The Lord Reigns
FIRST QUARTER 2024
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #3
JANUARY 20, 2024
“THE LORD REIGNS”
“The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved” (Psalms 93:1, NKJV throughout).
This week’s lesson covers the depiction of our Lord in the Psalms as Creator, Lawgiver, covenantal Savior, Judge, and King. As we explore these titles and roles of Jesus it is my prayer that God’s Spirit will lead us to a richer and greater appreciation of the Father’s unfathomable agape love in giving His Son to humanity.
The Creator God and Son of Man
What a tremendous risk the Godhead took in initiating the plan of salvation! The Creator God of the universe became us.
As was pointed out in Friday’s section of the lesson, the Psalms should be read in the light of God’s character of love and grace and His plan to save and restore the world.
Our tendency is to read the Psalms through the lens of David’s and the other psalmists’ experiences and emotions. Yet as Pastor Jerry Finneman points out, the Psalms are centered in the truth as it is in Jesus.
“The various writers of the Psalms recorded the common experiences of humanity. Of the experiences of mankind written in the Psalms, Christ’s are paramount. The Psalms mean Christ. Christ as God. Christ as man. Christ in His sufferings, His death, resurrection, and ascension. The Psalms deal with the truth about Jesus—the truth about Christ for us, with us, and as us. This truth is presented more clearly in the Psalms than anywhere else in the Bible. Christ is the theme of the Psalms.” — Gerald L. Finneman, Christ in the Psalms, His Passion for Humanity, p. 11.
Jesus knew by personal experience every emotion and temptation that has been the lot of humans since the fall. In John 2:24, 25 we read that Jesus “knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” We have an Elder Brother who completely and fully identifies with every aspect of our lives.
“The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. This is to be our study. Christ was a real man; He gave proof of His humility in becoming a man. Yet He was God in the flesh.” — Ellen G. White, The Youth's Instructor, October 13, 1898.
“In contemplating the incarnation of Christ in humanity, we stand baffled before an unfathomable mystery, that the human mind cannot comprehend. The more we reflect upon it, the more amazing does it appear. How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem's manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one. It is in this union that we find the hope of our fallen race.” – Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896.
Psalm 8
As is true of each psalm, Psalm 8 is rich in artistic literary composition. Parallelism, the combining of symmetrically constructed words, phrases, or thoughts, is a regular feature in Hebrew poetry as the first lesson noted. This symmetry is observable throughout Psalm 8, which is a song of praise to our Creator and Kinsman-redeemer.
O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants,
You have ordained strength Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger,
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained.
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen-- Even the beast of the field,
The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
In addition to the above construct, this Psalm exhibits a literary structure like that of the Genesis creation account (ABC, ABC).
Refrain: “O, LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth” (v. 1a)
- God’s glory above the heavens (v. 1b)
- Victory over enemies through babes and infants (v. 2)
- God’s works- heavenly bodies, the moon and stars- 4th day of creation (v. 3)
- Man’s glory- Man, the son of man, was made a little lower than the angels and yet crowned with glory and honor (vv. 4, 5).
- Victory- Dominion over creation- all things put under his feet (v. 6)
- God’s works- land, air, and sea animals- 5th and 6th day of creation (vv. 7, 8)
Refrain: “O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (v. 9)
As is true of many psalms, Psalm 8 can also be viewed as a beautiful symmetrical chiasm.
A. God’s excellent name (v. 1)
B. God’s victory over his enemies through the praises of children (v. 2)
C. God’s Heavenly works- “work of Your fingers” (v. 3)
Central Axis: Created lower than the angels, man is crowned with honor and glory (vv. 4,5).
C. Man’s dominion over God works- “works of Your hands” (v. 6a)
B. All things are put under his feet- regained rulership (vv. 6b-8)
A. God’s excellent name (v. 9)
Paul applies the eighth psalm to Jesus “who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).
“In the light of the New Testament, Psalm 8 is a prophecy of Christ the second Adam and of the new humanity as redeemed by Him. The central thought of the psalm is restated, then continued. It reveals the loss of dominion by Adam, then its restoration through Christ. Hebrews 2:6-8 reveals the sovereign dominion of Christ by showing that He is the Man God has crowned with glory and honor and made to have dominion over all the works of creation.” —Gerald L. Finneman, Christ in the Psalms, His Passion for Humanity, p. 43.
“Although Adam carved his initials deep in our flesh, Christ carved His much deeper. What Adam did against us, Christ reversed. Christ’s work for us is far greater than what Adam did to us.
“The greatest honor bestowed upon the human race is in the fact that Christ took upon Himself our nature in the incarnation. And being a man, God visited Him, cared for Him and thus visits and cares for us. And the fact that Christ in glorified human nature sits at the side of the Father, God blesses us in Him (Ephesians 1:3, 6). And so it is that Psalm 8, prophetic of Christ, was fulfilled in and by Christ.” — Gerald L. Finneman, Christ in the Psalms, His Passion for Humanity, p. 48.
The gospel is truly good news!
Lawgiver and Covenantal Savior
“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalm 25:10).
“Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165).
The Psalms are historic and prophetic. Several psalms review Israel’s history. We are given fresh insights into God’s providential leading in the past as well as His covenantal promises already fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled.
“He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant” (Psalm 105:8-10).
Just as Jesus is the second Adam, He is the new Israel who came to redeem Israel’s failure to keep the law. Jesus’s victory is our victory! Look again at the story of David and Goliath. David’s defeat of the giant was a victory for the whole nation. “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
“Only by the expensive offering made upon the cross of Calvary can we understand the value of the human soul. We are placed on vantage ground by the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, to obtain freedom from the bondage of sin which was wrought by the fall of Adam.” –Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, Chap. 186.
“By the offering made in our behalf we are placed on vantage ground. The sinner, drawn by the power of Christ from the confederacy of sin, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it. Then there is a new creature in Christ Jesus. The sinner is cleansed and purified. A new heart is given to him. Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require. The work of redemption involved consequences of which it is difficult for man to have any conception. There was to be imparted to the human being striving for conformity to the divine image an outlay of heaven’s treasures, an excellency of power, which would place him higher than the angels who had not fallen. The battle has been fought the victory won. The controversy between sin and righteousness exalted the Lord of heaven, and established before the saved human family, before the unfallen worlds, before all the host of evil workers, from the greatest to the least, God’s holiness, mercy, goodness, and wisdom.” –Ellen G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 243.
Jesus our Judge
“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” (John 5:22, 23).
“Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns; the world also is firmly established. It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously’” (Psalm 96:10).
Psalm 75
A. “We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks! For your wondrous works declare that your name is near” (v. 1).
B. At the proper time God will judge uprightly (vv. 2, 3).
C. The boastful and wicked are warned against self-exaltation (vv. 4, 5).
Central Axis: God is Judge (vv. 6, 7a).
C. God puts down one and exalts another (v. 7b).
B. When the cup of God’s judgment is poured out on the earth the wicked will drink it (v. 8).
A. But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted” (vv. 9, 10).
This Psalm reminds us of the judgment scenes of Daniel and Revelation. Revelation 14:7 announces the hour of God’s judgment. The third angel’s message warns the earth’s inhabitants that worshiping the beast and his image and receiving his mark will result in “drinking the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation” (Rev. 14:9, 10). In Psalm 75 we read, “When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly” (v. 2). “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down” (v. 8).
What is God’s cup of indignation? It is the very cup that Christ drained to the dregs on the cross for every human being. The lost are destroyed because they spurned the gift purchased at infinite cost. In rejecting the Son, the Way of life eternal, the sinner chooses death (John 3:17, 35, 36).
God’s wrath is His hatred of sin. To suppress the truth and choose the lie is to choose eternal separation from God, the life giver and sustainer (Romans 1:18-32). To cling to sin is to choose death. Since God is love, His wrath is but a manifestation of His love. Only when sin and death are destroyed can righteousness and peace reign eternally.
The Sovereign King and Bridegroom
“The Lord Reigns” (Monday’s lesson) references several psalms, however, I would like to conclude with a psalm that is a personal favorite, Psalm 45. This psalm is a beautiful and deeply moving love story. The grandest, most glorious royal marriage of all time is soon to take place!
The Glories of the Messiah and His Bride, Psalm 45
- Praise to the King- “You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever” (vv. 1, 2).
- Conquest of the King- “In Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness…Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You” (vv. 3-5).
- Enthronement and Rulership of the King- “Your throne, O God, is forever.” “A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness. Your God, has anointed You. Your garments are scented with myrrh, aloes, and cassia” (vv. 6-8).
- Appeal to the Chosen Bride- “Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship Him” (vv. 9-12).
- The Bride Submits to the King- She is all glorious within, her clothing is woven with gold. With gladness and rejoicing she and her companions enter the King’s palace (vv. 13-15).
- Promise to the Bride- “Your sons you shall make princes in all the earth” (v. 16).
Summation Thought: “I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever” (v. 17).
A. Concerning the King: He is fairer than the sons of men. Grace is poured upon His lips. “Therefore, God has blessed You forever” (vv. 1, 2).
B. Warfare and Victory of the King: With sword, He rides prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness. His arrows are sharp in the heart of His enemies (vv. 3-5).
C. The King’s Throne is Established Forever: He rules with a scepter of righteousness. “You love righteousness and hate wickedness” (vv. 6, 7a).
Central Axis:The Exaltation of the King (vv. 7b-9)
C. The King’s Appeal to His Bride to Be United to His Kingdom: “Forget your own people.” “The king greatly desires your beauty.” “He is your Lord. Worship Him” (vv. 10-12).
B. The Marriage of the King: The royal daughter is all glorious within. Attired in royal robes woven with gold she is brought to the King. With gladness and rejoicing she and her companions enter the King’s palace. Her sons shall be princes in all the earth (vv. 13-16).
A. Concerning the King: His name is great, and He is praised by the people forever (v. 17).
Psalm 45 is a majestic psalm of King Jesus, His beautiful person, His victory, enthronement, and marriage to His beloved. It is about a bride who has been transformed by the drawing power of her Lord’s self-sacrificing love for her.
We can see why she would be enamored with Him, but the amazing truth is, He greatly loves and desires her (v. 11)! The King wants to spend eternity with His people and invites them to share the throne He shares with the Father (Rev. 3:21)! The redeemed are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh. She was taken from His side (Gen. 2:23, 24, John 19:34, 35). Oh, how tenderly and deeply our Redemer loves us!
“Psalm 45:9 depicts the church as His queen standing by His side. By an everlasting covenant He has betrothed this woman to Himself. She stands at His right hand, the place of honor. She is seen clothed in a garment woven with gold thread, even the gold of Ophir, the most pure and precious and valuable on earth…Both the linen here and the gold of Ophir represent the purity and the costliness of Christ’s grace and righteousness by which we are clothed.
“Although they are free, they are not cheap. They cost Christ everything. Heaven itself was not considered of more value than was the lost race. His form of God was not considered, by Himself, of more value than mankind. He laid aside His form as God to take upon Himself our nature to redeem us (Philippians 2:5-7). He will retain our redeemed nature forever. Forever He is the Son of Man. We are indebted to Jesus forever for the costliness of the garments by which He clothes us.” –Gerald L. Finneman, Christ in the Psalms, His Passion for Humanity, pp. 121, 122.
May we accept the costly wedding garments, so graciously provided (Matthew 22:1-14). We want to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb. He is coming soon with power, glory, and majesty!
“‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean, and bright…” (Rev. 19:6-8).
Note: For a deeper appreciation of what our Savior is to us, I highly recommend Pastor Finneman’s book, Christ in the Psalms, His Passion for Humanity. Chapter 5, “The Two Adams” and Chapter 16, “The Love Song” are especially applicable to this insight. May you be blessed!
~ Martha Ruggles