20

Psalm 126:

B1 There is a present view (the time of this Psalm’s writing). It describes the Jew’s happiness and seeking blessings from God because of their return to Israel from Babylon.

B2 There is also a future view. This is best explained by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum in an answer to a question he received.

God as King

B1 If God is King of all kings, Lord of all lords, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent, why is there evil in the world?

B2 God indeed rules all. We know

C1 God delegates who is to rule: Daniel 2:19-23 NIV During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king."

C2 By whatever term the country’s leader is known by, this person must rule as a servant of God. Romans 13:3-4 RSV For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer.

C3 But he/she essentially always does not learn God’s ways nor do them: Psalm 2:2-3 NKJV The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3 "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."

C4 Even though they are required to learn His ways: Deuteronomy 17:14-20 NIV When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," 15 be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. 18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

B3 Eventually, Jesus will come to reign, since all human leaders failed in some way:

C1 Psalm 2:6 ESV "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."

C2 Psalm 45:6 ESV Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

C3 Psalm 89:27 ESV And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

C4 Psalm 110:1 ESV A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."

C5 Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

C6 Daniel 7:13-14 ESV "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

C7 Zechariah 14:3, 9 ESV Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. ... 9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

C8 Revelation 11:15 ESV Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."

B4 Let us all understand and be good servants of Jesus Christ.

C1 Matthew 6:24 NIV "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

C2 John 12:26 NIV Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

C3 His rules for us our in the New Testament: For example read Ephesians chapters 4-6.

C4 If we love God, we will obey His teaching (doctrine) and His rules (lifestyle): John 14:23-24 NIV Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

1 John 2:16-17 NIV For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.