Turn back to Psalm 24. Psalm 24. Lord willing, I'd just like to go verse by verse of this passage this evening. Look again at verse 1. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. The earth is the Lord's, not man's. Whose is it? It's the Lord's. And listen, men may live on this earth and we might, most of our possessions, and power. Men have taken this earth and divided it into countries. There's been a lot of blood spilled over the years over borders and countries. They've taken those countries and divided them into states and those states into counties, and those counties have been divided up into farms and subdivisions and lots. And then a man goes and buys a piece of that land. And we claim it as ours. But that's just not the case. We may claim it as ours. We may have a little piece of paper saying it's ours. But truly the earth is the Lord's. It's all His.

You know, when God spoke to Job, back there in Job 41, He said, Whatsoever is under the whole heaven, who'd He say that was? He said, it's mine. Every bit of it. Does that sound like a God that's waiting on man to do anything? A God that is dependent on man for anything? David Spurgeon wrote this, he said, we're at best tenants, tenants at will, subject to his eviction at any given time. The earth is the Lord's. And David goes on and he says, the fullness thereof. That may be a reference to the harvest. We harvest things from this earth. It's wealth. It's life. It's worship. But you know what? In every sense, God is the possessor of it. He made it full and he keeps it full.

I look this up. Eight billion people, eight billion people live on this earth. Think about that. And the Lord provides for everyone. Think of all the demands on the, naturally speaking, all the demands on the resources of this world. And yet, the sea is still full. The air is still full. And listen, whatever breath we take, it's His to give, and it's His to take away. Everything that lives and breathes on this earth, and yet it's full. The soil, we go and we plant, and we harvest, and we plant, and we harvest, and God continually provides. The millions of plants that grow, that are nourished by this earth, the rivers, the forest, all of it, the fields are full. How many generations of people have been fed and clothed and it's all held together. It's created by Him and it's held together by His sovereign hand.

In the book of Colossians, turn over to Colossians 1. Colossians chapter 1, look beginning with verse 16. Colossians 1, 16. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible Invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him, and all things were created for Him. He is before all things, and by Him, all things consist. All of it. All of it created by Him and for Him. And again, He holds it all together.

Read on in Psalm 24, back to our text. It says, the world and all they that dwell therein. All that dwell. on this earth. All that live in this world belong to Him. Belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. They're His. Listen, they're either His sons or His servants. They're either His sheep or His goats. They're either vessels of mercy or vessels of wrath. but they are His. He is by creation. In Revelation 4.11, God's word declares, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things. And for thy pleasure, they are and they were created. He is by decree. The Father hath given him all things. All things. Scripture says, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. By decree. And he's declared. Declared Lord of Lord and King Paul writing to the Philippians, he said, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, every knee should bow of things in heaven, of things in earth, of things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. to the glory of God the Father, for His glory. God has, listen, He's not waiting, He's not waiting for man to make Him Lord. God beat every man to that. He's declared Him to be Lord.

It's His by purchase. Romans 14, 19 says, for to this end, Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. And listen, it's by his administration. He reigns. He reigns over all things. In Matthew 28, he said, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Back to Psalm 24. Look at verse 2. He hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. I had a note in my Bible. It says, is there anything more unstable than water? And yet the Lord hath founded this world upon it. He founded it upon the seas, upon the floods. But you know this world, at best, is temporary. Temporary. We like Abraham. What was he looking for? Scripture says Abraham was looking for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. That foundation, what is that foundation? Who is that foundation? It's none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the chief cornerstone. Therefore, saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make haste. This is the true God.

Well, back again, Psalm 24, look at verse three. Here we see, first we see the true God and then we see the true Israel. Who shall ascend, verse 3, who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord? I feel like just about every word that comes out of man's mouth regarding God is blasphemy. When they speak of him, when they make those cute little comments or what they think are cute little comments talking about the man upstairs, they talk of him like he was such a one as ourselves. Listen, he's not. They speak of him as just like he was somebody that lived down the street from them.

Psalm 46.10, just listen to these words. Just listen. Be still. Be still and know that I am God. He said, I'll be exalted among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth. who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord. He's sovereign. Almighty God is sovereign over all things. How high is He above us? We can't even enter into that, can we? He that dwelleth in the heavens.

Turn to Ecclesiastes. Just a few chapters over, a few books over. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Look at verse 1. He says, when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon the earth, therefore let thy words be few." That's good instruction, isn't it? Almighty God dwells in a light that no man can approach.

Let's read on here in Psalm 24, who shall stand in his holy place? Imagine if a man could ascend to where God dwells, truly who would be able to stand in his presence? Who could stand, who could abide in his presence? Look at verse four. We have the answer to that question. Who can abide in his presence? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart and hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." A fourfold answer. Who is it? He that has clean hands. That's none of us, is it? This is one who has never sinned. One with a pure heart. One who has not even imagined a thought of evil. One who has, listen, not lifted up his soul unto vanity. What would it be like to love God perfectly? To not do anything contrary to the will of God. And in the fourth one he says, and not sworn deceitfully. to speak the truth perfectly, to speak perfect truth, to speak of Him. Perfect in thought and deed, perfect in love and truth. Can these words describe anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ? The only one, listen, who has ascended unto heaven. The only one who can stand in the holy place. Who is it? He that came down from heaven. The son of man which is in heaven. That's what the word, that's what God's word says. That's what it declares in John 3.13. It says, no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven. Even the son of man which is in heaven.

Listen, all that God requires, it's found in one person. It's found in the Lord Jesus Christ. All that God requires has been accomplished by that one man, accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse five says, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord. and righteousness from the God of his salvation. That question back there in verse three, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? Here's the answer, verse five. He that shall receive the blessing from the Lord. He that shall receive the righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is true Israel. That one that's received the blessing of the Lord. Grace, pardon, adoption, eternal life, righteousness. That's what he said there. Righteousness from the God of his salvation. The righteousness of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ who is our Savior. He who is the author of eternal salvation. That one that has brought in an everlasting righteousness. It's in Him. It's in Christ. It's the gift of His grace. That which is received by faith. Oh, what a blessing. What a blessing that God would bestow the righteousness of His Son on a people.

Romans 8 verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. True Israel, true Israel are those that are found in His Son, those that are found in Christ. Well, verse 6, This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek Thy face, O Jacob, those that seek the Lord, those that seek His face. By His grace, we seek Him, we seek His presence, we seek His mercy, we seek His righteousness, and it's all found in one. It's all found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The righteousness of Christ. And listen, we find in Him all that we need. He is all that we need. Those that seek Him. And what a promise. What a promise in God's Word. Those that seek, and I tell you, not everybody's seeking. But those that seek, what does scripture say? They'll find. They shall find. This is true Israel, the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and have no, zero, none, no confidence in this flesh. And you know what? Scripture says it's a great number. A great multitude which no man can number. From all nations, from all kindred, from all people, from all tongue. God has a people. Doesn't that just cause the heart to rejoice? God has a people in Christ. True Israel.

Well, let's look at these last four verses. Here we see the true Redeemer. He says, verse 7, lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? Who is it? Scripture describes him as the king of kings and the Lord of lords. Scripture described him as that one to whom every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that he is Lord. Are you still in verse eight? He that is, listen, he that is strong, the Lord is strong and mighty, mighty in battle. Consider the battles that he has fought. Consider the victories that he has won. Here's a list of them. He's defeated sin. He has defeated death. He has defeated hell. He has defeated Satan. He ascended up on high. He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. The Lord Jesus Christ has conquered every spiritual enemy, and every enemy of his people.

Verse nine, lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Now this is a repeat of verse seven. Think about this. The Lord of hosts, he's entering in with a people that if numbered, are numbered as the sands of the sea. A number as the stars of the sky. A number which no man can number. The gates and doors of eternal glory have been closed. Closed to men. How's that? Our sin. Our sins have separated us and our God. But listen. He's entering in. And He's going to bring every one of His people with Him. The Son of Man, He came to this earth. His work of redemption is done. It's finished. We know that, don't we? The Lord declared that Himself. It is finished. And now, open the gates. Open the gates. Open the doors. to the king of glory in his church.

Scripture says this, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, through his flesh. Our Lord said this, he said, I go to prepare a place for you and I'm going to come again and I'm going to receive you to myself. Listen to this, that where I am. Where is he? He's seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. He says, that where I am, there ye may be also.

Well, quickly, verse 10. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Who is the King of glory? He's the Lord, strong and mighty, able to do everything that He's undertaken, everything that He promised to do, everything He purposed to do. He's done it. And unlike you and me, He's able. He's able to perform all that He promised. What else is He able to do? He's able to subdue all things to Himself. He's able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. He's able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him. And He's able to keep us from falling. And not just that. That'd be a lot, wouldn't it? That'd be everything. He's able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory.

Who is the King of glory? Question followed with an answer. Who's the king of glory? Listen, do you know who it is? Has he revealed him to you? Who is the king of glory? God's word declares it's the Lord of hosts. The Lord of hosts. The Lord, and I'll try to say this right, Sabbath. The Lord Sabbath, this name declares his sovereign dominion and power over all things. The Lord of hosts. He has his way in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand and none can say unto him, what doest thou?

Luther wrote these words. He said, did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing. We're not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing. Just ask who that may be. Who is it? Christ Jesus. It is he. Sabbath his name from age to age the same. He doesn't change, does he? And he must win the battle. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts. He is the King of Glory. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.

All right, Isaac, you come lead us in a closing hymn.